Christiana Cole and Bex Odorisio Photo by Mikki Schaffner

In a program note, Mercer explains that "Music is everywhere in Mrs. Dalloway–from the tolling of Big Ben to the lyrical rhythm of Woolf's stream-of-consciousness style. There are no chapter breaks, no dramatic plot twists–just one long, expressive thought that grows and changes in waves of prose. The novel flows like a symphony–and to me, it was already a musical waiting to be revealed." That's precisely what Mercer has accomplished, building on Woolf's constant attention to sound–especially the Westminster chimes of Big Ben. These audible elements cue characters' emotions and recollections that have been translated into 17 varied and melodious musical numbers, ranging from songs performed by the full company of 16 actors, accompanied by a nine-musician orchestra, to rambunctious trios, emotional duets and soulful–sometimes playful–solos.

Christiana Cole, making her Cincy Shakes debut, is Clarissa. Mercer's script characterizes this anchoring role as "the perfect hostess and queen of deflection, a capricious storm of longing, detachment and denial." Cole embodies all these qualities as she makes nervous plans for her garden party. Her mind wanders to past and present moments and lovers who vie for her attention: Her bottled-up husband Richard Dalloway (Byron St. Cyr); flirtatious Peter Walsh (Robby Clater), her childhood friend and would-be lover; and bold Sally Seton (Bex Odorisio), another friend from childhood and Clarissa's only true love in an era when such an alliance was not socially acceptable. They each have songs that enlighten their connection to Clarissa, especially her coy but heartfelt duet, "In Another Life" with Sally.

A separate but occasionally intersecting storyline focuses on Septimus Smith (Noah Berry), a veteran of World War I afflicted with PTSD, especially haunted by the death of Evans (Montez Jenkins Copeland), a fellow soldier whom he loved. His song, "Beauty Was Everywhere," is a heartrending reflection of his loss. Septimus's sweet Italian wife Rezia (Courtney Lucien) feels like a fish out of water in London and finds herself totally lost at how to help Septimus cope with his fragmented reality. She coincidentally crosses paths with Clarissa's husband Richard, troubled by his own inability to express the depth of his feelings for his wife, and they sing a sadly charming duet of denial, "Everything Is Great." In a slight parallel, Septimus and Clarissa's inner struggles with unhappiness represent some common ground in the storytelling.

Cincy Shakes characterizes Mercer's score as "golden-age Broadway-inspired music with a folk-pop feel." The range of numbers is impressive and entertaining. Early in the first act, Clarissa's flower shopping prompts a jaunty duet, "Evening Primrose," with Mulberry (Aleah Vassell), an ebullient flower seller. That song returns in a hilarious off-key reprise in the second act performed by Clarissa's awkwardly oppressive friend Hugh, played by the talented and always entertaining Carey Davenport. There's even an amusing rap number led with infectious spirit by a minor character, Lucy (Bethany Xan Kerr), that kicks off the party.

Sara Clark, a veteran Cincy Shakes actor and accomplished director, has staged the show with careful detail to movement and character interaction. Mrs. Dalloway has almost constant ensemble motion, enhanced by dance choreographer Ashley Goos. Rainy Edwards's costume designs offer modest, sometimes fanciful, acknowledgments to attire from the early 20th century.

The theater's adaptable stage, often assembled as a thrust, is configured as a proscenium for this production. The set is a two-level, minimal suggestion of a late Victorian London home, with the stage picture framed by gray brick walls. Andrew Hungerford’s lighting design (with projections by Robert Carlton Stimmel) provides vivid indication of the show’s shifting moods and reminiscences. A flight of steps provides access to the house's second level, including Clarissa's sewing room. There are floral garnishes, as well as some gossamer white-silk draping incorporated into Septimus's final hallucination. When it's time for the party in Act 2, the set splits open to reveal the orchestra as the posh evening's entertainment for guests.

Some eyebrows were raised when Mrs. Dalloway was announced as a world premiere in Cincy Shakes' 2024-2025 season. Woolf's iconic modernist novel is a fascinating piece of written literature, admired by literary scholars, and certainly a work within the purview of a classic stage company. But the idea that it could be shaped into a stage production, let alone a musical, seemed a tad far-fetched. Mercer has answered such concerns with a work that skillfully expands on Woolf's allusive language with insightful and powerful music, telling stories that offer a life-affirming awakening, a "Coming To," expressed in the show's final song.

Across more than 30 seasons, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company has relied on a core of talented local professional actors. Many of them are present in this production, but it's worth noting that nine of the 16 cast members for Mrs. Dalloway are from well beyond Cincinnati. These debuts are a further sign of the expanding and solidifying presence of Cincy Shakes as an admirable provider of professional theatre in Greater Cincinnati.

Mrs. Dalloway: A New Musical runs through June 15, 2025, at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, 1195 Elm Street, Cincinnati OH. For tickets and information, please visit cincyshakes.com or call 513-381-2273.