Review: The Donner Party

The Donner Party, a new American musical with music by Eric Rockwell, book and lyrics by Margaret Rose, is making its world premiere at Sacramento Theatre Company, under the direction of Michael Laun and Margaret Rose. It is wonderfully appropriate that it be presented just walking distance from Sutter’s Fort, the final destination of the ill-fated Donner party.

By the third song, “Wagons Roll,” most audience members will likely be holding their breath, whispering “Wow!”

This is a beautiful show with an outstanding cast, primarily the party’s leaders, the Donners (Jerry Lee and Maggie Hollinbeck) and the Reeds (Michael RJ Campbell and Vivienne Cleary), with exceptional work by Noa Solorio (alternating with Monique Ward Lonergan) as Virginia.

The music is stunning, with anthemic songs mixed with humor, as in the women’s trio performance of “He’s the Man I Chose.”

The farther west the group travels, the rougher it gets, with deaths along the way, starting with Sarah Keys (Martha Omiyo Kight), who becomes the lead of a growing ghost-chorus that follows the group throughout.

The first act ends as the group realizes it must spend the winter in the snowy mountains, so we know that the second act will not be a lot of fun.

While this is a beautiful show, it is not without problems. Thirty-four musical numbers is too many. Act One is in serious need of tightening. Songs like “Wagons Roll,” while wonderful, are too long. By the time the first half of the show ends, one literally feels the pain and suffering of the party’s members. All in all, however, this is an impressive premiere for STC.