"Bus Stop" review by Theaternomad

You don't have to spell it out for us, we get it!
Rating: 4

Bus Stop
Kansas City Repertory Theatre



Leave it to Kansas City Rep to bring in a snowstorm dropping nearly twelve inches for opening weekend of a play about bus travelers stranded in the snow! Nice work, Eric Rosen, in making that happen! It's great to see an American classic on the Rep's stage, and Bus Stop is a nice follow-up to last year's production of The Glass Menagerie.

Kansas City actors Cheryl Weaver, David Fritts, Jim Gall, Gary Neal Johnson and Mark Robbins are fully capable of sharing the stage with the New York talent, Blair Baker, Adria Vitlar, and Jedadiah Schultz.

Set designer Andromache Chalfant has made the diner have the right feel of a little country bus stop haven with its counter and stools, tables and chairs, magnetic letter menu and coat and magazine racks. The sound and lighting effects (by Joe Cerqua and David Weiner, respectively) make the arrival and departure of the bus very believable, and the snow falling outside and gathering at the window corners is a nice effect. The decision to build Grace's apartment over the diner is a mistake, though. The script didn't call for it, and the two little scenes that take place there add nothing to the story except to dumb down all of Inge's clever dialog about Grace's relationship with Carl, the bus driver.

Blair Baker's Elma is the quintessential small-town girl with big dreams, and she is a nice contrast with the more experienced Cherie, played equally well by Adria Vitlar. The only flaw in Vitlar's performance was that her rendition of "That Old Black Magic" was sung too well for Cherie's hillbilly singer! Jim Gall as Sheriff Will brings just the right mix of authority figure and small town boy made good. Mark Robbins' professor with a thing for young women has a good world-weary intellect. Even though Bo is supposed to come on strong in the beginning, Jedadiah Schultz is a bit too overbearing at first, but eases into the performance nicely. Gary Neal Johnson gives the standout performance as Virgil, the crusty old cowboy living a lonely life of regrets and making sure Bo doesn't follow in his footsteps.

Please, Rep, please, keep bringing us Tennessee Williams, William Inge and maybe a little Thornton Wilder as well. When it seems the theatrical world has gone musical crazy, it's great to see these classics staged again!

read the review at KC Stage