Edie Brickell

‘Bright Star’ shines at Footlite

PWJW_Indy Reviews, Stage , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

By John Lyle Belden

After more than five years since its last appearance in the city*, “Bright Star” returns to Indy at Footlite Musicals. The musical by legendary entertainer Steve Martin and singer/songwriter Edie Brickell was born of their bluegrass collaborations, as well as a true backwoods legend. Known for the absurd (as well as his banjo), Martin is also a big fan of feel-good musicals (look up “Pennies from Heaven”), so it is not surprising this piece resembling an Americana opera was a Broadway hit.

In rural North Carolina, Billy Cane (Bobby Haley) returns from World War II to find his father (Phil Criswell) waiting, but his mother has passed away. An aspiring writer, he takes his stories to the town bookstore where owner Margo (Alyssa Linville) edits them for submission. Being sweet on Billy (which everyone but the boy can see), she does it for free and encourages him. Thus boosted, Billy decides to take his writing in person to the prestigious Asheville Southern Journal. There, once past the automatic rejection of staffers Daryl (Bryan Padgett) and Lucy (Kennedy Wilson), editor Alice Murphy (Aprille Goodman) – seeing something strangely special about the boy – agrees to give the stories a look.

From here the scenes switch back and forth from 1945 to the 1920s as we get Alice’s backstory, her relationship with her strict Bible-thumping parents (Shari Jacobs and Dan Miller) and the young man she with whom she fell in love, Billy Ray Dobbs (Luke Bockelman), son of wealthy businessman and town Mayor Josiah Dobbs (Dick Davis). When the romance starts to bear fruit, Alice is sent to give birth in a remote cabin to avoid scandal to either family. One night, the Mayor arrives and literally takes matters into his own hands.

Director Isaac Becker-Chamberlin admits to a lifelong love of folk and bluegrass music, and shepherds this ode to Appalachia well. His husband Conner Becker-Chamberlin, who was in the cast of the 2018 Phoenix Theatre production, choreographed charming, era-appropriate movement that even has the set pieces gracefully moving on and off stage. Jeremy Crouch is stage manager.

Ensemble/chorus roles are executed smoothly by Bailey Rae Harmon, Derek Savick-Hesser, Logan Laflin, Olivia Mozzi, Emily Theurer, and Alexander Bast, whose parts include Max, the smitten lad with no chance with Margo. A splendid bluegrass and strings orchestra, conducted by percussionist Kristin Cutler, completes the atmosphere and scene, with a couple of players working in solos.

While the story winds to a fairly predictable – or, rather, inevitable? – end, the performances are strong. In addition, the vocal talents are outstanding, especially Linville, Bockelman, and Goodman, our leading lady. Having experience as a professional singer, Aprille said she moved to Indy in recent years, surprised to find her home just a few blocks from Footlite’s Hedback Theatre. Happy with her “day job,” she’s pleased to lend her talents to local community stages. Consider us all blessed.

These folks have “quite a good story to tell.” Performances of “Bright Star” run through March 17 at 1847 N. Alabama St., Indianapolis. Get tickets and info at footlite.org.

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*After this was initially posted, saying five-plus years since the musical’s last local appearance, it was pointed out to us that there was a staging in nearby Greenwood, Ind., last year, so we altered the lead sentence for accuracy.

Phoenix shines with ‘Bright Star’

PWJW_Indy Reviews, Stage, Uncategorized , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

By John Lyle Belden

A show like the musical “Bright Star” brings with it a lot of expectations.

It is co-written by the legendary Steve Martin (with singer-songwriter Edie Brickell), a connoisseur of the absurd, even as a playwright (see “Picasso at the Lapin Agile,” “The Underpants”). But if one recalls the spirit of his film “Pennies From Heaven,” Martin also loves the innocence of a feel-good musical. And “Bright Star” delivers with its upbeat attitude (the title is also the third musical number) and just an edge of drama – sort of an “Oklahoma” set in the Carolinas. Wendy compares the feel to “Oh Brother, Where Art Thou.”

We are alerted to the fact that this is based – loosely – on a true story. But, I would advise one not to read the story of the Iron Mountain Baby, printed in the program, until after you see the show, as it makes the plot more predictable than it already is. Besides, the true events happened in earlier decades, and in Missouri. “Bright Star” is a fictional tale (with the luxury of replying to “oh, that couldn’t have happened” with “it actually did, once”) taking place in Hayes Creek, Asheville, Zebulon and Raleigh, N.C.

In addition, there’s the burden of living up to being a Broadway hit. Considering it’s the Phoenix Theatre launching the local premiere, and the standing ovation by the packed audience at Thursday’s preview, this expectation has been well met.

At the end of World War II, Billy Cane (Ian Laudano) comes home from the Army to find his Daddy (Joey Collins) and childhood best friend Margo (Betsy Norton) waiting for him, but his mother passed on. Billy aspires to be a writer, and gives his essays to Margo, who runs the local bookstore, to edit for submission to magazines. He decides to take his best works and deliver them by hand to the Asheville Southern Journal – a fool’s errand, as copy editor Daryl (John Vessels) is a strict gatekeeper. But senior editor Alice Murphy (Molly Garner) sees something in this young man, and agrees to read his work.

We then get a look at Murphy’s past, and from there the story flows back and forth between the 1920s and ’40s, but Martin and Brickell’s plot – and director Suzanne Fleenor – don’t let things get confusing. Speaking of flow, the choreography, nicely done by Carol Worcel, seems to extend even to inanimate objects as furniture and setpieces on subtle casters seem to dance in and out of scenes as needed.

As a teen, Alice falls in love with Jimmy Ray Dobbs (Patrick Clements), son of Zebulon’s no-nonsense Mayor (Charles Goad). She is seen as the “black sheep” of her family, headed by her Bible-toting father (Paul Tavianini) and mother (Maryjayne Waddell), so it isn’t surprising when she gets in trouble. Jimmy Ray wants to do right by her, but the Mayor wants no scandal and takes matters literally into his own hands.

In Billy’s era, he has been accepted as a writer for the Journal, but struggles to find his voice – while also dealing with advances by Daryl’s assistant, Lucy (Ashley Dillard). Meanwhile, back in Hayes Creek, Margo wonders if a new dress will be enough to wake Billy up to her growing feelings for him.

All the plotlines come together in ways you see coming but are still satisfying. This is aided by some first-rate performances – Laudano as the happy optimist, Garner giving Alice deep wells of strength, Clements with his powerful voice and effortless manner, Collins radiating wisdom through his aw-shucks hillbilly facade, Norton as charming as ever as Margo, the antics of Dillard and Vessels that lend comedy relief without getting too silly, Tavianini’s firm hand reaching toward the light, and Goad’s grasping hand committing to the role of villain. Ensemble members also get their moments, including Kenny Shepard as the Mayor’s assistant, and Conner Chamberlin as Max – the lonely guy who has no shot with Margo, but can’t help trying.

An excellent band of strings and bluegrass instruments, led by Brent Marty at the piano, occupies the back of the stage like a natural part of the environment.

I’ve heard from the Phoenix, 705 N. Illinois St., that the show’s run – through Oct. 7 – is selling out fast. Call 317-635-7529 or visit phoenixtheatre.org.