A rollercoaster ride of emotions, Lonesome Traveler is amongst one of the best productions that I have seen so far this year. I don’t consider myself a fan of folk music, so I found myself excited yet curious to see what I was going to witness at 59E59 Theaters. I found myself surrounded by people that all knew the songs that were sung during the show, and while I didn’t know the majority of those songs, it was a great sight to see the audience come together and be a part of the show.
Lonesome Traveler celebrates the longevity of folk music, and the effect that it has on our society. This production is more like a musical journey that takes us from the deserts of Arizona to the streets of New York, and reveals the changes of society from the 1920s to today. While I didn’t know a lot of the songs in this production, I was very moved by the meaning behind each one of them. The shocking part came when the cast started singing the classic “This Land is Your Land,” which is a song that was taught to a lot of elementary school children. Other classics like “Puff the Magic Dragon” and “We Shall Overcome” added to the overall comradery vibe of the production.
The multi-talented cast members include Jamie Drake, Sylvie Davidson, Justin Flagg (Something for the Boys), Brendan Willing James, Anthony Manough (Broadway’s The Lion King), Nicholas Mongiardo-Cooper, Jennifer Leigh Warren (Marie Christine), Trevor Wheetman, and James Webb. When you combine an amazing and charismatic cast like this, that is able to reach across the seats and make you want to dance along, along with a well-written script, that’s when you know you have a hit in the making.
Lonesome Traveler is currently in production at 59E59 Theaters, which is located at 59 East 59th Street and produced by Off-Broadway Across America in association with the Rubicon Theatre Company. 59E59 is responsible for bringing us amazing Off-Broadway productions like Lonesome Traveler. If you are a fan of folk music and want to reminisce or just want to enjoy some good old fashioned music, then make sure to check out one of the productions. For more information and to purchase tickets for the show, visit www.59e59.org.
Twisted Talk: Are you a fan of Folk music? Will you be seeing The Lonesome Traveler? Discuss below!
