And their solos and harmonies in a score based in blue-grass accompanied by a live instrumental group of five, captured the pathos of the story without sapping its beauty and strength. But the liveliness and passion of the teenaged sons of the miners, their humor, their idealism, and their heroism, completely captivated the audience throughout the two-hour show. We saw a little-known play from 2010-'The Burnt Place Boys.' It's the story of the consequences on a family of a West Virginia mining disaster, when the mining company is ready to reopen a mine that is the gravesite (the 'burnt place') of many of the fathers of the small community. 'Intimate musical theatre' might seem like an oxymoron. Last Sunday (when Freefall had a Father's Day special-Dad's got in free) our chairs were in the top row, but we still were never more than 30 feet away from the actors, and (because of the smart 'pitch' of the risers) we had great sight-lines for the action performed on a rectangular stage viewed 'in the round.'įreefall's artistic director is exceptionally talented, so the plays (often musicals), other directors, and casts are always well-chosen, the conception is imaginative and engaging, and the pacing is impeccable. The theatre itself is simple, small, and intimate-something unusual and precious these days. I've been to several Freefall Theatre productions over the past couple of years, and have never had anything but an exceptional and satisfying theatre experience.

Free fall theater st petersburg florida