While COVID-19 pandemic provided a serious obstacle to rehearsals and the staging of the musical “Bright Star,” the ConVal drama department persevered and found an innovative solution that allowed for the live-streaming of the musical’s concert version in the Lucy Hurlin Theatre.
Inspired by a true story and featuring the Tony®-nominated score by comedian and virtuoso banjo-player Steve Martin in cooperation with singer-songwriter Edie Brickell, “Bright Star” tells a sweeping tale of love and redemption set against the rich backdrop of the American South in the 1920s and 1940s.
When literary editor Alice Murphy meets a young soldier just home from the war, he awakens her longing for the child she once lost. Haunted by their unique connection, Alice sets out on a journey to understand her past — and what she finds has the power to transform both of their lives. With beautiful melodies and powerfully moving characters, the story unfolds as a rich tapestry of deep emotion.
The cast or characters (in order of appearance) were:
- Older Alice (Abby Theberge)
- Middle Alice (Hadi Lancaric)
- Younger Alice (Alissa Cutting)
- Billy Cane (Owen Hannah)
- Daddy Cane (Amy Braby
- Daryl (Gabe Young)
- Lucy (Liasiah Torres)
- Younger Jimmy Ray (Rowan Davidson)
- Daddy Murphy (Beau Olesky)
- Mama Murphy (Grace Phillips)
- Mayor Dobbs (Caroline Stultz)
- Stanford (Haley Serafine)
- Margo (Abbey Shumway)
- Middle Jimmy Ray (Zach Cassidy)
- Older Jimmy Ray (Dan Sleeper)
- Townsfolk (Esther Janis, Adeline Mackensen, and Kaitlyn Stone)
For the complete program, please click here. The performance stream went live on Sunday at 7:00 pm and was very well received by the audience.
