Loveless Texas
About the show
Boomerang Theater Company presents a new musical inspired by Shakespeare’s 'Love’s Labour’s Lost' set in Texas during the Great Depression. More…
'Loveless Texas' tells the story of two brothers in 1920 Texas. The elder is King Navarre, responsible oil man and cattle rancher; the younger is Berowne Navarre, playboy and rascal. With the onset of the Great Depression, King hires Berowne and his college buddies Duke and Bubba, provided they swear off romance, drinking, carousing, and gambling. But when four intelligent and beautiful women arrive and demand an audience, all bets are off. 'Loveless Texas' features a score in a variety of traditional Americana styles, including swing, bluegrass, blues, Cajun waltz, two-step, and cowboy yodels.
"A lively, strong-voiced cast performs to a masterful script and set of knockout songs...Nearly every song in this musical is an exciting tour de force of music, lyrics, and vocal performance...'Loveless Texas' successfully pulls off a modernized American tale that reads like a perfect Shakespearean romance...Aronson and Heffernan have created a joyous, feel-good musical that gallops along like a Texas cowboy at a thrilling, exuberant pace." Full Review
“Now as ‘Loveless Texas’ by Henry Aronson (music and lyrics) and Cailín Heffernan (libretto and direction) it has become a delightful country-western musical set in the Lone Star State during the Great Depression. Faithful to the original story, it has a high-powered cast made up mainly of Broadway and National Tour veterans and contains a foot-tapping score. Its only flaw is that at two hours and 40 minutes, it is overly long considering not a lot happens.” Full Review
"A fluffy and fun spin on the Bard’s tale...Heffernan’s book keeps the action movin’ along at a brisk clip. Heffernan, who also directed, seems to mesh nicely with Aronson’s style. At 2 hrs and 40 minutes however, the story could use a small bit of trimming. Pleasant, but slow ballads tend to bog down the action near the end. Still, this cast is superb and delivers good ole-fashioned country twang with energy and authenticity." Full Review
"A toe-tapping musical comedy...Aronson’s country-western style music and lyrics do justice to the musical theater form. The songs heighten the mood of each scene, whether they be funny, pensive, or playful. The show features a live band which adds a wonderful touch to the toe-tapping, foot-stomping, make-you-get-up-and-dance hoedown that the show becomes at times...The cast are all exceptionally talented singers." Full Review
"Though overly long at two and a half hours, the good acting and singing from some Broadway talents and newcomers will lasso your admiration...While the book is so-so, Henry Aronson's music and lyrics are thoroughly sound. There are 19 musical numbers in all, with nary a dud among them...The ensemble acting is uniformly strong...'Loveless Texas,' in spite of its flaws, is well worth a visit." Full Review
“A barnyard-raising show with unflagging energy…There are too many songs...These people are constantly and inappropriately breaking out into song…This production hovers on the edge of greatness by virtue of its marvelous production values and performances. Though the ‘choreography’ is quite bad, Heffernan's direction is solid…If this show wants to fly, it needs to pare down on the interminable singing and focus on the songs that really matter.” Full Review
"A delicious, if overstuffed, puff pastry of a musical...The music is easy on the ears. Aronson...clearly knows how to write a catchy melody. He weaves them together in thrilling counterpoint...Heffernan's serviceable staging doesn't always compensate for a book that tends to drag...'Loveless Texas' could be a truly excellent musical with a bit more editing and some creative choreography. As it stands, 'Loveless' is a highly listenable musical romp." Full Review
“The latest entry in the Bardic song and dance catalogue is the…musically melodious but dramatically deficient ‘Loveless Texas’…It enjoys a wonderfully pleasant score by Henry Aronson…The singing is just fine, especially when in the hands of LaVergne's feisty Rosaline…Despite their expressive enthusiasm, several actors struggle to make their cardboard dialogue…and stereotypical characters believable. It's a shame Aronson didn't choose to write a sung-through adaptation.” Full Review
"'Loveless Texas' took an interesting twist on Shakespeare's 'Love's Labour's Lost' and made for a generally entertaining musical. The biggest issues with this modern restructuring of Shakespeare's classic were that it didn't take a big enough step away from the original in the over-arching plot. It became too predictable while creating too many subplots which became mired in unnecessary detail. Ultimately, the happy ending and the positive messages in the songs made for an enjoyable show." Full Review
“'Loveless, Texas' is an evening of country-western and traditional singing loosely strung together with a story…A melodrama about characters that don’t have clear motivations past money and marriage. The women are weakened from Shakespeare’s version…Aronson’s songs are written in a variety of styles, often with clever lyrical turns. Unfortunately, in most cases, the music is not served by the script and the script is not served by the music…All of the singing is superb.” Full Review
“Heffernan’s libretto is full of holes...Distinctive personality and emotional moments are washed over…Heffernan’s direction doesn’t flesh out the characters. Choreography, however, is cute…Aronson writes appealing, head-bobbing Texas swing, bluegrass, Cajun waltz and two-step with clever lyrics–upbeat and ballad alike…There’s much here, but it’s overshadowed by other issues…Forty-five minutes could easily be cut…Voices are good; acting is mostly surface.” Full Review
See it if You enjoy country music
Don't see it if Don't enjoy country music and humor
See it if if you like a musical texas twang style shakespeare play long first act - but still great songs and singing
Don't see it if if you like shakespeare untouched and not re-written
See it if You like musical comedy and want to have fun
Don't see it if You dislike musical comedy
See it if You wanna see a fun, musical with great performances, country music and lotsa heart.
Don't see it if You want to see a musical with big production values. This ones tell the story in an intimate theatre
See it if you want to see a entertaining and very moving musical based on a Shakespearean comedy set in Texas in 1929
Don't see it if you like short shows (it is 2 1/2 hours long), and don't see it if you hate country music or a complicated plot.
See it if You enjoy a very, talented cast and band, singing, dancing, playing in a clever show with country western, zydeco style. You like 1920's era
Don't see it if You like musical dramas with an edgy theme. Familiar musical revivals.
See it if you like well-written country-inspired showtunes, sympathetic family drama, cute romances, and fluffy happily-ever-afters.
Don't see it if you're looking for fast-moving, crisp narrative. Parts of the show feel slow. Some of the southern/Cajun accents are hard to understand.
See it if If u love musicals, great music, singing and staging.
Don't see it if U can't seat over 2 hours or need to see perfect choreography and dancing skills.
See it if you like a different type of musical with good acting and singing. With some work, this show could transfer to an off-Broadway venue.
Don't see it if You don't like country, bluegrass, or western music. You are easily annoyed by microphone issues. The sound system needs work.
See it if You love musicals with southern flair. Catchy tones, great voices and strong characters. The live band was phenomenal, effortless and fun.
Don't see it if You're expecting something controversial or thought provoking. Or not a fan of simple but smart staging and intimate set design.
See it if you like new musicals that need work but still make you smile, and a very strong cast, with a couple of exceptions. Needs cuts.
Don't see it if you have no patience with Shakespeare adaptations, don't like country and Cajun music, and are expecting polished sound tech.
Also For the most part this was a fun evening with a pleasant hard-working ... Read more Read less
See it if you can enjoy a show that’s flawed but contrives fun & clever answers to the problems of adaptation
Don't see it if you prefer shows that are as close to perfect as possible; you dislike Shakespeare adaptations that don’t keep any of the quotable lines
Also I’m over-scoring this—LT’s far from perfect but full of good ideas. A ... Read more Read less
See it if you like plays/musical based on Shakespeare comedies, toe-tapping country-western numbers, very talented actors/singers and a great band,
Don't see it if you do not like upbeat country-western songs, Shakespeare-based romantic comedies updated to the 20th century, and cutesy pairings at end.
See it if It was well done. The singers were wonderful. It was fun.
Don't see it if you are not a big fan of Shakespeare
See it if you want to see a 2:40 hour fun musical in depression era Texas/Louisiana loosely based on Love's Labor Lost with great songs and acting.
Don't see it if you are not into long musicals that are silly, predictable but fun.
See it if you like plays with good music, singing, and acting.
Don't see it if you have and aversion to country western music.
See it if you appreciate great performances from a talented cast despite a plot that is hard to follow. Most of the songs are upbeat and lively.
Don't see it if you insist on a show that is fully polished and easy to understand.
See it if You love seeing talented performers (and a great band) in an intimate setting, with lots of singing.
Don't see it if You don't care for musical Shakespeare adaptations.
See it if you enjoy new musicals in a traditional format w/ a big cast of multitalented performers, many of them young & just starting out.
Don't see it if you prefer cutting edge theatre, don't like traditional musicals, & /or are expecting to see a musical version of "Love's Labour's Lost."
See it if If you want to be entertained by great singing and good acting country western type songs
Don't see it if You hate country western/bluegrass and expecting a heavy show
See it if Enjoy Shakespeare's story to country/blue grass music. Talented singers. Clean fun musical.
Don't see it if If you can't sit through a 90 min first act or country/ bluegrass musical. Clean show.
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