BWW Reviews: BRIGADOON at Crossville's Cumberland County Playhouse

Brigadoon, onstage at Cumberland County Playhouse through November 21, could well be one of the closest-to-sheer-perfection musical theater experiences I've ever had, beautifully played and exquisitely staged, performed by a phenomenally gifted cast led by the multi-talented Britt Hancock (who sings, act and dances with vigorous conviction) as Tommy Albright. If you are a true lover of musical theater, you really must go see it before Brigadoon once again disappears into the mist.

While The Playhouse has always been a center of immense creativity nestled into the Tennessee hills, the level of expertise now found onstage there - and in and around its Crossville environs - may well be the most impressive assemblage of talent we've ever seen. To say we were completely disarmed by the lushly produced and emotionally satisfying Brigadoon is a definite understatement.

Lerner and Loewe's classic musical about the mythic Scottish hamlet that appears but once every 100 years is romantic and moving, directed and choreographed with skill and panache by Michele Colvin who proves her mettle in every scene, every moment, every nuance expressed in this spectacularly produced work. Colvin's mastery is evident throughout the show in every possible way. And, quite possibly, Lerner and Loewe's sumptuous score may never have sounded better - nor, perhaps, has it ever been more expressively performed - than it does when played by The Playhouse orchestra, conducted confidently by music director Ron Murphy.

This Brigadoon encapsulates musical theater at its finest, that which makes musical theater so transformative, so affecting and so transcendent: It whisks audiences away to another time, another place, insisting upon the complete suspension of disbelief to be caught up in its dream-like tale of such romantic proportions that you cannot help but lose yourself in the exquisitely performed scenes and awesomely rendered songs. For my money, Brigadoon's score has it all over Lerner and Loewe's other, perhaps more popularly successful ones like My Fair Lady and Camelot. The duo's "Come to Me, Bend to Me," in this mounting performed in exemplary fashion by the handsome and charming Greg Pendzick, is one of the most beautiful songs to be found in the musical theater canon - and, clearly, it's one of my favorites.

And there comes a moment during "Almost Like Being In Love," here performed by the aforementioned triple threat Hancock and his lovely leading lady, Lindy Pendzick, that is as rapturous and as emotionally satisfying as any I can recall. If you hear it, you may find yourself (as did I) overwhelmed by its beauty, Hancock and Pendzick's performance of the song so ethereal than you cannot help but be totally transfixed. Each of Hancock and Pendzick's duets is memorable, including "The Heather on the Hill" and the anthemic "From This Day On," and Hancock's "There But For You Go I" is stunningly delivered. The matinee idol-handsome Hancock (who first dazzled us in the national tour of The Drowsy Chaperone) leads the cast with grace and aplomb, his intensely felt portrayal finely matched with Lindy Pendzick as the lovely Scottish lass, Fiona MacLaren, whom she plays with a spirited joie de vivre and sings with a voice that is lilting and melodious.

As superb as Hancock and Lindy Pendzick are, they are aided in their efforts by the superb supporting cast that includes Greg Pendzick (Lindy's real-life husband) as the affably attractive Charlie Dalrymple. He moves with finesse and plays his character with multi-layered charm; even if he has to "massage" some of the higher notes in "Come to Me, Bend to Me," he does so with a self-assurance that is all the more engaging). Paired with him as his betrothed "bonnie Jean" is Leila Nelson, who sings and dances with ease, ideally evoking the two characters' romantic intent. Their love affair and subsequent marriage is underscored by the plot's darker elements, embodied in the character of Harry Beaton, played by the excellent Michael Ruff. (If you're unfamiliar with Brigadoon's plot, Harry and his dastardly doings are akin to Oklahoma's Jud Fry.) Harry provides the plot with its dramatic import, ensuring that there are far deeper themes abounding to counter-balance the lighter, frothier plot elements.

The other members of the ensemble are equally adept; in fact, it's easy to allow oneself to become thunderstruck by the wealth of talent in Brigadoon: there are no weak links to be found. The play's two comedic leads, Nicole Bowles as the randy Meg Brockie, and Daniel Black, as Tommy's American chum Jeff Douglas, are quick-witted actors both of whom possess impeccable timing, and charm to spare. The red-headed Bowles is slightly wicked, while Douglas plays his sidekick role with comic abandon that makes him imminently watchable. Together, they very nearly steal every scene they are in.

Other standouts among the large ensemble are Jon Fionte, as Fiona's father; Elliott Cunnigham as Angus MacGuffie; Troy Miszklevitz as Archie Beaton; Bobby Taylor as Mr. Lundie; and Jamie Potter as Tommy's New York City-bred fiancee Jane Ashton (what beautiful eyes this woman has!). Finally, after all these years of reviewing shows at The Playhouse - it's been at least 15 years since I was last there - it's both comforting and reassuring to spot the inimitable Carol Irvin in the ensemble as the matriarch of the MacGuffie clan.

Colvin's spot-on choreography (she generously gives a nod in the program to the original dances created by the legendary Agnes DeMille for the original Broadway production) is a highlight of the show, particularly in Act Two's sword dance (performed by Austin Price, Chaz Sanders, Ruff and Cunningham) and her dual roles as director and choreographer are perhaps at their zenith in Act Two's opening "The Chase," which is evocatively underscored by Murphy's orchestra and brought so vividly to life through Colvin's actors. Terese Porterfield's exceptional lighting design is at its finest in that particular scene - frankly, it is superb throughout the show, effectively capturing the play's tone and sense of time and place. Original set design by Brian Jackins and Rhonda Wallace, and Don Bollinger's original costume design (is it wrong of me to really want a kilt now?) give the production a decidedly top-drawer design aesthetic.

- Brigadoon. Book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner. Music by Frederick Loewe. Directed and choreographed by Michele Colvin. Music direction by Ron Murphy. Technical direction by John Partyka. Presented by Cumberland County Playhouse, through November 21. For further details, visit the company's website at www.ccplayhouse.com; for reservations, call (931) 484-5000.

Britt Hancock and Lindy Pendzck in Brigadoon

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