StageSceneLA says Once is “gorgeously staged and performed”!
“one of the most charming and heartstrings-tugging musicals of the past 27 years.”
“charmer of a book”
“catchiest Irish Indie Pop score ever heard”
“as much about making music as it is about making love”
“particularly suited to Chance Theater”
“James Michael McHale […] bring his own masterful ingenuity to the mix, and some terrific choreographic skills as well.”
“Scenic designer Bradley Kaye’s set suggests both Dublin exteriors and interiors (and the city’s skyline as well), making it well suited to transport us from city streets to a vacuum cleaner repair shop to a bank manager’s office to a makeshift recording studio to the hills about the city and proves an ingenious substitute for the Broadway original’s Dublin pub set.”
“Not only that but lighting designer Jacqueline Malenke, projection designer Nick Santiago and costume designer Sara Egger up the visual magic every step of the way as the most multitalented cast in town deliver one sensational performance after another beginning with Hollingsworth’s and Laird’s matching star turns as Once’s star-crossed Guy and Girl.”
“Hollingsworth gives Guy abundant boy-next-door charm with powerhouse vocals to match, Laird is simply exquisite as Once’s sweet and spunky Girl, and together the twosome ignite enough romantic sparks to light up the Dublin sky.”
“Most scene-stealing of all in Once’s scene-stealing featured cast are Will Huse as the larger-than-life, social-skills-deprived music shop owner Billy and Chance newcomer Austin Ledger as the wild-and-crazy, pants-doffing Svec.”
“Leota Rhodes doubles memorably as the earthy, life-loving Reza and Guy’s still-pining Ex-Girlfiend, Jennifer Richardson is a delight as Girl’s slightly odd but endlessly caring mother Barushka, and Mike Bradecich is an endearing charmer as a Bank Manager with a penchant for the penis.”
“Lex Leigh steps beyond his role as Once’s music director to bring Guy’s deeply-feeling Da to vibrant life, Jonah Meyer makes for an irresistibly dorky Andrej, and Joseph Dailey is equally fine as music store manager Eamon and the amiable Emcee at the Dublin nightclub where Guy performs.”
“James Markoski completes Once’s dream team with his pitch-perfect sound design and engineering.”
“audiences in need of escape could do no better than to head over to the Chance for Once, a musical so magical and memorable, you might even want to see it twice.”
Read the latest review of Once from StageSceneLA HERE.
