Writing blogs that happened about 2 decades ago (as well as the fact that I was about 10 years old) seems unrealistic and unbelievable, but I truly have vivid memories about seeing these shows. Usually not sure in which year, but a bit of research clears this up quickly.
The Buddy Holly Story is a jukebox musical surrounding the life and times of Buddy Holly. Someone fairly unknown to me (most probably because he died by the time my mother was 3 years old).
When we saw this Craig Urbani played the lead (Buddy Holly) before his international fame and fortune. Also Elzette Maarschalk played Maria Elena, Buddy Holly’s love interest and wife. This musical revolves around his struggling teenage days when his brand of rock and roll did not sit well with the country music lovers, his rise to fame and then his tragic death.
Once unknown songs to me, “Everyday”, “Peggy Sue”, “Oh Boy”, “Rave On” and “Johnny B Good” became quite familiar songs in our household after the show. The only song I did know prior to the musical was “La Bamba” – a song of Richie Valens
My favourite number from the musical was “Chantilly Lace” performed by the Big Bopper.
The musical ended on a sombre tone with the Plane Crash that took the lives of Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and The Big Bopper. It also failed to explain what happened after event, as Maria Elena was pregnant at the end of the show just before Buddy Holly got on the plane. I had to do research to find out that she eventually lost the baby, and back then we did not have internet, so it was quite a mission discovering this fact.
We saw this show more than a couple of times. My sister was absolutely taken by it and probably saw it even more times. One remarkable thing in the show was that they gave away a Buddy Holly hamper with CDs and the works for one lucky audience member with a golden ticket under their chair. By the umpteenth time of us seeing this show, we were already in the habit of checking our chairs and the surrounding chairs for that golden ticket in hopes we will win a hamper of CDs which by that time we already have bought!
According to research, The Buddy Holly Story still shows around the world, although I have not come across a performance of it in the 21st century. I would probably see it again, if the opportunity arose.
