Press Releases and Show Reviews

By: Barbara & Scott Siegel
THEATERMANIA

Reagan Stone is a warm-voiced soprano who also has a socko Broadway belt. Attractive, quick-witted, and fully at home on a stage, Stone put on a wonderfully well crafted show at Don't Tell Mama that was directed with style by Scott Barnes and imaginatively arranged and played by musical director David Brunetti. (By the way, Brunetti has impressed us as a major asset for every performer with whom he works).

Stone, a delightful daughter of Dixie, provided her audience with plenty of Southern comfort in the form of songs like "Pardon My Southern Accent" (Johnny Mercer-Matt Malneck), "If I Had My Druthers" (Johnny Mercer-Gene dePaul), and "Carolina in the Morning" (Walter Donaldson). In a more playful mood, she put over a delicious version of "Pink Fish" (Alan Menken).

The show was not entirely southern fried. It was also about family, love, and -- briefly -- about the eye disease that will eventually leave Stone blind. On all of these subjects, she displayed a sophisticated combination of upbeat attitude and wry self-awareness. That allowed her to defiantly sing "I'm Not Afraid of Anything" (Jason Robert Brown) even as she admitted in the song to putting up walls as a way of keeping emotions at bay.

Emotions ran high during the performance, and so did talent. There's talk that the show will be coming back to Don't Tell Mama soon.

Reagan Stone. Memorable name, memorable show.