Beau The Musical opens tonight at its new home at The Distillery at St. Luke’s Theatre. The immersive new musical tells the story of a young country singer who reconnects with the grandfather he never knew. The production stars Matt Rodin as Ace Baker and Dead Outlaw Tony-nominee Jeb Brown. Read the reviews!
For this production of Beau the Musical, St. Luke’s Theatre has been completely transformed into a distillery with a fully functioning bar used throughout the performance.
Beau The Musical is conceived and written by Douglas Lyons, with music by Ethan D. Pakchar and Douglas Lyons, and lyrics by Douglas Lyons. The production is directed and choreographed by Josh Rhodes.
Set in Nashville and Memphis, Tennessee, Beau The Musical features eight actor-musicians telling the story of Ace Baker – a young queer singer-songwriter whose life is forever changed when he discovers his deceased grandfather, Beau, is actually still alive. Family secrets unravel as Ace rushes to make up for lost time with a man who changed his life by putting a guitar in his hand.
Michael Sommers, New York Stage Review: Sometimes drenched in vivid colors or accented by dramatic beams of lighting from designer Japhy Weideman, the atmospheric performance space of The Distillery lends both novelty and intimacy to Beau the Musical. Director and choreographer Josh Rhodes seamlessly meshes the production’s many moving parts while inspiring enthusiastic performances from his company. Although the musical’s contents ultimately taste more like sweet tea than moonshine, the show itself gives audiences quite a nice contact high.
Amelia Merrill, New York Theatre Guide: Despite these pitfalls, Beau has a generally engaging story with an endearing message, and Rodin and Brown’s bond feels genuine and heartfelt. The cast of Beau The Musical also functions as Ace Baker’s backup band, and it’s particularly fun to watch Ryan Halsaver go from bassist to “Wack Ass Larry,” Ace’s irritatingly upbeat stepfather-figure. Will audiences be annoyed by the lingering questions Beau leaves, longing for tighter storytelling? Or will they just tap their feet and nod along, transfixed by Rodin’s charisma? If my audience is any indication, it will be the latter.
Average Rating:
75.0%
.