BWW Reviews: SummerStock Austin Presents Tuneful, Joyous BREMEN TOWN MUSICIANS

Theatrical shows for children are a dime a dozen, but children's theater productions that can also please adults are as rare and unique as the musically inclined animals in The Bremen Town Musicians. The exuberant musical-one of SummerStock Austin's three offerings currently playing in repertory at The Long Center-is a fantastic, enjoyable production for kids and adults. This is as good as children's theater gets.

Based on The Brothers Grimm folktale, "The Town Musicians of Bremen," The Bremen Town Musicians tells the story of four animals-a donkey, a dog, a cat, and a rooster-who are all past their prime and are not nearly as useful to their masters as they once were. When threatened with abuse or death at the hands of their owners, the animals all flee with the plan to travel to Bremen, a town holding a contest for new musicians.

Much of the successes of the production can be attributed to Austin's own Allen Robertson, the director, book writer, lyricist, and composer of this wonderful show. Robertson follows the Grimm tale relatively faithfully, though he shifts the setting from a small German village to the Depression Era dustbowl. Doing so gives the show an exciting musical texture of country, bluegrass, gospel, blues, and jazz sounds. Robertson's score is upbeat and sunny, and his lyrics are deliciously clever, especially in the darkly comic "When I Grow Up," "Sisters," and "Robbers."

The shift in setting also gives the design team plenty to work with. Teresa Carson's set, featuring several moveable wooden staircases covered in burlap scraps and swatches, feels rustic and rural. Jason Amato's lighting is warm and bright, and Pam Fletcher-Friday's costumes are full of Depression era fashions, albeit with much more color. But Robertson's shift in setting does even more for the themes and meaning of the story than it does for the music and design. Setting the musical in the American south gives the show far more poignancy. The story is no longer about mistreated animals. It becomes a metaphor for slaves fleeing their masters. Yes, I know that the Depression era is post-slavery by several decades, but when one of the animals is being chased by an evil, shotgun wielding farmer and all of them sing a song about their desire to be free, the slavery motif is apparent. Granted, such a metaphor will be lost on many of the children in the audience, but the adults are bound to appreciate it.

The entire ten person cast is outstanding, and their vocals on the full cast numbers are flawless, particularly on the opening number "Bremen," the gospel-tinged "I Will Be There," and the finale "Start Again." They all turn in brilliant performances that are big and fun enough to entertain the children but clever enough to please the adults as well. Coy Branscum is a winning and likeable narrator with a fine voice, and he's hysterical as the Mayor of Bremen, the only German part of what was originally a German story. Donnie Thigpen brings a little Sammy Davis flair to the arrogant Rooster, and Taylor Edwards brings a grace, elegance, and gorgeous voice to the role of Cat. As the stubborn hunting dog who's lost his sense of smell, Ta'Ron Middleton is fantastic, and his big number, "The I Can't Smell Blues," allows him to show off his terrific voice. And as Donkey, the leader of the musical animals, Vincent Hooper is outstanding. He oozes personality and charm and has a thrilling voice as well.

While a Depression era tale may not initially sound like the ideal material for a children's show, The Bremen Town Musicians succeeds, in large part due to the pleasing score and talented cast. Children will be amused by the characters and music, and adults will delight in the sophistication of the material. The Bremen Town Musicians is one of those rare family shows that rises above the "family show" moniker within minutes.

Running time: 70 minutes with no intermission.

THE BREMEN TOWN MUSICIANS plays The Rollins Studio Theater at The Long Center for the Performing Arts now thru August 11th. Performances are Sunday 7/28 at 2pm, Saturday 8/3 at 10am, Sunday 8/4 at 2pm, Wednesday 8/7 at 10am, Saturday 8/10 at 10am, and Sunday 8/11 at 2pm. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children. For tickets and information, visit www.summerstockaustin.org.

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