**** Highly Recommended **** Of all the jukebox musicals out there, I think Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story might just be my favorite. I remember dancing to Buddy Holly’s music at more than one sock hop – and then crying when I heard about that plane crash – so of course I started dancing in my seat when I heard that first song. Although it’s the story of Buddy Holly’s brief life in the spotlight, Buddy is also a rock concert. Drury Lane will be rockin’ through October 18th. 4 BIG Spotlights
If Rock n’ Roll were a galaxy, Buddy Holly would be a comet – emerging from nowhere fully developed, shooting across the sky with songs like That’ll Be the Day, Peggy Sue and Rave On; then disappearing way too quickly. Did you know Don McLean memorialized that sad, sad day with his song, The Day the Music Died?
Joey Chelius as Buddy Holly
There are just eight actors in this production directed by Mathew D. Carney with choreography by Kenny Ingram and music direction by Chuck Mead. Buddy Holly (Joey Chelius) and the Crickets: Joe Mauldin (Grant Alexander Brown) playing bass; Jerry Allison (Alek Boggio) on the drums and Niki Sullivan (Elliot Coe Esquival) on rhythm guitar.
Elliot Coe Esquival also plays Ritchie Valens, while Grant Alexander Brown and Alek Boggio play Clear Lake Musicians. Russell Mernagh plays multiple parts - Hipockets Duncan, a Decca producer, Norman Petty, the Apollo DJ, Murray Deutch and the Big Bopper – and he sings! Samantha Sayah who plays Vi Petty, Maria Elena Santiago Holly, a Jingle Singer and a Snowbird at Clear Lake, also provides piano accompaniment throughout the show. Eric A. Lewis plays the KDAV Engineer, Tyrone Jones at the Apollo and the Clear Lake MC. Marta Bady is a Jingle Singer, Marlena Madison at the Apollo and a Snowbird.
The Crickets played their first gig on a Country and Western radio show in Lubbock, Texas hosted by DJ Hipockets Duncan. They started with a country song, but segued into Ready Teddy just a few chords in because Buddy was determined to play his kind of music.
Joey Chelius and the Cast of Buddy
Hipockets was pretty ticked off, but he did get the Crickets a recording contract with Decca Records. Decca. a country label, only wanted Buddy, not the Crickets, but Buddy took them along anyway. After they recorded a country song, which Buddy hated, he decided to play a rock and roll song for the next recording, but the Decca people hated it.
Feeling disheartened, the Crickets returned to Lubbock. Hipockets still didn’t like their music but since he saw that Buddy was determined, he sent them to Norm Petty in Clovis, New Mexico. Norm liked their music so much he signed them to a contract. They recorded many of their early hits, songs like, That’ll Be the Day and Peggy Sue there. Norm’s wife Vi even played the harmonium as background in Maybe Baby.
On their first trip to New York, Buddy Holly and the Crickets played at the Apollo Theatre in Harlem. When they walked through the stage door, carrying their instruments, the Crickets were met with a lot of skepticism and outright scorn from the famous Apollo Presenter Tyrone Jones and Apollo Performer, Marlena Madison – who had just done a fabulous rendition of Shout. The Apollo audience was eerily quiet, until the music won them over.
Marta Bady & Eric A. Lewis
Also on that New York trip, Buddy Holly met the love of his life – and the reason he broke with the Crickets – Maria Elena.
Buddy Holly’s three-year career concluded with The Winter Dance Party, a bus tour of rising rock & roll stars, which stopped in twenty-four Midwestern cities in three weeks. When they reach the Surf Ballroom in Clearlake, Iowa, they’re all cold and tired of traveling on a drafty bus. When the Big Bopper chartered a plane, Buddy and Ritchie lobbied for a seat.
Elliot Coe Esquival, Alek Boggio, Joey Chelius & Grant Alexander Brown
In the final concert, the Big Bopper uses a telephone as a prop while singing Chantilly Lace, then Ritchie Valens gets them dancing with La Bamba. The show wraps with several of Buddy’s hit songs, then goes to black after the final song. But don’t leave your seat, there’s lots more music to come!.
Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story runs through October 18th at Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane, Oakbrook Terrace. Parking is free. Valet parking is also available.
Running time: two hours including intermission. Performances: Wednesdays at 1:30 pm; Thursdays at 1:30 & 7:00 pm; Fridays at 7:00 pm; Saturdays at 3:00 and 8:00 pm; Sundays at 2:00 & 6:00 pm. Tickets range from $85-$150 (including taxes & fees). FYI (630) 530-0111 or www.drurylanetheatre.com.