By Beulah F. Vega
Robert James Waller’s novella, The Bridges of Madison County, was published in Europe as Love in Black and White, an ironic name for a story without easy answers. It strives to have no villains or heroes, and no judgment about adultery or the choices that lead there.
In other words, nothing about the book and the musical adaptation (book by Marsha Norman, music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown) is black and white. A Joe Gellura-directed production runs at the Raven Performing Arts Theater through March 30.
Even those who haven’t read the book or watched the movie probably know the plot: Francesca Johnson (Katie Watts-Whitaker) is a disillusioned Italian war bride now stuck in an Iowa farmhouse with a stereotypical American farmer (Matthew T. Witthaus) as a husband. Her husband and the kids have gone to the fair, leaving Francesca alone for four days.
Enter Robert Kincaid (Elliot Davis), a photographer from National Geographic, who is looking for directions and instead finds Francesca.
In theater, we speak of shows being “actor-proof”—shows with scripts so sterling that it doesn’t matter who is cast. This is not one of those plays. The script is weak, the plot predictable and the characters written as shallow stereotypes.
However, Gellura is a seasoned director, and the casting shows it. Watts-Whitaker and Davis have sizzling chemistry. Both actors have strong voices and charisma to spare. They both exude a natural ease on stage that grounds their performances in their bodies and lends credibility to their stories. These two actors take a show that could be flat and pull the audience into their love story to the point that it’s difficult not to take sides.
Also of special note is Joanna Burrill in the role of Carolyn, the daughter of Bud and Francesca; she has a beautiful voice and is an expressive dancer. Tyler Marques as son Michael plays the heck out of the stereotype he is dealt, and Tory Rotlisberger’s next-door-neighbor Marge character is ably juxtaposed by her portrayal of a radio singer in one of Robert’s flashbacks.
The orchestra under Les Pfutzenreuter’s musical direction is highly professional and talented. Steven David Martin again displays that he is the best projection designer in the county, and costumes by Holly Werner and Robin Figueroa are beautifully evocative.
Overall, this is a well-performed, well-directed show with one big sour note: For the love of Thespis, there is no reason to mime liquid, but if you do, do not use clear glasses!
