I did my homework on this show prior to attending Beef and Boards current offering: “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.” I read a summary of the show and its history, downloaded and listened to the music — and, I’ll admit, I was skeptical.
With song titles like “Bless Your Beautiful Hide” and lyrics such as “Treat ‘em rough like them there Romans do, or else they’ll think you’re tetched,” it’s easy to dismiss “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” as a show with ideas we’ve outgrown as a society. But society never outgrows fun.
“Seven Brides for Seven Brothers,” now playing at Beef and Board Dinner Theatre, 9301 Michigan Road, tells the story of Adam (Tony Lawson) and his six brothers, living rugged and companionless lives in 1850s Oregon. Adam grows lonely, goes to town and brings back Milly (Krista Severeid) as his bride. Milly is understandably horrified at her unintentional lateral move from put-upon tavern waitress to the only woman among seven men. She attempts to civilize her new brothers-in-law in time to attend a town social. The brothers make a positive impression at the dance. But once back at home, they decide to return to town and kidnap their dancing partners to be their brides, and well …Stockholm Syndrome ensues.
Tony Lawson and Krista Severeid, as Adam and Milly, are a real-life married couple and the heart of the show. In fact, the two met in 2006 … on stage … at Beef & Boards … and three years later played these two very same roles just two weeks before their wedding.
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Lawson’s baritone is perfect for the folksy, cowboy-style songs, and he immediately wins our affections as it rolls out over the audience like thunder on a summer night.
The audience knows Milly is headed for a big surprise as she sings: “Can’t wait ‘til I’m with him in our cabin just for two…only trees near us, no one hearin’ us” in “Wonderful, Wonderful Day.”
The costuming, as always, was bright and colorful with each of the seven brothers in a different colored bib-shirt and the girls in complimentary calicos. One small detail that jumped out, however, was the shiny new look of Lawson’s boots. But perhaps he had just purchased them new at the trading post to replace his old worn lumberjack boots.
Another confusing detail was the use of a projection screen to depict the mountainous landscape. It wasn’t behind the actors, but up stage right. It came on, then went off, came on again. It seemed to me that it should have been on both sides of the stage and stayed on consistently to create the effect.
Productions at Beef & Boards almost always raise the logistical question: how are they going to do that show on that small stage? And time after time, the query becomes irrelevant — and even forgotten — within minutes of the start of the show. But when a script specifically calls for seven men and seven women plus seven rival townsmen to all be on stage — and whoopin’ it up — for “Social Dance,” it’s sure to look like a chaotic and hectic hootenanny. Nope. Somehow, Beef & Boards always manages to make the size of its stage a non-issue.
“Seven Brides for Seven Brothers,” first produced as a 1954 movie musical, is based on the short story “The Sobbin’ Women” by Stephen Vincent Benet. Benet’s inspiration came from the ancient Roman legend, “The Rape of the Sabine Women.” It should be noted, however, that in ancient translations, the word rape comes from Latin word raptio, which translates as abduction. “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” can definitely open up a number of discussions here in 21st century America, but this delightful romp of a production definitely earns a PG rating if not G.
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“Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” runs through Oct. 7 at Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre, 9301 Michigan Road. For complete show schedule and ticket prices, visit beefandboards.com. For reservations, call the Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre Box Office at 317-872-9664.
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