With music and book by Steve Martin and music and lyrics by Edie Brickell, BRIGHT STAR is based on an original story by Martin and Brickell and features direction by Walter Bobbie.
Inspired by an astonishing true event, the wholly original new musical BRIGHT STAR tells a sweeping tale of love and redemption set against the rich backdrop of the American South in the 1920s and 40s. When successful literary editor Alice Murphy meets an ambitious young soldier just home from World War II, their connection inspires Alice to confront a shocking incident from her past. Together they discover a long-buried secret with the power to transform their lives.
The 'Bright Star' bluegrass score features more twangs per dipthong than a whole evening of 'Tobacco Road'...Walter Bobbie directs and Josh Rhodes choreographs 'Bright Star' in a way that brings to mind Agnes de Mille as rendered by Grant Wood. Time will tell if this musical makes the walls of Joe Allen restaurant's gallery of flops. On the walls of my mind, 'Bright Star' has already taken its place between last season's 'Doctor Zhivago' and 1979's 'Got Tu Go Disco.'
For a musical about literary folk, Bright Star's words never approach the stimulating freshness and intelligence of other current musicals about writers; namely HAMILTON, FUN HOME, the revival of SHE LOVES ME and Off-Broadway's DADDY LONG LEGS. Nice music, fine performances, but other than that, barely a twinkle.
2016 | Broadway |
Original Broadway Production Broadway |
2017 | US Tour |
First National Tour US Tour |
Year | Ceremony | Category | Nominee |
---|---|---|---|
2016 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Actress in a Musical | Carmen Cusack |
2016 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Costume Design for a Musical | Jane Greenwood |
2016 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical | A.J. Shively |
2016 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical | Paul Alexander Nolan |
2016 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Music | Edie Brickell |
2016 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Music | Steve Martin |
2016 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Orchestrations | August Eriksmoen |
2016 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Sound Design in a Musical | Nevin Steinberg |
2016 | Drama League Awards | Distinguished Performance Award | Carmen Cusack |
2016 | Drama League Awards | Outstanding Production of a Broadway or Off-Broadway Musical | Bright Star |
2016 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Actress in a Musical | Carmen Cusack |
2016 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Book of a Musical (Broadway or off-Broadway) | Steve Martin |
2016 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Choreography | Josh Rhodes |
2016 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Costume Design (Play or Musical) | Jane Greenwood |
2016 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Director of a Musical | Walter Bobbie |
2016 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding New Broadway Musical | Bright Star |
2016 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding New Score (Broadway or off-Broadway) | Edie Brickell |
2016 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding New Score (Broadway or off-Broadway) | Steve Martin |
2016 | Tony Awards | Best Book of a Musical | Steve Martin |
2016 | Tony Awards | Best Musical | Bright Star |
2016 | Tony Awards | Best Orchestrations | August Eriksmoen |
2016 | Tony Awards | Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre | Steve Martin |
2016 | Tony Awards | Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre | Edie Brickell |
2016 | Tony Awards | Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical | Carmen Cusack |
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