Love’s First Kilts

By Isobel Nardone

If you’re on the search for a love story, kilts, time travel, drama, and singing, then Brigadoon is the perfect show for you! 

Brigadoon, a mysterious village in Scotland, has a strange habit of only appearing every 100 years. On the morning of its re-appearance, two friends are drawn in by the beautiful singing and strange customs. What ensues will make you laugh, cry, and sing, and laugh some more, all within the hour and a half performance. 

As soon as the theater went dark and the music began to play, I could feel the excitement build. When the actors and actresses first sang, pure joy radiated from them. One of my favorite facets of the production was the multiple dynamic sets. They were constructed in ways that allowed the actors and actresses to rotate, move, and climb them. This brought an engaging and exciting effect for the audience and made the musical come to life. The bridge, a key set piece, could be turned, walked under, and ran over to fit in with the action on stage. The dancing seemed effortless and jubilant and also aided in making the whole theater seem as if we were in Brigadoon along with them. Acting often makes or breaks a theatrical production, and the cast of Brigadoon most definitely put all their love and passion for the theater during every scene. The actors and actresses effused excitement and animation and brought energy to every character. 

I had the privilege to speak with a few members of the cast and crew backstage after the show. One of the reasons the musical caught my attention was the many unique costumes. The dresses were light and airy, and the traditional Scottish garb was colorful and eye-catching. C.J. Hill, the creator of these magnificent costumes, said she drew inspiration for the designs from the TV show, Outlander. She planned and sewed all the costumes herself and wanted her creations to incorporate colors from nature. The choreography was another highpoint of the musical. When asked what their favorite aspect of putting the musical together was, the two actresses I spoke to said it was the dancing and finally being able to perform their dances on stage. They noted, “After weeks of hard work, it was exciting to see it all come together on a stage.”

Between the excellent singing and acting, to the hilarity of the jokes and fantastical themes, Brigadoon is a performance you won’t want to miss.