Miss Isabella Rainsong and Her Traveling Companion
Florida Festival of New Musicals
Book, Lyrics & Music by Ross D. Martin
Directed by Roy Alan
Musical Director Ross Martin
Starring Ross D. Martin
Winter Park Playhouse, Winter Park, FL
I think I saw something like this last Fringe: a single actor tells his story while playing innovative country-influenced music on a fantastic guitar. Tonight our traveler never identifies himself, but he’s got a history of fraud and petty crime and a lifestyle that keeps him moving. Broke and running fast, he’s in a railroad station where a page brings him to a lonely guitar and an unlimited AMTRAK pass. He thinks: jump to the next stop and find a pawn shop, but the guitar and the entire AMTRAK system have other plans. The guitar attaches to him, and eventually cleans him up: he’s off the drugs, he’s eating regular, and he keep the guitar in the window seat. Pleasantly mystical, well sung and well composed, we find a ready-to-rock and roll one man show that can expand or contract to the time available. It’s not exactly what I see as a WPPH show; the country / folk tone and small cast doesn’t have the Broadway glitz they do best, but its definely a polished. This is a ready to rock and roll hour that could take writer Martin far.
