Sunburned and smiling, I returned from ten days of relaxation and entertainment at the Diplomat Hotel in Hollywood, Florida.  The Fifth Dimension quintet ushered in the new year, singing their famous recordings of "Up, Up and Away" and "Let the Sun Shine In" besides recounting in clever patter a history of how corny they sounded when they began as opposed to today's smooth professionalism.  The hospitable Diplomat never fails to offer a first rate  show in their Ambassador Room.  And the sun really shone every wet northern day.

Speaking of the elements, the show Rainbow is more colorful than meaningful and more musical then lyric-proof.  But what the book and lyrics diminish the James Rado music endows bountifully.  So much so that this two act song fest at the off-Broadway Orpheum theatre flows unstintingly in a continuum of voices raised a la Hair.  In spite of original melody though, the show always circles the periphery of song hits possibilities but never scores a bulls eye.  The best songs of Rainbow are take-offs on other styles, like "oh, Oh, Oh" a reminder of "You, You, You" and "Oh I Am A Fork" a clever square dance razz.  Rado and brother Ted provided music, lyrics and book in a very free style;  so free in fact that it is hard to pin down the point.

From a flag draped coffin, "Man" emerges, a casualty of the Vietnam war.  He finds himself in heaven surrounded by a radio station of "rainbeams from rainbow land".  With "Godspell" oddities of make-up, tires round their middles, oversized ties and warnings that man had better "slow down civilization", the bustling cast demonstrates amusing high spirits.

With an outlandish roguishness that always seems about to congeal upon sense, their heaven is a very earthy place.  Christ with a Christmas tree circlet round his head is wooed by a Bible readying president's lady.

In very graphic terms Marie Santell is very funny singing "Oh, Oh, Oh", a very obvious song that what she wants of her Lord is far from biblical.  A stripper who has providently made it to Heaven breaths heavily over her feather boa singing a suggestive song.  A Buddha is properly rotund and a Wizard with cape and stick hovers about on the three spiral levels of stage.  "Man" falls in love with "girl" and carries her off.

Less chaotic is the second better act which takes the radio troupe to Washington where they confront the president.  "Why was "Man" killed in Vietnam?" he is asked.  When the president asks forgiveness they cloak him in a rainbow gossamer cape reiterating in song "I just hope for heaven in this life."  This rather elemental book is saved more by the cast's enthusiasm and vocal talent than by any bright new world message. But if you liked Hair's random style and Godspell's carnival charisma this hybrid musical will send you.  Personally, I preferred both of the originals.