Lorri Layle Oliver and Bill Williams Photo by Rhonda Sigler-Ware

This musical adaptation of the 1992 best-selling book by Robert James Waller was written by Marsha Norman, with music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown. Under the direction of Bartlett Sher, it opened on Broadway February 20, 2014, and ran for 37 previews and 100 performances. Jason Robert Brown won Tony Awards for his score and his orchestrations.

Brown's music is a mixed bag of American folk, country pop, a capella solos, and opera. All of these styles combine to work well most of the time. Some of the music, especially the solos and duets of the lovers, is lyrical and dramatic.

Award-winning playwright Marsha Norman adapted the material for the stage. She manages the love story at the center of the drama well, but some of the plot embellishments added to broaden the musical's scope are less successful. All the additional local characters and family scenes are what Norman knows well, but in the case of Bridges, the scenes pull focus and dilute the force of the central, magical love story.

This weakness is reflected in the Adobe production. The leads are stellar. Lori Layle Oliver and last-minute replacement Bill Williams bring Francesca and Robert Kincaid to life with acting that is believable and singing that hits all the right notes. They work together well and have definite chemistry on stage. We watch them fall in love and we believe it. Ms. Oliver's incandescent beauty is a great asset to the show.

The overall set design is a clever bridge with moveable pieces that easily create other scenic elements. The upstage backdrop of the Iowa countryside is well-executed and even beautiful. Staying with this unit set concept would have improved the flow of the production. Instead we get re-setting the kitchen and bedroom over and over again; this is wasted energy. Sometimes less realistic props and set pieces work better for a show that, as director Peter Parkin states, "flows fluidly from the past to the present."

The ensemble and supporting actors are generally adequate, but all the action buzzing back and forth creating this Iowa society is jarring. Francesca's family includes Jim Williams as husband Bud, and Lucious Sanchez and Greta Greenblatt as her children. Mr. Williams brings humor and a fine singing voice to his role. The children are enjoyable if a bit whiny. Neighbors Marge and Charlie, played by Echo Dobie and Steven Higgins, are excellent. Echo has great comic timing and displays a strong singing voice. I had a lot of trouble with Michelle Bunzel as Marian, Robert's former wife, and the rodeo singer. These characters are not adequately introduced, and, although the actor does an excellent job, they seem superfluous.

The six-piece orchestra under music director Mike Boring is upstage behind a screen. Some of the songs and the general sound mix could use some fine tuning. Overall, however, the musicians play the eclectic score brilliantly.

Pete Parkin has directed a charming production of The Bridges of Madison County. Most deficiencies in this production are problems with the script. The poignant love story between Francesca and Robert Kincaid is moving and compelling. He integrated Bill Williams into the production at the last moment. Mr. Parkin is a well-regarded director in Albuquerque and justifiably so.

Critics must see productions when they open. Sometimes we see things that we know will improve with subsequent performances. This is most certainly the case for this production of The Bridges of Madison County. This is a must-see show. You should make plans to go.

The Bridges of Madison County runs through August 11, 2024, at The Adobe Theater, 4818 4th Street NW, Albuquerque NM. Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm, Sundays at 2:00 pm, Thursday, August 8 at 7:30 pm. General Admission $26, Discount Admission $22.00, Students $20.00. For tickets and information, please visit adobetheater.org or call 505-898-9222.

Director: Pete Parkin
Conductor: Mike Boring
Set/Lighting Design: Petifoger
Costume Design: Kip Caswell

Cast: Lorri Layle Oliver, Jim Williams, Greta Greenblatt, Lucious Sanchez, Bill Williams, Steven Higgins, Michelle Bunzel, Kai Warrior, Ren Bunzel, Emily Cox, Mariah Lujan, Nicee Wagner