Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Over at Sag Harbor, Bay Street Theater mounts a solid summer revival of Frank Wildhorn’s BONNIE & CLYDE

• By drediman
• August 12, 2025
• No Comments

This past weekend, I found myself in the Hamptons and had the opportunity to attend Bay Street Theater’s solid revival of Bonnie and Clyde in Sag Harbor. If you haven’t already gathered, the musical is a theatrical retelling of the lives of the infamous real life duo Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow, the Depression-era outlaw-cum-lovers whose criminal escapades and bloody end are the stuff of anti-establishment legend. Featuring music by Frank Wildhorn, lyrics by Don Black, and a book by Ivan Menchell, the musical debuted on the Great White Way in 2011 to lukewarm critical notices. About fifteen years onwards, the Bay Street Theater production gives audiences the welcome chance to reassess the material.

In essence Bonnie and Clyde seems a spiritual successor to Kander and Ebb’s classic musical Chicago (the 1996 revival is still going strong on Broadway at the Ambassador Theatre), particularly in its examination of our country’s obsession over money and fame. Wildhorn’s score veers refreshingly from the kind of anthemic power ballads for which he’s known (e.g., Jekyll and Hyde, The Scarlet Pimpernel) in favor of a more nuanced and varied score that features catchy jazz, blues, and gospel tunes, thereby integrating with the story’s setting more effectively than his other shows. Where the show stumbles at times are Black’s lyrics and Menchell’s book, both of which fall into the category of being somewhat pedestrian and predictable. Luckily, the title characters are thoughtfully etched, giving sufficient depth and texture to a tale which we all know how will end.

The efficiently staged revival has been directed by Scott Schwartz — Bay Street Theater’s artistic director — who does a commendable job of maintaining a wonderful sense of pacing throughout (kudos specifically to Michael Salvatore Commendatore and Mike Billing’s projections and lighting, respectively). The central characters of Bonnie and Clyde are played by two up-and-coming musical talents, Lyda Jade Harlan and Charlie Webb. Both sing wonderfully, even if at times their chemistry is underpowered. Nevertheless, they are an attractive pair and ably hold the show together. The rest of the young cast is hardworking and game, providing an effective framework for which the story to unfold.

RECOMMENDED

BONNIE & CLYDE
Regional, Musical
Bay Street Theater
2 hours, 20 minutes (including one intermission)
Through August 24