There’s no such thing as overacting in the musical comedy “Forever Plaid,” opening Nov. 11 at the Jewel Box Theater in Poulsbo, directed by Gwen Adams. This musical is all about being campy, corny and nostalgic.

The setting is “the show that never was,” featuring a 1950s-vintage four-part harmony group who were killed in a car accident by a bus full of teens who were on their way to see The Beatles’ 1964 debut on the Ed Sullivan show.

“The Plaids” are miraculously resurrected decades later and still eager to go on with the show, dated as it may be.

The metaphor of the car crash of course is that of rock and roll versus everything that came before it in the name of music. But, instead of being the end of an era, the concert by The Plaids proves that the songs from the ‘50s are still crowd-pleasers today.

Dressed in red bow ties and silver lamé plaid tuxedos that would make Liberace wince, Sparky, played by Eric Richardson, Smudge, played by Rod Gray, Jinx, played by Kenneth Miller and Frankie, played by Dan Engelhard, swing and sway their way through a K-Tel parade of hits. The band members are all supposed to be young men, but the actors range in age from Engelhard, who is old enough to remember when Buddy Holly died, to Miller, who wasn’t even born when the Beatles broke up.

Jerry Vogt rounds out the cast as the omnipotent “voice.”

The score for the Broadway musical by Stuart Ross features songs like “Catch a Falling Star,” “Three Coins in the Fountain” and “Heart and Soul.”

The quartet’s name is a tribute to Scotland, even though none of them are Scottish. That doesn’t stop them from performing a rousing a cappella rendition of “Scotland the Brave.”

The four performers handle their parts ably and are obviously having fun with the material. How could you not when the song “Crazy ‘Bout Ya Baby” includes dancing with toilet plungers?

Eric Richardson, who was last seen on stage as the psycho in “Working” at the Jewel Box, fronts the group for “Perfidia,” dedicated to his high school Spanish teacher, performed with extravagant body language and feeling.

Gray, wearing classic “geek” glasses, hits an incredibly low note in a medley of “Sixteen Tons” and “Chain Gang,” while the group dances in perfect unison behind him. Four Tops eat your hearts out.

Gray also delivers the entire Ed Sullivan “Shoe” in three minutes and eleven seconds.

The Plaids are backed up by a live trio, with Ed Rose on bass, Jack Lake on drums and Adams on keyboards.

It’s the same position Adams played when she directed “Working” last season at the Jewel Box.

Adams thinks the show will appeal to audiences of all ages, from those who are old enough to walk down this memory lane to those who are fans of today’s boy bands. Adams noted the show is appropriate for the whole family, although mature audience members will recognize more of the songs.

“I’m hoping it will bring people out with its pure harmonies and beautiful chords,” Adams said.

This show marks the arrival of new seats at the Jewel Box, actual fold down theater seats, instead of the banquet chairs the Jewel Box has used for years.

“Forever Plaid” opens Nov. 11 and runs weekends through Dec. 4 at the Jewel Box Theater, 225 Iverson St., Poulsbo. Showtimes are 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2 p.m. Nov. 20 and Dec. 4.

Tickets are $14 adults, $12 seniors, students and active duty military, available at Liberty Bay Books, the Jensen Way branch of Frontier Bank and Sherry’s Piano in Poulsbo, the Kitsap Mall information booth in Silverdale or by phone at (360) 779-9688. wu