Performers in Roxy’s ‘Once’ employ multiple talents

In theater-speak, double-threats are performers who can sing and act.

Add dancing to the mix and you have triple-threats.

But for the Roxy’s Downtown performance of the musical “Once,” opening next week, the entire cast has to also play an instrument.

“Everyone is doing everything, and that’s kind of novel for musical theater,” director Steve Hitchcock Jr. said. “To have the cast play musical instruments and sing everything and acting everything and moving the scenery – it’s an all-hands-on-deck and I think it makes for a unique experience you don’t often get with musical theater.”

“Once” is set in an Irish pub, telling the story of a Dublin busker, identified only as “Guy” (played by Austin Ragusin), and a young Czech woman known as “Girl” (played by Nora Graham) who becomes interested in him and his music.

When the other 10 members of the cast aren’t in a scene, they’re seated with instruments ready.

“I just think the story is really universal,” Hitchcock said. “I think it’s really fun to watch the cast step in and out of roles but play their own instruments throughout the whole show, so it feels really intimate, it feels really vulnerable.”

The performers were cast by Rick Bumgardner, Roxy’s artistic director, last fall during auditions for several shows.

“Everyone had some instrumental skills, but they kind of learned new skills,” music director Ken Gale said. “We’ve got one cast member who’s playing a completely different instrument than he normally plays.”

That’s a guitarist who has learned mandolin. Another cast member was a novice on the accordion but has improved tremendously, Hitchcock and Gale said.

“Everyone has worked really, really, really hard. It sounds like a cast of professional musicians who also act, sing and dance,” Hitchcock said. “They’re doing everything on stage, and they’re doing it very well.”

“We didn’t cut any corners for them instrumentally, and even though the show has a folk feel, the music is nevertheless very strict,” Gale said.

Having the onstage performers playing instruments is part of the charm of the show, Hitchcock said.

“I think if you were to take that element of it away, you would lose what’s really special about it,” he said. “Since the show is itself about musicians, the trick is finding people who can do all of those elements and do it well, and that scares some theaters away from adding it to their seasons.”

“Once,” based on a 2007 movie of the same name, won eight Tony Awards in 2012, including best musical, book, actor, director and orchestrations.

Gale said the script was very heartfelt and touching.

“The play in this show is way deeper and more intricate than most musical theater plays are, even without the music,” he said.

“It feels really intimate and delicate and, in a way, simple, but it is not in any way simple,” Hitchcock said. “It’s just finding the balance that tells the story correctly, so the audience feels the journey of these characters.”

‘ONCE’

When: Feb. 19 to March 8; performances at 7 p.m. Wednesdays-Thursdays, 8 p.m. Fridays and 2 p.m. Saturdays, March 1 and 8

Where: Roxy’s Downtown, 312 ½ E. Douglas Ave.

Tickets: $42, from roxysdowntown.com or 316-265-4400