By Eliza Dosch
Cedar Valley Community Theater’s Bright Star, by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell and currently playing in Cedar City, Utah, is a musical that has been near and dear to my heart since the 2016 Tony Awards. It is a show that is raw and honest about the flaws and pains of humanity, and it is also a show that makes you believe in miracles. Cedar Valley Community Theatre’s production of Bright Star brings a message of hope and healing to all who see it, and its Bluegrass music will really get your toes tappin’!
The show begins with our leading lady, Alice Murphy (Kelsea Burton), introducing the musical with the number, “If You Knew My Story.” This performance captivates the audience and leaves them anticipating how the story will unfold. Billy Cane (Phil Jensen), a newly returned soldier from World War II has hopes and dreams of becoming a writer, and sets off to submit one of his stories to “The Asheville Journal.” On this journey, Billy sings the title song of the show, “Bright Star,” a song about moving forward and beginning a new chapter of life. Jensen’s warm vocal tone and youthful energy make him the perfect person to play this role, and he captivates the audience with his charm. Once Billy arrives in Asheville, he is taken under wing by the Journal’s stern editor, Ms. Alice Murphy.
As Billy leaves behind his home town, he also leaves behind his best friend, Margo (Jessika Grimshaw), who also happens to be madly in love with Billy. As Margo watches the person she loves leave, she sings “Asheville,” longing for Billy to keep in touch and come back to her someday. Grimshaw’s performance is absolutely lovely, and makes you root for her and Billy to be together.
As Billy begins life in Asheville, you soon find out that Alice was not always the stern woman that she is today. The musical flashes back to when she was a teenager, and she first fell in love with the Mayor’s son, Jimmy Ray Dobbs (Stockton Myers). During these flashbacks you find out that Alice was a free spirit, and her loving but stern parents (Mikelle Dowse and Jacob Chipman) did not approve of her choices. Jimmy Ray’s father (Kevin Krause) intends for him to marry someone who will assist in his business adventures and wants him to take over the family business, so Jimmy’s love for Alice and desire to go to college are met with disapproval.
As the love story of Alice and Jimmy Ray unfolds, the young lovers meet heartbreak and tragedy, and are separated until they meet again as adults. I won’t go into any more details of the storyline, so I don’t spoil the show for those who have not seen it.
Burton’s performance as Alice is absolutely stunning. She shifts seamlessly between a young, feisty girl to a woman who has been through immense trials and heartache. Her performance is heartbreaking and inspiring. She brought me to tears on multiple occasions, as did Myers, her romantic counterpart. Their chemistry and stage presence captivated me throughout the entire show. Myer’s performance of the song “Heartbreaker” is indeed heartbreaking.
Krause’s performance of Mayor Dobbs is infuriating, as any antagonists’ performance should be. At the same time, his performance is believable, while a viewer will not agree with the choices he makes and the way he treats other people, Krause does an amazing job of sourcing the evil from an honest place. He is not evil simple for the sake of being evil.
The character development of Alice’s parents (Dowse and Chipman) is fun to watch. They grow throughout the show to accept Alice, and feel genuine sorrow for the mistakes they made in the past. Dowse’s performance alongside her daughter in “Sun’s Gonna Shine” is inspiring, and brings an overwhelming hope to the auditorium.
While on the subject of parents, I’d also like to recognize Daddy Cane (Michael Bahr) for his performance. The love he has for Billy can be felt throughout the audience. He has been through the pain of loss, but is also a character who brings the audience to laughter with his witty banter and physical movement.
There are two other characters that offer a lot of comedic relief throughout the show, Daryl (Trevor Casperson) and Lucy (Cassie Walker). Casperson’s dry stern humor and Walker’s spunky humor contrast in a way that brings a depth to comedy I don’t think I’ve seen before. Walker’s performance in “Another Round” blew me out of the water.
The rest of the cast and ensemble are key to telling the story in such a powerful way. The ensemble blends together beautifully, assists in transitions, and make emotional moments swell. The music director Trevor Walker did a spectacular job of using the principals and the ensemble to tell the story in a way that is powerful and effective.
Other design and tech aspects of the show are also incredible. The chorography done by Tatem Trotter is phenomenal. The Set Design (Randy Seely) is simple, but transitions extremely well between all of the settings of the show. Costumes, done by Cheryl Savage, Talise Mosley,and Janet Rockwell are beautiful and historically accurate. The lighting, designed by Jerry Bixman elevates the show, and makes it look professionally done.
Director Steven Wagner’s production of Bright Star blew me out of the water. I absolutely adore this show and I am very impressed with this particular rendition. It is apparent that the cast and crew works extremely hard, and I hope that the auditorium will be full to the brim for the remaining performances. This show is a must see for everyone who lives in the Southern Utah area.
Cedar Valley Community Theater presents Bright Star, By Steve Martin and Edie Brickell.
Heritage Center Theatre, 105 N 100 E, Cedar City, UT 84720
June 1, 3, 7- 8 7:30, June 8, 2019 2:00 PM
Tickets: $8.50-$12.50
Cedar Valley Community Theater Facebook Page
Bright Star Facebook Event
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