Robert Gregory, Doug Kutzli, J.T. Tegeler, Thayne Lamb, Don Salting, Jennifer Gregory, and Ellerie Hurley in Big Rock Candy Mountain
The Mockingbird on Main keeps on keeping on with its newest production Big Rock Candy Mountain, now playing at the Black Box Theater. Having been iterated around the Quad Cities several times over the last almost-decade, this production is the most recent of its renditions by writer/director Tristan Tapscott. It’s a quick and fun musical that gets the job done, as well as a pleasant trip to a time long past.
Its plot is largely an excuse for the music to happen. Set in Owensboro, Kentucky, way back in 1932, the action all occurs inside a small theatre. The struggling venue is run by Georgia (Jennifer Gregory) and her protégé Claudia (Ellerie Hurley). They’re expecting a band to arrive (the instruments have already been delivered), and when a group of prison runaways literally stumble into the theatre, who are the owners to question whether they’re actually the performers?
Fortunately, the escapees all happen to be musicians and assume the role of band, and Big Rock Candy Mountain is like the 2000 Coen-brothers film O Brother, Where Art Thou? if you removed all the parts inspired by Homer’s The Odyssey. There are also comedic interludes in which the theatre is invaded by a bumbling sheriff (the hysterical Thayne Lamb), as well as a constantly campaigning mayor (C.J. Parker) and his conniving wife (Shelley Cooper). Why do these characters keep entering and exiting the theatre in the middle of a performance? Uh … well … let me check my notes … . Because it’s a musical?
Even though Tapscott's book is rocky (pun intended), the skilled performers make it work and get laughs throughout. Cooper, Parker, and Lamb are all clearly having a blast and bring an abundance of energy with them every time they enter the room. In particular, Cooper devours the scenery in super-sized bites. Gregory and Hurley have some fun interplay with each other as well as the members of the band. Comprised by frontmen King (Doug Kutzli) and Levi (Robert Gregory), as well as comedic relief Walt (J.T. Tegeler) and musician extraordinaire Hank (Don Salting), the band is this show's true hook.
All the music is performed live, with minimal sound amplification. And not only is it played live, but every member of the band plays multiple instruments. The Black Box's intimate size aids the performers as they fill the space with splendid bluegrass sound. As arranged by Danny White with additional arrangements by Kutzli, the music is wonderful. And the singing throughout is strong, with every member of the cast getting a solo except for Cooper, whose character must be too evil to enjoy folk music. Highlights include Hurley’s “Moonshiner,” Parker’s “Amazing Grace,” and Kutzli’s rendition of “House of the Rising Sun,” which is probably now my all-time-favorite version.
On the technical side, things work, even if they don’t necessarily wow. Tapscott and fellow Reader reviewer Roger Pavey Jr. have put together a charming production that bleeds sepia tones. The set is the theatre itself, with only a black curtain across the back wall. The stage, however, is adorned with instruments of all shapes and sizes, as well as various Depression-era boxes, crates, and trunks. Bradley Robert Jensen's costumes also are sufficient, even if they do look too pristine for the setting (including some suspiciously modern shoes). Expediency must have been the name of the game as the Mockingbird’s usual attention to detail seemed to be missing during Tuesday’s invited dress rehearsal.
On that note, Tuesday night marked only the second time the show had been run in full, and for a second run, it was pretty good, if not without its faults. There were some line issues, as well as some forgotten lyrics here and there, but I’m sure those will be ironed out by opening night. What probably can’t be fixed between now and August 17 is the script itself, which seems like it doesn’t know what it wants to be.
There’s the framing device of Big Rock Candy Mountain being a musical that knows it’s a musical. But it’s not really a musical, because characters are performing songs that aren’t connected to the plot or characters. So it’s more of a play that happens to feature music … but then it’s not also really concerned with being a play, as the interludes sometimes amount to nothing more than “and now it’s time to slow things down.” And then there are the interludes, which seem like they’re trying to be vaudeville, but don’t quite go far enough over the line to actually be vaudeville. Right now, the book is an excuse for the performers to play some great music and lob some jokes at the audience. And in that sense, it works.
If you’re looking to attend a show that’s fun and light, Big Rock Candy Mountain is one to see. It’ll make you laugh, tap your toes, and, if you’re already familiar with the music, probably even sing along. Plus, the music sounds fantastic and if you’re at a musical, is there much more you can ask for?
The Mockingbird on Main's Big Rock Candy Mountain runs at the Black Box Theatre (1623 Fifth Avenue, Moline IL) through August 20, and more information and tickets are available by visiting TheMockingbirdOnMain.com.
