The Phoenix Theatre has gone through some huge changes in
the past year. In addition to moving into a brand new state-of-the-art theater,
it also has a new artistic director, Bill Simmons. With all of that in mind
it’s not surprising that the theatre opened its new season with something a bit
outside of its normal range. Known for producing plays that tackle tricky
issues the theatre doesn’t often do musicals and when it does they tend to be
edgy shows like Spring Awakening, American Idiot or Avenue Q.
In contrast, Bright Star is a bluegrass musical with a
big heart. Written by banjo-playing renaissance man Steve Martin and Edie
Brickell, the show is set in the hills of North Carolina in the 1940s with
flashbacks in the 1920s. It is at times playful and at others steeped in
nostalgia. There’s a large ensemble cast with a full bluegrass band onstage
providing live music. The set is simple, with movable pieces on wheels and
straightforward staging. The result is an absolutely delightful show.
The story follows Billy (Ian Laudano), a soldier who
returns home from World War II bursting with hope and an ambition to become the
next great southern writer. His path crosses with Alice Murphy (Molly Garner),
a middle-aged editor who he hopes to impress.
Murphy is utter perfection in this role. She plays both a
young spitfire girl with a thirst for life and the spinster editor living a
quiet life focused on her work. Her joy and anguish shine through in her scenes
and her voice just blows the audience away. Both of the other leads, Laudano
and Patrick Clements as Jimmy Ray, hold their own wonderfully. Daryl (John
Vessels) and Lucy (Ashley Dillard) make a great comic duo. They provide the
perfect sweet and sour dose of humor throughout the show.
A few of the songs are just a bit clunky and probably
could’ve have been streamlined, but the musical as a whole works so well. It’s
driven by the heart and talent of the main characters and the performances of
Murphy, Laudano, and Clements are outstanding. I didn’t realize until the show
was over that it was inspired by a real story. That only added to the depth of
the musicals impact. Bright Star certainly lives up to its name and kicked off
the Phoenix season in style.
Although Bright Star has closed, there’s no shortage of
shows coming up this fall. Cabaret Poe is currently on stage. The deliciously
dark musical celebrates the work of Edgar Allan Poe in an original production
by Ben Asaykwee. It is celebrating its 10th anniversary and has become a fall
favorite in Indianapolis. It closes Nov. 4 so get tickets now!
After that audiences can get into the snarky holiday
spirit with an all-new iteration of the annual Christmas show. A Very Phoenix Xmas 13: Merry Superstitious opens No. 23 and runs until Dec. 23. For those of
us who love a bit of humor at the holidays, it is a perfect fit.
Photos courtesy of the Phoenix Theatre
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