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| Elizabeth Santana as Alice Murphy starts the show with "If You Knew My Story." |
Palo Alto Players’ production of “Bright Star” gets off to an exhilarating
start when managing director Elizabeth Santana, playing Alice Murphy, the
principal female character, belts out “If You Knew My Story.”
That story is revealed over two acts that shift between the
1920s and the 1940s in North Carolina.
This musical was created by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell with both
contributing the music and story, while Martin did the book and Brickell the
lyrics.
In the 1920s, Alice is a spirited, smart, book-loving teenager
whose fundamentalist father (Michael Mendelsohn) disapproves of her behavior
and interests. Nor does he want her to go to college.
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| Alice (Elizabeth Santana) and Jimmy (Frankie Mulcahy) begin their relationship. |
She falls in love with Jimmy Ray Dobbs (Frankie Mulcahy). Like
her, he loves to read and wants to go to college, but his domineering father,
Mayor Dobbs (Todd Wright), wants him to stay home and take over the family
business.
When she becomes pregnant, she’s sent away to give birth to a
son. Much to her dismay, he’s torn from her arms by his two grandfathers and sent
off for adoption.
In the intervening years, she goes to college and becomes editor
of The Asheville Southern Journal. She never stops hoping she’ll learn who
adopted her son.
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| Gary Giurbino (left) is Daddy Cane, Brad Satterwhite is Billy Cane. |
She also meets Billy Cane (Brad Satterwhite), an aspiring writer
recently returned from the Army after serving during World War II. He submits
manuscripts to the brittle Alice, who rejects them at first but offers tips.
There’s much more to the intriguing story, but suffice it to say
that all works out well, thanks to its inherent optimism and changes of heart.
This production is sensitively directed by PAP artistic director
Patrick Klein, who also designed the set.
He has assembled a dynamite cast. Besides those already
mentioned, actors deserving special mention include Michelle Skinner as Margo
Crawford, Billy’s friend and bookstore owner; Nick Kenrick and Samantha Arden
as Alice’s employees; and Juliet Green as Alice’s supportive mother.
Overseen by music director Daniel Hughes, a bluegrass band sits
on an onstage porch. Much of the music is bluegrass and country, well sung by
all. (Helping to set the tone, a bluegrass group plays in front of the theater
before the show.)
Meredith Joelle Charlson’s choreography is well executed by the
principals and ensemble.
The period costumes are by Patricia Tyler with lighting by Chris
Lundahl and sound by Jeff Grafton.
Running about two and a half hours with one intermission,
“Bright Star” will continue through Sept. 29 at the Lucie Stern Theater, 1305
Middlefield Road, Palo Alto.
Photos by Scott Lasky
