Bright Star

November 6, 2019 - January 17, 2020 I Gompertz Theatre

FLORIDA PREMIERE. Inspired by a true story and featuring the Tony®-nominated score by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell, Bright Star tells a sweeping musical tale of love and redemption. Set against the rich backdrop of the American South in the 1940s, literary editor Alice Murphy meets a young soldier just home from World War II who awakens her longing for the child she once lost. Haunted by their unique connection, Alice sets out on a journey to understand her past—and what she finds has the power to transform both of their lives.

Bright Star with music, book, and story by Steve Martin and music, book, and story by Edie Brickell.

Run Time: 2 hours and 20 minutes, including an intermission

To view a large print version of our playbill, click here.

Bright Star is presented through special arrangement with and all authorized performance materials are supplied by Theatrical Rights Worldwide (TRW), 1180 Avenue of the Americas, Suite 640, New York, NY 10036. (866) 378-9758 www.theatricalrights.com

CREATIVE

CAST

BAND

Banjo | Howie Banfield
Guitar | Chuck Davis
Piano | Paul Helm
Upright Bass | Kroy Presley

* Denotes member Actors’ Equity Association. The Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

D.C. Anderson (Daddy Murphy) excitedly returns to FST (Hairspray and The Fabulous Lipitones) for Bright Star! Recent: The Graduate (Penobscot), Anne of Green Gables (Finger Lakes), Gypsy (Riverside), The Music Man (Goodspeed). Films: Norman, Miles, Rich Boy Rich Girl. Previously: Steppenwolf, Guthrie, and Northlight regional theatres. Broadway: The Phantom of the Opera. Off Broadway: York’s Storyville, Transport Group’s Queen of the Mist (cast recording). A singer/songwriter with 9 CD’s available. Hobbies: photography. dcanderson.net

Mimi Bessette (Mama Murphy, Florence, Clerk) Broadway/Off-Broadway: Bonnie & Clyde (Emma), The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (Dawn), Little Shop of Horrors (Audrey) and Smoke on the Mountain (Denise). First National Tours: Parade, Keep on the Sunny Side, Big River, and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. Regional: A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, The Irish and How They Got That Way, Woody Sez, Cowgirls, Always...Patsy Cline, Blood Brothers, Nunsense, Pump Boys and Dinettes, Guitar Girls, and Woody Guthrie’s American Song. Film/TV: Annie (opposite Jamie Foxx) and Difficult People (opposite Andrea Martin). Her albums Lullabies of Broadway and Lullabies of Broadway Act II just got picked up by Broadway Records. mimibessette.com

Michael Grieve (Daryl Ames, Max, Doctor) is thrilled to be returning to FST! Previously FST credits: The Wonder Years. Professional credits include: Disney Cruise Line’s Beauty and the Beast (Beast), and 9 to 5: The Musical (Dwayne) at the Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre. Other notable credits include: The Glorious Ones (Flaminio Scala), The Drowsy Chaperone (Aldolpho), and Big Love (Oed) at the Festival de la Teatro de la Habana. Michael graduated from The Conservatory of Theatre Arts at Webster University class of 2017, and is incredibly grateful to be a part of this beautiful musical.

Meredith Jones (Alice Murphy) is thrilled to return to FST just months after closing The Marvelous Wonderettes where she played Betty Jean. You might also recognize her from playing the title role of Patsy Cline in last year’s production of Always...Patsy Cline. Favorite regional credits include Baker’s Wife in Into the Woods, Mary in Vanities, and Julia in The Wedding Singer. Meredith graduated from Emerson College in Boston, MA with a BFA in musical theatre and currently lives in NYC with her number one fan, her husband!

Max Meyers (Billy Cane) Off Broadway: Lolita, My Love (The York), The Christians (Playwrights Horizons). National Tour: Buddy Holly Story (Van Wezel Jan. 2015) Favorite Regional Credits: Fun Home (Ensemble Cincinnati), HAIR (Short North), Last Five Years (Eagle), Midsummer (TUTS), Timon of Athens (RADA). Visit maxmeyersonline.com to learn more. @heyitsmaxmeyers

Travis Mitchell (Mayor Dobbs) is thrilled to be spending some time in beautiful Sarasota, FL, with such a renowned theatre! National Tours: Rock Of Ages, Catch Me If You Can, Spring Awakening, Elf the Musical. Notable Regional: Les Miserables (Thenardier), Big River (Pap/King), South Pacific (Harbison), The 39 Steps (Clown 1). Film/TV: Law & Order: SVU (Season 20 Finale), The Spinning Man (Craft Award; NY First Run Fest), Partitioned Heart (Best Short Drama; CineYouth Chicago Film Fest), Hell Is Empty, due out this Winter. travistravistravis.com

Rachel Mulcahy (Lucy Grant, Edna) is so excited to make her Florida Studio Theatre debut and share this beautiful story! She originally hails from Syracuse, NY, but currently resides in NYC. Recent credits include: The Buddy Holly Story (Forestburgh Playhouse), Once (Northern Stage, Ivoryton Playhouse and The Engeman Theater), Shakespeare in Love (Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival), Ring of Fire (Timberlake Playhouse) and the National Tour of A Charlie Brown Christmas. Enjoy the show! rachelmulcahy.com @raymulcay

Blake Price (Jimmy Ray Dobbs) is floored to be making his FST debut! NYC: NYMF, Freedom Summer (Mickey Schwerner). US National Tours: A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder (Monty Navarro). Regional: North Shore Music Theatre, Oklahoma! (Curly McLain), Palm Beach Dramaworks, The Spitfire Grill (Joe Sutter), Texas Shakes, Carousel (Billy Bigelow). TV/Film: Land of the Outlaws (Bobby Ames), Duress (Kurt). Education: BFA Music Theatre Performance, Western Michigan University. Rep: The Krasny Office, NYC.

Ashley Rose (Margo, Well Dressed Woman) is beyond excited to be back in Sarasota after last being seen as Natalie Goodman in FST’s production of Next to Normal! NYC credits: Junk: A Rock Opera (Joe’s Pub), Cynthia in Standby (FringeNYC and Gallery Players). Regional favorites: The Spitfire Grill (Percy), Ghost (Molly), Hair (Sheila) and Always…Patsy Cline (Patsy Cline). TV: NBC’s America’s Most Talented Kid. Ashley is also an award-winning singer-songwriter. Most recently she co-wrote the song “Trace of You,” which climbed the Billboard dance chart to No. 22. BFA in theatre from Montclair State University. ashleyrosemusic.com

William Selby (Daddy Cane, Stanford) FST: Shakespeare’s Greatest Hits, Older Than Dirt, and Laughing Matters, Vol. 5. Regional: Bernadette in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (Gateway, Ogunquit Playhouse-Broadway World Award nomination), Billis in South Pacific (Ivoryton Playhouse-Broadway World & CT Critics Circle Award nominations), Barrymore, The Presidents (with Rich Little), Hot n’ Cole, The All Night Strut. Bill performed for many years in Forbidden Broadway, and directed 19 productions of the show across the country. Off-Broadway: The Daring Duo (Bridge Theatre), Nerds (NYMF), Forbidden Hollywood (Triad), Juba (Vineyard), The Apple Tree (York). NY Workshop: Finding Nemo for Disney.

BRIGHT STAR IN THE NEWS

SCENE MAGAZINE I October 2019 Issue I Bright Star: Florida Studio Theatre's Shining, Foot-Stomping "Dramedy" I Pages 114 - 116

SARASOTA HERALD-TRIBUNE I NOVEMBER 1, 2019 I Bright Star Sings at FST

SCENE MAGAZINE I November 26, 2019 I Storytelling At Its Brightest

SARASOTA MAGAZINE I December 17, 2019 I A Shining Spot, FST's Bright Star Has Been Extended to January 12

REVIEWS

Sarasota Herald-Tribune
"Touches hearts"
“Folksy, melodic, heartwarming"
"Joyous story of love against the odds”
“Engaging and folksy”
“Lovely”
“Instantly grabs your heart”
“Wins you over from the show’s opening notes”
“Delightful”
“Impressive”
“Everything works beautifully together”

Sarasota Magazine
“You…get some real-heart-tuggers in this tale”
“Inspired by a true story of love, loss and forgiveness”
“Sweet”
“Rousing”
“Bright Star...shines as it promises”

Talkin' Broadway
“Lovely”
“Tears came to my eyes several times”
“Meredith Jones gives a luminous performance”
“Wonderful”
“One to cherish”
“Terrific”
“A darned good musical”
“Musical theater fans, don't miss this one, it's a joy!”

The Observer
"Shining"
"Amazing"
"Fantastic"
"Outstanding"
"Smoking hot"

Total Theater
“It's winning applause”
“Sentimental, romantic”
“Appealing”
“A treat”
“People who love...old-fashioned musicals should love Bright Star”
“Heartwarming”
“Classic”

Bradenton Times
“Heart-wrenching”
“Powerful”
“Exuberant”
“Compelling”
“The music will enthrall you”

Venice Gondolier Sun
"Touches every human emotion and then some"
"Incredible music"

INTERVIEWS

The Hometown Heartthrob

The Sun is Gonna Shine on Alice

At Long Last with Max Meyers

ARTICLES BY FST

Bright Star Brings the Heart Home

When Great Minds Think Alike

Shine On, Bright Star

ADDITIONAL ARTICLES

Watch the original Broadway cast perform “If You Knew My Story” at the 2016 Tony Awards | WATCH

Get an inside sneak peek into the making of Bright Star, as told by show creator Steve Martin | LISTEN

Need a lift? Watch “Sun is Gonna Shine” from the original Broadway cast | WATCH

Bright Star Creators Steve Martin and Edie Brickell talk about their theatrical and music collaboration with Jeffrey Brown (PBS News Hour) | WATCH

Want to know more about the real-life event that inspired the plot of Bright Star? | READ

VIDEO

FST's Gompertz Theatre is located on the corner of First Street and Cocoanut Avenue inside of The Hegner Theatre Wing. For GPS purposes use the address of 1265 First Street, Sarasota, FL 34236. To see a list of our buildings and shows, please see below. For more information please call the FST Box Office at (941) 366-9000.

FST Guide to Parking

Looking for a place to park? FST patrons have several parking options to choose from. Watch the video above to see our parking guide and find where each parking option is located.

For those who require additional assistance or handicap parking/drop off, please see the map below. Handicap parking is reserved for patrons with a handicap tag and is in the lot across from the Hegner Theatre Wing. If handicap parking is not available and you are dropping off a passenger, our lobby concierge would be happy to wait with them until you return. For any questions regarding handicap parking please call the Box Office at (941) 366-9000.

Drop Off Area for the Gompertz Theatre: along the corner of First Street and Cocoanut Avenue