It’s the Housewives, a terminally cheerful 2008 rock/doo-wop musical playing at 10th Avenue Theatre through Sept. 27, contains several mysteries. There’s nothing mysterious about the premise: Three PTA moms get together to sing at the parents’ talent show and are hired by Hugo, the proprietor of a laundromat, to entertain his patrons (“Spotless Love” and “Ironing Bored”). Shades of the San Diego-sprung musical “Suds,” but not nearly as charmingly dopey or clever. From laundromat success the Housewives (Corinne Dekker, Jamey Hood and Jayme Lake) sing on K-RAP (har-dee-har, get it?) radio. One awkward redhead, a dumb blond and a larger type, all taking turns at being the diva during the ensuing career explosion. First thing you know the Housewives join the Silky Soft Tour, a gig from which they suffer an inglorious fall when caught using a rival detergent. Hope Juber and Ellen Guylas’ book is filled with like, life-changing catastrophes, such as Housewife Becca’s addiction to daytime soap operas, with the attendant intervention causing the group’s breakup. There is little doubt that one needs such mindless entertainment around Labor Day. There are some funny song lyrics by Hope and her husband, Lawrence Juber, including the vacuum cleaner number, “It Sucks,” and “The Reynolds Rap.” Mostly, though, the Jubers’ 19 musical numbers sound alike. The women’s voices — at least we are led to believe it’s their voices — are pleasant and well employed. No belters, these. The greatest mystery of all: From whence comes the sound? OK, small house, canned musical combo accompaniment. Fine. More bothersome, however, is the decided impression that some of the songs are lip-synched. Perhaps it’s the rote delivery (only Hood seems fully engaged), or maybe it’s a case of “enhancement” like that more subtly employed in “Jersey Boys,” where singers’ voices were doubled on a track synchronized with the (in that case live) accompaniment. Adding to this feeling is the fact that “It’s the Housewives” sound seems phoned in from a great remove with little clarity afforded by sound designer Joseph “Sloe” Stawinski’s microphones. Sharell Martin’s costumes are a color-coded delight down to the props, Princess phones, feather boas and sequins. Dekker is in blue, Lake in pink and Hood in green. The sets by the DC2 team are awesomely awful and actors frequently miss their lights. Hope Juber directs her own work, originally staged by Kelly Ann Ford with choreography by Kay Cole. Lawrence Juber provides musical direction. Also in the company are Tony Cicchetti, O.P. Hadlock, Andy Lurie, Lisa Cicchetti and Dan Gordon. “It’s the Housewives” continues at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays through Sept. 27 at the 10th Avenue Theatre, 930 10th Ave. For tickets ($15-$30, with pay-what-you-can 10 minutes prior to curtain), visit www.itsthehouse wives.com or call (888) 66-DERBY.
