DRAYTON – When I saw that the opening production for the 2025 season in Drayton was Country Roads, based on the music of John Denver, I thought, are there enough John Denver songs to fill a two-hour show?
Yes. Yes, there are.
Country Roads has a five-member cast that covers over 30 songs by Denver.
Alex Baerg takes the lead as Denver, narrating in first-person about his personal and professional life.
Baerg also plays guitar in the five-member band, with Scott Carmichael on drums, Leah Grandmont on the fiddle, Melissa Morris on piano, and Bobby Prochaska on bass. All are Drayton Entertainment veterans, with extensive resumes locally and beyond.
The cast beautifully covers all of Denver’s beloved hits, capturing the clarity and joy of his music.
Denver was a likeable and bankable star of the 1970s, and was considered one of the best acoustic singer/songwriters of his era.
With hits including Rocky Mountain High and Wild Montana Skies, his music reflected his love of nature.
But the show isn’t all earnest folk songs and tributes to the beauty of Colorado.
Draft Dodgers Rag and Grandma’s Feather Bed had the audience laughing appreciatively at Denver’s clever lyrics and the cast’s tongue-in-cheek delivery.
To demonstrate how much competition Denver had in 1974 when he had the most success, the cast sang a medley of number one hits from that year, and it was an impressive list.
From Cat’s in the Cradle and Time in a Bottle to Seasons in the Sun, Bennie and the Jets and The Streak, it was quite a year.
Special mention should be made of Grandmont’s brief turn singing The Way We Were: she sounded so much like Barbra Streisand, I did a double-take.
Given the popularity of some of Denver’s songs, it’s no wonder that the audience couldn’t help but sing or clap along, whether it was the energetic Thank God I’m A Country Boy, the gentle ballad Sunshine On My Shoulders, or the signature song of the evening, Take Me Home, Country Roads.
John Denver died in 1997 in a plane crash at the relatively young age of 53.
He left a legacy of timeless songs like Leaving On A Jet Plane, Fly Away and Annie’s Song, a tribute to his wife at the time.
He wrote Annie’s Song, also known as You Filled Up My Senses, in 10 minutes after a thrilling turn down the ski slopes in Aspen because he was so inspired by the beauty of his surroundings that filled his senses.
Country Roads will have you smiling, clapping and singing along, filled with nostalgia for these lovely songs from the past. Directed by David Hogan, Country Roads has various afternoon and evening shows, Tuesday to Sunday, at the Drayton Festival Theatre until June 22.
Call the box office at 519-747-7788 or toll-free at 1-855-drayton (372-9866) or online at draytonentertainment.com.