The kimmel Center and the Bucks County Play House collaborated to bring the Buddy Holly Story to Center City Philadelphia. The Buddy Holly Story was written by Alan Janes, and the music was directed by Paul Massy. The play and career of Buddy Holly, played by John Dewey, tells the story through his music and emotional attachments with the other cast members. Buddy Holly's career only lasted from 1956 - 1959. Buddy Holly is an interesting character, and I would think the Real Buddy would have appreciated Dewey's talents. The real Buddy Holly grew up in Lubbock, TX where country music was the norm.
Dewey's Buddy Holly is a realistic impersonation of a young musician playing what he thought people wanted to hear which was not country music. The play opens up in Lubbock, TX at the Sunday Dance Party. The KDAV radio host apologized for the way Buddy Holly and the Crickets played their music. The guests at the KDAV dance party wanted to hear country music and the radio host, played by Andrew Frace, criticizes Buddy Holly but also gives him a new recording contract. When Buddy refuses to play the music they want him to play the record contract is dismissed. Musical Highlights like That'll Be The Day, Everyday, La Bamba, and Chantilly Lace were my favorites. When Buddy takes off his glasses and walks into the record company in New York he plays a trick on Maria Elena. When she finds out who he really is she is stunned, and he then asks her to go dancing with him. Buddy Holly and Maria Elena eventually get married and move to New York.
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At the Apollo Theater in Harlem Gilbert D. Sanchez portrayed a Richie Valens, and the host of the African American theater. He was welcoming a new place, and the turning point in Buddy Holly's Career. The dancing improvised by Sanchez was really jazzy. The music history is not the only thing to take away from this performance. Twist your hips side ways, like Richie Valens did, from the smooth to the rough in rock and roll. It is this unconventional attitude that changes the way we listen to music today. The post-post-modern way to play the standing bass, by James David Larson, playing the bass upside down, or in his lap like a guitar, laying on top of it, and so on.
The Crickets are back stage at the Apollo theater before Buddy arrives and are not welcomed by the MC, Brandy Chavonne Massy, The Apollo performer/ MC calls the crickets "whiteys" and the Apollo theater was a theater for African Americans only. The performance of Brandy Chavonne Massy stole the show, and then Richie Valens, played by Gilbert Sanchez says a prayer for the Crickets before they go on stage.This is where Buddy really makes it big. The audience loved them. The play leads to this point with humor and draws race and segregation to aside when Buddy says, "I don't care where I perform no matter what color." The bio piece of Buddy Holly at the Apollo is in my opinion the portrayal of a pioneer in Black History. Coincidentally, Black History month is the same month that Buddy Holly passed away.
The country accent of Dewey's Buddy Holly is catchy, and the opening KVAD dance party set the mood for an almost awkward but lovable rock and roll star. The Crickets and Buddy go to record music in NM, and the Crickets eventually decide to go their own way. Buddy gave them his blessing against his own disappointment with the band breaking up. Then Buddy found success performing with Richie Valens and the Big Bopper. At the Winter Dance Party in Clear Lake, IA there was something amazing about these three solo artists coming together. The Big Bopper sang Chantilly Lace, Richie Valens sang La Bamba, and Buddy Holly sang Peggie Sue. The story was implied and the life of these three artists destined for greatness was cut short by a tragic air plane crash.
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The snow during the performance of the plane crash, and radio announcement were very tasteful. Maria Elena, played by Natalie Ortega, sang a sad song in memory of Buddy. In New York he wrote this song for her. The cold blue light in the Perelman Theater remind us about how tragic it really was that Buddy only lived a short musical career. Not even three years into his career and marriage on a personal level says a lot about a country boy from Lubbock, TX.
The memory of Buddy Holly takes a turn for the better when the lighting returns to a stage full of singers who perform a medley of songs to end the show. The meaning of the music is never lost, and Buddy Holly and the Crickets have made a story worth telling. The glasses are a sign for excellent vision, unique talent, and unprecedented energy.
