Bloody, Bloody Andrew Jackson combines American history and rock ’n’ roll in a complete unique musical about the 7th president of the United States. Straight from Broadway this raucous retelling of Andrew Jackson’s life is more in the vein of “Anchorman” than a History Channel special.
The political musical is particularly timely in the midst of this election year. When candidates’ ads are yelling absurd claims at us from every direction, it’s the perfect time to reflect on past presidents and the difficult job they are entrusted with.
Expertly directed by Bryan Fonseca, the 90 minute show has no intermission and features a live band, led by Tim Brinkley, on the stage. Numbers like “Ten Little Indians” and “Crisis Averted” stand out as do the fights, coordinated by IRT regular Rob Johansen. There is adult language, so leave the kids at home.
The political musical is particularly timely in the midst of this election year. When candidates’ ads are yelling absurd claims at us from every direction, it’s the perfect time to reflect on past presidents and the difficult job they are entrusted with.
Expertly directed by Bryan Fonseca, the 90 minute show has no intermission and features a live band, led by Tim Brinkley, on the stage. Numbers like “Ten Little Indians” and “Crisis Averted” stand out as do the fights, coordinated by IRT regular Rob Johansen. There is adult language, so leave the kids at home.
Eric J. Olson plays the infamous 19th century president. His performance clearly reflects Jackson’s complex nature. Unlike many of the politicians running the country at the time Jackson was the “people’s president.” He was a frontiersman who shot first and asked questions later and his Git-R-Done mentality didn’t sit well with the folks in D.C. He embodied so much of what is still considered “American” today: a sense of entitlement, but also a driven nature that helped him succeed both in the political world and on a battlefield.
Claire Wilcher is an absolute scene-stealer every time she walks (or scooters) on to the stage. She plays a storyteller as well as a few other parts in the ensemble. Her performance in Avenue Q set a high bar for future expectations, but she’s exceeded them all with this show.
At the height of its silliness it’s clear the cast is having a blast and that translates into a great entertainment for the audience. The production embraces the irreverent portrayal of early America and just has fun with it. How can you resist a show that describes one of our presidents as “Federal Metamucil,” unclogging Washington?
In the midst of fun songs and hilarious dialogue there’s quite a bit of history packed in the show. History can paint quite a bittersweet picture. Go to enjoy the show, but afterwards you might just realize you learned quite a bit about “Old Hickory.”
p.s. Don’t forget to get out there and vote people!!!
Don't Miss the Show
For more information about the Phoenix Theatre, visit www.phoenixtheatre.org. The theater is located at 749 N. Park Ave., Indianapolis, just off Massachusetts Ave. Performances: The show runs until October 21 and offers four performances a week. Thursdays begin at 7 p.m., Friday and Saturdays begin at 8 p.m. and Sunday matinees at 2 p.m.
Tickets:
To purchase tickets, call (317) 635-PLAY (7529). Prices range from $23 to $33.
Photos Courtesy of the Phoenix Theatre
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