Platte Valley Theatre Arts delivers a rousing production of a complex love story.

The Bridges of Madison County presented by Platte Valley Theatre Arts is a great evening of live theatre. The musical offers up a lush score by Jason Robert Brown and is more than a simple love story.  It's an exploration of longing, sacrifice and the roads not taken.

Audiences meet Francesca Johnson, an Italian immigrant living a quiet, domesticated life on an Iowa farm in the 1960s. Her routine is briefly upended by the unexpected arrival of Robert Kincaid, a National Geographic photographer seeking directions to a covered bridge. What unfolds over the next four days challenges everything they thought they knew about love and commitment. It's a powerful story about two people connecting deeply even as they face an impossible choice between passion and responsibility.

This production of The Bridges of Madison County, co-directed by Kelly Van Oosbree and Victoria Holloway, successfully navigates the delicate balance between intimate emotion and sweeping romance. As the directors' note states, bringing this story to the stage was a profoundly personal journey for them, particularly for Van Oosbree, an Iowan, for whom the musical carries an added layer of intimacy. The rolling fields, the warmth of small-town life, and the rhythm of rural days, are captured precisely in Brown's music and this production. This is not just a love story set in Iowa. It is Iowa and all its subtle complexity.

Lindsey Falduto as Francesca in 'The Bridges of Madison County.' | Photo: RDGPhotography

Strong leads

Any production of The Bridges of Madison County hinges on the chemistry and vocal chops of its two leads. In this production, Lindsey Falduto as Francesca and Jeremy Rill as Robert deliver both the simmering passion and the profound sense of duty that make their characters complex. Their voices blend seamlessly, conveying the depth of their connection and the difficulty of their choices.

Falduto's portrayal of Francesca was particularly remarkable. Brown's score for this role is beautiful and challenging, requiring an operatic voice, and Falduto delivered. The role was originated on Broadway by musical theatre and opera powerhouse Kelli O'Hara, and Falduto does justice to the score and the role. Falduto's Francesca is not just a wife and mother, but a woman who dreamed and survived by building a life for her children and husband. Her decision to ultimately choose her family is an act of heroism, expertly portrayed by Falduto.

Jeremy Rill's Robert Kincaid, a photographer and loner who has spent his life observing the world from behind a lens, feels himself truly seen for the first time during his time with Francesca. He finds clarity, vulnerability and a kind of peace that had eluded him for years — and Rill navigates this all with a nuanced performance.

Beyond the leads, the entire cast was vocally strong and sang the score beautifully.  Sarah Kit Farrell was a standout, delivering a particularly powerful rendition of the song "Another Life." Chase Ralston, playing Francesca's son, delivered a performance that truly shone. This marks my second time seeing Chase Ralston on stage this summer, having previously been a standout performance in Promise on the Hill at Su Teatro. Here, he brings some great comic relief and an endearing orneriness to the role and is certainly someone to watch in Denver's theatre scene.

Lindsey Falduto, center, with ensemble in 'The Bridges of Madison County.' | Photo: RDGPhotography

A rising talent

The true star of The Bridges of Madison County is Brown's magnificent score. As one of Broadway's most exciting newer composers, Brown is known for his unique ability to play with time in his storytelling. In Parade, he opens with a song that transports the audience from the start to the end of the Civil War in a single musical song. The Last Five Years tells the story of a couple's relationship over five years, but in reverse.

Here, in Bridges, the playing with time begins with the opening song, which narrates Francesca's journey of coming to America, moving to Iowa and raising a family — all within one powerful number. His music is playful and manipulates the audience's perception of time. Melodies weave together interesting lyrics with harmonies that perfectly capture the needs and wants of the characters. The score is superb musical storytelling, demanding strong vocal talent from the cast — which this company delivered in spades.

The set was simple but impressive. It used wooden arches which appeared to be the support structures of bridges to frame the action of the play. The production also used video projections effectively to set the tone of each scene and transport the audience throughout the world of the play. Often projections feel like an add-on in some shows, but here they served a purpose and were done quite well.

The musical's pacing can sometimes feel aggressive, but this production allowed the emotional weight of each moment to settle. This show moved along quickly, while also taking the time to savor the tender moments between Robert and Francesca. In the heat of Robert and Francesca's love affair, the ordinary things of life take on new meaning. A bottle of brandy she never opened with her husband, or the radio that the family only used for news, become something entirely different as the lovers toast to one another and find a love song on the radio to dance to.

For anyone who appreciates an emotional story, a beautiful score and stories that examine the complexities of the human heart, The Bridges of Madison County is highly recommended. It's a reminder that sometimes the most profound love stories are those that burn bright and leave a mark for a lifetime. It's the kind of show that stays with you long after the curtain call and makes you reflect on the choices that shape your own life. Catch this show before it closes if you can.