I don’t care what a theatre critic says we all have our favorite shows. Now that doesn’t mean we automatically give a positive review to a production of our favorites. In fact, we can be harder on a show we love and know particularly well compared to something new and fresh without any expectations (ie I was pretty tough recently of the national tour of Les Miserables which is a show I love.) I say all this to add context to my glowing review of the new production of Daddy Long Legs at the Covey Center for the Arts. This is a show I love and adore and it is told exceedingly well.

Daddy Long Legs is a perfectly crafted piece of musical theatre with music and lyrics by Paul Gordon and a book by John Caird. It is based on the novel by Jean Webster. Many may also know the 1955 film with Fred Astaire and Leslie Caron although this retelling is miles better than that film. The story is told through letters and is mostly a romance between orphan Jerusha Abbot and her mysterious benefactor she names Daddy Long Legs (real name Jervis) but it is also a coming of age story as she experiences all the new joys of college and becoming an independent woman.

I love what Gordon and Caird have done so much taking the novel and building the relationship and characters bit by bit until we are so invested in their journey. It is a masterpiece in romantic comedy writing if you ask me. I also love the songs and marvel at the talent of the actors for commanding the stage in an only 2 person show for the entire runtime (this show saved me during the pandemic because it could be done easily by companies and its themes were so applicable with a correspondence over letters.)

It’s interesting because at first I didn’t know if I was feeling the chemistry between Dylann Riggs playing Jerusha and Scott Hendrickson as Jervis but I warmed up to them and really loved what they brought to the characters. Riggs brings out the comedy in Jerusha and is so expressive in songs like “I Couldn’t Know Someone Less” and especially in “Graduation Day.” You feel the highs and lows of the character and go on a journey with her. Hendrickson was a little stuffy at first as Jervis which is appropriate but it just took me a second to warm up to him and then I loved his nerdy awkward take on the character. “The Man I’ll Never Be” and “Charity” were the highlights for his performance and character. By the end I was so happy to see them come together and forgive each other. Again this is a perfect piece of romantic comedy on stage.

Another feature I really enjoyed is director Kris Peterson set up a bookcase in between Jervis’ office and Jerusha’s set (this is all in the block box at the Covey) and then the characters passed items and letters to each other through the bookcase. For a show entirely told through letters this was a very creative way to keep the characters connected and build the chemistry between the actors. They almost touched as they were reading each other’s letters a number of times through the bookcase.

I also loved the 1912 appropriate costumes by Elizabeth Crandall including cute little bowler hats for Jervis and I loved Jerusha’s final blue dress with buttons down the front. It reminded me of something you’d see in Anne of Green Gables which fits her character perfectly. My only real critique of this staging of Daddy Long Legs is the backtrack was a little too loud making the actors having to shout their lyrics from time-to-time. Also you definitely want to try and get a B seat because Jervis had his back to me in C section a lot including the entire finale. It’s nice when the actors can move a little to help everyone even in a small black box participate in the action equally.

Those are small quibble, however, in a wonderful night of entertainment. I can’t recommend Daddy Long Legs at Covey more strongly. It would make the perfect date night with a special someone and I’m sure tickets will sell out quick so don’t miss out. It is playing through May 6th and tickets can be purchased here.

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