Michael Mason may have died in February 2023, but he’s living on through his labor of love, “Billy Baloo,” now onstage at the M.V. Playhouse. The tale was his life’s work, and his family — Jemima James and Willy and Sam Mason — came together to make sure this endearing production keeps on moving.
Like most good stories, the story behind the story is interesting itself. Michael had worked on this “musical tale of love, gold, and beavers” for decades, revising and refining it many times over — so many times that MJ Bruder Munafo, artistic director of the M.V. Playhouse, had more than a couple of versions he had shared with her. After Michael’s death, Munafo approached his family and asked if they’d like to work on the play and bring it to the stage finally. And after growing up with “Billy Baloo,” Willy and Sam were all in. Willy, a musician himself, adapted the script, and Sam, a film and animation director, created the projections. It was Jemima’s songs that inspired Michael to write “Billy Baloo” in the first place. Now they have revamped some of the aspects of the show, and brought it to life once again. If you saw it last fall, you should know that it is a little different this time around — bigger sound, bigger projections, and maybe even bigger laughs. As Jemima says, “If you loved it last year, I bet, like me, you’re going to love it again.”
Michael began writing “Billy Baloo” in 1973, so you can imagine what a delight it is for his family to see it take shape, and to see others enjoy it.
“Through the years while Mike worked on it, I’ve loved the characters, humor, history, ecology, and songs at the heart of ‘Billy Balloo,’” Jemima says. So she’s not surprised that the story has taken off: “No, I’m not surprised, especially after I read the script after Willy had worked on it. And Mike would be very happy with what’s happened with his life’s work.”
The production has a solid cast in Willy Mason as Billy Baloo and Jessie Pinnick as Ada Evans, who inevitably grow affectionate over the length of the play. Three old-time miners, Mil, Doug, and Lee (played by Joe Casey, Jonathan Lipnick, and Paul Munafo) really set the tone, opening the show with their banter and a little song and dance. These three friends give us the storyline, in many ways. We learn that Soderville, the tiny gold mining town where it all takes place, was once a boomtown. Now the miners are down on their luck, still waiting to find that mother lode. In comes Ada, the daughter of the former proprietor of the town’s general store. She’s back from Boston, where she’s been going to school. Ada wants to revive the store, and the three miners are happy to have her back. She needs someone to carry supplies up the mountain, and the miners think Billy Baloo might fill the bill. The only problem is that Billy is a floater, a drifter, and a dreamer, who’d rather be fishing and thinking about how to get beavers to build a set of stairs to help get up the mountain. He’s “a drifter who can’t be bothered to drift,” the three miners tell Ada.
She manages to get Billy’s help, and things start running pretty smoothly, until a big mining company comes to town threatening their way of life, but also adding to the success of the store. There lies the rub — corporations versus the simpler way of doing things. Along with the new miners comes Kevin Kelly, a lovely-voiced Michael Jennings Mahoney, who nails an Irish brogue and adds to the musical talent of the production. Laura Lindsay, played by Michaela Brown, rounds out the cast, and we see Kevin and Laura fall for each other through their musical performances, including a saloon number performed wonderfully by Brown. All of the songs in “Billy Baloo” were written by Jemima, Michael, and Willy — either individually or collaboratively. Bill Peek, on piano and guitar, leads the orchestra, with musicians Paul Woodiel on fiddle and mandolin, and Nathan Varga on bass.
The beauty of the story lies in its relatable message and the brilliance of the characters. It’s funny, it’s sweet, it’s simple, and it’s still playing. And in the end, of course, the beavers save the day.
“Billy Baloo” is onstage at the Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse through Sept. 14. Visit mvplayhouse.org/theater/2024/07/billy-baloo-2-2 to find out more, and get ticket information at mvplayhouse.org/theater/box-office.
