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Amy Eschman stole the show - but her other six cast members gave her a run for her money in this unique presentation by Lyric Theatre.

They are appearing in I Want My 80's Musical!. The show by Tom Stuart and Nick Demos is making its world premiere in Oklahoma City. The show is being staged through Feb. 12 at the Freede Little Theatre in Civic Center Music Hall.

Curtain times are 8 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays and 5 and 8:30 p.m. Saturdays. Tickets are available by calling 524-9312 or going by the Lyric Theatre Ticket Office at 1727 NW 16th St. The musical is rated Mature for strong language and themes.

This musical is very, very funny and, at times, quite poignant.

In addition to Eschman, who received a Critics' Circle Award for her role as Adelaide in Guys and Dolls on Broadway, cast members are Ryan Link (Roger in Rent on Broadway), Amber Leseney, Matt Brown, Jason Carroll, Bentley Monk and Keleen Snowgren.

They all play high school students in the 1980s era and they act out teen angst, joy and love - girl-boy, girl-boy and boy-boy.

Eschman plays the role of an outsider, with outrageous (but darling) clothes she designs herself, who denies friendships but ends up in love. Her goal is to be a fashion designer after graduation.

Leseney is the demure student who obeys the rules, especially her mother's, and Snowgren is the aggressive cheerleader, prom queen and typical Valley Girl, who tries to ruin everything and everyone. All three are well cast and play their roles creditably.

Brown is a writer who discovers himself and his true role in life while Carroll takes the role of a Canadian who transfers to this high school and becomes the school's only male cheerleader - and Brown's close friend.

Monk is a big jock who finds his own way after some challenges. Link is a fairly typical, well-to-do student who rolls with the wind but finally finds his way to love.

The music is typically 1980s and includes such tunes as Heaven Is a Place on Earth, which drew big laughs from the audience, Harden My Heart, Physical (by the high school choir in red robes), Kids in America (an original tune) and Things Can Only Get Better.

The SRO audience on opening night ranged in age from teens to seniors and, from the laughter and applause, I assumed that many of them had either attended high school in the '80s or had children in school in that era.

The jokes and pranks and clothes are so '80s, as are the dance numbers, choreographed by Lyric Theatre's artistic director Nick Demos, who also directed, in addition to sharing author credit.

The scenery was at a minimum with the mood set for each scene through the use of phoriotwearraphic slides (and ironic or appropriate quotes) of President Ronald Reagan and Nancy Reagan, among others.

The evening was hilarious (even when I didn't quite understand a line or two) but it's one of those things where you need to see it to appreciate it. Do go, if for no other reason than to see and recall an innocuous but nostalgic period in teen-agers' lives.

Demos and Stuart have been working on this show for about five years, producing staged readings and partial shows in New York and Norman. As Demos said in his pre-performance talk, this musical production is still a work in progress, although one that the creators feel is ready to be presented. All seats are reserved and tickets are priced at $25 each.