Autumn at the Opry at Flat Rock Playhouse

What do I need to say to convince you to make the leap back to live music and theater for the sake of Flat Rock Playhouse’s Autumn at the Opry? How about, it’s the most fun I’ve had at a musical revue since at least the 2019 Flat Rock Playhouse Christmas? Or, you’ve got to see these eight great singers and musicians bring brilliantly to life some of the best classic country and crossover hits of the second half of the 20th century?

If you’re worried about health risks, know that the Playhouse has made the experience as safe as possible*. If you think streaming options are just as good as live performances, you just haven’t seen fiddler Lauren Wright rip into Bonnie Raitt’s “Love Me Like a Man,” both vocally and instrumentally, or piano pounder Nat Zegree play one section of “Born to Boogie” while sitting on top of the upright, leaning backwards to reach the keys.

I should also note that I’m not well-versed in country music, and that that blind spot made no never mind in enjoying the show. Even if you’ve never heard Alan Jackson’s “She’s Got the Rhythm,” singer-musician Jeremy Sevelovitz’s version will draw you in. Besides, the show is also peppered with familiar pop chart successes any Boomer (and many Millennials) will recognize, including “Amie,” “Footloose,” “Blue Bayou,” Patsy Cline’s “Walkin’ After Midnight,” Shania Twain’s “Any Man of Mine,” and many others. Eric Anthony uncannily evokes both Willie Nelson for “On the Road Again” and Marty Robbins for the 1960 country and pop hit “El Paso.” (Anthony is one of this show’s three creative directors, along with talented married musician-singers and Flat Rock regulars Ben Hope and Katie Barton.)

In fact, Opry packs more than 35 songs into just under 100 minutes (no intermission), smartly playing some in full — a rousing “Devil Went Down to Georgia,” also with Wright burning up the fiddle strings — while abridging others to provide a savory taste while keeping the pacing brisk. And that doesn’t count the jaunty, tongue-in-cheek ad jingles for sponsoring Henderson County businesses, which elicit nearly as much applause as the country tunes. (Sing along with Advent Health, “when life hits you where it hurts.”)

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Eric Anthony and Lauren Wright in “Autumn at the Opry.”

This is a top-notch Flat Rock effort, so you can rest assured there’s an impressive barn-like set and spot-on lighting (both by C.J. Barnwell), unflashy but finely tailored costuming (by Ashli Arnold Crump), beautifully mixed sound (by Kurt Conway), and more-intricate-than-it-seems direction by Lisa K. Bryant (who makes sure every player gets an off-stage rest period and integrates Zegree’s signature mania with his less flamboyant colleagues via a running gag called “Nat’s Joke Corner”). The well-oiled show is aided by production manager Adam Goodrum, stage manager Elly Leidner, and technical director Chris Simpson.

I could go on, naming especially rousing numbers (“Hadacol Boogie” about brings the house down, including a duel between Zegree and drummer Paul Babelay), or remarking on each musician’s most impressive moment (steel guitarist Russ Wever lights up “Boot Heel Rag”). I could give a special shout-out to de facto co-hosts Hope and Barton, who handle a half-dozen instruments between them with aplomb, as well as taking lead vocals on chestnuts from George Jones, Lynn Anderson, Hank Williams, and others.

But suffice it to say there wasn’t a dull moment or a sour note, and the performers’ joy at returning to the stage was matched only by the audience’s appreciation for the nonstop cascade of musical pleasures. The phrase “not to be missed” is overused in reviews (including mine), but it’s also a classic worth repeating, as much as Garth Brooks’ “Ain’t Goin’ Down Till the Sun Comes Up.” If you’ve been waiting for a reason to head back to a theater, Flat Rock has given you about three dozen.

* Flat Rock Playhouse requires proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a recent negative COVID test, as well as masks inside the theater. The venue also appears to be working at reduced capacity, assigning seats with attention to social distancing. For details on the venue’s formal health protocols, click here.

Autumn at the Opry runs through October 31. For details and tickets visit flatrockplayhouse.org.

(Photos: Scott Treadway/Treadshots, courtesy of Flat Rock Playhouse)

Clockwise from lower left: Nat Zegree, Jeremy Sevelovitz, Eric Anthony, and Ben Hope perform Marty Robbins’ “El Paso” in “Autumn at the Opry.”