BUDDY: THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY
run dates: January 18 - March 22
Circa ’21 Dinner Playhouse, Rock Island

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Billing as "The World’s Most Successful Rock’n’Roll Musical!" might be more than many shows deserve, but in the case of Circa ’21 Dinner Playhouse’s BUDDY: THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY, that tagline is anything but hyperbole.

It’s a fine show that evolves into what is essentially a full-blown concert, and virtually no one who experiences it will have a problem with that.

(In fact, I usually include in a review – whether or not I enjoy a show – a mention of who else might be entertained by a particular production as a way of serving all readers. For this BUDDY, only someone who can’t stand classic rock ‘n’ roll could possibly not enjoy it.)

The rest of us have a great time as this cast of first-rate principals and talented ensemble members walk us through the brief career arc of country frontman turned roots rocker Buddy Holly – whose untimely death in a plane crash on February 3, 1959 (along with fellow musicians Ritchie Valens and J.P. Richardson, Jr.), became known as "the day the music died."

Todd Meredith (pictured below, in a white suit) stars as Holly, and his inspired musicianship combines with a well-drawn performance to inhabit the role in a major way. Except for those who were actually listening to the original Holly when he was playing and recording – and even for many of them, I suspect – Meredith seems to BE Buddy Holly. He relies on youthful energy, solid playing and full-voiced singing rather than on caricature, and the result is authentic and completely entertaining. Some of the best songs in this production are "Raining in My Heart," "It Doesn’t Matter Anymore" and "Johnny B. Goode." Yes, Meredith is recreating the stage presence and music of a major talent, but without plenty of his own stellar talent, he couldn’t make this happen. It’s a great performance in a great show.

Surrounding Meredith is a host of other performers who have plenty of talent to share as well. Justin Droegemueller and Tristan Layne Tapscott turn in terrific work as Joe and Jerry, Holly’s bandmates, the Crickets, and they combine their acting and singing skills with work on instruments that is also impressive. Tapscott is particularly entertaining during a recording session that offers him multiple opportunities for physical comedy, and the handsome Droegemueller’s more reserved character proves to be a steady presence that balances the antics of the other band members.

Tom Walljasper, a Circa regular whose name on a cast list is always a plus, does reliably expert work as both "Hipockets" Duncan (a Lubbock, Texas, radio DJ who served as Holly’s first manager) and an announcer at the Clear Lake, Iowa, show that proved to be Holly’s last performance.
Other standouts in the ensemble include Aurianna Angelique, whose lush and lovely turn as an Apollo singer proves a major distraction during the songs – whatever they are – that make up the set at the Apollo performance. Jenny Stodd is great as Maria Elena Santiago, Holly’s wife, and Vaughn M. Irving (in center of photo) -- though he may not have the full-blown hip-swivel quite fully developed as yet -- turns in an energetic, superb performance as Valens, tearing up the vocals on "La Bamba." James Fairchild (pictured, on the left) makes a sexy Big Bopper (Richardson’s stage name), turning the "Chantilly Lace" number into a sweaty, pheromone-drenched crooning that raises the temperature inside the theater at least five degrees.

Fairchild’s fantastic leopard-print blazer from that same number – paired with a red shirt and black cummerbund – and Angelique’s gorgeous pink gown for the Apollo set are only two of the many wonderful ensembles put together by costume designer Gregory Hiatt, who has done really great work with this show. Scenic designer Phill Hickox has also created a cleverly versatile set that serves the needs of this expansive BUDDY, using revolves and multi-level set pieces to allow a number of quick scene changes.

Director Ann Nieman has plenty to be proud of with this BUDDY HOLLY, which showcases lots of great music as well as an abiding sense of humor.

My single favorite line, in fact, is from a scene from backstage at the Apollo, when Holly and his band show up for their debut at the famous Harlem venue. (Back when radio was just as segmented as it is today – though along racial rather than genre lines – and musicians were usually heard rather than seen, it proved a surprise to many that Buddy Holly and the Crickets were not Black.) The writers who created BUDDY: THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY, and Nieman and her cast, handle this situation in a way that is laugh-aloud funny rather than offensive, which prevents the inclusion of any sour notes in this musical performance.

My prediction is that most of BUDDY HOLLY’s performances will sell out – and quickly, once the word gets out about how great the show is. Make sure you don’t miss it.

As a dinner theater, Circa ’21 serves up a buffet at every evening performance and a plated lunch at the matinees, with their ticket prices including the meal and the performance.

Dinner and a show in one place is an especially great idea in cold weather, I’ve always thought, but it is since Circa’s hiring of a new chef (a few shows back) that the concept has become particularly attractive, even to foodies like me who can pick a menu apart. Over most of the last decade, the productions at Circa ’21 have generally been better than the food, but lately much of the food is on par with the quality of entertainment expected at a professional theater.

For the run of BUDDY HOLLY, the entrees include a superb salmon in a lightly smooth cream sauce with dill, a tender roast beef in a tasty gravy made with red wine and dijon, and a fine four-cheese lasagna that features a slightly tangy tomato sauce. The garlic mashed potatoes stand as the menu’s best side dish, in my opinion, but the variety of choices available means there is something for everyone.