Review: ONCE at Roxy's Downtown

If you’re in the mood for a theatre piece full of atmosphere and passion, make sure you get to Roxy’s Downtown to see their production of Once. It’s heady, intense, and grabs you right in the heart, squeezes hard, and doesn’t let go. It’s quite the existential ride.

Once is based on the 2007 film of the same name by John Carney. The book for the musical was written by Enda Walsh, with music and lyrics by Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová, The Broadway production received eleven 2012 Tony Award nominations, the 2012 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Musical and the 2013 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album.

The most unique part of Once is that the cast is the orchestra!  Typically the setting includes a bar center stage, which is used before the show and at intermission as a working bar for theater patrons. I like that Roxy’s production eliminated that gimmicky aspect of the production and focused on the emotional story, which takes place in various shops and pubs of Dublin.  A heartbroken Irish musician named Guy and a mysterious Czech immigrant named Girl are drawn together by their shared love of music. Their brief encounter in a pub leads to an unexpected relationship, and culminates in a cathartic collaboration over some emotionally charged music. I loved how this well told story washed over me, and filled me with all the feels and appropriate adjectives.

Austin Ragusin plays Guy, an angst ridden, guitar toting young man, pining for his unrequited love, the Ex-Girlfriend, played by Haley Couey. Guy shows his innermost feelings in the rawest of emotions - sorrow, anger, hurt, pain, in his opening song, Leave. In stark contrast, Nora Graham, who plays Girl, works to bring Guy out of his bleak, nihilistic funk, using a bright, optimistic exterior to keep him from stepping away from music. Her upbeat tone serves to protect her deeper self - the serious, romantic, eclectic, and sometimes broken soul that soon bubbles to the surface for all to see. When Girl insists on seeing Guy’s sheet music, which he seeks to abandon, Girl sits down at the piano and plays his music, breathing new life into it. Ragusin and Graham sound so smooth and harmonious together, like butter, singing the Grammy Award winning song Falling Slowly. Guy acquiesces and allows Girl into his life.

We meet the gorgeous ensemble in North Strand. They sound so warm and comforting, singing in exquisite harmony, wielding their numerous guitars, percussion, violins, viola, and accordion to a very pleasant effect. We’re then introduced to Da, Guy’s father, a warm and amicable fellow, who owns a vacuum repair shop. Nick Albrecht imbues Da with with a tinge of ennui, as we learn he’s lost Ma, who both men miss dearly. Not long after we meet Da, we’re introduced to Girl’s family, a raucous Czech family speaking with thick accents, as Czech Subtitles are projected onto the TV Screens above the set. They all sing in a classic Czech vocal style called Lidova, which is a classic chest belt sound. The Czech tradition also incudes folk dance and dance rhythms. Girl’s gregarious family includes her mother, MJ Harper’s amazing rubber faced Baruska, who is full of expression as she throws around her beautifully appointed accordion she purchased in Colorado specifically for the show. Dex O’Neal plays Reza, Girl’s sister with an exciting Siouxsie Sioux sexy punk rock chick vibe. The levels of aggressiveness/competition in the women of this family is off the chart. Girl’s two brothers, Svec, a death metal drummer, played by Nick Hofmeister, and Andrej, who is hell bent on moving up the socio-economic chain, are also intense. The family learns English from their favorite soap opera, and argue intensely about it’s characters and plot lines. We learn that Girl has a daughter, Ivanka, sweetly played by Ivy Sailing.

Through Girl’s incessant urging, Guy gets the money to record his songs. In the bank, they sit down with the Bank Manager, who wheedles his way into the recording session by singing the very humorous Abandoned in Bandon. Girl and Guy get the money out of the Bank Manager, and race to the recording studio, having 24 hours to record all the songs. Hilarity ensues in the studio when adverse elements come together.

I’m not going to give everything away, but suffice it to say that you will get hopelessly captivated by all the wonderful performances in Once, and I can’t recommend it enough. Director Steve Hitchcock tells this abstract story well, as evidenced by the well-developed emotional lives of the characters. Musical Director Ken Gale is well served by his years spent with many diverse musicians at the Bluegrass Festival in Winfield, is well steeped in Irish music, and was a no-brainer in terms of choice for this particular ensemble.

The simple brick and mortar set from J Branson is helps to project an urban character about the proceedings, and is well suited for multiple locations. The set is well-lit by Arthur Reese, and Sound Designer Jason Huffman made sure all the vocals were well balanced and blended. Costume Designer Gwyn Bolte kept things simple, with natural fabrics and a colorful earth tone palate that really helped define the characters.

Tickets are on sale at Roxy’s Downtown, 412 1/2 E Douglas Ave., Wichita, KS 6720. This is a limited engagement through Saturday, March 8, 2025. Once plays Wednesday and Thursday evenings at 7:00pm, Friday and Saturday evenings at 8:00pm with Saturday matinees at 2:00pm. All tickets for Once are $42 general admission tickets, including tax and all ticket fees, and are available by calling 316-265-4400, or online at roxysdowntown.com. For groups of 20 or more please call 316-265-4400 or email box-office@roxysdowntown.com

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