Published: October 09, 2008 11:17 am            

‘Brigadoon’ spins magic, music at Cherokee Civic Theatre

The Cherokee Civic Theatre openness its 2008-09 theater season tonight with the musical “Brigadoon.”

A Broadway play that was made into a movie in the 1950s, Brigadoon is about two Americans that stumble onto the enchanted Scottish village, Brigadoon, that only appears once every 100 years. One of the Americans, Tommy Albright, meets Brigadoonian lass named Fiona and the pair spend the day together as she prepares for her sister’s wedding.

Of course they fall in love, despite the fact she’s more than 200 years old, stuck in a town that erases after 24 hours and he’s already engaged to another.

Having been brought up on Disney cartoons, it’s not hard to get my mind wrapped around a town that disappears for a century. What I do find unbelievable is that this jaded, young American dude falls in love in less than a day.

Jacksonville resident Adam Tanner, playing Tommy, does a good job portraying the role and sings each song wonderfully. The fact that he manages to put some pep into what would otherwise be a pretty dry character is doubly impressive when you consider he’s a sales rep for the paper, husband, father of five and active church member.

Makes me tired just thinking about it.

His leading lady, Tiffany Hammock, hits those Highland high notes with seemingly no effort at all. Long-time stage presence P.O. Ford, playing Tommy’s wise-cracking pal Jeff, brings just the right amount of cynical sarcasm to the mix.

Pay close attention to returning stage star Laura McWilliams’s songs as Meg, the hot-to-trot milkmaid. You’ll miss some of the production’s best jokes if you don’t. McWilliams does a beautiful job of belting ’em out.

The entire cast is colorfully costumed in bright colors, including kilts — what’s a play set in Scotland without the plaids? They’re fun to look at, especially in the dance scenes (very nicely choreographed by Jessica Breen-Ford), even if they aren’t exactly historically correct. The lighting effects to represent sunset of Brigadoon’s day on Earth were also pretty impressive.

In fact the only jarring note in the whole look of the play is Bonnie Jean’s glasses. Pretty sure they didn’t have plastic in the 1700s, but since Scarlett Henderson, who portrays Jean, probably needs them so as not to fall off the stage while she dances the Highland Fling, I guess allowances can be made.

My only beef with the play itself is they kill off the only one who does a passable Scottish accent. Matthew Young, as Harry Beaton, looks and sounds the part, being the only natural red-head in the bunch. Everyone else gets points for trying. You can take the actors out of East Texas.

All in all, Brigadoon is a pleasurable way to spend an evening, full of magic, music and true love.

The show opens tonight at 7:30 p.m. and runs the same time Oct. 10-11 and Oct. 17-18 at the Cherokee Civic Theatre, 118 W. Fifth St., in downtown Rusk. A matinee show opens at 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 12.

Advance tickets are $9 adults and $6 for students. Tickets are $10 at the door. Call the box office, 903-683-2131, between 1:30 and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday to reserve tickets.

        

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