Spiff  Wiegand (Buddy Holly),
Ken Sandberg  & Matt Ruff (The Crickets)
Buddy - The Buddy Holly Story

The American singer-songwriter Buddy Holly was born Charles Hardin Holley on September 7, 1936, in Lubbock, Texas. He learned to play guitar while very young and made his local television debut when he was just 16 years old. He formed a band and opened for Elvis Presley in 1955 and started recording in 1957. He was a prolific songwriter and would record many hit songs and create a legacy of music before his untimely death on February 3, 1959, at the age of 22, when he, Ritchie Valens, and The Big Bopper died in a plane crash. 

Spiff  Wiegand (Buddy Holly),
Ken Sandberg  & Matt Ruff (The Crickets)
Robert Mobley (Norman Petty)
Buddy - The Buddy Holly Story

We had the pleasure of finally seeing the play on opening night, Saturday, March 19, 2022.  We say finally, because the play was originally scheduled to open on March 20, 2020. Director and MTC Co-Founder Kevin Connors noted in the program, that they were in mid-rehearsal on March 13, 2020, when the production stopped due to the pandemic. 

Spiff  Wiegand (Buddy Holly),
Ken Sandberg  & Matt Ruff (The Crickets)
Buddy - The Buddy Holly Story     

The play tells the story of Buddy Holly's meteoric rise to fame from January 1956 until his death in February 1959. The story unfolds through Buddy Holly's music with the multi-talented cast of actors, musicians, and singers taking the audience on a musical journey of his successes through the hit songs, That'll Be the Day, Peggy Sue, Everyday, Oh Boy, Not Fade Away, Rave On, Raining In My Heart and many more. Although his life was cut short at the age of 22, his music lives on. Buddy Holly's music went on to inspire and influence many musicians including The Beetles, The Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, and many others. 

Jimmy Lewis (The Big Bopper)
Buddy - The Buddy Holly Story

After waiting for 2 years to see this play, it was magical to see the large cast of twelve embody the joy of performing and bring Buddy Holly's story to life. Spiff Wiegand excels in his role as Buddy Holly. An actor, singer songwriter, and musician who plays over 20 instruments, he gives credence to the role and delivers an impressive performance. Matt Ruff plays Buddy's bandmate Joe B. Maudlin who together with Ken Sandberg as Jerry Allison are The Crickets. Interesting to note is that the play is almost like being at a concert as the band plays live on stage to tell the story of Buddy Holly. 

Gian Raffaele DiConstanzo (Ritchie Valens)
Buddy - The Buddy Holly Story

Jimmy Lewis captures the energy and spirit of The Big Bopper (J.P. Richardson, Jr. 1930 - 1959) and delivers the song Chantilly Lace with a rich vibrancy, and Gian Raffaele DiConstanzo as Ritchie Valens (1941-1959) belts out La Bamba that had the audience dancing in their seats. Other multi-talented cast actors/singers/musicians included Adam Von Almen as the DJ Hipockets Duncan (and others), Robert Mobley as The Crickets record producer Norman Petty (and others), Blair Alexis Brown as Norman's wife, Vi (and others), Elena Ramos Pascullo as Buddy's wife, Maria Elena (and others), Michael Ray Fisher as an Apollo Headliner (and others), Jannie Jones as an Apollo Headliner (and others), and Jeff Gurner as Tommy (and others). 

Gian Raffaele DiConstanzo (Ritchie Valens)
Spiff Wiegand (Buddy Holly), Jimmy Lewis (The Big Bopper)
Buddy - The Buddy Holly Story

The play ended with the full cast onstage for a rousing song that had the audience on its feet dancing at their seats and one couple from the audience dancing the jitterbug; it was that kind of night. 

Michael Ray Fisher & Jannie Jones
Buddy - The Buddy Holly Story

As it was opening night, there was a reception after the play hosted by Black Rock Social House, and we spent time chatting with the actors who were thrilled be back on stage performing again, and who brought a dynamic and intense energy to their roles and to the music. A big shout-out to MTC Co-Founders Kevin Connors and Jim Schilling who persevered for two years to finally bring Buddy - The Buddy Holly Story to life. Bravo! 

Spiff Wiegand (Buddy Holly)
Elena Ramos Pascullo (Maria Elena)
Buddy - The Buddy Holly Story

Until next time, keep enjoying and supporting the arts! 

Buddy - The Buddy Holly Story Schedule: The play runs from February 5 - 20, 2022, Fridays at 8:00 pm, Saturdays at 2:00 pm and 8:00 pm, and Sundays at 2:00 pm, and one Thursday performance at 1:00 pm on March 31, 2022. All performances are in-person. The play runtime is 2 hours and 15 minutes with an intermission. 

Ticket prices: $45-$65 plus fees and can be purchased online at their website: https://ci.ovationtix.com/36019/production/1048043 or over the phone: 203-454-3883. 

Know Before You Go: 

"For the safety of all our patrons we are requiring proof of COVID-19 vaccination as well as a valid ID for all performances. Masks must be worn." 

Buddy - The Buddy Holly Story Crew and Cast 

Upcoming Performances 

About MTC

"Music Theatre of Connecticut is the premier provider of musical theatre performance and training. Founded in 1987, we produce an annual series of Equity productions featuring New York professionals (MTC MainStage), numerous annual student productions, and a conservatory-style School of Performing Arts with curriculum-based training for students ages four through high school, including the nationally recognized College-Bound in the Performing Arts program for performance career-focused high school students." 

The Music Theatre of Connecticut (MTC) was founded in 1987 by Kevin Connors (Artistic Director and Co-Founder) and Jim Schilling (Co-Founder), where MTC's focus is musical theatre performance and training. 

For more information, please visit their website: www.MusicTheatreofCT.com.

Music Theatre of Connecticut
509 Westport Avenue
(Enter the Bright Beginnings parking lot and look for MTC's orange awning)
Norwalk, Connecticut 06851
United States
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