Center Stage: ‘Brigadoon’ lives up to its potential
Composers Learner & Lowe opened the musical play Brigadoon on Broadway back in 1947 and any production of this musical has a great deal to live up to; but this latest production, currently playing to sold out houses, at the Broadway Palm really lives up to its potential. This charming musical creates a magical mood from the moment the curtain parts to reveal the mist enshrouded mountain hamlet somewhere in the highlands of Scotland. This romantic highland fantasy is filled with bagpipers a-pipin’, lassies and ladies a-leapin’, kilts a-kiltin’, lovers a-lovin’, all to the beautiful, lyrical score of Learner & Lowe. The fairy tale plot is simply told, about two modern day, American adventurers (Tommy Albright- played by Jason Fleck, and Jeff Douglas Victor Legarreta) stumbling upon a quaint village which appears out of the mist every hundred years, and the two guys falling in love with the local ingnues. This theme of life and eternal love after death is not only universal, it still remains painfully timely, as it did in 1947 after the Second World War, or now in the aftermath of Vietnam, Iraq, Afganistan, and 911.
Under the Direction of Seth Reines all the arts of the theater, the dramatic scenes, the singing, the Scenic Design Tom Tutino, Costuming- John White, Choreography- Dottie Lester White, have been woven into a lovely tartan pattern of enchantment. This first class production also has a winning cast of principals featuring :
Jason Fleck- as Tommy Albright, Victor Lagarreta as Jeff Douglas, Jeannie Shubitz- as Fiona MacLaren, Sal Pavia as Charlie Dalrymple Morgan Springer as Meg Brockie, and Alyson Bloom- as Jean MacLaren; along with a marvelous cast of featured players and the always amazing, hard working ensemble, Broadway Palm’s Singers and Dancers. A Standing Ovation to one and all.
This show should not be missed since it has it all, a bit of Scottish whimsy, beguiling music, (that you can actually go home humming), exciting dancing and a book that touches the heart. Aye, mon, Brigadoon is a gurrrand show, and you can quote me on that. Make your reservations as soon as possible by phoning the Box Office at 278-4422; and by gosh and by gorra remind ’em Marsha sent you.