Come to me! Bend to me!
The Cary Players are a beloved community theatre company based in my lovely town of Cary, North Carolina. Since their inception, they have been dedicated to providing the citizens of Cary and surrounding areas with the opportunity to enhance and showcase their theatrical talents by sourcing local talent to bring the performing arts to Cary. Their productions, spanning musicals and straight plays, are a testament to the dedication of their all-volunteer team—actors, backstage crew, costume designers, and directors. I’ve worked with the Cary Players several times before. Each time is an adventure and an honor. But this one stands out because let me just say… I LOVE BRIGADOON!
Brigadoon is a musical, with a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner, and music by Frederick Loewe (of GIgi and My Fair Lady fame), is a timeless classic. The story revolves around two American tourists who stumble upon Brigadoon, a mysterious Scottish village that appears for only one day every 100 years. One of the tourists, Tommy, falls in love with Fiona, a young woman from Brigadoon. The tale is as relatable now as it was when the show was first penned, with its high stakes, dramatic plot, and emotions that transcend time.
The songs of Brigadoon are a delight to the senses. From the show-stopping “I’ll Go Home with Bonnie Jean” (a showstopper… in the first act!) to the sweet and playful “The Heather on the Hill”, each song adds a unique flavor to the unfolding narrative. And then there’s the standard “Almost Like Being in Love”, a classic tune that even the biggest jazz and crooner fans might not realize originated in this fantasy romance set in the Highlands of Scotland.
Photographing the Cary Players’ performance of Brigadoon was an honor and a dream come true. The set design was masterful, perfectly transforming the proscenium into a little Highland village. The lighting was superb, capturing the mood of each scene. But this show, for me, goes beyond the production. My mother raised me on Turner Classic Movies (no wonder I became a theatre rat) and Brigadoon was one of her favorites right up there with South Pacific and A Westside Story. As a Scotch-Irish descendent living in the Carolinas, despite the somewhat kitschy premise and catchy earworm songs, being a part of Brigadoon is little like heritage. I wish Mom was still around to see the Cary Players bring it home.
I am deeply grateful to the Cary Players for their continued faith in me. Working with them throughout their 2023-2024 season has been an absolute joy and privilege.
If you’re looking for someone to capture the magic of your theatre performances or special events, give me a shout! Let’s make something forever together!
