Review: THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY: The Legend and the Legacy Live in MSMT's New Production

There are certain moments of history that become emblazoned in our collective human  psyches. Fans of American popular music all remember with a searing certainty the day when Charles Hardin Holley was killed in a plane crash at age twenty-two,  his pioneering meteoric rock ‘n’ roll career brought to a tragic end. But if  Feb 3,1959, was “the day the music died “ - as Don McLean wrote - MSMT’s BUDDY HOLLY STORY turns that trope on its head. The new production, staged by Angela C. Howell makes clear that the legacy of Buddy Holly lives, and if MSMT’s production of the jukebox musical about Holly’s legend and his legacy rocks the Pickard Theater to the rafters with its visceral musical energy, it also speaks volumes about the warmth and heart of the Holly story.

Presented after a decade‘s hiatus, this revival pulsates with a fresh vitality. Director/Choreographer/Musical Director Howell, demonstrates a close identification with the piece. Her concept focuses on character inter-relationships and the human drama, eliciting sensitive performances from the cast, all of whom are multi-talented instrumentalists as well.  Pacing is fluid and the narrative throughline is never lost, even as the mega music sequences pause the action on several occasions. A formidable musician herself, she leads many of the big band sequences from the keyboards, in the persona of Vi Petty.

The visual production exudes the 1950s in its color scheme and period feel. Charles S. Kading’s set, consisting of several moveable multi-level units and a large upstage screen, effectively integrates Ryan Joyner’s projections to create the various locales of the play. Some clever touches include a car traversing the map of the United States indicating Buddy’s journeys and lovely images of the New York skyline and Central Park at night. Annalise Caudle’s lighting design complements the overall palette that includes 1950s favorite hues like coral, turquoise, and magenta. Shannon Slaton’s skillfully tackles the complex sound design that requires balancing the numerous on-stage instruments, together with the voices, to give the feeling of a rock concert scaled to the more intimate Pickard Theater. Jane Alois Stein‘s costumes (Kevin S. Foster II, wigs) colorfully and playfully recreate the era, conjuring up images of slim pants, wide crinolines, and lots of glitzy stage glamor. Production Stage Manager Donovan Dolan (Assistant Sean Leehan) keeps the narrative on course and the transitions smooth. Erik Wakar serves ably as Assistant Music Director.

The seventeen cast members are all required to play several instruments, sing and dance, and many are tapped to play multiple roles, which they do with versatility and verve. As Buddy Holly, Andrew Harvey brings an endearing presence and a strong musical aesthetic.  Tall, slim, moving with feline grace, Harvey in his glasses, wig, and note-perfect Texas drawl, resembles the lanky Holly, and he imbues the character with a bit of mischievous humor, a devilish charm, and the steely rebel core that made Holly the pioneering musician he was. He delivers the rousing rock numbers and the tender ballads with equal ease, making songs like “That’ll Be the Day,” “Peggy Sue,” “Not Fade Away,” “Raining in My Heart,” and “True Love Moves” each memorable. As the Apollo Theater host rightly puts it, this Buddy Holly “has soul.”

As the Big Bopper, Jayson Elliott brings an explosive stage presence, a formidable voice, and a zany energy to this larger-than-life character, and his appearance at the Clear Lake Concert singing “Chantilly Lace” is a true star turn.   As The Crickets, Joe B. Maudlin (bass), and Jerry Allison(drums), and the Fourth Cricket (rhythm guitar), Noah Berry, Ken Sandberg, and Mike Dorsey respectively provide excellent musical back up and delightful antics. Berry delights with some acrobatic feats using his bass as a quasi-anthropomorphic partner.

Diego Guevara is Ritchie Valens, whose sexy, electric performance of “La Bamba” at the Clear Lake Concert is another showstopping moment.  Sarah Miramontes makes a gentle and dignified Maria Elena, and she also provides backup vocals as one of the Snowbirds in the Clear Lake Concert.

Troy Valjean Rucker and Jannie Jones lend humor and style to the Apollo Concert scene with Jones’ solo “Shout” bringing down the house and winning her a standing ovation mid-act.

Other memorable performances in featured spots include Luke Darnell as recording executive Norman Petty; Angela C. Howell as Vi Petty; Sarah Hund with an hilarious send up of beauty queen Mary Lou Sokolof’s over-the-top rendition of “America the Beautiful;” Scott Wakefield as extroverted Texas DJ Hipockets Duncan; and David Girolmo as an expansive and colorful Murray Deutch, the Decca record producer who propelled Buddy’s career.

Justin Marriel Boyd, Hailey Aviva and Adam LaSalle round out the talented ensemble - all of whom sing, dance, and play rock n’ roll on numerous instruments, contributing to the sheer visceral drive of the show and its concerts-within-the-musical. When the action culminates in the Clear Lake Concert with virtually everyone on stage, this becomes a moment of utter celebration. Even when it is punctuated, as it is by the announcement of the tragic deaths, nothing can stop the forward momentum of the music. Because, as the somber voice of the announcer states, “After the rest is rock and roll.”

Following on the heels of the sublimely majestic TITANIC, THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY demonstrates the ability of MSMT to pivot stylistically and deliver a different, vibrant, musical theatre experience. The jukebox musical establishes the company’s breathtaking versatility, the depth of Curt Dale Clark’s casting vision, and the perfect precision of the ensemble, who are all a company of stars.  Moreover, after the pandemic, THE Buddy Holly STORY offers a chance for audiences to let go and celebrate, clapping, dancing in the aisles. Holly’s timeless music and his touching story seem to become a catalyst for an uplifting collective experience. As the star declares at the final curtain, “Buddy is back!”

THE Buddy Holly STORY runs at MSMT’s Pickard Theater on the Bowdoin College campus, 1 Bath Rd., Brunswick, ME from June 28-July 15, 2023  www.msmt.org  207-725-8769

Photo credit: Jared Morneau

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