Entertainment : From the Front Row of the Auditorium: \'Brigadoon\' shows ACT 1 talent, humor

Henry (Josh Ridley) declares his anger and intention to leave Brigadoon at the wedding celebration.

Emma Clingman, Tim Westemeier and Ben Collison rehearse the wedding scene.

The wedding dance...

Mr. Lundie (Tim Westemeyer) tells the Americans about the strange history and miracle of Brigadoon.

Charlies (Ben Collison) tells Jean (Emma Clingman) he wants to see her before the wedding.

Meg (Rachel Kramer) sings about her quest for a husband to Jeff (David Urlaub)

Tommy (Roger Pollack) and Fiona (Molly Ternus).

Charlie (Ben Collison) sings about how life will change when he marries Jean.

Fiona (Molly T) tells the women of the village why she is waiting for love before she marries.

'Brigadoon' features much choreography and includes many young dancers.

Emma Clingman helps Rick Primmer with his stage makeup before the Wednesday dress rehearsal.

Today our "From the Front Row" critic's column moves to Vinton's famed South Side, where ACT 1 has been preparing for the opening of "Brigadoon" on Friday night.

I didn’t plan to write a review when I went to the VSHS auditorium; I was just going to take a few photos.

But the performance was so good that I stayed. "Brigadoon" features some very challenging songs, performed very well by its young young adults. The choreography is entertaining and the script is laugh-out-loud funny. Plus, the auditorium is air conditioned.

The Story

Lost in Scotland, Americans Tommy Albright (Roger Pollock, a Benton Community and Wartburg graduate) and Jeff Douglas (VS alum David Urlaub) hear the singing from a town that is not on the map. They walk toward the noise to discover a very unusual city whose residents find them equally strange and entertaining.

The first villager to greet the Americans is Fiona MacLaren (VS and Luther alum Molly Ternus). Fiona and Tommy take an interest in each other and spend the afternoon together helping Fiona prepare for the wedding of her sister, Jean (Emma Clingman) to Charlie Dalyrympe (Ben Collison).

Jeff meanwhile, has spent the time in the company of Meg Brockie (Rachel Kramer) who takes him to the spot where her parents met, and makes him the latest target of her attempt to become a wife.

Before the wedding, Fiona takes the Americans to visit Mr. Lundie, who tells them the secret history of Brigadoon, and warns them of what will happen if any of the villagers leave. At the wedding, Harry Beaton (Josh Ridley), who has been unhappy with life in Brigadoon and is mourning the marriage of the girl he loved to someone else, announces that he is leaving.

Tommy and Fiona ponder what they should do as the village reacts to this horrible news.

Why you should go

Most of the times when I see a community theater production, I am seeing something I have seen before, either on film or on stage. But "Brigadoon" was completely new to me. I think it may be new to many others, as well. That newness makes it even more interesting, although those of you familiar with the show will certainly like the way director Jill and her crew have handled the musical.

What you should know before you go

I checked out the DVD of the 1954 movie based on the earlier Broadway musical. If you are familiar with the movies of that era, and the musical scores that accompany them, then you may understand the effect that the movie had on me: I fell asleep. I confessed this to one of the older cast members. "Me too," he said.

But this is not your grandparent's "Brigadoon." This version is fun and funny and impressive (and the Community Band members provide a much more enjoyable musical background). And you have the next two weekends to see it.

You can find tickets and a complete cast list HERE, at the ACT 1 web site.