Violet
Book and Lyrics By: Brian Crawley. Music By: Jeanine Tesori
Produced By: Firehouse Theatre
Directed and Choreographed By: Ashley Puckett Gonzales
Music Directed By: Ashley Ryan Mullings
Reviewed by: Aubrey Tarantine
We can all relate to the feeling of not-enoughness – that voice in our head that tells us that if we only looked differently, sounded differently, existed differently then we would be enough. Hopefully, though, we all eventually come to the realization that we were always enough, just as we are now. That’s the story of Violet. We follow Violet through her journey of finding that she is enough just as she is, which is a journey that we all hopefully can learn from.
Violet, as a young girl, was facially disfigured in an accident and now, as a young adult, is embarking on a journey in order to find healing through a televangelist in Oklahoma. We follow her throughout this musical journey where she meets new people unlike anyone she’s ever met and grows into a new version of herself in the process. We open Act 1 by meeting both Young Violet, played by Reese Olsen, and present-day Violet, the powerful Lucy Shea. One of my favorite parts of this opening was the staging that showcased both talents and both beautiful voices. I noticed, in particular, Shea’s clear and crisp voice which was a nice way to begin.
From there we follow present-day Violet through her trip to Oklahoma and we meet many interesting characters along the way. We start by meeting the passengers who are starting the journey with her. This is where we meet Hayley Ewerz as the “Old Lady”. Ewerz had multiple parts throughout the show, but each time she entered the stage she had a strong voice and clear presence. We eventually make a rest stop in Kingsport, Tennessee where we get to know two soldiers, Flick and Monty. Nick Hill, playing Flick, and Jacob Wyckstrom, playing Monty play well off of each other. I loved watching Shea interacting with them as well. This trio worked very well together through the entirety of the musical. They were fun to watch and seemed to have a natural chemistry that read well to the audience. While they were a wonderful trio, all three held their own throughout the musical as well. Hill was amazing and lively in all of his numbers and Wyckstrom was perfectly cast in his role.
While at this rest stop, we get to see another back and forth between a scene with Young Violet and her Father, and then present-day Violet and the two soldiers. In both scenes we see that they’re playing a game of cards and while the scene was wonderful, a highlight was the relationship between Young Violet and her Father, played by R. Bradford Smith. They felt very natural together and Reese acted with a sense of deep understanding of her character and the relationship she shared with her Father.
When we re-enter the bus, we see Monty teasing Violet about the preacher Violet is going to go see. What was so great about this number, “Question ‘n’ Answer,” was that the two actors had a wonderful back and forth and each also had their own sense of comedic timing that I appreciated. From this point forward we journey through more cities, see complex relationships develop, and pick up on the themes of finding our place in a society that doesn’t always appreciate the nuance of the human condition.
Actor Bryan Brooks appears throughout the production in various roles, his strongest being that of the preacher. For those of us who grew up in the church and watched televangelists, it felt eerily familiar, but that’s only a testament to Bryan’s acting skills. Of course, no review would be complete without also mentioning the hilarious Justin Taylor who made me laugh multiple times, as well as Audrey Ham who was so fun to watch and had a wonderful energy no matter what role she was playing. Vocally, the cast members were incredibly strong and sang beautifully together, but I’d especially like to highlight Elizabeth Moose’s gorgeous voice. She has a show stopping voice that would make anyone feel inspired.
Violet is as remarkable as those performing it! It’s beautifully complex, full of wit and charm, leaving the audience satisfied and uplifted. Please find ticket information at firehousetheatre.com.
Be Well,
Aubrey
Audience Rating: PG-13 for language
Accessible seating: Yes
Hearing Devices Available: No
Sensory Friendly Showing: No
Production Sound Level: Comfortable
Noises and Visuals to Know About: Yes, it should be noted that a racial slur is used in this show.
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