‘Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story’ – Written by Alan James. Directed and choreographed by Marcos Santana. Music Direction by Milton Granger. At the North Shore Music Theatre through August 28.
by Linda Chin
In contrast to the multi-generational theatregoers who attended Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella in July (including many young girls wearing princess dresses), the crowd at Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story, skewed towards the older set – Baby Boomers who were eager for a fun night out reliving the rock and roll of their youth. So the audience for the third production in North Shore Music Theatre’s spectacular summer ‘22 lineup were likely familiar with the fact that Buddy’s story – his tragic death in a plane crash at age 22 – does not have a fairy tale ending.
As someone who loves musical theatre for its original compositions but has come to appreciate jukebox musicals for their predictably popular songs and compelling biographies; AND a fan of rock and roll in general (and the work of Holly’s mid-50s era), my Baby Boomer theater companion and I went to see Buddy with great anticipation. While the journey through Holly’s songbook featuring over 20 of his greatest hits was glorious overall, we found the show to be disjointed and ultimately unfulfilling.
As a reviewer, my short and sweet response to the big question (why?) is this: The title of this musical is misleading, in creating the expectations that the viewer would not only learn more about this musical prodigy’s life, but feel more connected to Buddy and the people in his life. Yes, we learn that Holly hailed from Lubbock, Texas, his mother called often to check that he’s eating enough, he was (mostly) fair and loyal to his bandmates, and that it was love at first sight for Holly and his bride. With weak dialogue, superficial character development, and a sluggish narrative, it’s hard to establish an emotional connection/exchange of empathy. And when you don’t feel invested in the characters, you’re left with an “empty cup.”
Director and Choreographer Marcos Santana and Music Director Milton Granger make the most of the rich musical material with excellent casting choices, leading with the multi-talented Matt McClure in the titular role. Backing up Holly on lead guitar are his bandmates The Crickets, including rhythm guitarist Tommy Allsup (Danny Adams), drummer Jerry Allison (Seth Aliser), and bass player Joe B. Maudlin (Brian Russell Carey). Carey is quite the showman, at times hoisting the bass overhead or playing it upside down. The audience gets an inside peek at recording sessions and radio appearances, with tunes including ‘That’ll Be the Day’, ‘Peggy Sue’, ‘Oh Boy’, ‘Maybe Baby’.
Two musical numbers performed with incredible technique and intense passion at the end of Acts I and II make a powerful impact. The Act II number depicts the February 2, 1959 Winter Dance Party in Clear Lake, Iowa, and features a crowd-pleasing rendition of ‘Johnny B Goode’, Ritchie Valens’ (Ryan Veyes) ‘La Bamba’, and Big Bopper J.P. Richardson’s (Craig Underwood) ‘Chantilly Lace’. It was after this performance that the three rockers (and their young pilot Roger Peterson) decided to fly to their next stop instead of traveling by bus, and were killed in a plane crash.
In the closing number for Act I, with Holly (perhaps making a poor choice by donning a white suit?) and the Crickets making an appearance at the iconic Apollo Theater in Harlem, NY. Apollo regulars Jaelle Laguerre (one of the sensational stepsisters in NSMT’s Cinderella) and David LaMarr start out with skepticism, but after the positive audience reception, join in the fun. The resulting blend of rhythms, instruments and performers of different races is magical, and reminds us of both the power of music to unite and rock ‘n roll’s important place in American history. For tickets and information, go to: https://www.nsmt.org/
