The Plaids toast Como, Clooney

Is the Pasadena Playhouse’s “Plaid Tidings� different from last year’s “Forever Plaid -- A Special Holiday Edition� at the same theater?

Yes, swears “Plaid� creator and director Stuart Ross. Ten songs from last year’s show are out, and 13 new ones are in. A Perry Como homage has been enhanced by obtaining rights to a Como kinescope that enables the Plaid quartet to back up “Mr. C.� A tribute to the late Rosemary Clooney has been added.

Only one member of last year’s cast, John-Michael Flate, is on hand this year, but he has been joined by original Plaid David Engel, original L.A. “Forever Plaid� cast member Larry Raben and New York-based Plaid Paul Binotto in his local Plaid debut.

Ross said he tried to clarify the plot in this year’s edition, and the Plaids “face more challenges� in the story, in which they travel from the great beyond to do a TV Christmas special. However, “we’re not talking ‘Long Day’s Journey Into Night,’ � Ross added.

-- Don Shirley