SKOKIE, Ill.—Imagine two tourists walking into a foreign land through a rolling countryside as they come upon an ancient stone bridge. They know it’s a town in Scotland, but they can’t find it on their map, and as they try to discover where they’re at, a cloudy mist surfaces from the bridge to reveal a charming old-world village. As they try to get their bearings, they hear the haunting sound of a song, “Brigadoon.”
That’s how the enchanting musical “Brigadoon” begins. Two Americans on vacation, Tommy and Jeff, stumble onto the town square of a Scottish village where they are invited to join the townspeople in celebrating an upcoming wedding with a rousing dance to the tune of “I’ll Go Home with Bonnie Jean.”
A Classic Come Back to Life
Masterfully directed by Sasha Gerritson, with a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Lowe, and with great orchestration by musical director Michael McBride, this revival of “Brigadoon,” which was one of the most wonderful shows that came out of Broadway’s golden-age, is now in a delicious production at Music Theater Works in Skokie, Illinois. It’s not only a glorious musical, but it’s also a nostalgic escape from the chaos and mayhem of today’s world.The minimalist set by scenic designer Ann Davis, provides a simple backdrop of a stone bridge and cloudy patches of mist. While that might have been a drawback for most musicals, here the shadowy fog and the lack of a big set serves to enhance the fantasy of the “Brigadoon” story.
What is more attention-grabbing, though, is the traditional Scottish tartan costuming by Jazmin Aurora Medina, the exhilarating choreography of Scottish folk dances by choreographer and assistant director Clayton Cross, and the ensemble of engaging talented performers who make this revival so captivating.
As Tommy Albright, Conor Jordan is riveting. A handsome leading man, he resembles Gene Kelly, and stands out with a velvety tenor that’s compelling as he delivers the show-stopping “There But for You Go I.” Sarah Obert, who has a stunning soprano, delivers an entrancing portrayal of Fiona MacLaren with a spine-tingling rendition of “Waitin’ for My Drearie.”
Together, Mr. Jordan and Ms. Obert have incredible chemistry, especially when they come together to sing delectable numbers such as “Almost Like Being in Love” and “The Heather on the Hill.”
In addition, Zachary Linnert is charming as Jeff Douglas, Tommy’s friend who wandered into Brigadoon with him; Madison Kauffman is a hoot as Meg, the woman who sets her sights on the reluctant Jeff; and Luke Nowakowski is the bridegroom whose excitement at his coming nuptial has him hitting some stirring high notes.
What’s amazing about the show is that, although it first opened on Broadway in the middle of the last century, it is still relevant today. That may be due to its theme of finding a love that transcends time, which seems as miraculous today as it did in 1947 when the show premiered. Moreover, making a life-changing decision, as the main character in “Brigadoon” has to do, is as important and difficult as it has been in the past. And its contemporary appeal may also have something to do with its fantasy escape from the chaos and mayhem of the world today.
At the performance of “Brigadoon” that I saw, the audience gave the show a standing ovation, and many hummed some of the songs as they walked out of the Music Theater Works’ auditorium.
My measure of a great musical comes down to whether the music from the production I’ve recently seen reverberates in my head hours after the curtain has come down. As a testament to the quality of the show, I couldn’t get the intoxicating “What a day this has been! What a rare mood I’m in! Why, it’s almost like being in love” out of my head for days.
