Spoon River: The Best New Musical I've Ever Seen

[Michael Kras]

Posted: 11/8/14 at 1:41am

Currently running in Toronto is a show that completely rocked my world. I left changed.

Spoon River is a new original musical based on the 1915 poetry anthology of the same title. The basic premise is that the audience is invited into a graveyard as 'passerbys' to attend the funeral of a recently deceased young woman. The ghosts in the graveyard appear to us and, through song, tell us what they have to say about life and death.

The score, composed by Mike Ross, is breathtaking. Seriously, one of the best scores I've ever heard written for the theatre. Heavily rooted in country, blues, and folk, the songs range from foot-stompers to gorgeous ballads. And I mean that in the most extreme way possible. Most of the songs are so powerful that you can't help moving in your seat.

But there's one moment in particular that cemented this show as the best musical, maybe even piece of theatre, that I've ever seen. The second last song is sung by the recently deceased young woman whose funeral we're 'attending'. Her coffin slides open, she pops out, and...

... Sings the most beautiful song I've ever heard.

I'm not exaggerating. I've seen the show two nights in a row, and the second night really confirmed it. It actually is the most beautiful song I've ever heard. I can't describe it. But here's what happened the first time I heard it. It's a moment I don't think I'll ever forget:

My friend and I were sitting in the front row. The girl in the coffin begins to sing. As she sings, my friend and I both simultaneously burst into tears. We didn't just cry, we full-on convulsed with sobs. We were loud. We couldn't help it. Then my friend put her hand out to me. I squeezed it, she and I held each other, and continued to weep uncontrollably together while listening to this gorgeous ode to the beauty of life. The actor singing the song noticed us in the front row, and at that point, she sang the song right to us. She looked at me, smiled, and nodded as if to say "It's okay to cry."

After the show, we walked around the city and continued to cry together for another half an hour. I'll never forget what this show did to the audience. I've cried before at theatre, but that's the first time I've lost control.

If you're in Toronto, or close, or even not that close, go see Spoon River. It's one of those rare kinds of shows that only come around once every blue moon.

Updated On: 11/8/14 at 01:41 AM

[inception]

Posted: 11/8/14 at 4:09am

Thanks for the info.
I see the Globe & Mail has a review up, which mentions that Soulpepper already has plans to remount it in March.


The Globe & Mail reviews Soulpepper's Spoon River

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 11/8/14 at 3:22pm

Wasn't there another musical based on the Spoon River Anthology waaay back? It might have been a straight play though. The cast recording is always at my record store.

[CurtainsUpat8]

Posted: 11/8/14 at 3:32pm

There was a version the the 60's by Charles Aidman that was done for a long time. That was a play with music and is probably the record you have. There is a new version that is being performed regionally now that was published in 2013. It received a lot of attention because it was produced on site in a cemetery. It played Green-Wood in Brooklyn for recent two summers. It is also a play with music of the period. It's called The Spoon River Project. It seems the version in Canada is mostly music with fewer monologues. It appears they have set many of the monologues to music.
The Spoon River Project

[Michael Kras]

Posted: 11/8/14 at 6:42pm

Here's a preview video, but no video can do the power of the show justice. It's still the only thing on my mind.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5z7z-DAFkk