Some good ol’ ’50s Rock & Roll proved the perfect accompaniment to a Cape Cod summer, during a three-week run of the show at the historic Cape Playhouse in June 2025. The Playhouse, which opened in 1927 has seen many famous faces grace its boards over the years – including Julie Andrews, Bernadette Peters, Olympia Dukakis, Bette Davis, Henry Fonda, Betty White, Gertrude Lawrence, and Ginger Rogers to name but a few – and now also the fabulous multi-talented cast of Buddy!
(L-R) Andy Christopher, Jeffrey Thomas Kelly, and Matt Cusack
Reviews:
SEASON OPENER ‘BUDDY’ ROCKS THE CAPE PLAYHOUSE
“Dennis Village was rockin’ last week with the opening of Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story at the iconic Cape Playhouse, kicking off the legendary summer theater’s 99th season.
“Everything from the casting to the nostalgic music and even the picture-perfect vinyl record-shaped stage was masterfully crafted and produced. The jukebox musical style show is filled with countless memorable songs and tunes from an era gone by.
“Buddy follows the heartbreaking true story behind Buddy Holly’s short rise to rock stardom and his untimely death alongside two other music legends at the dawn of rock and roll, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper.
“The show transports audiences from small-town Lubbock, Texas, to Decca Recording Studios in Nashville, then on to Clovis, NM and the Apollo Theater in New York City where Buddy Holly and the Crickets made history as the first white band to play there. With every song, we witness rock history unfolding before our eyes, and by the end of the show we are only left with the lingering memory of the “Day the Music Died.”
(L-R) Isaiah Reynolds and Ta’nika Gibson
“Buddy is jam-packed with over two dozen songs including favorites like ‘That’ll Be the Day’, ‘Everyday’, ‘La Bamba’, and ‘Oh Boy’. The audience also learns how the iconic tune ‘Peggy Sue’ came to be.
“The title role of Buddy Holly is played by the fiercely charming Andy Christopher, a native Texan like Holly. In fact, Christopher learned to play guitar in Lubbock bars with Buddy Holly’s nephew.
“Christopher Alvarado portrays the youthful Ritchie Valens to perfection alongside Matt Cusack as the Big Bopper. Cusack is also the Music Director for this Playhouse production. Legna Cedillo portrays Holly’s wife Maria Elena quite tenderly, and David Bonanno plays music executive Murray Deutch…
“The talent in Buddy was second to none, proving that the Cape Playhouse and Artistic Director Eric Rosen know how to cast a show. Rounding out this spectacular cast are Gian Raffaele Diconstanzo, Ta’nika Gibson, Katie Horner, Jeffrey Thomas Kelly and Isaiah Reynolds.
“The Cape Playhouse production of Buddy is directed by Meredith McDonough with choreography by Felicity Stiverson and set design by Lex Liang.
“This is one of the most hoppin’ fun times you’ll have at the theater this summer. Buddy will have you on your feet dancing by the end of the night… be sure to score tickets soon.”
–Melissa De La Vega, Cape Cod Chronicle
The cast of Buddy at the Cape Playhouse
THE SOUNDS OF ROCK ‘N’ ROLL, ‘BUDDY’ AND CRICKETS MARK THE START OF SUMMER (abridged)
“In her Cape Playhouse debut, director Meredith McDonough brings the rich musical material to life with strong staging and excellent casting choices, led with the multi-talented Andy Christopher in the titular role. In addition to possessing strong vocal chops and physical characteristics (tall, lanky) that add to his pitch-perfect portrayal, Christopher’s bio reveals that he is a native Texan who learned to play the guitar by playing Lubbock bars with Buddy Holly’s nephew! Backing up Holly on lead guitar are his bandmates The Crickets, including bass player Joe B. Mauldin (Matt Cusack, also the production’s Music Director and the Big Bopper), and drummer Jerry Allison (born and raised on the Cape actor Jeffrey Thomas Kelly in his Cape Playhouse debut). Cusack is quite the showman, at times hoisting the bass overhead or playing it upside down and climbing on it (who knew that its curvy sides shaped like the number three includes a step? Not one to miss out on the fun, Christopher takes a turn at this too)…
“The audience at the opening weekend performance I saw was enthusiastically engaged from start to finish. Buddy gives them an inside peek at recording sessions, radio, and live appearances, with the familiar tunes and lyrics of ‘That’ll Be the Day’, ‘Peggy Sue’, ‘Oh Boy’, ‘Maybe Baby’, clear audience favorites that had the packed house singing along, tapping their feet, and dancing in the pews…
“The scene at the iconic Apollo Theater in Harlem, NYC at the end of Act I was powerfully performed, fitting for the historic moment it represented… Actors Ta’nika Gibson (an outstanding Lucinda in Broadway’s Into the Woods and Isaiah Reynolds (a phabulous Pharus in Speakeasy Stage’s Choir Boy play), Apollo regulars who are somewhat shocked that the musicians who have been booked to perform (and who sound Black) are white, and skeptical that the audience will respond favorably. Though it takes a while for the audience to warm up to them, the resulting blend of rhythms, instruments and performers of different races is magical, and reminds us of the power of music to heal and unite and rock ‘n’ roll’s important place in American history.”
–Linda Chin, Theatermirror.net
Christopher Alvarado as Ritchie Valens at the Cape Playhouse
Photos by Nile Scott Studios
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