Yes, 'Starry' Deserves a Broadway Run
photo by Joy Tenenberg
by Lora Korpar, Guest Editorial
The author is a journalist, writer, and amateur musician. You can find her website here
Vincent van Gogh’s life might not seem like the kind of material that would lend itself to pop-rock musical theater, but you will be surprised.
Earlier this year, the concept album for “Starry” dropped, and though it’s still ways away from becoming a full-fledged musical, one listen of the album has me rooting for the musical’s success, and you shouldn’t sleep on this show either. (Listen to it further down in this article)
“Starry” follows Vincent van Gogh’s life and relationship with his brother Theo from when they were living together in the colorful Paris artist community of Montmartre all the way to Vincent’s death.
It’s hard to describe the feeling evoked by the music. During my first listen, I couldn’t help but feel nostalgic despite never having heard it before. The songs are so unabashedly hopeful and dreamy.
With book and music written by Kelly Lynne D’Angelo and Matt Dahan, the musical has been in development since 2017, having workshop runs in Los Angeles and sold-out concerts at Feinstein’s/54 Below in New York City.
The concept album stars Dylan Saunders as Vincent, Joe Viba as Theo, and Mariah Rose Faith as Johanna van Gogh-Bonger, Theo’s wife.
All three leads shine on the album. Though Saunders has mostly been known for being a part of Starkid’s comedic musicals, he fits into this much more serious role perfectly. Viba’s voice is crystal clear while carrying lots of emotion. And somehow, Faith has mastered the art of making her voice sound soft, soothing, and powerful simultaneously.
The ensemble on this album is also amazing, and Jeff Blim's performance as Paul Gauguin is especially delightful.
The album opens on a very simple note, with a prologue featuring piano and strings before launching into the first main song, “Impress Me.” The show doesn’t necessarily open with a bang, but it is still a concept album, so it would be great to see this prologue expanded on in future versions.
I will admit that “Impress Me” wasn’t what I expected. A pop-rock style that’s somewhat reminiscent of “Dear Evan Hansen” wasn’t the direction I thought they would go, considering the story. However, after shifting my expectations of what the sound would be, I found that it actually did fit the story well.
The show is heartbreaking in all the best ways as you follow Vincent through his initial hopefulness to his eventual mental deterioration.
The smallest details in the music serve to show this deterioration. For example, in “A New Horizon,” Saunders takes the top harmony while Viba takes the bottom, showing how Vincent’s hopeful and optimistic about his future. Toward the end of the album, in “On the Threshold of Eternity,” they are switched, showing how Vincent is at a much lower place in his life.
Even the choice of Saunders as Vincent seems to highlight Vincent’s character as different from the rest, as Saunders has the most unique and recognizable voice on the whole album, beautiful even if it doesn’t sound like a traditional Broadway singer’s voice (and probably even because of that).
I could go on for hours about all the genius little details in the music, such as the line at the end of the song “The Road” stating “the road is bright” despite the minor chords, foreshadowing Vincent’s impending mental breakdown. But I digress.
Vincent’s big solo near the album’s end, “The Starry Night,” is especially magical. Though no one will ever truly know what the inside of Vincent van Gogh’s mind was like, “The Starry Night” is a beautiful attempt to see into his mind as he created his most well-known painting.
The songs stick in your head right away and refuse to leave, making them well-suited to a Broadway show.
Even though most people know of Vincent’s tragic end, “Starry” makes you hope for a better outcome, breaks your heart with the truth, then makes you accept the truth in an honest, yet still optimistic way.
I can’t wait to see this musical grow and develop, and I will hopefully hear the music again on a Broadway stage.