This rarely revived Lerner and Loewe musical, unearthed by PCPA Theaterfest as a summer treat for nostalgic seniors, is a romantic fantasy about a Scottish village that comes to life just one day each century. Think of it as the original Forever Plaid. Well-received at its 1947 Broadway debut, Brigadoon's painfully sincere mix of mysticism and sentimentality has not aged well. Only the lovely score, which includes the standard "Almost Like Being in Love," retains its luster. Director-choreographer Scott Thompson's uneven production is as problematic as the show itself: He stages lively dance sequences but never conveys the otherworldly atmosphere the material demands.
The best reasons to see the production are the two female leads. As the feisty Scottish lass who falls in love with a hunter that stumbles upon her enchanted town, Teressa Byrne gives a finely nuanced performance. In her gorgeously sung solo number "Waitin' For My Dearie," there's a telling disconnect between the confident lyrics and the troubled look on her face.
But the showstopping performance is given by Heidi Ewart, who is gloriously uninhibited as the town slut. Her solo number "The Love of My Life," in which she describes her many short-lived love affairs, is the production's hilarious highlight. The men are less memorable--especially Jeff Pierce, who is utterly unconvincing as Byrne's befuddled love interest. Michael J. Dempsey's scenic design is awfully sparse, no doubt due to budget limitations, but Misti Bradford's costumes have a pleasing earthiness to them.