For Wichita’s Forum Theatre performer, composer was the key to ‘Bridges’

While some people may come to Forum Theatre’s “The Bridges of Madison County” for its plot made famous in a novel and a movie, others are excited about singing the work of one of their favorite composers.

“I love Jason Robert Brown, so anything Jason Robert Brown I want to do,” said Chelsey Ehresman, who plays mid-1960s Iowa housewife Francesca, seduced by a traveling photographer Robert Kincaid.

Brown has won three Tony Awards for “Bridges” as well as “Parade.”

Kathryn Page Hauptman, Forum artistic director, agrees.

“With Jason Robert Brown, the music is the most challenging thing because the music is so exquisite and very complex,” she said.

“He writes in different time signatures, which is not easy” for singers, Ehresman added. “It’s beautiful to listen to, though.”

Playing Kincaid is James Verderamo, an Omaha actor who played the role there about 10 years ago.

“Robert’s also a nomad, wandering the world, and with my military experience I can take those experiences and put them into the character for an understanding of the things he’s seen and the difficulty in the world,” said the 10-year U.S. Air Force veteran, who spent most of his tour of duty in Japan.

“Bridges of Madison County” began its life as a Robert James Waller pop-culture touchstone novel in 1992 and became a 1995 hit movie with Meryl Streep and Clint Eastwood. It lasted three months on Broadway in 2014 with Kelli O’Hara and Steven Pasquale.

Hauptman said she was a longtime fan of the book and the movie.

Ehresman doesn’t feel that way about the film version.

“I wish I hadn’t watched the movie, personally,” she said. “Sometimes you get things stuck in your head with the way people do things, and I’d rather not.”

To study for the role, Ehresman said she watched hours of Instagram Reels of people talking with Italian accents.

Hauptman said “Bridges” has several different locales, making staging a challenge.

“It goes multiple places all at the same time, so we’re using a storytelling method where you have to use your imagination,” she said. “It’ll be very effective with lights isolating those scenes and a beautiful backdrop. It’s interesting because it just keeps moving. There are no blackouts, it’s fluid.”

Hauptman said she intentionally wanted to it to run during Valentine’s Day.

“It’s a beautiful show, beautiful, beautiful music,” she said. “Our dates are over Valentine’s Day and it’s a nice, romantic show.”

‘THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY’ BY FORUM THEATRE

When: Feb. 13 to March 1; 8 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays

Where: Wilke Center, First United Methodist Church, 330 N. Broadway

Tickets: $42, with discounts for students and military, from 316-618-0444 or forumtheatre.org