THEATER REVIEW:

OK, I admit it. I wasn’t really looking forward to the Huntington Beach Playhouse’s world premiere musical “Born to Ride the Waves.” Heck, I don’t even swim, much less surf.

That said, I must admit the new musical by Joseph Mulroy (music and lyrics), and the team of Mimi Leahey and Harry Nangle (book) is a most enjoyable production. Rather than lean on the cliches of the surfing culture, the show gently satirizes them.

“Born to Ride the Waves” focuses on the surfing culture of Huntington Beach and the threat posed by a developer who wants to dredge the prime surfing area for a commercial project.

But the playwrights have saved that story line for later — right now it’s time for fun on the sand.

This being 1964, there’s also a movie crew filming one of those cheesy surfing flicks, this one involving a mummy. This occasions a chance meeting between the film’s luscious star and the local surfing champ, a taciturn loner.

Chris Smith, a Huntington Beach native, finds the heart of his revered character and turns in a believable performance. As the movie star who won’t go near the water, Elise Jackson is a stunning beauty with a voice to match.

The evening’s finest performance is delivered by Dustin Officer as Crablegs, an aging surf bum who regrets his misspent youth in a poignant solo, “My Surfin’ Day.” Officer, a sort of mentor to Smith’s character, adds layers of dimension to this deceptive role.

The nominative villain of the piece is James McHale’s surly Fletch, a rival of Smith’s and a well-heeled fellow who, it turns out, is behind the demolition project.

McHale conducts a testy romance with top surfer Chrissy (Jessica Taylor), leading up to Taylor’s terrific number, “You’re Not My Dream Anymore.”

Michael Keeney, who seems to live at the playhouse, shows up for comic relief as a cigar-chomping movie director, writing his script as filming progresses with his patient cameraman, Adam Saucedo, who also doubles as a classy Mexican bar singer.

James Luby makes the most of his limited role as Midget, a junior surfer, while Lindsey Kelly, Jenna Romano and Chase O’Donnell perform in unison as beach bunnies hoping to be discovered (Romano also opens the show by singing the national anthem.)

The show plays out on a realistic-looking beach scene designed by Wally Huntoon and benefits from Joni Stockinger’s colorful costumes. Musical director Erik Pryztulski keeps the rhythm flowing with his four-piece combo that pays homage to, without actually copying, the great Dick Dale.

Ensemble work is especially well executed, thanks to Marie de la Palme and Gemma Hebson, who share the duties of director and choreographer.

The show hits its zenith late in the second act in the full-company number “Send Us a Swell,” followed by the anthem “The Way It’ll Never Be Again.”

Surfing may not be your bag; it sure isn’t mine.

But “Born to Ride the Waves” will have you wishing you had taken a crack at the lifestyle, if only for a summer.

Just bring a heavy sweater — the theater can’t control the library air conditioning.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: “Born to Ride the Waves”

WHO: Huntington Beach Playhouse

WHERE: Library Theater, 7111 Talbert Ave., Huntington Beach

WHEN: 8 p.m. Fridays, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturdays, 1 and 7 p.m. Sundays through July 20

COST: $18 - $20

CALL: (714) 375-0696

TOM TITUS reviews local theater for the Independent.