Before checking out The Keeton’s presentation of William Inge’s 1955 play, Bus Stop (on stage at The Keeton Dinner Theatre/108 Donelson Pike, Nashville, TN 37214 thru Sunday, October 27), I revisited the now-famous 1956 film adaptation starring Marilyn Monroe, as well as the early-80s HBO teleplay featuring Superman’s Lois Lane, actress Margo Kidder to refamiliarize myself with the piece. I was immediately struck with how different the play version is from the film. I also couldn’t help but notice some of the action of the play seems a bit dated, so I was curious how Erin Grace Bailey, who’s directing the show for The Keeton would approach the material.
The play takes place in the mid-1950s in Kansas on a wintery night where we find a quartet of travelers and their bus driver unexpectedly snowed in at Grace’s Diner, a little roadside eatery that also serves as a regular stop of passing busses routes. The bus driver, a jovial fellow with a strictly ‘passing through’ relationship with the diner owner, brings his passengers into the diner for shelter from the storm. The passengers include a mouthy young cowboy, his longtime friend and right-hand-man, a nightclub singer and an alcoholic, womanizing professor. The diner is operated by a middle-aged woman and her teenage waitress. Rounding out the cast of characters is the local sheriff, who frequents the diner most days.
As the play began, my mid-century-loving heart warmed at the sight of the set designed by Kevin Driver, The Keeton’s resident technical director. Driver has outdone himself with Grace’s Diner. On occasion, The Keeton sets are a bit rudimentary and one-dimensional, but not this time. From the lunch counter and barstools to the wood-burning stove and period-appropriate wall phone and soda pop signs…perfection. Heck, there’s a magazine rack boasting cover images of some of the 1950s biggest names, including Elizabeth Taylor, Jackie Gleason, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz (you know I loved that). There’s even a clever wink to the aforementioned Monroe on the cover of Life Magazine…all recreated by The Keeton’s go-to graphic designer, Danny Proctor.
Gotta acknowledge the incidental music played before the show and during intermission. I’m almost certain I heard a little Doris Day and Ella Fitzgerald among the period-perfect tunes. Speaking of, if you’re looking for a recreation of Marilyn Monroe’s infamous interpretation of That Old Black Magic, sad to say, you’re out of luck. For some reason, the show’s nightclub singer performs Stars Fell on Alabama instead. I disappointment for yours truly, for That Old Black Magic is even what the playwright mentions in the original script and in every production of Bus Stop that I’ve seen through the years, it’s always a memorable moment in the show.
Nonetheless, when the action starts, the audience meets Jena Salb as Grace Hoylard, the diner owner and Hazely Sanderson as Elma Duckworth, her high school-aged waitress. Salb’s Grace, like the set, is right out of the 50s, all cigarettes and sass. The kind of role actresses like Mary Wickes or Ann Southern played. OK, so Salb’s Grace isn’t all sass..the show contains scenes that show kinder side of Grace, in particular with her interactions and caring for young Elma. As for Elma, Sanderson’s portrayal is sweet, curious and a bit naive. A recent high school graduate herself, this role marks Sanderson’s first post-high school production. Mark my words, Nashville, keep an eye on this talented young woman.
Cherie as played by Fiona Barrett’s, presents the character as a self-described chanteuse who’s been kidnapped by a brutish, but childish cowboy. Cherie’s entrance is worth the wait, after all, she’s taking on the role that Marilyn made famous, right? Comparisons stop right there. Yes, the actress is wearing a platinum blonde wig in an effort to evoke memories of Marilyn, but Barrett, as directed by Bailey, quickly lets the audience know that she’s making Cherie her own. Where Marilyn employed her usual breathy baby talk as Cherie, Barrett is unapologetically loud. She’s funny when the script calls for it, but also equally real and emotional at times, and makes no secret of her initial disdain for the cowboy. Now if they could just set the body makeup so the actress’s tatted and makeup-covered arms didn’t smear concealer all over her lilac dress, I could have focused more on her performance. But at least they attempted to cover her ink, which is more than was done at The Keeton’s recent Footloose run. I’d never seen so many high school kids with tats, but I digress.
About that dress, though…Kudos to the show’s costumer, Donna Driver, who also happens to be The Keeton’s Managing Administrator. Cherie’s lilac dress and floral coat, not to mention her later literal and figural red hot chanteuse costume, and other aspects of the show’s wardrobe, are indeed spot on. I loved the bold choice of Virgil’s western shirt and Bo’s fringe jacket, and the diner uniforms. It’s the attention to details like this that can easily make or break the believability of a period piece and Driver’s eye for detail is evident herein.
Following a brief, but notable role as one of the hoodlum friends in The Keeton’s recent Footloose, Josh Mertz shines as the 21-year-old rodeo rider, Bo Decker. Presenting Bo as a spoiled-rotten brat of a man child, his tantrums almost become a bit too much, but thankfully, the director has reigned him in just enough. He’s another younger actor that I’m sure we’ll be seeing more of.
Rich Moses as local sheriff, Will Masters is just about as good as it gets. His rough and tumble attitude when dealing with Bo’s outrageousness, nicely balanced with a bit of Will’s more tender side when consoling Cherie. Strength and compassion, Moses’ Will possesses both. When we chatted last week for my Rapid Fire 20Q, I mentioned that Claude Akins had played the role of Will in the 1982 teleplay and funnily enough, Moses admitted he’d been though of Akins’ Sheriff Lobo from the BJ and the Bear sitcom…and it showed.
Dean Bratton, a relative newcomer to the Nashville theatre scene, is enjoyable as Virgil, Bo’s friend and frequent voice of reason. If Jiminey Cricket were a looming presence of a man, he’d be Bratton’s Virgil. He too gets a tender moment with Cherie, as well as a much-deserved what’s what chat with Bo, allowing Bratton to showcase a bit of range as a performer.
Mick Grayson, who’s had a very busy few months, having recently appeared in local productions of Sordid Lives, An Ideal Husband and Aunt Sally’s Wild Ride, while undeniably charming and likable, is unfortunately miscast as Dr, Gerald Lyman. Not even the old high school drama department trick of spraying a little grey in his hair can convince the audience he’s the thrice married lothario he’s portraying. Nonetheless, Grayson steps up as much as he can and delivers an enjoyable drunken reenactment of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet’s balcony scene alongside Dr. Lyman’s latest attraction, Sanderson’s Elma.
Rounding out the cast is Eric Crawford as Carl, the bus driver. Crawford’s Carl is hilarious. His flirtations with Salb’s Grace, including some “did they really just say that?” lines that must have shocked some mid-50s audiences back in the day, bring a light-hearted tone.
When I interviewed the cast before the show opened last week, I noted that Bus Stop is a slice of life play. More accurately, it’s a slice of nostalgia play. Are there plot elements that today’s audience might find cringe-worthy as the kids of 2020 might have said? Yes. After all, the set up for the entire show is Cherie runs off the bus as soon as it stops, with suitcase in hand, in hopes of escaping Bo, who forcibly carried her onto the bus and told her he was taking her to Wyoming to marry him…and this after just one night together. On that subject, I love that the playwright, even back in 1955, allowed Cherie to own her sex and sexuality. When it’s revealed that Cherie has had numerous suitors, while Bo’s actions could be attributed to the fact that Cherie was his first, there’s a sweet line in the show to the effect that Cherie’s experiences balance out Bo’s lack thereof.
Rest assured director Bailey successfully maneuvers the story—occasional antiquated ideals et al—thanks to her talented cast, presenting Inge’s Bus Stop as a look back at theatre when show’s depended on heart, not special effects. All in all, The Keeton’s Bus Stop is definitely a worth a visit.
The Keeton’s Bus Stop continues through October 27. Dinner and Show tickets are $40 for Adults and $35 for Children. Show Only tickets are $30. For evening performances, doors open at 5:45p.m. with dinner served at 6p.m. and the show beginning at 7:30p.m. Shows with a Thursday show only performance open doors at 6:30p.m. with show at 7p.m. Sunday matinee hours are as follows: doors at 12:45p.m./lunch at 1p.m. and show at 2p.m. CLICK HERE to purchase tickets. As always, The Keeton coordinates their dinner menu to compliment the show. For Bus Stop, the pre-show meal will consist of a Dinner Salad, Country Fried Steak with Pepper Gravy served with sides of Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans and Roll with Cookies and Cream Pie for dessert.
Next up at The Keeton is A Christmas Story: The Musical, with performances December 5-22. WATCH THIS LINK for tickets or more information soon.
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Rapid Fire with Josh Mertz, Bo Decker in Bus Stop
Rapid Fire with Fiona Barrett, Cherie in Bus Stop
Rapid Fire with Rich Moses, Will Masters in Bus Stop
Rapid Fire with Jena Salb, Grace Hoylard in Bus Stop