Broadway in Milwaukee: Once

A musical that will have you falling slowly

I feel like I've been waiting forever to see Once. It's based on a movie from 2007 — a movie that, though critically acclaimed and Oscar-winning for best song, certainly didn't become a household name. I feel like the stage version of Once followed a somewhat similar path. Of course it's known among theater-loving folks — it won eight Tony Awards in 2012, including Best Musical, and I've been swooning ever since. But Once doesn't come with a lot of fanfare. It's not your typical big showy musical. That's exactly as it should be. 

The song that won the Oscar is "Falling Slowly," and that's just how you'll fall for this charming piece of musical theater. It doesn't knock you over the head with show-stopping numbers, but quietly bewitches your senses. One of the more unique aspects of the show is that all of the musicians are the actors on stage — most of them featured for the entirety of the play, lending a melody here and there. How cool is that? I was struck by the fact that all of these sensational performers are triple threats in a way I'd never seen or considered before: They can act, they can sing, and they can command an instrument. Some even dance, too. Such talent blows my mind.

The two leads, played by Sam Cieri and Mackenzie Lesser-Roy, were spellbinding. Their acting was real and down to earth, their relationship totally believable, and their voices: soul-stirring. They sing with such feeling and heart, it's easy to get caught up in their world — a world where one meeting can change a life. The story is simple and the world of the play is small. All of the action happens over the coarse of a week, and the intimacy of the stage, its sparse props, and the lack of a major orchestra add to the feeling of sweet simplicity. In the world of Once, less is oh so much more. 

All the moving parts of this show — the musicians, staging, story, songs that'll tear your heart out and have you heaving sighs — it all comes together beautifully. Finally seeing Once after all the hype I'd built up in my head was a joy. Everything I hoped and more. As my theater date said: "That was nice." He meant "nice" in the most flattering sense — sweet, heartfelt, lovely. Catch the show in Milwaukee through April 10th, or listen to the music here. Either way, be prepared to fall slowly — or quickly, as I did — for Once.