Village’s ‘Heart’ is country all the way

Published 9:00 pm Thursday, May 5, 2005

EVERETT – Like a good ol’ country song, there’s plenty of loving, laughter and an abundance of heart-tugging, boy-meet-girl drama in the Village Theatre production of the new musical “Play It By Heart” … yee-haw!

From the moment the curtain rises on the choir-robed Jasper Family Singers – Mom Naomi (Sharva Maynard), guitar-plucking Dad Buck (John Patrick Lowrie) and rising star daughter Jeannine (Gail Bliss) – you’re transported to the ambience of the Grand Ole Opry. Crooning their hearts out, their gospel country roots bloom on stage while they carry their message – “It’s a hard road to heaven and an easy road to hell” – to audiences across the country.

One concert runs into another until Jeannine, 20 years later, is the “Queen of Country Music.” Dressed in sequins with a tall, full blond wig, Jeannine is old-time country-gospel at a time when edgier, younger stars are emerging – including the youngest Jasper, sister Jamie Lynn (Katie E. Tomlinson).

After seven cities and 11 shows in 12 nights, Jeannine is tired. She finds herself at a crossroads. Should she buckle under to Naomi and keep singing or park the tour bus and possibly write her own country love song.

Though the show is almost three hours long, opening night’s audience hardly seemed bothered. Nineteen songs later, the audience still applauded every one of country music professionals David Spangler and David Taylor’s songs.

“Play It by Heart” is a show still in the making, yet its heart lies in the relationship between the three women. Best described by Buck, the Jasper women are “stubborn, bull-headed and so beautiful they’ll break your heart.”

The ensemble performance, directed by Steve Tomkins, is outstanding and each of the female Jaspers is spirited, alive, genuine, and … can they sing! Maynard’s Naomi is the no-nonsense matriarch, embracing “God’s work” including her duty to have a few words with Jamie Lynn to set her back on the Lords path … before it hurts sales.

As Jeannine, Gail Bliss, a Nashville recording singer, showcases both her vocal and acting talent. (The audience loved her; however none was as proud as her mother who sat next to us saying how Bliss has been singing gospel since childhood.) Tomlinson is perfect as Janine’s equally spirited and vocally talented much younger sister, striving for her independence while fighting childhood ghosts.

Also good are Joshua Bott as Ari Gold, a city-slicker record producer who hilariously falls in love with both Jamie and country music, trading his leather jacket for white leather boots.

And not to be ignored is the real scene-stealer, Lowrie as Buck. It’s Buck who has the key to the Jasper women’s hearts. Whether thinking about abdicating from the family (“Just call me Buck, I’m thinking about dropping the last name”) or advising his young daughter about life (“If you don’t know your part, just play it by heart”) he’s truly a gem and one of the show’s brightest stars.