Jonathan Judge-Russo, Lauren Lolo Pritchard, and Stephen Michael Spencer (Photo: Jeremy Daniel)
Music City: A New Musical (2026 remounting)
By Julia Polinsky
Bedlam’s Music Ciyt: A New Musical, a country-music jukebox musical featuring the songs of zillion-selling songwriter JT Harding, is as warm-hearted and feel-good as a Hallmark Christmas movie. Originally presented at the West End Theater in fall of 2024, where it was nominated for several awards, it’s moved to St. Luke’s Theatre on 46th Street.
The space at St. Luke’s has been configured as The Wicked Tickle, an open-mic bar in Nashville, and the immersive environment makes for super-enjoyable engagement. Buy a drink, grab your seat at a table or bar-seating, and enjoy. (Come early; open mic means you never know who’ll get up and sing!)
Some kickass performances from superb performers, a tight, bright musical sound, and a gritty, welcoming, enveloping environment make this jukebox musical a must—see, even if you don’t think country music is your thing. Basic story: Country Music Strivers, with poverty, drugs, and the machinations of the music business thrown in. Although Peter Zinn’s likable book features few surprises, the two acts of Music City tell a satisfying story and nicely happily tie up loose ends.
Two brothers, TJ (Stephen Michael Spencer) and Drew (Jonathan Judge-Russo) who were foster children and used to taking care of themselves, write songs and are the “house band” for The Wicked Tickle, a Nashville country music bar and open mic venue. The stone-broke brothers dream of selling out stadiums, and have the talent to maybe make it happen. After hearing them at the Tickle, producer and music scout Tammy (Leenya Rideout) asks them for a demo. Since they don’t have a demo or the money to make one, they make a deal to courier drugs for the local big drug dealer, the (almost clownishly) menacing Bakerman, (Andrew Rothenberg). They aren’t the first musicians to sell out somehow to get the couple thousand dollars they need for a demo, but it feels harsh when TJ and Drew are so appealing.
Lauren Lolo Pritchard, Stephen Michael Spencer (Photo: Jeremy Daniel)
That open mic also hosts 23 (Lauren Lolo Pritchard, who stepped in to the role last minute), whose delightful voice and sweet presence proceed to turn heads and perk up ears. 23 is so damn good, it’s inevitable that one of the brothers – TJ — will fall for her music and then herself. (Yes, her name is 23; whether or not she has a “normal” name becomes a running gag for the rest of the show.)
Things get complicated, of course; 23’s mom (also Leenya Rideout) is one of the addicts on TJ’s delivery route; Drew resists adding 23 to the act; 23 gets a song to megasuperduper star Stuckey Stiles (Andrew Rothenberg again, in an astonishing performance). Stiles, whose own act is a bit tired, manipulates everyone around him, including especially 23. The producer dithers; the mom snorts; the dealer insists on things TJ does not want to do; TJ takes a stand. It all works out in the end, of course.
Andrew Rothernberg (Photo: Jeremy Daniel)
Clifton Chadisk’s scenic design puts the audience front and center in the Wicked Tickle, aided by lighting from Eric Southern, sound by Jane Shaw, and super-realistic costumes from Kindall Houston Almond; really, you’d think you know these musicians as real people because everything works so well.
The musicians, under the direction of Music Director Julianne B. Merrill — who herself not only plays the keyboards but also the role of Wyn, the MC of the Tickle — all the musicians are simply wonderful. Those musicians are also the actors, supported by Drew Bastian on drums, Ann Klein on guitar and lap steel, and Tony Tino on bass. That means that everyone in the cast plays one or more instruments and does it damn well.
The songs are standard country-music songs; if you’ve heard any country songs, you may have heard “Sangria,” or “Somewhere in My Car” but when the one destined to be the big hit comes along – “Smile”– it’s so obviously a killer song that you’d be likely to hum along even if you don’t know it. JT Harding, who wrote music and lyrics for these songs, has written BIG sellers for BIG country stars (Blake Shelton, Keith Urban, Kenny Chesney… you get the drift), so he knows his way around a story-telling song.
That’s a very good thing; under the fluid direction of Eric Tucker, Music City tells a lovely story and makes it all work in a way that warms the heart. Go see it. Have a beer, kick back, and have fun.
At St. Luke’s Theatre
308 W. 46th St.
Running time: 2 hours 30 minutes, one intermission
Through October 31, 2026
