In February 1964 four British lads from Liverpool with pudding-bowl haircuts and collarless jackets disembarked from an airplane at Kennedy International Airport in New York City. They were greeted by a mob of screaming girls screaming their names.

"John! Paul! George! Ringo!"

The British Invasion was on, as The Beatles were followed by groups such as The Rolling Stones, Herman's Hermits, The Kinks, The Zombies and The Dave Clark Five, as well as a bevy of lovely ladies such as Dusty Springfield and Petula Clark.

Now the American Music Theatre takes audiences back to those heady days with "The British Invasion," one of two new shows on stage this summer.

Sharing the stage with the Invasion will be "Classic Crooners," a loving look at the best of music's romantic singers, like Bing Crosby, Dean Martin, Al Martino, Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald.

"British Invasion," which plays Fridays and Saturdays through Oct. 11, debuts first, and includes the songs of all of England's finest '60s musicians.

"We literally try to present, in one form or another, at least one song from every group in the British Invasion," said Brad Moranz, who, with his wife Jennifer, created the two shows.

For "Classic Crooners," the task of representing singers was more formidable because, Moranz said, there "were so many to pick from."

"It doesn't end with Tony Bennett, Sinatra and Bing Crosby and Ella Fitzgerald," he said. "There are so many more, like Al Martino, Dean Martin and Vic Damone. It's endless."

What "Classic Crooners" does that "British Invasion" does not do is trace the history of crooning which, Moranz said, began with Rudy Vallee and the advent of the microphone.

"When the microphone was invented, singers did not have to sing as loud, therefore they could croon," he said.

"Classic Crooners" tries to do justice to the greats of the musical genre.

"We represented as many as we could, especially the major ones," Moranz said. "And made sure their most signature songs appeared."

AMT regulars will be glad to see most of the theater's wonderful cast back again, including Wess Cooke, Michael Minor, Randall Frizado and Michele Mischler. Also back is the splendid voice of Amy Banks.

"She has been a wonderful addition," Moranz said. "She's a jazz singer, so when she walks out and does an Ella Fitzgerald or Rosemary Clooney tune, she lives in that era."

A new addition is Hawaiian-born Johnny Fortuno, who has spent the past several years working in the nightclubs of Las Vegas.

Fortuno, who began his career 12 years ago with Don Ho, was lured to Lancaster by Moranz, with whom he had worked in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

"He told me they were doing a show here about the famous crooners and that's the type of music I like," Fortuno said.

For the British Invasion, Fortuno will do songs by Tom Jones as well as Gerry and the Pacemakers' hit "Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying" and The Troggs' hit, "Wild Thing."

As a Classic Crooner, he will do songs by Elvis Presley, Englebert Humperdinck, Martin and Crosby.

"Shows like this are perfect for me because it features the guys I really love to watch," the 33-year-old Fortuno said.

As Elvis, Moranz said, Fortuno "is just phenomenal."

"When he does the make up and the jump suit, and the whole thing, you'd swear you were looking at Elvis."

"The British Invasion," Fridays and Saturdays through Oct. 11, and "Classic Crooners," Sundays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays through Oct. 12, American Music Theatre, 2425 Lincoln Highway East, adults $37, children under 18 $18.50, (800) 648-4102.

E-mail: lalexander@lnpnews.com