‘Bridges of Madison County’ is memorable as Francesca’s story

A sultry June night at the Starlight Theatre proves a good venue for “The Bridges of Madison County,” a musical based on the 1992 bestseller by Robert James Waller. In the small town of Winterset, Iowa, in 1965, a housewife meets a visiting photographer while her family is out of town, and, well, things heat up.

“Bridges,” like Starlight’s first Broadway offering of the season, “Once,” is the story of a brief but intense connection between two people. This more intimate, limited scope sets it apart from the big-ensemble spectacles Broadway is typically known for. The experience is almost like seeing a (non-musical) play, and perhaps this reflects the story’s roots as a novel.

Francesca, a native of Naples, Italy, moved to Iowa with her husband, Bud, after World War II. They settle down on his farm and raise two children. At the start of the play, Bud takes the teenaged kids to Indianapolis to compete in the national 4-H competition, while Francesca stays home. Later that day, Robert, an itinerant photographer for “National Geographic” arrives on assignment to shoot the local covered bridges.

The two forge an instant connection, and Francesca invites him to dinner. She finds he puts her in touch with a part of her personality she thought she’d left behind in Italy. He finds himself wanting to get close to someone for the first time in his life. Over the course of three days, the two fall in love, and by the time her family is due back from the fair, Francesca must decide whether to stick around to greet them or leave for parts unknown with Robert.

The musical form suits the story. Since so much of it involves people feeling and contemplating strong emotions, songs feel like the right way for the characters to express themselves.

“Bridges” is undoubtedly Francesca’s story, and Elizabeth Stanley is excellent. Her Francesca is warm, with a sense of gravitas tempered with playfulness. In Francesca’s solos, especially the songs about her past, Stanley’s soprano voice takes on an operatic quality that suits her character’s Italian roots.

As Robert, Andrew Samonsky brings a casually handsome, Robert Redford appeal to the character. He and Stanley have good chemistry, and his voice pulls as strongly as hers in his couple of big numbers. The duet “One Second & a Million Years” midway through the second act is the show’s musical and romantic high point.

The downside of the refreshingly simple plot is that it might not be enough to sustain two hours and forty-five minutes. The eventual outcome is never really in question. We’ve seen this same dilemma — should the lonely wife take off with the dashing visitor or stay for the sake of the family? — many times before.

It’s unclear why this show had to exist, and why now. Everything is done well — pacing, music, singing, acting — but it never transcends any of its conventions.

Even though her character’s circumstances are familiar, Francesca feels like a real and unique character. She is the most memorable thing about the show.

This story was originally published June 15, 2016 at 9:27 AM with the headline "‘Bridges of Madison County’ is memorable as Francesca’s story."