STAGE REVIEWS : ‘BRIGADOON’

Buena Park Civic Theatre’s opening night production of “Brigadoon” had much of the right Scottish stuff: bagpipes bellowed over a misty landscape, plaid kilts hung from each Highlander’s waist and there was an aye or a canna do in nearly every other speech. You could almost smell the haggis cooking.

Alas, lassies and laddies, it also had more than its share of miscues and sloppy staging: a sometimes-on, sometimes-off sound system marred by feedback (outdoor shows are notorious for such problems, but these went beyond the norm), actors loudly bumping body mikes during embraces, prop doors refusing to shut, players wandering out from under spotlights and stumbling, curtain-tangling exits.

Too bad, because director Kent Johnson has mounted a guilelessly romantic “Brigadoon” full of enthusiasm and sentiment--it’s a family show big on authentic details. Maybe the kinks will be smoothed out.

Lerner and Loewe’s musical is part hokum, part love story. For anyone unfamiliar with it (is anyone unfamiliar with it?) the plot has New Yorkers Tommy (Alan Wager) and sidekick Jeff (Michael Nunn) stumbling upon Brigadoon while on a visit to Scotland. No usual burg, this Brigadoon. It’s magical, appearing only once every century. Tommy falls for local girl Fiona (Elaine Marie Houssels) and must decide whether he should return home or stay in this reality warp.

In such a superficial fantasy, the relationship, of course, is crucial, and Wager and Houssels make it as sweetly innocent as possible. Wager’s Tommy is more like a brash teen-ager swept away by unaccustomed emotions than a dashing world traveler, but he is likable enough and his singing is sharp. Houssels could have done more with Fiona--the cliche of a spirited lass who can dish it out seems to be her main inspiration--but she is appealing in a naive sort of way. Better yet, she puts her warm, full-bodied soprano to good use.

There are several able supporting performances, especially Nunn’s wisecracking, boozing Jeff; Dana McClary’s noisy, man-hungry Meg; Kevin St. Clair’s playful Charlie, and Josh Fischel’s brooding Harry.