‘Bridges of Madison County’ lives up to reputation

A lasting love between a National Geographic photographer and a World War II bride from Italy has had longevity as a novel, acclaim as a film and won two Tony Awards as a musical.

So to play Francesca in the first national tour of “The Bridges of Madison County” would be a bit daunting. But Elizabeth Stanley has embraced the part that earned a tenth Oscar nomination for Meryl Streep and a fifth Tony nomination for Kelli O’Hara.

“I love it. As an actress, it’s really a gift of a role,” she said during a phone interview. “There’s so much more to Francesca than in the book, and we get to sing glorious songs.”

Stanley and Andrew Samonsky, as Robert, open at The Fox Theatre Tuesday for nearly a two-week run.

Set in Winterset, Iowa, in 1965, lonely farm wife Francesca stays home while her husband and two children attend the National 4-H Show in Indianapolis. By chance, she encounters the rugged Robert, who is photographing the covered bridges in her area. After resisting an initial spark, they become involved in a four-day affair.

The 1992 novel by Robert James Waller spent 164 consecutive weeks on the New York Times Bestseller List, and sold 50 million copies worldwide. The 1995 movie adaptation was directed by Clint Eastwood, who also starred as Robert.

The 2013 musical focuses on this second chance at love, with the dilemma between decision and desire debated. The company also includes husband Bud, children Carolyn and Michael, and neighbors.

The show maintains the story’s timeless appeal. “It’s very universal, to have hope that there’s someone out there, your soulmate, who ‘gets you,’ and understands you,” Stanley said.

“The emotional arc is a wonderful challenge,” she said. “I think people want to feel something, and the show affects people in different ways.”

Stanley has performed in St. Louis before, appearing in The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis’ 2009 production of “Amadeus” as Constanze Weber, the lone female in the cast.

“It was really fun to do,” she said, and one of her brothers was living here at the time, so it made it even better.

Stanley grew up in Camp Point, Ill., a small town near Quincy, the middle sister between two brothers. She graduated from Indiana University’s School of Music. She has performed in numerous Broadway shows, and is also praised for her cabaret acts.

“I just always loved music and theater. We were two hours from St. Louis, and we would take in shows,” she said. “The Fox is the first place I saw a Broadway show on tour.”

Her original intent was to sing opera, but in college, she was drawn to musical theater. “I started getting more interested in it,” she said.

Her first Broadway job was playing April in the 2006 Tony Award-winning revival of “Company,” in which she also played oboe, tuba and saxophone.

“It was really a dream role, really fun. As my Broadway debut, it was special,” she said.

Since then, she has portrayed Allison in “Cry-Baby” in 2008, originated the role of Dyanne in “Million Dollar Baby” in 2010, and played Claire in the 2014 revival of “On the Town.”

Stanley has worked with her “Bridges” co-star Andrew Samonsky before, in a City Center Encores! production of Stephen Sondheim’s “Merrily We Roll Along” in 2012.

“He is amazing. I think the audience will fall in love with him. Some of my friends say they would leave their husbands for him,” she said, laughing.

As for working with a small company on the road: “I think we’ve got our performances down to a nice little groove,” she said.

The music is a special component to the stage version, for composer-lyricist Jason Robert Brown, known for ‘The Last Five Years” and “Parade,” won two Tony Awards for Best Original Score and Best Orchestrations in 2014.

Robert’s mix of folk, country, pop and operatic passages is another gift, Stanley said. “He is one of my favorites, and “Bridges” is one of his best scores.”

In addition to Brown’s music, the show has some renowned talent involved. Marsha Norman, the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, wrote the book, and Bartlett Sher, whose revival of “South Pacific” at Lincoln Center was one of the most acclaimed productions of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s classic, directed the original musical.

The road provides a new perspective.

“It’s an amazing sense of adventure, finding out about different parts of the country -- it’s a reunion with old friends, too, a great way to visit,” she said. “Family and tons of people are coming to St. Louis. I’m super-thrilled.”

This story was originally published April 1, 2016 at 3:14 PM with the headline "‘Bridges of Madison County’ lives up to reputation."