Stage Right Presents Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story
By Amy Sowers
“It’s not that I want to be rich. I just want the world to remember the name Buddy Holly.”, asserted by a then teenaged Buddy Holly. In the incredibly short time Buddy was in the public eye, he inspired upcoming artists such as Paul McCartney, John Lennon, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan and most notably Don McClean who coined the phrase “the day the music died.” The director of the Stage Right production of this production, Sean Keith Thompson explains, “The play charts the life of Buddy from 1955 when he first broke into the mainstream until the fateful winter night of in February of 1959 when, after giving what would be his final concert in Iowa, he boarded an airplane with Richie Valens and J P “ The Big Bopper” Richardson that crashed shortly after takeoff, killing all three plus the pilot. The last part of the stage musical recreates that final performance at Winter Dance Party at the Surf Ballroom.”
Sean states, “Though I’ve directed the play before, it was many, many years ago at a small community venue. And though the audiences loved it, I knew the story of this amazing man hadn’t been brought to its fullest level. Thankfully, Stage Right had the resources and the determination to allow me to help steer this show this time to its maximum potential.” He has cast a remarkable group of performers, including a face very familiar to Stage Right patrons, Ian Montez. Ian has been fascinated by Buddy Holly for years and he is very excited to bring Buddy to life. Ian is an accomplished musician and songwriter. His brother, Robben Montez plays Jerry Allison, the Crickets’ drummer as well as Richie Valens. Robben is also a favorite performer onstage at the Crighton Theatre and is currently playing Riff in the Stage Right production West Side Story. John Thompson is cast as The Big Bopper and Maria Elena Santiago Holly is played by Raquel Oliviera. Local favorite Teddy Gipson is cast as the Apollo Theatre MC and an Apollo performer.
Thompson’s relationship with the Crighton Theatre began in the mid-1990s, when he was in the on-stage band for a production of Little Shop of Horrors. He says, “Well, we were actually under the stage, crouched down low which was something interesting to deal with; for the first time in my life, I bumped my head on something low.” After that production, however, he didn’t return as a performer for decades, until two years ago when he played The Man in the Chair for Stage Right’s The Drowsy Chaperone. Since then, he’s acted in Spamalot and Much Ado About Nothing. Sean states, “Some plays you accept because they’re fun to direct. Some plays whisper to the director that they’re made for each other. And some plays you feel a responsibility to bring to life at a visceral level. But for Buddy, for the first time in my career, it was all three that compelled me to direct it.”
Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story premiered in 1989 at the Theatre Royal, Plymouth, U. K. and has been seen for 22 million people across the globe. Buddy’s hits include “That’ll be the Day”, “Everyday”, “Peggy Sue” and “Rave On”. His contribution to music is indelible even though his career was so brief. To that Lubbock teenage boy I say, “Well done Buddy Holly. Your name will always be remembered.”
Buddy: the Buddy Holly Story will run April 5-April 21 at the historic Crighton Theatre. Tickets are available by calling the box office at (936)441-7469 or going to stage-right.org. Don’t be fooled by second market ticket sellers. No Stage Right ticket should cost more than $30 with a few dollars of service fees.
