Looking for something to do on your next date night? Need an excuse to get the gang together? Why not experience the nostalgia reminiscent of the Golden Age of Radio by attending Temple Theatre’s upcoming production, Beguiled Again? The musical, which highlights some of the greatest popular music from the 1920s through the 1940s, is sure to get your fingers snapping and your toes tapping!

Performed by six entertainers and a live band, Beguiled Again features more than 50 songs by the famed songwriting duo, Rodgers and Hart. In their 20 year partnership, the pair wrote the music and lyrics for 26 Broadway musicals. Peggy Taphorn, Temple Theatre’s Producing Artistic Director, describes the show, “It is set up in two distinct acts. The first act has a bit more structure to it and goes through their songs throughout their career. It begins with some of their biggest hits: “Bewitched,” “The Lady is a Tramp,” “Thou Swell,” “This Can’t Be Love” and “Johnny One Note.” She goes on to explain that the story traces their careers from their humble beginnings, to their early radio success, through their Hollywood years, and finally, back to their roots in New York City.

The second act, according to Taphorn, “deals with their favorite topic, love, and is broken into four categories of love: love through humor, unrequited love, a fine line between love and hate and the search for true love.” Some of the big hits in this portion are: “My Romance,” “It Never Entered My Mind,” “Isn’t It Romantic,” “To Keep My Love Alive,” “Falling in Love with Love” and more.

Returning to the Temple for a starring role in Beguiled Again is Dr. Ken Griggs of Fayetteville. Other familiar favorites are Galloway Stevens and Peggy Taphorn. Hailing from New York City and new to the Temple, are Daniel Robbins, Megan Rozak and Melody Baugh.

If the musical scores aren’t enough to motivate you to buy a ticket, consider this. The Temple Theatre was built in downtown Sanford in 1925 and was a frequent stop of Vaudeville shows as well as a bit of Burlesque in the 1930s. Despite being refurbished in the early ‘80s, audiences can still appreciate much of the architectural charm of that era.

From the richly painted walls in the lobby to the twin staircases leading to the balcony and its restored tin ceiling, what better locale from which to experience a musical than in a theater erected in the same period in which many of its songs were written! B

eguiled Again runs from April 28-May 15 at Temple Theatre located at 120 Carthage Street in downtown Sanford. The box office hours are Monday- Friday from 2 p.m.-6 p.m. and tickets range from $16-$20. For more information or to view the theater’s seating chart, visit the website at www.templeshows.com. You can reach the box office by phone by calling 919-774-4155.