It's been four long decades since rock 'n' roll first irrevocably altered the rhythms of our daily lives. Yet there's nothing quite so wonderful as rediscovering the innocence and joyful exuberance of early rock, particularly as it was embodied in Buddy Holly, the boy from Lubbock, Texas, whose career was as brief and as brilliant as a fiery comet.

That rediscovery, in fact, is precisely what happens in "Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story," the hugely enjoyable musical bio that opened Wednesday night for a three-week engagement at the Shubert Theatre.

Without question, the magic at the Shubert is due largely to Chip Esten, who spent 10 months in the London production of the musical before joining this national touring company.

Esten is simply phenomenal - singing, playing guitar and launching into Holly's trademark one-leg skipping routines with such bravura energy, skill and beguiling ease that you begin to believe he actually wrote the songs, too. And while fans of the 1978 movie may prefer the screenplay to Alan James' simplistic if serviceable book, no one would argue that Esten gives that film's star, Gary Busey, a real run for his money.

Directed by Rob Bettinson, the show, which features more than two dozen songs by Holly, follows a straightforward chronological line that begins in 1955, when Holly and his backup musicians, the Crickets, win a contract with Decca Records, a country music outfit. Contentious, stubborn, experimental and hugely confident (despite the fact that he had, as his manager put it, "as much sex appeal as a telegraph pole"), Holly quickly converted his backers to the rock beat. And between 1957 and 1958 he had 10 hit records, appeared at the Apollo in Harlem, on the "Ed Sullivan Show" and in those countless cities and towns along the interstate that are part of any rock musician's pilgrimage.

Singer, songwriter and born performer, as well as a pioneer in recording techniques and cross-culturalism, Holly's career spanned barely four action-packed years before he died in a plane crash in 1959 at the age of 22, leaving his pregnant wife and shattered fans behind. But his legacy, an infectiously joyful and surprisingly varied songbook, is amply celebrated in this show, with such classics as "Peggy Sue," "That'll Be the Day," "Oh Boy," "Everyday," "Heartbeat," "Think It Over" and many more.

Standouts in the multitalented cast are Alex Paez as Ritchie Valens; Brian Ruf as the Big Bopper; Vanessa A. Jones, Ramona Keller and Fredi Walker as the Apollo Singers; Bobby Prochaska (bass) and Colin Gray (drums) as the Crickets, and Tony Gilbert as their first manager. Together with Esten, they bring Buddy back to radiant life.

Article from:Chicago Sun-Times Article date:July 9, 1992 Author: Hedy Weiss