Five by Design recalls early days of television with musical review

The group’s show, ‘Stay Tuned,’ revisits popular
culture of the ’50s and ’60s.

By JOHN BENSON

VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT

Remembering when.

For nearly 20 years, that’s been the modus operandi behind Minneapolis-based vocal harmony group Five By Design.

The act’s streak continues with the quintet’s Tuesday show at Warren’s Packard Music Hall, which finds Five By Design staging its popular production “Stay Tuned.” 

“We put together productions which center around our harmony, but also are full-blown productions that include comedy sketches and costume changes,” said baritone Michael Swedberg, calling from his Minnesota home. “‘Stay Tuned’ is basically done in the style of the great variety television shows from the ’50s and ’60s.

“So you have things like Perry Como and Dinah Shore, but then of course it’s done in the style of what I remember, which is ‘The Carol Burnett Show,’ ‘The Dean Martin Show,’ ‘Sonny and Cher’ and things like that.”

Theatergoers will enjoy plenty of memorable music, including classic hits such as “Sha Boom” and “The Lion Sleeps Tonight,” as well as a medley of television theme songs such as “Batman,” “The Peter Gunn Theme,” “The Wild Wild West” and more. 

“We’ve also got some comedy sketch sections,” Swedberg said. “We actually take shows that were on television at the time and do presentations based on those shows. One of them is called ‘What’s That Song?’ It’s a takeoff on ‘Name that Tune.’ Another one is based on ‘This is Your Life’ and we call it ‘All About You.’ These are fun comedy sketches, kind of in the Carol Burnett style.”

The upcoming Packard show actually marks the return of the quintet — Swedberg, Lorie Carpenter-Niska (soprano), Sheridan Zuther (alto), Kurt Niska (tenor) and Terrence Niska (bass) — to Northeast Ohio. The act performed its “Club Swing” show in 2002 at the same venue. 

“Both shows are in the same vein,” Swedberg said. “The only thing that is different is some of the content and the music. ‘Club Swing’ is built around a swing club that is getting ready to be demolished. It brings back the memories, and we go through the music. That’s from the ’30s to the early ’50s. This is built around a TV variety show, which is ’50s into the early ’60s.”

Currently there is excitement in the Five by Design camp regarding the distinct possibility “Stay Tuned” could be recorded for a PBS special that may air next year. In the meantime, the act keeps up its crazy touring schedule, which annually includes over 200 dates on the road. In the past, the act has even performed at the prestigious Kennedy Center and has traveled around the globe.

Swedberg believes there’s something special about a Five By Design production that caters directly to audiences of all ages.

“‘Stay Tuned’ is just very fast-moving entertainment and there’s a lot of laughs, a lot of great music,” Swedberg said. “Everybody will remember something. It’s just a lot of good toe-tapping music.”