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    Theater Review

    Steve Martin and Edie Brickell make Bright Star shine

    Alex Bentley
    Jun 14, 2018 | 4:18 pm
    Original Broadway company of "Bright Star"
    Bright Star (seen here with the original Broadway company) will play at Winspear Opera House through June 24.
    Photo by Joan Marcus

    Bright Star, created by the bold-faced names of Steve Martin and Edie Brickell, has an atmosphere that makes it seem simpler than it actually is. Often set in the backwoods of North Carolina and with a bluegrass-influenced score, it would be easy for anyone who isn’t paying attention to dismiss the musical as a trifle.

    But the production, directed by Walter Bobbie, is actually a complex web of storytelling made digestible by the straightforwardness of Martin’s book and Brickell’s lyrics. The musical kicks off with Alice Murphy (Audrey Cardwell) singing “If You Knew My Story,” indicating that she has many layers hidden behind her self-imposed wall.

    However, another woman named Margo Crawford (Liana Hunt) soon enters the story, pining after a young man named Billy Cane (Henry Gottfried). Billy dreams of being a writer, and Margo encourages him to submit his work to the Asheville Southern Journal, a magazine that happens to be run by Alice.

    The production soon settles into a back-and-forth rhythm between Alice’s younger life in the country in 1920s, where she had a relationship with Jimmy Ray Dobbs (Patrick Cummings), and her current life in the 1940s, where she has become a hardened individual. Billy’s stories start to bring her out of her shell, and the story also juxtaposes the budding relationship of Margo and Billy with what might have been for Alice.

    There’s something to be said for being able to clearly lay out a story in an entertaining way without feeling like it’s unrefined. Martin and Brickell do so by never taking their characters for granted, allowing them to deliver their specific details in a way that always moves them forward. The production winds up emulating a jigsaw puzzle as the pieces slowly but surely come together for a beautiful final result.

    Each musical number builds upon the ones that came before it, which makes for a satisfying whole without any song truly standing out. Still, songs like “If You Knew My Story,” “What Could Be Better,” “Sun Is Gonna Shine,” and “At Long Last” become memorable due to their role in the emotional impact of the story.

    The music is made especially effective by the presence of most of the band on stage in a movable house. Eugene Lee, who won a Tony Award for Wicked, does notable work here in conjunction with choreographer Josh Rhodes. Set pieces twist, twirl, and move in and out with ease with the help of the actors, making for a fun and seamless experience.

    Cardwell is the undisputed star of the production, both for her singing ability and acting prowess. Gottfried and Hunt are irresistible in their depiction of young love, and they each rise to the occasion in their individual musical showcases. Cummings and others have slightly unconventional Broadway voices, making the connection to their characters not quite as strong.

    Bright Star is an utterly charming musical that, had it not debuted in the same season as Hamilton, might have won a boatload of Tony Awards itself. Its creative pedigree speaks for itself, delivering a story that touches on every emotion necessary for a great production.

    -----

    Bright Star will play at Winspear Opera House through June 24.

    theatermusic
    news/arts

    Elon News

    Dallas bookstore and publisher gets federal arts funding axed

    Luciana Gomez
    May 7, 2025 | 12:17 pm
    Deep Vellum stack of books
    Deep Vellum
    Stack of books at Deep Vellum

    A Dallas arts organization got its budget chopped by the federal government: Deep Vellum, the bookstore and publisher at 3000 Commerce St., lost a National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) grant due to federal government budget cuts.

    According to owner Will Evans, the award, which is granted annually, has been terminated as of May 31. The bookstore had received $20,000 for the past six years.

    Deep Ellum started as a publisher in 2013 and opened their bookstore in Deep Ellum in 2015. Since then, they have become a center for literature lovers. Evans is a translator whose mission has been to translate the world’s best novels into English for American audiences.

    Evans was notified on May 2 via an email that was reportedly sent to grant recipients nationwide. The note read:

    "The NEA is updating its grantmaking policy priorities to focus funding on projects that reflect the nation's rich artistic heritage and creativity as prioritized by the President. Consequently, we are terminating awards that fall outside these new priorities."

    The new priorities included projects that elevate the Nation's HBCUs and Hispanic Serving Institutions, celebrate the 250th anniversary of American independence, foster AI competency, empower houses of worship to serve communities, assist with disaster recovery, foster skilled trade jobs, make America healthy again, support military and veterans, support Tribal communities, make the District of Columbia safe and beautiful, and support the economic development of Asian American communities.

    The Grants and Public Affairs departments at NEA did not respond to a request for comment. On Monday May 5, the Literary Staff was laid off, and the agency is facing possible elimination entirely, as part of the 2026 Discretionary Budget Request presented to Congress on May 2.

    This year's grant to Deep Vellum was earmarked to fund the translation, publishing, and marketing costs of four books:

    • Carapace Dancer by Natalia Toledo, translated from Zapotec, published trilingually with Spanish and English translations alongside the original, translated by Clare Sullivan
    • Juvenilia by Hera Lindsay Bird of New Zealand, making her US debut, illustrated by Dallas artist Gino Dal Cin
    • Schattenfroh by Michael Lentz, translated from the German by Max Lawton, a 1001-page masterpiece and English-language debut
    • The Ruins by Ye Hui, translated from Chinese by Dong Li, the English-language debut from one of China's most distinguished and independent poets

    The National Endowment for the Arts is an independent federal agency established by Congress in 1965 as a funder of the arts and arts education in communities nationwide anxd a catalyst of public and private support for the arts with the goal of advancing opportunities for arts participation and practice, according to their website.

    In their last stats document updated in November 2024, their FY’24 budget was outlined as $207M (representing 0.03 percent of the total federal budget), with 80 percent of their budget supporting grants and awards to organizations and individuals across the country. They typically offer over 2,000 grants each year.

    "It’s been a strange few days for us, and for countless other nonprofit publishers, magazines, and arts organizations," Evans said.

    Despite the cut, Deep Vellum plans to continue to promote literacy through unique books translated to the English language.

    “This is not going to imperil our future but it’s something we need to consider as we move forward. These books are extraordinary, and they add so much for readers and culture. We just need to find additional revenue to fund them," Evans said.

    Evans was first to reveal the funding cut but a number of organizations across Dallas and Texas have seen similar cuts including Ballet North Texas, Flamenco Fever, Dallas Theater Center, and Bishop Arts Theatre Center, as well as a number of groups in Austin.

    closingsbooks
    news/arts
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