BACK TO THE `40S WITH THE SWEET ADELINES

Buying Victory Bonds, shopping with ration stamps, working long hours in defense plants. Saturday, the Girardot Rose Chorus of Sweet Adelines International brings back "The way it was" on the homefront during World War II in "Sentimental Sounds: Music from the '40s."

The show will be presented at the Concord Theatre, 430 Broadway, with a matinee at 4 p.m. and an evening performance at 8.

Barbershop chords will ring out under the direction of Pat McClain as the 21-voice chorus harmonizes to such favorites as "Sentimental Journey," "In the Mood," "Goody Goody," "I Don't Want to Walk Without You Baby," "Java Jive," "Jump Shout Boogie," "Heartache," "I'll be Home for Christmas," and patriotic selections "This is My Country," "Buy a Victory Bond" and "God Bless America."

Two quartets will sing special songs. "Dipsey Doodle" will be sung by Joe Anne Wolford, Sharon Schwarz, Jean Hermsdorfer and Charlotte Palmer. The old favorite "Hey, Daddy" will be performed by Holly Thomas, Kathy Heise, Pat McClain and Irene Stevens.

A solo rendition of "When the Nylons Bloom Again" will be sung by Jean Hermsdorfer with band accompaniment, and a creative version of "They're Either Too Young or Too Old" will be presented by Jo Ann Bock and an ensemble of Sweet Adelines.

The first half of the show will introduce a cast of 16 women who bring the '40s to life through humorous situations reminiscent of life on the homefront.

Dedicated to teaching women to sing barbershop-style four-part harmony, Sweet Adelines Inc., was founded in Tulsa in 1946, and now has more than 30,000 members throughout the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Sweden, Japan, the Netherlands and Panama.

The Girardot Rose Chapter was founded in 1983, and includes women from nine towns in Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois.

For tickets, contact any Girardot Rose member or call 334-8825 or 334-6550. Adult tickets are $7.50; student and senior citizen tickets are $5.