The lead lady captures our hearts to the tune of banjo and fiddle music in the opening of Bright Star on the campus of The Catholic University of America. The intimate setting of the small Callan Theatre, paired with live bluegrass music, makes seeing this show feel like a homecoming, rich with all the joys and sorrows of life.
Written by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell and directed by Jay D. Brock, the bluegrass musical takes place in western North Carolina in 1945 and ’46 and in part in flashbacks to 1923. Following the life of literary magazine editor Alice Murphy (Emma Markey), the show tells the story of young love, loss, and reconciliation as her encounter with a young soldier just home from World War II prompts her to reflect on her old life and the child she once lost. Standout vocal performances and well-timed humor bring an emotional depth and a light-hearted feel to this story of the enduring love of family.
Markey outshines everyone as Alice Murphy. Her vocal performance alone offers a nuance to her character that many productions of Bright Star lack. But Murphy is also a triple threat who understands how to develop a character. As carefree teenage Alice, she flits around the stage and tosses her curls in “Whoa, Mama” and “Firmer Hand/Do Right.” The audience then watches her mature as she walks through her pregnancy in the sentimental “I Can’t Wait” and the loss of her child in the violent “Please, Don’t Take Him.”
As the older Alice, Markey retains her wit and candor but speaks and carries herself differently — with the gentle gravity of one who has suffered without bitterness.
Ryan Alexander supports Markey as well as her lover Jimmy Ray, but he lacks some of her emotional depth. In what should be one of the biggest shocks of the play for his character, Anderson hardly pauses at the news that Alice is pregnant. Still, the range in his vocal performances, from the light-hearted “Whoa, Mama” to the heartbreaking “I Had a Vision,” shows why the college freshman has landed two lead roles this season.
As the war hero and earnest aspiring writer, Billy Chase Nester brings a refreshing subtlety and innocence to his role. Other stand-out performances include Madonnina Gullo and Joey Depto as Lucy and Daryl, Alice’s editor assistants, and Cayden Wallace as Jimmy Ray’s father the Mayor. Gullo shines in “Another Round,” and she and Depto chip in some much-needed comedic relief throughout the show. At the other end of the emotional spectrum, Wallace would make anyone’s blood boil for his heartlessness in “A Man’s Gotta Do.”
The chorus of townspeople, choreographed by Sarah Frances Hope Williams, take on characters and personalities of their own as the story develops. But at times, the chorus’ movements distract from the action of the play. The purpose of three of the women appearing as “spirits” during the most emotionally heightened moments seems unclear as they gather around the pregnant Alice with sympathetic looks.
Set design by Samina Vieth and costume design by Cody Von Ruden contribute to the show’s world-building, inviting the audience to step back in time to small-town North Carolina at the beginning of the 20th century. But it’s the live bluegrass music, directed by Bryan Lilley, that really brings the play to life. Two musicians (Audrey Clement and Mulunesh Creaghan) help set the atmosphere for the show before it even begins, playing on an elevated porch in full view of the audience throughout.
All elements of music, dance, and acting combine to make this production of Bright Star genuine and heartfelt. For all of its nostalgic air, the production invites the audience to experience — together with Alice and Jimmy Ray — the real, familiar pain and joy of loving broken people in a broken world.
Running Time: Two hours and 30 minutes with a 10-minute intermission.
Bright Star plays through Sunday, April 27, 2025, presented by the Benjamin T. Rome School of Music, Drama, and Art, performing at the Callan Theatre, 3801 Harewood Rd. NE, Washington, DC, on the campus of the Catholic University of America. Tickets (students, $10; senior/military, or faculty/staff, $20; general adult, $25) are available online.
COVID Safety: Masks are optional.
Bright Star
Music, Book & Story by Steve Martin
Music, Lyrics & Story by Edie Brickell
Directed by Jay D. Brock
Music Direction: Bryan Lilley
CREATIVE TEAM
Scenic Designer (Samina Vieth)
Costume Designer (Cody Von Ruden)
Dialect Coach (Tonya Beckman)
Stage Manager (Scarlett Spano)
Lighting Designer (Catherine Girardi)
Sound Engineer (Michelle Janota)
Choreographer (Sarah Frances Hope Williams)
Assistant Choreographer (Angelo Carucci)
Assistant Stage Manager (Gianna Angela)
Assistant Director (Isabel Pierce)
CAST
Emma Markey (Alice)
Chase Nester (Billy)
Allison Howlett (Margo)
Ryan Alexander (Jimmy Ray)
Madonnina Gullo (Lucy)
Joey Depto (Daryl)
Rachael Brandon (Mama Murphy)
Robert Garza (Daddy Murphy)
Cayden Wallace (Mayor)
Jackson Biggs (Daddy Cain)
Mary Kelly (Florence, Ensemble, Spirit, Dance Captain)
Emily Scholl (Ensemble, Spirit, Well Dressed Woman)
Katie Vitale (Edna, Ensemble, Spirit)
Luke Plunkett (Max, Doctor, Ensemble, Stationmaster)
Holly Bruchalski (Clerk, Ensemble)
Thomas McQuillan (Stanford, Ensemble)
Nora Junge (Alice u/s)
Bryan Kotlar (Male Ensemble Swing)
Claire Sligh (Female Ensemble Swing)
CREW
Stage Manager (Scarlett Spano)
Assistant Stage Manager (Gianna Angela)
Light Board Operator (Rhett Ricardo)
Sound Board Operator (Anthony Graf)
Deck Crew (Aleyna Francis, Keira Bauer)
Wardrobe Crew (Jayden Parsons, Erin Fitzgerald, Angelo Carucci)
Follow Spot Operator (Grace Stephens, Alexa Palena)
BAND
Fiddle (Audrey Clement, Mulunesh Creaghan)
Guitar/Mandolin (Aaron Weberg)
Guitar/Banjo (Jonathan Hawkins)
Keys (Bryan Lilley, Mary Grace Reed)
Percussion (Jim Hofmann)
Bass (Guillermo Cortes)
Special thanks to Sophia Jeffress, Jacob Werner, Jacob Harris, Angelo Carucci, Emily Barrett, Jason Aufdem-Brinke, Onyx Cummings, and Andy Walling.