The Crickets

Review: RAVE ON: The Undying Appeal of Buddy Holly
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Oct 6, 2025

In recent years Maine State Music Theatre has presented THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY on two occasions – both to sold out houses.  The undying appeal of the rock ‘n’ roll pioneer’s rags to riches story and his tragic early death captivate audiences, but it is without question the series of blockbuster musical hits that form the score which makes THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY irresistible. And so MSMT, for its final concert tribute concert at the Donald M. Gay auditorium in Auburn, has assembled a tribute to Holly and his two foremost colleagues:  the Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens. RAVE ON will remind audiences of the thrill of the mega mix that closes THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY – only, in this case, the delight continues over two hours with music that defined early rock ‘n’ roll.

Review: BUDDY-THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY at Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre
by Rich Mehrenberg - Aug 18, 2025

This is a highly enjoyable show that will be loved by all ages. Congratulations.  Dutch Apple has another hit on its hands! Buddy-The Buddy Holly Story is one of the earliest and most popular jukebox musicals of all time.  It tells the meteoric, brief, and tragic story of one of rock ‘n’ roll’s biggest icons.

Interview: Hunter Henrickson of BUDDY: THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY at Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre
by Andrea Stephenson - Aug 13, 2025

Put on your dancing shoes and join the cast and crew at Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre for Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story through September 20th, 2025.

Review: TRUE WEST at Copley Theatre, Aurora IL
by Tina St. Angelo - Jul 31, 2025

Part of the dialogue from the current production in the BOLD series at Paramount’s Copley Theatre. The late, great Sam Shepard’s 1980 play True West is running through August 31. There is a reason this series is called BOLD. This is an intense, dark and, at times, funny play. There are moments of holding your breath, gasping out loud and, sometimes, laughing.  

Review: Musical Theatre West Presents BUDDY - THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY
by Michael Quintos - Jul 21, 2025

Musically entertaining though rather light on narrative heft, Musical Theatre West's otherwise rousing, concert-like new production BUDDY - THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY—now on stage at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center in Long Beach through July 27, 2025—is a straightforward, nostalgic jukebox musical that chronicles the meteoric rise and tragic early death of rock-and-roll pioneer Buddy Holly. If you're looking for a feel-good musical with fierce live performances, this show should definitely fit the bill. You might just have to look up a Buddy Holly documentary on your own to fill in the missing story gaps.

Claybourne Elder, BUDDY, and More Set for Upcoming Cape Playhouse Shows
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Apr 23, 2025

The Cape Playhouse will launch its summer season on June 4 with the transformative power of music through the enduring legacy of rock ‘n’ roll pioneer Buddy Holly in BUDDY: The Buddy Holly Story. Learn more about the upcoming productions!

OLIVER!, GUTENBERG! THE MUSICAL And More Set for TheatreZone's 21st Season
by A.A. Cristi - Apr 1, 2025

TheatreZone's 21st season will feature five musical productions, beginning with its annual holiday show in December, followed by four musicals that showcase a blend of comedy and drama.

Joan Rivers Play, COME FROM AWAY, ANASTASIA & More Set for Cape Playhouse 2025 Summer Season
by Joshua Wright - Feb 18, 2025

Discover the Cape Playhouse's 2025 'Season of Hope,' featuring productions like BUDDY, RENT, ANASTASIA, and more. The season will run June 4 to September 20 at the historic Cape Playhouse in Dennis, MA.

Review: BUDDY: THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY at Broadway Palm
by Fran Thomas - Jan 4, 2025

What did our critic think of BUDDY: THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY at Broadway Palm?

Review: TRUE WEST at Arizona Theatre Company
by Herbert Paine - Jun 5, 2024

Arizona Theatre Company's production of Sam Shepard's TRUE WEST bristles with raw energy, exposing the myths of the American Dream.

Brooklyn Paramount Reopens As Most Historic Music Venue In The City Following Multi-Million Dollar Redevelopment
by A.A. Cristi - Feb 22, 2024

Brooklyn Paramount reopens as the most historic music venue in the city after a multi-million dollar redevelopment. Discover the iconic space's new chapter.

Review: MR. BURNS, A POST-ELECTRIC PLAY at Contemporary Theater Company
by John McDaid - Sep 16, 2023

Outstanding performances light up the stage in this twisty futuristic tale.

Review: BUDDY THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY at Marriott Theatre, Lincolnshire IL
by Tina St. Angelo Wetzel - Jul 6, 2023

What did our critic think of BUDDY THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY at Marriott Theatre, Lincolnshire IL? The current production at the Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire is Buddy the Buddy Holly Story. It was the first of the jukebox musicals premiering in 1989.  It’s not just the story of the short-lived life of Buddy Holly but it also tells the story of rock ‘n roll in its infancy and the pioneers who created the sound.

Review: THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY: The Legend and the Legacy Live in MSMT's New Production
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Jun 30, 2023

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.

BUDDY: THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY Comes to Weston Theater Company
by Stephi Wild - Jun 21, 2023

Weston Theater Company takes audiences for a musical ride chronicling Buddy Holly’s rise to fame in BUDDY: THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY, playing June 28 - July 16 at The Playhouse stage. 

Nat Zegree to Perform THE HISTORY OF ROCK 'N' ROLL at Marriott Theatre in July
by Chloe Rabinowitz - May 23, 2023

Nat Zegree will perform at Marriott Theatre on Monday, July 17 at 7:30 pm and Tuesday, July 18 at 1 pm.

Review: BUDDY: THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY is A Rocking Spectacle at The Artscape
by Faeron Wheeler - Apr 6, 2023

He may have lived way before my time, but Buddy Holly’s music is some of my favourite and it’s an absolute treat to see it performed live by the talented cast of BUDDY: THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY. This musical is a toe-tapping spectacle of lights, dancing and great music.

BUDDY The Buddy Holly Story Comes to South Africa in 2023
by Stephi Wild - Dec 7, 2022

Pieter Toerien presents a brand-new, full-scale stage production of the HIT rock 'n roll jukebox musical, Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story, LIVE onstage at the Artscape Opera House, from 28 March to 16 April, and The Teatro at Montecasino from 21 April to 28 May.

Cortland Repertory Theatre Presents Three Concerts With The Rave-Ons
by A.A. Cristi - Dec 7, 2022

This weekend, Cortland Repertory Theatre Downtown, located at 24 Port Watson Street in Cortland, is presenting three opportunities to see one of their most popular bands, Todd Meredith and the Rave-Ons. 

Review: Neko Case at Brooklyn Steel
by Daniel Nolen - Sep 9, 2022

What did our critic think of NEKO CASE AT BROOKLYN STEEL at Brooklyn Steel?