Does Alliance Theatre’s Avenue X anticipate an a cappella trend?

Hey nonny ding dong, alang alang alang / Boom ba-doh, ba-doo ba-doodle-ay!

The Alliance Theatre’s a cappella musical Avenue X affirms that doo-wop music can be as catchy as it is corny. The sight of scatting white guys swaying in unison may induce unwelcome flashbacks to “Uptown Girl”-era Billy Joel – until you catch yourself snapping your fingers and tapping your feet in time.

By staging a musician-free musical, the Alliance Theatre might launch an a cappella resurgence, assuming one hasn’t started already. Horizon Theatre’s Black Pearl Sings, opening in March, showcases the African tradition of a cappella music. Whether through Avenue X’s old-school doo-wop and R&B tunes, or through more contemporary variations, the a cappella musical style seems perfectly in tune for our times, especially in live theater.

Avenue X

Through Feb. 7. $25-$60. Tues.-Fri., 8 p.m.; Sat., 2:30 and 8 p.m.; Sun., 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. Alliance Theatre, Woodruff Arts Center, 1280 Peachtree St. 404-733-5000. www.alliancetheatre.org.

The financial advantages are obvious. In a lean economy, musicals with huge casts become prohibitively expensive, but imagine the savings when the cast is the band. In 2004, the Alliance’s Susan V. Booth directed a pared-down My Fair Lady with two pianos and a cast of about 10. Avenue X, which features no musicians and a cast of eight, carries the less-is-more aesthetic even further.

Plus, a cappella performance brings its own kind of drama. A unique energy and excitement accompanies singers unsupported by backing musicians, as if they’re performing without a net. Arguably, a cappella diminishes the artificiality of the musical format. In Avenue X, it feels more natural when characters break into song at park benches or kitchen tables, since there’s no invisible orchestra providing fanfare.

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(Photo courtesy Alliance Theatre)