Bonnie and Clyde are infamous as the outlaws and lovers who committed a series of criminal acts during the Great Depression.
Aurora Arts Theatre brings the musical “Bonnie & Clyde” to its intimate stage, telling the story of the ill-fated duo through song, dance and plenty of gun draws.
For those who may not know of Bonnie and Clyde, Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow were a young couple who were known for their bank robberies, kidnappings and multiple murders between 1932 and 1934. On May 23, 1934, they were ambushed and killed in Louisiana by a law enforcement posse.
The couple are believed to have murdered at least nine police officers and three civilians.
The musical touches on their criminal acts but provides a backstory for Bonnie and Clyde. We meet the two early on, when Bonnie is working as a waitress and Clyde has escaped from prison with his older brother.
The two instantly click and the chemistry is electric the entire show, which is most likely due to the fact the the leads, Ricky Martinez and Olivia Moretzsohn, are a real-life couple.
In most musicals, the songs are definitely of the show tune variety, but “Bonnie & Clyde” has a mixture of gospel, country and blues. It makes sense and fits with the time period of the musical, as it takes place during the 1930s.
Another interesting tidbit are the projections shown onstage. During scenes and numbers, images of old newspaper clippings and mugshots of Bonnie and Clyde appear on a backdrop of wooden pallets. In a way, it’s reminding the audience that the production is based on real events — sans the singing and dancing most likely.
Martinez is a strong choice for the role of Clyde Barrow as he is able to become the outlaw with tenacity, hotheadedness and recklessness. Lauren Flinchbaugh portrays Blanche Barrow as the heartbreaking wife trying to rid her husband of his brother’s selfishness. Michael Treadwell as Ted Hinton will take your breath away during his performance of “You Can Do Better than Him.”
But Moretzsohn as Bonnie Parker is the epitome of the good girl gone bad. Moretzsohn’s take on Parker shows the outlaw’s dreams of being famous while showing her vulnerability. She’s not afraid to take a walk on the wild side, but she will not be mistreated or abused by anyone. It makes sense her character is the one to close out the show with a reprisal of “How ’Bout a Dance?”, as she is the brains behind Clyde Barrow’s brawn.
There were two things I had issues with during my viewing of “Bonnie & Clyde.”
The first was the barrenness of the set. It’s all wood, to make it seem like a rundown and rustic area. It makes sense, but there’s a white backdrop behind the wooden set that makes the design flat and unappealing. I’m not sure if perhaps there might be some lighting added later or something.
Another was the ending. As I mentioned earlier, the two were gunned down in Louisiana. While we do see some shootings here and there — spoiler alert — we never see Bonnie and Clyde meet their death. The way the musical ends is a bit abrupt, and I’m sure some audience members may feel confused as I did. I realize that’s how the play was written, but that’s like not showing Charlton Heston yelling at the Statue of Liberty at the end of “Planet of the Apes” — a letdown.
Nevertheless, “Bonnie & Clyde” is a moving production depicting the tale of a couple taking on the world while trying to survive. Attendees will enjoy the singing, the well-timed jokes and the chemistry between the two leads.
The musical will run at Aurora Arts Theatre, located at 5635 Everhart Road, on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays May 22 through June 26. Tickets can be purchased at auroraartstheatre.com.
(This story was updated because a previous version included an inaccuracy.)
Correction: This story was updated to correct a misspelling of Olivia Moretzsohn’s last name based on information provided by Aurora Arts Theatre.
John Oliva covers entertainment and community news in South Texas. Have a story idea? Contact him at john.oliva@caller.com.
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This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: The chemistry is fatal at Aurora Arts’ production of ‘Bonnie & Clyde’
Reporting by John Oliva, Corpus Christi Caller Times / Corpus Christi Caller Times
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