Sage Covered Mountains Meet Bluegrass: Lyric’s BRIGHT STAR Shines

LOGAN­ — Bright Star is a relatively new entry in the musical theatre canon, premiering about a decade ago with music, book, and story by Steve Martin and music and lyrics by Edie Brickell. This was my first time seeing this show and I wasn’t sure what to expect. As I drove with my son through the winding canyon roads, I soaked in the summer light as it stretched across the sage-covered hills that surround my alma mater, Utah State University. What we experienced with the Lyric Repertory Company’s production of Bright Star was an incredibly powerful piece of theatre that lingers in my mind and heart. Under the brilliant direction of Eric Van Tielen, this emotional musical is full of unforgettable performances and has a depth of storytelling that was both tender and haunting.

The story is inspired in part by a real-life news story set in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina and spans two timelines: the early 1920s and post-World War II in the 1940s. It follows Alice Murphy, an intelligent magazine editor, whose guarded exterior hides a tragic past, as Alice tells the story of her teen years in the 1920s blended between scenes of her adult life in 1940s.

J.S. Peterson’s scenic design was minimal but evocative on the Morgan’s thrust stage with raised wooden platforms to suggest an old North Carolina shack, weathered and lived-in. Bare bulb lights dangle above the stage, feeling like stars or fireflies on a magical night in the Appalachian hills with the nighttime sounds of insects droning before the band takes the stage to start the show.

Kelsey Crotz delivered a deeply felt performance as Alice Murphy. Crotz managed the feat of playing both the headstrong teenage Alice as full of laughter and smiles, as well as her older, more composed self. Crotz’s vocal work was impressive throughout—when the mic balance allowed it. Unfortunately, a sound issue during Act 1 dampened the initial impact, as Crotz’s mic was far too soft and often overpowered by the otherwise excellent band. At times, her voice even seemed to come from offstage. Crotz didn’t let it affect her performance and was still captivating, especially in scenes with Jimmy Ray, played to perfection by Stefan Espinosa. Thankfully, the mic issues were corrected by the end of the first Act, allowing Crotz’s vocal power to truly shine in pivotal numbers like “At Long Last.”

Stefan Espinosa brought real depth and vulnerability to Jimmy Ray Dobbs, Alice’s teenage sweetheart. Espinosa’s portrayal was heartfelt and layered, especially in Jimmy’s final scenes where decades of regret and longing simmer just beneath the surface. The chemistry between Espinosa and Crotz in the 1920s flashbacks was filled with passion and tenderness.

Jimmy Ray’s father, the stern Mayor Josiah Dobbs, is played by Richie Call, who delivered a truly chilling performance. His reprise of “A Man’s Gotta Do” at the end of Act 1 was an unforgettable moment. Van Tielen’s direction of this scene was absolutely striking. With a black overcoat and a black ten-gallon hat, Mayor Dobbs marches straight toward the audience, singing with grim conviction as the cast members slam crates to a driving beat, simulating the relentless rhythm of a train. Then the back curtain split, revealing a massive cutout of a train engine, looming head-on as fog poured out toward the audience, intensifying the sense of doom. Actresses lifted translucent lacey veils over their heads—like spectral angels watching over the scene—then the train veered and the unspeakable choice was made. It was a moment of pure theatrical brilliance that closed Act 1. I caution patrons that it might feel like you are emotionally hit by that train. It is intense and I cried as it unfolded, but it serves a purpose and will pay off.

The character of Billy Cane, played by Joe Smentowski, is an earnest young man just returning home at the end of WWII, full of optimism and determination. I was impressed with Smentowski’s performance from start to finish. At the top of the show, Cane shares a moving duet, “She’s Gone” with the kind Daddy Cane (W. Lee Daily), where Cane learns of his mother’s passing while he was off serving in the war. Then, at the end of the show, I was struck by Smentowski’s reaction during Alice’s number “At Long Last,” where he conveyed so much raw emotion without saying anything.

Tamari Dunbar and Micah Coombs gave heartfelt performances as Alice’s parents Mama Murphy and Daddy Murphy, each carrying their own burdens of grief and guilt. Coombs had to take his character on a large arc very quickly, moving from a stern patriarch in “Firmer Hand/Do Right” to a much older, penitent man. I was so moved when he asked for his daughter’s forgiveness and Alice graced him with the kindest lie to spare him more pain.

Along with emotionally moving songs and storylines, there are lovely moments of levity. Working for Alice at the publishing house is Daryl (Colton Iverson) and Lucy (Marin Taylor Robison) who both have wonderful comic energy, especially when they take Billy on the town in “Another Round.”

Ariana Whatcott is sweet as Margo, the bookstore owner who has known Billy since she was a little girl and is ready to be seen as more than his friend. Whatcott brought warmth to the show’s lighter moments. Her scenes with Billy add needed lightheartedness to the plot, without pulling focus from the central narrative.

It can be difficult to describe with words how music sounds, but the onstage bluegrass band was a character all its own. The ensemble is led by Kelin Gibbons, who conducted from the banjo like a true Appalachian maestro. The musicians were seated on stage throughout, and their presence reminded the audience of the music’s roots and cultural setting like we were enjoying a night of front-patio storytelling. It wasn’t just accompaniment; it was atmosphere, it was soul. Some songs had me tapping my toes or clapping along, but when it dialed back in the ballads, the music pierced my heart. The actors all added the right twang and vibrato to their voices to embody the bluegrass style without veering into caricature.

Costume designer Emma Lovan differentiated the two time periods with a subtle hand and a precision of color and texture that sets the stage. Alice’s quick change on stage was particularly impressive when she let her hair down from a snood and twirled out of her dark rust-toned business suit dress to reveal a flowy pastel drop-waist dress to magically spin back in time.

Frequent touches of blue in costuming for Billy Cane were an elegant thread tying character and costume together. This use of the color blue used with Billy came together near the end of the show. The background lighting palette shifted from the pinks of dawn to a radiant sky blue—Billy’s color—tying the emotional climax to the production’s subtle visual language.

The show weaves all of the threads of the story together by the end into a beautiful quilt that you might need to curl into and have a good cry, but it is a very worthwhile story. Though a brief mic issue in Act 1 limited Alice’s vocal presence temporarily, it was a minor glitch in an otherwise powerful and moving evening of theatre. Director Eric Van Tielen and his team have crafted a production full of artistry, both rustic and refined, that stays with you long after the drive back home.