Terry Burrell, Libby Servais, Vasthy Mompoint, Kate Marilley, Galyana Castillo, Kristin Piro, and Diane J. Findlay Photo by Ray Mabry

Most of TTC's revues have a subtle through-line: e.g., a block party for 2024's Dancing in the Street, or, for 2021's Road Trip, a ... road trip. For Ladies of Broadway, TTC decided that, rather than tacking on an external theme, they would have the through-line come from within the performers themselves. So instead of having Ladies of Broadway just be, say, a collection of songs written to be sung by Broadway divas, they chose to cast a range of women with Broadway credits to share not simply songs they have performed on the Great White Way, but to regale the audience at their Field of Dreams venue with true stories of the ladies' lives in the theatre. And, they claim, "the names have not been changed–because, is anyone really innocent?"

The cast of seven present a range of experiences (and backgrounds and ages and training) that cross many decades of musical theatre, with songs from shows as varied as 42nd Street, Sweet Charity, Hello, Dolly!, The Prom, Dreamgirls, Wicked, and more, including some top-notch dancing.

The show begins, fittingly, with all seven women performing "On Broadway" and sharing stories of their dreams of making it to that pinnacle of musical theatre performance. We hear Diane J. Findlay (the senior member of the cast) talk about how she was "taught to shimmy" at age five or how Terry Burrell remembers an early performance as a child, staying "a star wasn't born that night, but a ham sure was!"

As the evening progresses, the ladies move on to one of the bugaboos of a life in theatre: the need to audition, with a medley built around "I Hope I Get It" from A Chorus Line. We hear of the heartbreaks, the encouragement from a big-time casting director who says "see you soon, kiddo," and the elation that comes when the phone finally rings letting them know they've booked the gig. With humor, emotion, and the ever-present optimism a life in the theatre requires, we relive the ladies' struggles and triumphs over the course of two wonderfully entertaining hours.

The cast is magnificently balanced. Some are more dance-oriented, like Kristin Pirro and Catherine Marilly, whose stunning high kicks reveal a lifetime of training. Others, like Terry Burrell and Galyana Castillo, focuses more on developing their vocal chops–with Burrell telling how she once chose an aria for an audition to show off her operatic training, only to go up on the lyrics and improvise some faux-Italian; and Castillo skipping an audition for Rock of Ages after learning the choreography required a triple pirouette ending in the splits, a move she admits is a little beyond her range.

There are star moments for each of the cast. Libby Servais, who played Glinda on Broadway in Wicked, gives a masterful performance of "Popular," pulling an audience member on stage to be the subject of the song's makeover. The emotional highlight of the night comes when Findlay reminisces about a USO tour in Vietnam when an airman, whose unit had taken heavy losses that day, asked her to sing his parents' favorite song, "I'll Be Seeing You," a moment she says is burned in her memory.

Vashthy Mompoint has a lovely voice and a charming, energetic stage presence, and Galyana Castillo's delightful, charming personality comes shining through in her every moment on the stage at the Field of Dreams venue.

As ever, Transcendence Theatre Company's expertise in the staging and logistics of putting on a show in an outdoor environment is on full display. They are to be especially commended for the hospitality and welcoming nature of their staff and team of volunteers. I witnessed a moment where a staff member (or volunteer) very gently steered guests out of the line for the ADA porta-potties toward a nearby set of facilities, allowing older guests using canes and walkers faster access. This is the sort of interaction that could have easily resulted in hurt feelings or angry reactions, but she handled it with such grace and aplomb that it wasn't a problem at all.

So do yourself a favor: spend a day in Sonoma County's gorgeous wine country, have dinner at any of several top-notch local eateries (or bring a picnic dinner to enjoy on the grounds), and end the evening with a night of spectacular entertainment under the stars.

Ladies of Broadway runs through September 14, 2025, at Field of Dreams, 151 First Street W, Sonoma CA. Performances Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings at 7:30pm. Tickets range from $25-$185. Gold Level tickets include VIP parking, free drink tickets (wine, beer and water) and admission to the pre-show lounge area. For tickets and information, please visit www.TranscendenceTheatre.org.