'Seven Brides' puts a song in your heart

How fitting that the theater complex once called "The Frontier" should celebrate its 40th year with a hurly-burly hoedown taken from the Wild West. Fiddles rattle, and hoots and hollers bounce off the walls as "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" comes to Chanhassen.

This is a musical that makes "Oklahoma!" look positively urban (planted cornfields, indeed!). The Pontipee brothers in 1850 Oregon territory were earthy varmints looking for women to tame their homestead and keep them warm at night. Didn't matter how these rascals got 'em -- just so the feminine types would say yes.

Director Michael Brindisi writes in his program notes that this is a story about survival and family, but let me tell you, folks, that's city talk! If you took the story of "7B7B" seriously, you would run, shrieking from the theater. Keith Rice plays Adam Pontipee, who walks into town, declaring that he wants a wife. Five minutes later, he's carrying Milly (Norah Long) up to his mountain ranch. Milly tries to civilize Adam's six brothers, teaching them how to court and such. When they start mooning over wanting women themselves, Adam inspires them to raid the town and steal their brides. And that's it! You've got yourself a musical, mister.

This is pure escapism, a hokey romp with some tuneful songs and showy choreography -- and it feels perfect for Chanhassen. Brindisi could not have found a better fit for his lead players. Rice's long suit has always been his exaggerated swagger and macho bluff -- that big baritone, the barrel chest and the cocksure walk of self-importance. Yeah, this is a man cut from the frontier. Long, who has been gone from the Chanhassen stage for six years (too long), counters with a flinty Milly, determined and tough yet generous in spirit. We are reminded again of what Long brings to the stage: an obvious enthusiasm for performance, a good-natured willingness to work and a crystalline soprano. Simply put, Rice and Long click, and their spirit infects everyone onstage. Chad Anderson, an innocent string bean, is sweet as the youngest brother, Gideon; his catch/intended/gal is played by Krysti Wiita with bubbling youth.

And choreographer Tamara Kangas Erickson has some dancin' going on. Lifts and throws, like you see in that ballet place, square dancing and other great courtin' moves. Seriously, folks, the second act ballet is a lovely and light stretch of movement that perfectly expresses springtime. Kyle Clausen takes his first turn at music direction on the big stage, with his band tucked at the rear of Nayna Ramey's rough-hewn set.

It's such a throwback and yet this is the first time "7B7B" has played at Chanhassen. The 1954 movie was only made into a musical in 1982. How ironic (I know, that's more city talk) that this newish piece is such a perfect fit for an old ramshackle theater that always carries the faint whiff of woodsmoke. It's short, enjoyable and digestible. Just what you want in a dinner theater.

Graydon Royce • 612-673-7299