'Woodstockmania' rocks with a live band

It may not be fair to compare a musical to a concert. (See my review of "Ragtime" on this site.) But Theatre Three's revue celebrating three days of peace, love and music, "Woodstockmania," demonstrates the folly of abandoning live music. Can you imagine staging re-enactments of songs by The Band, Janis Joplin, Jefferson Airplane and Jimi Hendrix without a rock band?

Ellen Michelmore's 10-piece ensemble rocks with standout guitar and vocals by John Given. Carolyn Droskoski does a mean Grace Slick and Lina Koutrakos doesn't disappoint as Janis. Doug Quattrock's byplay as a grandma misfit, however, gets old quickly.

But you can't beat a live band.