BWW Reviews: LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE - The Musical

When it was first announced back in 1981 that a new musical would be created based on the Little House on the Prairie books, it seemed a dubious prospect for success on Broadway. Now, almost thirty years later it still isn't worthy of the Great White Way,so the producers have packaged it as a road tour.  There's lots of talent involved but the basic premise is faulty and the show is rarely engrossing.

The first act tries to cover too much material in too little time, as the Ingalls family packs up and heads for the untamed wilds of North Dakota. There they face trouble adjusting to a new home, hardship when their first crops fail and difficulty assimilating with the townsfolk. The second act plays better since the authors choose to focus on Laura's departure to teach school some 10 miles away, and her growing romantic involvement with homesteader Almanzo Wilder. The success of the second act is due in no small part to Kevin Massey's winning performance as Almanzo, and Kara Lindsay's beautifully modulated Laura. Their buggy rides to and from Walnut Grove  (staged with little more than a bench and some reins) are a highlight in show that could use more such moments.

The one challenge to Laura's budding romance is the town busy body Nellie Olson, but Kate Loprest plays Nellie so loud and shrill that it becomes a caricature rather than a real character, and an attempt to provide insight through song ("Without an enemy") fails because of inept lyrics.   

The star attraction here is Melissa Gilbert the happy half-pint from the TV show now promoted to the role of Ma. Somehow, Gilbert has forgotten the spunky warmth that Karen Grassle brought to the role on TV. It's not entirely Gilbert's fault as Rachel Sheinkin's script doesn't give her much character to develop.

Ditto for Steve Blanchard as Pa, who at least gets to show off his soaring voice now and then. Too bad he doesn't have much real music to perform. The score for this musical is by Rachel Portman who has written a number of acclaimed film scores but doesn't seem to understand that in a musical  the music is no longer background but very much in the forefront. Match this with some particularly empty lyrics by Donna Di Novelli, and you have  a recipe for a cast album no one will ever want.

It seems as if the creators have never even seen a musical since the basic elements of using songs to illuminate story and character are largely ignored.  As a result many of the songs are filler and the first act in particular lacks tension. While the second half is better, the end result is a pale flat musical that never captures the spirit of the untamed west.

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The touring production of Little House on the Prairie stays at the Canon Theatre to February 28. For performance info or tickets go to www.mirvish.com or call Ticketking at 416-872-1212.

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