I first learned about JAKS Theatre Company last summer. I casually opened the arttix.org app looking for a show to see on a Saturday night, and I saw that they were staging Hadestown. Their polished, poignant production thoroughly impressed and deeply moved me, prompting eager anticipation of this year’s Bright Star. Consistent with their work last summer, the company of young performers presents mature subject matter with incredible emotional depth and authenticity. Their rendition of Bright Star earnestly captures the show’s journey through love, loss, deception, forgiveness, and reconciliation.
The year is 1945, and Billy Cane (Myles LaPorte) returns to Hayes Creek after serving in World War II. He reunites with his father (Simon Parnell) and childhood friend Margo (Saylor Sutherland), only to learn the tragic news that his beloved mother passed away while he was gone. Ready for a new start, Billy elects to pursue his passion for writing. He leaves for Asheville intent on having his stories published in the Asheville Southern Journal. He meets journal staff members Daryl (Ian Mallory) and Lucy (Elsha MacKay) who reject his submissions, but a clever lie persuades shrewd editor Alice Murphy (Nara Morgan) to give him a chance. Fun-loving and sharp-witted Lucy boldly invites the formidable Alice to join her at a dance that evening, but Alice declines as such frivolity doesn’t fit her stern professional persona. Secretly, though, Alice reminisces that “Way Back in the Day,” she would have fully indulged in a carefree night out without any hesitation.
The time shifts to 1923 in Zebulon, North Carolina where a sixteen-year-old Alice flirts with Jimmy Ray Dobbs (Matthew Salzman). They are happy in love, allowing their romance to blossom and become intimate. Their parents, however, have a very different view, forcefully interfering to keep the young couple apart. Alice’s parents (Jenson Ellington and Hannah Clark) chastise their high-spirited daughter for being undisciplined and immoral. Her behavior brings shame on their humble, rigidly religious family. In contrast, Jimmy Ray’s father is Josiah Dobbs (Zachary Hayward), a wealthy businessman and Zebulon’s mayor. He perceives that his son’s union with a humble girl like Alice will jeopardize his family’s status, wealth, and legacy. Ultimately, Josiah is willing to do the unthinkable to protect the family empire.
As they did with Hadestown, JAKS has triple-cast Bright Star. I saw the Blue Ridge cast on opening night, and I was thrilled to see familiar faces on stage, some of whom I learned are between their junior and senior year of high school. This underscores the high quality of their preparation and performance, having appeared quite seasoned last year, making me assume they were juniors or seniors then. What they achieve on stage exceeds their years. This cast offers several noteworthy performances.
- Nara Morgan highlights Alice’s calm self-assurance, despite the profound heartbreak and loss her character experiences. These qualities come through in Morgan’s impeccable Southern accent—which appropriately varies between Alice’s small-town upbringing and her educated professional life—as well as her carefully paced sung phrasing. Her renditions of “Way Back in the Day,” “I Can’t Wait,” and “Please Don’t Take Him” touchingly covey Alice’s range of emotions.
- Myles LaPorte (Billy) and Matthew Salzman (Jimmy Ray) both lend their characters steady, grounded vocals and consistent accents, carrying their scenes with a natural ease that is particularly refreshing to watch. LaPorte stands out in his interpretation of “Bright Star,” giving Billy the hope and enthusiasm of a young man embarking on a new course. Salzman’s Jimmy Ray is unwavering both in his devotion to Alice and standing his ground against his father’s demands, culminating in a stirring version of “Heartbreaker.”
- Saylor Sutherland’s characterization of Margo adds youthful Southern charm that is a delightful complement to LaPorte’s optimistic Billy. She maintains resonant vocals throughout, making “Asheville” a memorable highlight.
- Elsha MacKay (Lucy) and Ian Mallory (Daryl) give the show a high level of energetic comic relief. MacKay’s Lucy is vivacious, sassy, and bold; Mallory’s Daryl matches her step-for-step in their comedic banter. Their triple-threat versatility turns “Another Round” into a dynamic crowd-pleaser.
- Jenson Ellington thoughtfully shows the nuances of Daddy Murphy’s character—both the strict man of faith who won’t tolerate Alice’s supposed rebellion and the remorseful father who realizes he made mistakes. With a steady, slightly gritty, baritone, Ellington clearly shapes Daddy Murphy as an unyielding disciplinarian in “Firmer Hand / Do Right.” His speaking voice becomes appropriately tender in the Act II scene when he and Alice reconcile.
- Hannah Clark elevates the role of Mama Murphy with a rich vocal presence. Her warm, assured tone radiates in her solos, most notably “Sun’s Gonna Shine.”
- Zachary Hayward commands the stage as Mayor Josiah Dobbs. His confident textured baritone casts the mayor as imposing, uncompromising, and domineering—a wealthy public official entirely used to getting his way, evident in his compelling delivery of “A Man’s Gotta Do.”
This is a fantastic production that I highly recommend seeing! Bright Star runs through Saturday, June 13, 2026 at Regent Street Black Box at The Eccles. Click here for tickets.
The Good Life 
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