Marywood’s theater program will shine brightly during this semester’s musical, which will premiere this week. This year the program will be performing “Bright Star,” written and composed by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell.
Bright Star is a story set in the American south during the 1920s and 1940s that follows a literary editor, Alice Murphy, as she reflects on the decisions she made while she was younger. The musical unfolds into two different timelines, her teenage romance with a guy named Jimmy Ray Dobbs and present-day as a successful but emotionally-distant woman.
Secrets appear from the past, including the revelations of the tragic events between Alice, Jimmy, and their son Billy. As the musical unfolds, characters must face their past and some are given second-chances to heal old wounds.
Jocelyn Hittle, a second-year theater and applied religious studies double major, is this musical’s stage manager, one of her favorite parts of this experience is the communal experience.
“There is something so beautiful and delightful about working with a group of people who grow to truly believe in something together,” explained Hittle.
The music itself is bluegrass, which will be performed live by Marywood students and local community members. Some key instruments in the musical are the banjo, mandolin, accordion and the fiddle, something Marywood has not seen yet!
“It’s such a unique style for a musical. I don’t know of any other musical that happens in that style.” says Dr. Timothy Pyles, M.F.A. “It’s fun, inspirational, and charming… I think people are gonna love it.”
The showings for this Marywood musical are at the Sette LaVerghetta Center on Feb. 22 at 7:30 p.m., Feb. 23 at 7:30 p.m., Feb. 24 at 7:30 p.m. and a matinee on Feb. 25 at 2 p.m.
Tickets are $10 for the general public and $5 for non-Marywood students. Admission is free for Marywood students, faculty, staff and IHM sisters. Tickets can be purchased in advance here or at the door.
Make sure to see Bright Star before this musical extinguishes.
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