Bright Star at HCT

Last night I went to Hale Centre Theatre for the second time in a week (Monday night I saw Strictly Ballroom on the Main Stage again with my sisters and we had so much fun)! This time I was there to see Bright Star on the Jewel Box Stage. Several years ago I had the opportunity to see PTC's production of this incredibly moving musical and I absolutely loved it so I was really eager to see HCT's version! I loved it just as much! The story takes place in North Carolina in the 1920s and just after World War II and features incredible bluegrass music by Edie Brickell and Steve Martin. After the war, Billy Cane (Dallin Suman) briefly returns to his small town and his childhood friend Margot (Morgan Western) but he eventually decides to try writing for a magazine in Asheville where he meets the uptight editor, Alice Murphy (Donna Loudon), who once made Hemingway cry. When the magazine staff teases Alice about her boring existence, we see her (literally) transform into a wild and rebellious teenager who is in love with the Mayor's son, Jimmy Ray Dobbs (Adam Dietlein). The narrative goes back and forth between the two timelines as Alice learns about love, loss, and redemption. Since I already knew the major plot twist this time around, I found the story to be even more emotional and the ending to be even more triumphant! Loudon is simply amazing as Alice! I saw Carmen Cusack, who originated the role on Broadway, in PTC's production but Loudon (who understudied Cusack on the national tour) is able to make the role her own and I was very impressed with what she did with it (her voice reminded me a lot of Dolly Parton). Her renditions of "Please, Don't Take Him" and "I Had A Vision" are incredibly powerful and brought me to tears (I was not alone). The rest of the cast is also very strong and I enjoyed Western's version of "Asheville," Suman's version of "Bright Star," and Dietlein's version of "Heartbreaker." I particularly enjoyed the choreography in Hale's version, especially in "Way Back in the Day," "What Could Be Better," and "Another Round." The staging of this show is extremely clever with a set that looks like an old and weathered barn with various pieces, such as Margot's bookstore, Alice's office, the Mayor's office, and the cabin in the woods, moved on and off stage seamlessly by the ensemble. A key scene involving a train was the only disappointment for me because I couldn't tell that the Mayor was on a train (to be fair my seat was to the right of the stage so I couldn't see any of the projections) and the action seemed rather clumsy. The insanely talented bluegrass band (featuring Kelin Gibbons on banjo, Josh Ogden on cello, Becca Moench on violin, and Kelly DeHaan on piano) is located on stage in the rafters of the barn and they add so much to the overall feel of the show. I loved this production and I cannot recommend it highly enough!  It runs through May 2 on the Jewel Box Stage (go here for tickets).

Note:  One of my former students is in the ensemble and I was thrilled to be able to see him last night!  He is usually in the MWF cast but he had to go on for his double at the last minute!