‘Buddy’ Is Light but Hits the Right Nostalgic Notes

“Buddy . . . the Buddy Holly Story” is no great shakes as musical theater, but it’s “well, all right,” to quote a famous Holly song, as a dose of musical nostalgia.

Arriving in Los Angeles after years in London and on the road (including previous engagements in Costa Mesa and San Diego), the show features a charismatic performance by Van Zeiler as Holly and a reasonable facsimile of the upbeat verve that characterized rock ‘n’ roll in the late ‘50s.

Opening night at the Pantages Theatre was Feb. 2, the same date as Holly’s final concert 41 years ago, just before he--and his tour mates the Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens--died in a plane crash in snowy Iowa.

So the last part of the show, which devolves out of a narrative and into a reenactment of that final concert, seems appropriate as a commemorative tribute, even if it doesn’t meet the usual standards of dramatic conflict.

Holly’s life story, at least as presented here, was lacking in the kind of overreaching conflicts that might sustain a conventional musical book. His success was quick and relatively painless. His woefully premature death instantly became the most dramatic chapter in his story, even though it’s difficult to dramatize.

Alan Janes’ script emphasizes two areas of friction: Holly’s initial rebellion against his country music roots in favor of rock ‘n’ roll, and his later breakup with his band, the Crickets, after he marries a Puerto Rican receptionist (Victoria Stilwell) at his record company. These narrative threads provide enough drama to propel the action on a superficial level, but they’re not the stuff of gripping theater.

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The treatment of Holly’s band members strays from the historical record. Only two of them, drummer Jerry Allison (Fred Berman) and bassist Joe Mauldin (Steve Friday), are actually named, while a guitarist is identified only as “4th Cricket” (Chris Yohn). Janes probably wanted to focus on fewer sidekicks in order to intensify the feelings when Holly splits from them, but guitarists Sonny Curtis and Niki Sullivan, bass player Don Guess and Holly’s first partner, Bob Montgomery, get lost in the shuffle.

Still, the production is focused on Holly, and Zeiler is very good at capturing the elusive quality that turned this lean, bespectacled Texan into an international trailblazer.

The program bios for Zeiler, Berman, Friday and Yohn indicate that they all have pop credits as well as acting credits, and the musical performances, under Steve Gibb’s direction, are persuasive.

The libretto provides for a first act grand finale as the Crickets perform at the Apollo Theatre, where many in the audience expected them to be black, and Tamula Browning shows off some impressive chops as “Apollo Singer.” Then, as the show concludes, we hear from a stylish Big Bopper (Travis Turpin) and Valens (Rob Langeder).

Paul Mills’ staging is smooth and precise, though the evening does seem a little long for something so light.

* “Buddy . . . the Buddy Holly Story,” Pantages Theatre, 6233 Hollywood Blvd. Fridays, Saturdays, Tuesday-Thursday, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays and Sundays, 2 p.m. Ends Feb. 13. $22 to $52. (213) 365-3500. Running time: 2 hours, 45 minutes.

Van Zeiler: Buddy Holly

Christopher Bloch: Hipockets Duncan

Steve Friday: Joe Mauldin

Fred Berman: Jerry Allison

David Sinkus: Norman Petty

Angela Howell: Vi Petty

Victoria Stilwell: Maria Elena

Produced by Ordway Center for the Performing Arts. Written by Alan Janes, from an idea by Laurie Mansfield, additional material by Rob Bettinson. Directed by Paul Mills. Set by Andy Walmsley. Costumes by Bill Butler. Lighting by Graham McLusky. Sound by Alpha Audio Designs.