**** Highly Recommended **** Of all the jukebox musicals out there, I think Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story might just be my favorite. The Buddy Holly Story is just like going to a rock concert – and there’s a story! I start dancing in my seat as soon as I hear the first song. Buddy Holly’s music is still alive – and still rocking – in Marriott Theatre’s fabulous production. Don’t miss this one! 4 BIG Spotlights
If Rock n’ Roll were a galaxy, Buddy Holly would be a comet – emerging from nowhere fully developed, shooting across the sky with songs like That’ll Be the Day, Peggy Sue and Rave On; then disappearing way too quickly. I remember dancing to Buddy Holly’s music at more than one sock hop – and then crying when I heard about that plane crash. By the way, The Day the Music Died is songwriter Don McLean’s memorialization of Holly’s death – along with Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper, J.P. Richardson – in an Iowa plane crash.
The Crickets, Buddy Holly (Kieran McCabe), Jerry (Jed Feder) and Joe (Shaun Whitley), played their first gig on a Country and Western radio show in Lubbock, Texas, hosted by a DJ called Hi Pockets Duncan (David Stobbe). They started with a country song, but got into trouble when they segued into Ready Teddy.
Although Hi Pockets was pretty ticked off, he did get the Crickets a recording contract with Decca Records. Unfortunately, Decca. a country label, only wanted Buddy, not the Crickets. Buddy took them along anyway. In the studio, another guitar player (Michael Kurowski) joined Jerry and Joe. After they recorded a country song, which Buddy hated, he decided to play a rock and roll song. When Buddy and Decca did not agree, the Crickets – and Tommy – returned to Lubbock.
Hi Pockets also sent the Crickets to Clovis, New Mexico and Norm Petty’s (Alex Goodrich) backyard recording studio in. After signing a contract with Petty, they recorded many of their early hits; songs like, That’ll Be the Day and Peggy Sue. Norman’s wife, Vi (Ellie Kahn) added the sound of the harmonium to Maybe Baby.
On their first trip to New York, Buddy Holly and the Crickets played at the Apollo Theatre in Harlem. When they walked through the stage door, carrying their instruments, the Crickets were met with surprise and a lot of skepticism from the fabulous Apollo Presenter Marcus Terell and Apollo Performer, Melanie Brezill. The Apollo audience was eerily quiet, until the music won them over.
Also on that New York trip, Buddy Holly met the love of his life – and the reason he broke with the Crickets – Maria Elena (Molly Hernández).
Buddy Holly’s three-year career concluded with The Winter Dance Party, a bus tour of rising rock & roll stars, which stopped in twenty-four Midwestern cities in three weeks. The Surf Ballroom in Clearlake, Iowa, is the setting for the show’s finale.
The entire cast is on stage for the finale, playing various instruments and singing. I loved the staging of that final concert, with the entire cast on stage, playing and singing, surrounding the stars: The Big Bopper (David Stobbe) singing “Chantilly Lace”; fireball Ritchie Valens (Jordan Arredondo) singing La Bamba; and finally, Kieran McCabe rocks the house with seven of Buddy Holly’s greatest hits
Although I’ve mentioned most of them elsewhere, the ensemble/musicians include: Jordan Arredondo, Melanie Brezill, Alex Goodrich, Cory Goodrich, Molly Hernández, Ellie Kahn, Michael Kurowski, David Stobbe, Marcus Terrell and Christopher Wren.
Note: Guests are encouraged but not required to wear masks while inside the building.
Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story runs through August 13th at the Marriott Theatre, 10 Marriot Drive, Lincolnshire. Parking is free; valet parking is also available. Running time is just over 2 hours, with an intermission.
Performances are Wednesdays at 1:00 & 7:30 pm; Thursdays at 7:30 pm; Fridays at 8:00 pm; Saturdays at 4:00 and 8:00 pm; Sundays at 1:00 and 5:00 pm with select Thursday 1:00 pm matinees. There are a limited number of dinner-theatre packages available on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Tickets start at $55 excluding tax & handling fees. FYI (847) 634-0200, www.ticketmaster.com or www.marriotttheatre.com.