Want to go?
WHAT: "Once," the Broadway musical
WHEN: Tuesday, Jan. 19 through Sunday, Jan. 24.
WHERE: Benjamin & Marian Schuster Performing Arts Center, Second and Main streets, Dayton
TICKETS: Priced at $25 to $82, available at the Ticket Center Stage Box Office, by phone at (937) 228-3630, toll-free 888 228-3630 or online at www.ticketcenterstage.com. Box Office hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday – Friday; noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday and two hours prior to each performance.
- Student discounts are one-half off any price tickets — excluding Gold-price and $25 tickets — on the day of a show plus service fees. One ticket per ID and must be purchased in person at the Box Office or by phone.
- A military discount is available at 25 percent off any price ticket — excluding Gold-price and $25 tickets — anytime plus service fees. Two tickets per ID and must be purchased in person at the Schuster Center's Ticket Center Stage Box Office or by phone.
- Saturday matinee performances of Broadway Series presentations are signed and audio interpreted. Let the ticket agent know you would like either of these services when ordering.
SPECIAL EVENTS: Learn about the development, history and artistry of "Once," in programs slated for 7 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 20; 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 21; 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 22 and 1 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 23. The event, which will be held in the fourth floor lobby at the Schuster Center, is free to ticketholders for that day's performance.
MORE INFO: Website.
“Once” upon a time, there was a Broadway musical that was different from the rest. It didn’t have a huge cast or a big orchestra in the pit or dozens of high-kicking chorus girls.
Instead it had a sweet and touching love story, a cast of actors who were also skilled musicians, and a set that allowed audience members to take the stage before each show.
You'll see how that all plays out when the Victoria Theatre Association's Premier Health Broadway Series presents "Once." The unusual production will be on stage at the Benjamin & Marian Schuster Performing Arts Center from Tuesday, Jan. 19 through Sunday, Jan. 24.
The story revolves around a Dublin street musician who is about to give up on his dream of making music when a beautiful young Czech immigrant takes a sudden interest in his haunting love songs. Over the course of a week, their unexpected friendship and collaboration evolves into a complicated romance, intensified by the songs they create together.
The musical first won hearts in 2007 as an independent Irish film produced for just $150,000 and shot in 17 days. It won an Academy Award, grossed $20M worldwide, became a critically acclaimed international smash and won the 2007 Oscar for Best Original song for “Falling Slowly.”
The Broadway play captured eight Tony Awards in 2012 including Best Musical. It also earned the 2013 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album and was named Best Musical by prestigious organizations including the New York Drama Critics’ Circle, Drama Desk, Drama League and Outer Critics Circle.
Joe Deer, who heads the Musical Theatre Program at Wright State University, said he was immediately captivated by the staging of "Once" when he first saw it on Broadway. Unlike other actor/musician shows, he insists it really works.
"It's something like a play with music deeply woven into the fabric of it," explained Deer, who will be honored at the 2016 Governor's Awards for the Arts in Ohio in May. "It's about a songwriter, so the world of this musical comes to life through his music. The music in the show is not traditional musical theater songs. It's very much in the style of independent Folk-Rock music."
AN INTERVIEW WITH STAR
On seeing ‘Once’ twice
Mackenzie Lesser-Roy, who plays the role of "Girl," said she can easily relate to a plot that focuses on the importance of pursuing dreams. At the age of 16, when she saw "Once" on Broadway, she loved it so much she went back to see it again and dreamed of being in the show herself someday.
As a child, she’d studied both piano and cello and acted but couldn’t decide which path to pursue. After seeing “Once,” she realized she could combine her love of music and acting and do both.
The opportunity came when she was working at a summer stock theater in Woodstock, N.Y. and got a text from a friend sharing news that “Once” was going on tour and urging her to try out for it.
“There were hundreds auditioning for the part of ‘Girl,’ and I left thinking I wasn’t going to get it. But I had to audition because I loved the show so much,” she recalls. After four callbacks, Lesser-Roy learned that her dream was about to come true.
“It’s not just a love story between the two main characters, but a love story for music as well,” she said. “The reason why these characters fall in love is because of their passion for music. They can’t help but connect with each other on this incredibly deep level. It’s a story about the power of music to connect us all.”
On playing Dayton
Dayton will be one of the first stops for the touring company. The show was in previews in Utica, N.Y., and getting ready to open in Philadelphia when we spoke to Lesser-Roy by phone.
“I’m beyond excited! I’ve been jumping around on the bus and couldn’t calm myself down!” admitted the 20-year old, who said this role is her “big break.” She’s looking forward to being on the road and exploring new cities around the country.
Her parents are planning to see the show at least 20 times around the country. “My mother was an actress, and both of my parents were musicians,” said Lesser-Roy, who attended Boston Conservatory after high school. “This is what it felt like I was supposed to do since I was 7 years old. “
She’s seen the film and thinks Irish playwright/screenwriter Enda Walsh has done a great job of paying tribute to the movie but at the same time expanding on a lot of the ideas for the Broadway version.
Lesser-Roy, who is on stage for most of the play, said the opportunity to play Mendelson’s “Song Without Words” for the audience is very special for her and brings back memories of her piano lessons as a child. “It’s a beautiful moment in the show,” she said.
Another highlight — although she’s not directly involved — is the pre-show where audience members are encouraged to come on stage, buy a drink at the bar and interact with the performers. “It’s such total fun because the cast is on stage playing traditional Irish and Czech songs and audiences don’t usually have the opportunity to actually be on stage,” she said.
WHY THIS SHOW STANDS OUT
Deer said he believes the show’s choreographer, Stephen Hoggett, is responsible for some of the most innovative theater in the last decade. “Although I don’t think it will put off middle-aged and older audiences, this musical has a special kind of appeal for people in their 20s and 30s,” he said. ” It really speaks to the struggle to find personal connection against the loneliness of becoming an adult while living in a big city. There are some beautiful, haunting moments in it and some that are purely joyous and celebratory. It is a different kind of musical than almost anything I’ve ever seen. I’m so glad it’s coming to Dayton.”
Lesser-Roy said: “I think the message of the play is to lead with your heart. And also that the power of music can connect all of us.”
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