"'Songbird' proves to be one of the more successful attempts to transpose Chekhov’s major plays...Powered by a terrific country score, with a strong assist from Kimmel’s smart contemporary version of the text, the show succeeds in snugly reframing the story in the world of country music...Under the finely honed direction of JV Mercanti, all the performers are excellent...The production makes up in earthy humor what it may lack in emotional depth."
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"Pritchard pens warm, catchy tunes, performed with casual ease by the talented cast. The large ensemble genuinely seems to be having fun with each other in JV Mercanti's likable production…Kimmel doesn’t do the greatest job of blending music and story...He has given himself the unenviable task of trying to condense the plot of a four-act Russian classic—and it does feel squeezed."
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"With gorgeous original songs, 'Songbird' is an attractive, albeit sleepy new musical with a distinctively American sound...While the musical performances are spot-on, Michael Kimmel's book scenes make a twee first impression that eventually fades to maudlin...director J.V. Mercanti is never able to push beyond the theme park artifice of the script, leading to our somewhat shallow connection to the story and characters."
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"'Songbird' has a very broad appeal and will please theatre lovers and country music fans as the production combines an intriguing story with excellent music. See this theatrical gem."
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"The idea of setting 'The Seagull' to a Nashville beat isn't entirely bad. But it would probably take a far more ambitious and original approach to make it work, one less slavishly devoted to the original's character and plot structure. 'Songbird' is weighed down by the effort of the book's author, Michael Kimmel, to transpose every detail of the original play into a new context. The result is often airless, an act of pedantry rather than a vital work of drama."
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"Truly, though, this is an ensemble effort, and everyone contributes 110 percent. I do believe, however, that the overall production would have been strengthened by using Chekhov as inspiration rather than as a template. As it stands, too much emphasis has been placed on staying true to 'The Seagull,' leading to predictable and melodramatic plot turns. Despite a slew of first-rate performances, 'Songbird' needs some breathing room of its own in order to soar."
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"Under JV Mercanti's direction the cast sails from song to dialogue to song. The show overall projects the sense of a much fuller, run down, smoke-filled honky tonk bar in Nashville...There isn't an actor involved in the various sub plots who doesn't at several points grab a guitar and burst into a rousing melody...But for all its fun, 'Songbird' does end sadly. The little bluebird that Dean finds is after all an omen — and Kimmel and Prichard's big-little musical exists courtesy of Chekhov's iconic bigger bird."
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"'Songbird' is not only an excellent Americanized version of the Chekhov classic but works beautifully in its own right. If it has any flaws, it is that it could use more ideas beyond its source material. Even though the plot will be familiar to those who know 'The Seagull,' it is still a moving, engrossing musical experience. Incidentally, the bird that Dean accidentally kills here is a bluebird, more fitting for a Nashville story."
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