Musician Ace Baker nervously takes the concert stage in his hometown of Nashville as memories of his youth begin to flood back. Spending the first decade of his life fatherless, queer and bullied, Ace's life is changed forever when a phone call reveals that his “deceased” Grandpa Beau has been alive all along and his mother knew. The bond between the men grows and family secrets unravel as Beau puts a guitar in Ace’s hands.
Despite these pitfalls, Beau has a generally engaging story with an endearing message, and Rodin and Brown’s bond feels genuine and heartfelt. The cast of Beau The Musical also functions as Ace Baker’s backup band, and it’s particularly fun to watch Ryan Halsaver go from bassist to “Wack Ass Larry,” Ace’s irritatingly upbeat stepfather-figure. Will audiences be annoyed by the lingering questions Beau leaves, longing for tighter storytelling? Or will they just tap their feet and nod along, transfixed by Rodin’s charisma? If my audience is any indication, it will be the latter.
Sometimes drenched in vivid colors or accented by dramatic beams of lighting from designer Japhy Weideman, the atmospheric performance space of The Distillery lends both novelty and intimacy to Beau the Musical. Director and choreographer Josh Rhodes seamlessly meshes the production’s many moving parts while inspiring enthusiastic performances from his company. Although the musical’s contents ultimately taste more like sweet tea than moonshine, the show itself gives audiences quite a nice contact high.
| 2025 | Off-Broadway |
Off-Broadway |
| 2025 | Off-Broadway |
Off-Broadway |
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