Orange County Register says Once “flourishes”!
“zestful Gaelic musical flourishes”
“a production that infectiously taps the luminous score”
“heart-filled and heart-heavy music”
“Morgan Hollingsworth and Emma Laird co-star as Guy and Girl. In this pair, canny Chance has found two veterans of the key roles and they each bring positives to their performances.”
“A bonus came in in the dramatic pain in Hollingsworth’s voice at the near howl that ends the painful “Leave.””
“Laird’s direct intensity in most of her character’s spoken words land well even though an Eastern European accent can run the risk of coming out a bit goofy. Laird employs her accent precisely, realism with a dash of quirkiness. In addition to singing, Laird was effective in her piano accompaniment, her musicality especially on display in her second act ballad “The Hill.””
“Another of this production’s highlights is its talented supporting cast of eight. All are regional actors, including a couple of Chance veterans. The roles require actors who can sing and play an instrument.”
“A superb result of this pub-band backing the two leads is that solos or duets grow in expressiveness as other instrumentalists gently join. Inspiring each other in the moment, their talents jointly creating depth and volume, a fellowship in music.”
“The pleasures from the musical ensemble start even before the show does. The evening’s tone is established through an agreeable 20-minute mini concert for audiences.”
“the instrumental versatility of the performers”
“this set of ears heard American speakers land both Irish and Czech intonations as polished and plausible. So kudos likely go to dialect coach Glenda Morgan Brown.”
“Some brief visual projections on a screen behind the set were an effective touch, helping more deeply explore the outsider’s experiences of Girl and her fellow immigrants.”
Read the latest review of Once from Orange County Register HERE.
