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The OU Weitzenhoffer School of Musical Theatre’s Downtown Series introduces new directors, genres of music and themes in their rendition of the musical “Bright Star.”
“Bright Star” is a five-time Tony Award-nominated musical written and composed by Steve Martin and Edie Brickwell that jumps between the 1920’s and 1940’s, following the life of Alice Murphy. Murphy faces heartbreak at an early age, having her child taken, shaping her outlook on life for many years.
Abby Hesselroth, a musical theatre senior, plays Murphy, who she describes as headstrong, determined, passionate and outspoken. Hesselroth said she admires Murphy’s effort to stay true to herself despite the obstacles she faces.
“Throughout this process, I have just tried to get into her head,” said Hesselroth. “All of her lines, I want to think, what else is she trying to say, besides what’s on the page. What is the subtext behind all of the lines? And what would she say if there were no borders?”
Hesselroth said playing the same character in two different time periods isn’t easy. It takes careful studying of the script to understand the story and perform so the audience can understand. By changing her voice and mannerisms, Hesselroth works to overcome these challenges.
“There’s a song in the show called ‘Way Back in the Day,’ and in the middle of that song, I go from the 16 year old to the woman. I take my hair down, I change clothes, I take my shoes off,” Hesselroth said. “So really, it’s about finding the characteristics that I can use within myself to differentiate the two characters.”
Modern dance professor Karen Bethel is making her directorial debut, as well as choreographing. Bethel said her process of directing is purely collaborative and the respect that she gives her actors is a driving force for how rehearsals run.
“What I really admire about Karen is she’s always asking us, ‘how does that feel? What do you think about that?’” said Hesselroth. “Keeping questions in our communication style has been very helpful because then we all feel like we are safe to say our opinions because what we’re doing is a collaborative process.”
Leonardo da Vinci didn’t paint the Mona Lisa on the first try, Bethel said. Change isn’t a bad thing and she said she isn’t afraid of mistakes in the rehearsal process, she welcomes them.
The music in “Bright Star” has a folksy, bluegrass feel that combines many types of instruments like the banjo and mandolin, which is different from many musicals.
“It is a part of our American history. It is a cultural music that is deeply rooted in our past and has a lot to do with the way we hear music and relate with music in current days,” said Bethel. “There’s a lot of value in giving yourself the time to appreciate that music.”
With heavy themes like regret and loss, upbeat songs like “Whoa, Mamma,” which tells giggly stories between teenagers in love, break the tension.
As regret presents itself in Murphy’s life, Bethel said that it is an opportunity to teach the audience about another important theme: hope and patience. Murphy doesn’t get to make her own choices. Her family’s wishes for her stand in the way, but a glimpse of hope stays with Murphy. Bethel said that by revisiting this story, we can understand how much we have to lose.
“There’s value in looking at that now, especially at this phase in our history,” said Bethel. “Seeing how precious and how delicate the agency that women have over their body is and how incredibly important it is.”
“Bright Star” will begin at 8 p.m. Feb. 21-22 and 3 p.m. Feb. 23 at the Studio of The Sooner Theatre. Tickets are $25 for adults, $15 for students and can be purchased on the OU Musical Theatre website.
This story was edited by Madisson Cameron. Allie Clift and Sophie Hemker copy edited this story.
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Riley Berridge is the Junior OU Daily Culture Reporter who has a deep-rooted passion for theatre and music. Riley hopes to write about her passions and bring focus to underappreciated forms of art while also expanding her horizons in topics. With a standard for honesty and excellence, Riley is motivated to work hard at writing stories that will connect across many audiences. She values community and is looking forward to sharing stories across Norman. Originally from Kansas City, Missouri, Riley can be contacted at rileyg.berridge@gmail.com.
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