Review: THE LEGEND OF GEORGIA MCBRIDE at Berkshire Theatre Group

THE LEGEND OF GEORGIA MCBRIDE Is a glittering, laugh-out-loud celebration of chosen family, drag performance and music, packed with outrageous comedy, electrifying performances and unforgettable theatrical flair. Featuring iconic numbers inspired by music legends ranging from Elvis Presley and Bette Midler to Edith Piaf, Mariah Carey and Dolly Parton, this high-energy hit play brings audiences into a joyful, feel-good world of sequins, sass and showstopping talent.

Casey, a young Elvis Presley impersonator barely making a living, finds a path to prosperity by becoming a lip-syncing drag queen. He's young, he's broke, his landlord's knocking at the door, and he's just found out his wife is pregnant. To make matters even more desperate, Casey is fired from his gig as an Elvis impersonator in a run-down, small-town Florida bar. When the bar owner brings in a B-level drag show to replace his act, Casey finds that he has a lot to learn about show business—and himself.  What begins as a last-ditch paycheck quickly becomes a heartfelt and hilarious journey into confidence, self-expression and the transformative power of stepping fully into the spotlight. Along the way, Casey discovers an unforgettable community of performers who challenge him, support him and help him find his own voice beneath the wigs, heels and rhinestones.

Under the direction of Isadora Wolfe, the cast includes David Adkins as Eddie, Shayne Haley as Rexy, Emilie Kouatchou as Jo, Kyle Taylor Parker as Miss Tracy Mills, E. Gray Simons III as Jason, and as Casey.  While you may recognize some of those names from previous appearances, it is quite likely never with this much fun and frivolity.

The Artistic Company includes Artistic Producer Eric Hill, Director / Choreographer Isadora Wolfe, Costume Designer Amy Avila, Lighting Designer Matthew E. Adelson, Sound Designer Evan Dibbs, Dialect Coach Jennifer Scapetis, Intimacy Coordinator Vik Abbott-Main, Stage Manager Jason Hindelang, and Assistant to the Director Isabella Hall.

THE LEGEND OF GEORGIA MCBRIDE premiered at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts in January 2014.  The piece has been produced across the United States, including an Off-Broadway run at the MCC Theater.

Typically, one might expect to see this type of programming in June to coincide with Pride festivities, but really, is there a prescribed window of opportunity for fun and fabulous?  Director, Isadora Wolfe, reminds us that while there is an abundance of fun and silliness, there are some core issues at play as well.   She says: “In the middle of this beautiful play by Matthew Lopez, we hear this question: “Am I okay?” Am I okay to be myself?  Will I be loved, and will I be able to do what I love?  Is that okay?   It can take a lot of courage to be oneself.  In the wonderful process of building this show (a process filled with many laughs and a good deal of tears), I’ve had the privilege of traveling through the pages of this script through the lens of each of Lopez’s rich characters.  And as I imagined them and then watched our extraordinary group of actors embody them, I saw that each one is entangled in the pursuit of the American dream: the dream to live freely and by the music of one’s heart to find a home, to survive beyond scraping by.”

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