Ah, barbershop singing. Striped shirts, straw boaters, mustachio, that mysterious ringing harmony that sounds like a ghost singer in the chorus, waiting till the sun shines, Nellie. All that and more.

Barbershoppers are passionate about their craft, perhaps because they work so hard at synchronizing their four-part tones, and when it is achieved, the glorious buzz they get is addictive. You can thank a Norman Rockwell magazine cover from the late 1930s for their inspiration; a cappella quartets took off during World War II and blossomed in the '50s.

Hawaii's Sounds of Aloha Chorus has done some big shows before, but there's been nothing quite like this weekend's “;An American Musical Adventure (On a Dark and Stormy Night),”; directed by none other than Ron Bright.

Just what is it about barbershopping that has such quirky allure?

“;Oh, great harmonies, wonderful fellowship, lifelong friends around the globe,”; said SOA musical director Rob Hartley. “;Barbershop chapters are found in Japan, New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the U.K., Sweden, the Netherlands and Germany. One recent international champion chorus was composed entirely of singers younger than 30!”;

For member Ed Reid, it's also the social aspects.

“;Basically, it is the chance once a week to gather with like-minded friends to socialize and sing in a group,”; he said. “;Adding your voice to the harmony of feel-good songs, combined with moves and good lyrics, makes the work week durable.”;

According to Hartley, other a cappella forms such as doo-wop are separate but close cousins.

“;We have some purists who insist, 'Keep it barbershop,' but many barbershop singers venture into jazz, Broadway, doo-wop and gospel,”; he said, suggesting those interested check out YouTube examples of acts like OC Times, Vocal Spectrum, Max Q and the Westminster Barbershop Chorus.

“;We have some songs that approach that style, like 'Bad Bunch of Guys Singing Ba-ba-barbershop,'”; Reid said. “;At one time we had a group within our chorus called Lenny and the Wipers that did sing doo-wop in the barbershop style.”;

THE ADDITION of famed director Ron Bright has added a polish to the upcoming production.

“;Ron Bright is great!”; enthused Reid. “;Always a smile on his face, and gets the guys animated and involved with the story.

“;He seems to be more involved and gives more instructions than other directors. His connection with the Castle Kids is going to add much to our show this year.”;

Bright is simply “;one of the most inspirational people I've ever known,”; Hartley said. “;He's directing the scripted portion of our show this year, and his expertise is phenomenal.”; Hartley also noted that Bright's infectious enthusiasm has elevated all aspects of the show's performances, which include—in addition to “;a healthy dose of traditional American tunes”;—a choral rendition of “;Basin Street Blues”; accompanied by the Swingin' Tradewinds Jass Band, some Broadway, a dash of early rock 'n' roll, as well as guest performers Max Q and high school kids from the Castle Performing Arts Center doing highlights from their spring show.

Neither man has seen “;Glee,”; the hit TV show that has sparked interest in choral singing. Barbershop singing harks back to rosy, simpler times.

“;Many folks consider barbershop sing to be old-fashioned, and rightfully so,”; Hartley said. “;And when they hear this great, old-fashioned style performed at this level, they love it.

“;If you're not thrilled, better check to see if you still have a pulse.”;

“;There is a group in the Society that call themselves KIBBERS, meaning Keep It Barbershop, but there is also a movement to be more modern and attract the younger singers,”; noted Reid.

Hartley added the Sounds of Aloha chapter has a long-standing, unconditional money-back guarantee.

“;If you don't think you got sufficient entertainment value for your purchase price, mail in your ticket stubs and your money will be refunded, no questions asked,”; he said.

“;And no one's ever asked!”;