Review Roundup: BONNIE & CLYDE

Asolo Repertory Theatre's production of Bonnie & Clyde opened on November 19.  Bonnie and Clyde is a thrilling new musical with book by Ivan Menchell (The Cemetery Club, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang); music by Frank Wildhorn (Jekyll & Hyde, The Scarlet Pimpernel); lyrics by Tony Award-winner Don Black (Sunset Boulevard, Song and Dance); Music Supervision, Arrangements and Orchestrations by John McDaniel; and direction and musical staging by Tony Award- winner Jeff Calhoun (Deaf West's Big River and Pippin, Grease!).

Bonnie Parker is played by Laura Osnes, who originated the role in the World Premiere at La Jolla Playhouse last fall, and won a San Diego Theater Critics Circle Award for her performance. She recently starred as Nellie Forbush in Lincoln Center's Broadway revival of South Pacific and made her Broadway debut as Sandy in Grease!, having won the role on NBC's reality competition "Grease: You're The One That I Want." Her partner in crime is Jeremy Jordan, who takes on the role of Clyde Barrow following his Broadway performances in the revival of West Side Story (Tony) and Rock of Ages.

Wade Tatangelo, Bradenton.com: "Bonnie & Clyde" opened Friday at the Asolo Repertory Theatre with a bang -- actually quite a few deadly bangs -- and by night's end proved worthy of all the buzz it has created...On balance, though, "Bonnie & Clyde" has all the markings of a musical bound for success on the Great White Way and should be mandatory viewing for all local theater enthusiasts.

Jay Handelman, Herald Tribune: This is an impressive production that sets new standards for the Asolo, but the show itself still needs to find a way to get the audience more emotionally involved in the love story, the desperation and the chase.