​Bright Star: Shining and Hopeful

Fun Fact: Bright Star is an original musical written by actor, author, and musician Steve Martin and singer-songwriter Edie Brickell. Their 13-song collaboration titled “Love Has Come For You” inspired Bright Star and won them a Grammy in 2014.

Best Bits: When the song “Whoa, Mama” came on, I was pretty sure that I wasn’t going to be able to stay in my seat. Like the characters on stage, I was falling in love. The flirtatious banjo strumming and foot stomping melody blew me away with its back and forth witty lyrics and first love charm.

Target Audience: I want say this is a show that everyone can enjoy but due to the adult content, I would not recommend it for younger audiences.

Standout Actor: Carmen Cusack, a veteran of West End and touring musicals makes her Broadway debut with Bright Star and that, is hard for me to believe. Her performance as magazine editor Alice Murphy is hypnotizing and I found myself looking forward to every moment she was on stage. Plus, Cusack happens to have one of the best voices I have ever heard live. I could happily listen to her sing anything from a Dolly Parton tune to an IKEA instruction manual.

Morning After Effect: The only question I have on my mind right now is “When does the Bright Star soundtrack come out?”

The lights go down and the curtain comes up in the Cort Theatre, and the audience looks to the stage finding Carmen Cusack front and center as she opens Bright Star with the song, “If You Knew My Story”. The end of the song creates a strong image with each member of the cast standing motionless, chins raised higher than their voices. Immediately the scene for this sepia toned period musical is set and from there, we dive right into the adventure!

Bright Star follows aspiring writer Billy Cane and Alice Murphy, the no nonsense magazine editor he hopes to impress. Through a series of flashbacks as we see the love and heartache that made Alice the woman she is today. Bouncing back and forth between the 1920’s and the 1940’s, Bright Star takes us on a journey of family, love, and uplifting hope.

Steve Martin and Edie Brickell found the makings of the story while collaborating on a new album. Their songs seemed to tell a narrative but neither of them could piece it all together. After Brickell came across a true story of the 1902 Iron Mountain Baby, everything started clicking into place, creating a show that theater-goers in New York are now referring to as “Broadway Bluegrass”. The music throughout Bright Star features a banjo, guitars, and strings connecting the audience with the story’s Southern essence. All the songs, ranging from folksy to foot stompin’, produce a refreshingly different sound from the current musicals on Broadway.

More than the music - as amazing as it is - I would have to say that the use of scenery, lighting, and costume make this show really shine. Director Walter Bobbie and choreographer Josh Rhodes manage to turn all the external elements of the show into another character. Never before have I seen such brilliant use of scenery to propel the story. Everything happens right before your eyes from one smooth transition to the next. I remember hearing a person beside me say, “It’s like a dance.” And it was, it was truly extraordinary.

To be honest, if I were to have my pick of Broadway shows, I’m not sure that Bright Star would have been my first choice. But that’s what makes it so amazing! And I can honestly say it’s now one of my favorite musicals I’ve ever had the chance to see. Everything from the old time music to the simplistic set reminded me of how magical young romances can be. It took me back to my Southern roots, and although I found the ending slightly predictable that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Other than the “I knew it!” finale, everything about this tale is as winsome as the title suggests.

Reviewed by Makia Martin

Sunday 20th March 2016
Cort Theatre, New York City
Find me on Twitter: @newyorktheatre

View our show pages for more information about Bright Star, Cort Theater.