BWW Reviews: Singer LynnMarie Rink Brings Her Very Special Show to the Falcon Theatre

Wrap Your Heart Around It/written, composed and performed by LynnMarie Rink/directed by Michael Kearns /musical direction by Paul Carrol Binkley/Falcon Theatre/through August 11

It's pure joy when a show surprises with so much more than anticipated. When you enter the Falcon Theatre and glance at the lovely set designed by Jeff McLaughlin with plush curtains, chandelier and staircase leading up to a musicians' platform, you think: concert! The presence of a small table containing a shelf with framed family photos and chair stage right indicates there may be some banter from LynnMarie Rink, a five time Grammy nominee, who is listed as the star of Wrap Your Heart Around It now onstage at the Falcon Theatre. What you get is not only a concert and yes, autobiographical stories, but an engrossing, heartwarming celebration of one woman's painful journey, an outpouring of warmth that proves inspirational, a totally uplifting experience...and featuring joyful music, traditional and original... in short, quite a unique one-person theatrical piece.

LynnMarie Rink, known years previous as simply LynnMarie, of Slovenian descent, grew up in Cleveland, Ohio where her parents owned and operated a tavern featuring live entertainment. Her father Lud played the accordian and passed on his talent to LynnMarie. The accordian, like the banjo, she calls a curse as well as a blessing. She was a Catholic, then passed through a born-again Christian phase due to her brother's participation, then after years of wrestling over her music being condemned as the devil's worship, she let it possess her, for "music has the power to change people's spirits". I do not wish to spoil your enjoyment of the show by giving away too many details of LynnMarie's life, but first of all, there was a love/hate relationship with her dad, who was an alcoholic; she became a codependent. She really wanted to attend the American Academy of Dramatic Arts to study acting, but her father refused. Instead she eventually attended OrAl Roberts University and met James Rink, a religious man, but their relationship became strained when LynnMarie chose music over God. She did end up marrying him though, and is still his wife. The highlight of the evening is the story about conceiving an unusual child, the fear of giving birth and the caring, loving aftermath of doing so. It has much to say about growing up in constant fear amidst the complex sorrows of a dysfunctional family and emerging with a true sense of forgiveness and joy.

Musical highlights of this terrific little gem of a show include: the traditional "Squeezebox", "Joy to You and Me", "Roll Out the Barrel" "Here I Am, Stuck In the Middle with You", some delightful polka treats, as well as some fab original compositions that flesh out the story like the title song "Wrap Your Heart Around It", "That's What I Like About the North", with its wickedly amusing message, and "Life Is So Much Better with You In It", among others. Great musicians who backup LynnMarie, the Polka Playboys, are: Paul Carroll Binkley, guitar and musical director, Paul Cartwright on fiddle, Joey Ayoub on bass and Chris Steele on percussion. Michael Kearns' direction is thoroughly steady and nurturing, with just the right pacing, allowing LynnMarie to fully experience and flesh out her emotional highs and lows.

LynnMarie Rink is an imperfect person; has her own addictions, like chocolate, which she generously shares with the audience. Her generous nature, in fact, is what gives the unusually entertaining Wrap Your Heart Around It its genuine heart. She's a great performer and despite her claim to "not be an actress", she is to the contrary a wonderful one and an extraordinary human being. Don't miss her through August 11 only!

http://www.falcontheatre.com/

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