"Once" - by Enda Walsh, Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová - The Majestic Theater (West Springfield, MA.) - REVIEW
(Cover Photo: Kate Theis as “Girl,” with Nick Anastasia as “Guy” in a moment from the musical "ONCE" by Enda Walsh, Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová, now playing at the Majestic Theater in West Springfield, MA. through October 19, 2025. Photo Credit Kait Rankins)
By Kevin T. Baldwin
METRMAG Reviewer
# 774-242-6724
“I played the cards too late, now you're gone..."
- ("Falling Slowly") / Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová
The Majestic Theater
Presents the Broadway Musical
"ONCE"
Book by Enda Walsh
Music and Lyrics by Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová
Directed by James Warwick
Music Director Maggie Hollinbeck
Choreographer Chelsie Nectow
Cast Includes: Nick Anastasia* as “Guy,” Kate Theis as “Girl,” Maggie Hollinbeck* as “Baruška,” Kevin Tracy as “Billy,” Katy Cotton as “Réza, u/s Girl/Bank Manager,” Chris Cotton as “Da,” Patryk Mathieu as “Andrej,” Omar Sandakly as “Svec,” Hillary Ekwall* as “Bank Manager,” Michael DeVito as “Eamon, u/s Guy,” Eliza Weiner as “Ex-Girlfriend,” Violet Falkowski as “Emcee, u/s Svec,” Francesca Hansen-DiBello as “u/s Baruška,” and Josie Dzuria and Jules Magoffin alternating as "Ivanka."
Additional Creative Team:
Founding Producing Director - Danny Eaton; Producing Director/Stage Manager - Sue Dziura*; Production Manager - Marcus Kearns; Assistant Stage Manager - Michael Garcia*; Dance Captain - Hillary Ekwall*; Set Designer - Juliana Von Haubrich; Lighting Designer - Daniel David Rist; Costume Designer - Dawn McKay; Sound Designer/Engineer - Ryan Hickey; Sound Mixer - Heath Trudell; Technical Director - Alan Schneider; Assistant Technical Director - Chase Trumbull; Wardrobe Mistress - Christine Thompson; Props Supervisor - Dana Weintraub; Covid Compliance Officer - Carol Rucinski.
Performances:
September 4, 2025 through October 19, 2025
(Contact Box Office for Exact Times)
MAJESTIC THEATER, 131 Elm Street, West Springfield, MA. 01089
TICKETS:
For tickets and more information, contact the MAJESTIC THEATER box office by phone at # 413-747-7797 or visit www.majestictheater.com
BUY TICKETS
COVID 19 PROTOCOLS
Contact Venue for Most Updated COVID-19 Safety Protocols and Information.
(Warning: The following review may contain spoilers)
The Majestic Theater kicks off its 2025-2026 season with a splendid production of the musical "ONCE" that you may want to see twice...or even thrice.
The show is a combined heightened musical and visceral experience thanks to the collective efforts of Majestic Theater director James Warwick, music director Maggie Hollinbeck and choreographer Chelsie Nectow.
Plus…this show is just a hell of a lot of fun.
Almost every single musical number in this show is a winner, but standout numbers include “The Moon,” "If You Want Me," the hilarious "Broken Hearted Hoover Fixer Sucker Guy," "Say It to Me Now," "When Your Mind's Made Up" and the Act One closer, "Gold."
The stage musical has its book by Enda Walsh, based on the 2007 film "ONCE" by John Carney.
Like the film, music and lyrics were by Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová, including the Academy Award-winning “Falling Slowly.”
The musical "ONCE" premiered in 2011, before transferring to Broadway in 2012.
The production received eleven 2012 Tony Award nominations, and won eight including Best Musical, Best Actor and Best Book.
The musical also won the 2012 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Musical and the 2013 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album.
For The Majestic Theater show, the two-level set is simultaneously sparse, gorgeous and highly inventive, expanded from one side of the theatre to the other and allowing for seamless transitions throughout the story.
Most of the time, the cast, which doubles as the show’s orchestra, never exits the stage except for a limited number of measured moments to make various costume changes.
Not only does the ensemble play well, but their blended multiple harmonies are also exquisite.
(Cover Photo: Kate Theis as “Girl,” with Nick Anastasia as “Guy” in a moment from the musical "ONCE" by Enda Walsh, Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová, now playing at the Majestic Theater in West Springfield, MA. through October 19, 2025. Photo Credit Kait Rankins)
"ONCE" premiered in a workshop at the American Repertory Theatre in Cambridge, MA, in April 2011, before its transfer to New York Theatre Workshop where it made its Off-Broadway debut in December 2011, following previews from November through January 2012.
The production won the New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for Best Musical.
The musical then began previews on Broadway from February 2012, officially opening in March, running until January, 2015 playing a total of 1,167 regular performances and 22 previews.
The production received 11 Tony Award nominations, winning eight, including Best Musical.
"ONCE" also won the Drama League Award for Distinguished Production of a Musical.
The story of "ONCE" concerns “Guy” (Nick Anastasia) a 30-something Dublin busker, recently separated from his girlfriend.
Anastasia shines as the troubled Guy who, dominating much of the show from the outset, as the Guy mourns a great love lost by singing the heartbreaking song, "Leave."
Guy is seemingly ready to abandon all hope when enters the quirky “Girl” (Kate Theis) to forever change the trajectory of Guy’s life.
Theis is outstanding as the musically gifted and uniquely eccentric young Czech woman, who slowly begins to share, in bits and pieces, her own story to Guy.
(Photo: Kate Theis as “Girl,” on piano with Nick Anastasia as “Guy” on guitar in a moment from the musical "ONCE" by Enda Walsh, Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová, now playing at the Majestic Theater in West Springfield, MA. through October 19, 2025. Photo Credit Kait Rankins)
The Girl inserts herself into Guy’s life, immediately identifying with his music.
Without divulging much about herself, the Girl presses Guy on highly personal details as to his inspiration for the music he writes, seemingly recognizing his emotional pain.
To make ends meet, Guy works as a vacuum cleaner repairman in his father's shop and, coincidentally, the Girl just happens to need a vacuum cleaner repaired.
We then meet “Da” (Chris Cotten), Guy’s father who is instantly charmed by the quirky young Girl.
The Girl plays piano for Guy, who joins her on guitar as they being to play the song most identified with the show, the beautifully rendered “Falling Slowly.”
The couple begins to write, rehearse and record songs together.
Together they start a band with a friend of hers, music store owner Billy (Kevin Tracy) and a Bank Manager (Hillary Ekwall) on guitars; and fellow "flatmates" Czechs Andrej (Patryk Mathieu) an employee at a fast food chain who plays guitar and Svec (Omar Sandakly), a high-strung, over-caffeinated drummer.
(Photo: Kate Theis as “Girl,” with Katy Cotton as “Réza" in a moment from the musical "ONCE" by Enda Walsh, Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová, now playing at the Majestic Theater in West Springfield, MA. through October 19, 2025. Photo Credit Kait Rankins)
The Girl also introduces Guy to her family, including her mother, Baruska (Maggie Hollinbeck, performing double duty serving as Music Director for the show), "flatmate" Réza (Katy Cotton) and the Girl's young daughter, Ivanka (played at alternating performances by Josie Dziura and Jules Magoffin).
Now, an argument could be made that the The Majestic Theater show "ONCE" suffers from a lack of development of these supporting characters and, while this takes away nothing from the marvelous performances by the ensemble, there is some merit to that complaint.
There are some characters which feel either underdeveloped or underutilized, especially when it comes to the Guy's father and the Girl’s family.
However, these characters probably went through a number of adjustments by the show’s creators and were reduced in scope and scale for the sake of time constraints, and/or perhaps also not wanting to detour focus from the principal couple, i.e. the Guy and Girl.
Putting the above aside, this remains a remarkable piece that reminds us of what theatre can be – an emotional, immersive and ultimately joyous experience.
(Photo: Kate Theis as “Girl,” with Nick Anastasia as “Guy” in a moment from the musical "ONCE" by Enda Walsh, Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová, now playing at the Majestic Theater in West Springfield, MA. through October 19, 2025. Photo Credit Kait Rankins)
With the cast also serving as orchestra, this serves to move the story forward in a unique way, augmented by the fine choreography provided by Chelsie Nectow.
Finally, a word of advice - when you arrive for the performance, make sure to be seated about 10 minutes prior to the show beginning as there is some pre-show entertainment you WILL want to catch.
"ONCE" continues in West Springfield, MA. at The Majestic Theater until October 19th and it is highly recommended that you DO NOT miss your chance to experience this unique musical’s relentless and inescapable charm....at least "ONCE"...or twice, if possible.
Coming up right after "ONCE" closes at The Majestic will be Robert Harling’s classic play, “STEEL MAGNOLIAS” which will begin its run on October 23rd, 2025, and continue all the way to November 30th.
For tickets and more information, contact the MAJESTIC THEATER box office by phone at # 413-747-7797 or visit www.majestictheater.com
BUY TICKETS
Approximately two hours, 20 minutes with one intermission.
Kevin T. Baldwin is a member of the American Theatre Critics Association (ATCA)
@MetrmagReviews
@Theatre_Critics
ABOUT THE SHOW
This Tony-winning gem of a musical took Broadway by storm with its romantic folk-rock ballads and an ensemble that plays its own instruments.
Set in contemporary Dublin, a street guitarist is about to give up on his dreams when he meets a curious woman who wants to know all about him.
Captivated by her optimism, the two embark on a remarkable music-making journey that includes a cadre of unlikely companions -- immigrants, oddballs, and lonely hearts.
Featuring all of the magical songs from the acclaimed film, including the Oscar-winning "Falling Slowly," the achingly beautiful, joyously uplifting show "ONCE" strikes an unforgettable chord in audiences and speaks to the power of music to connect us all!
ABOUT THE MAJESTIC THEATER
Locally-produced professional live theater since 1997. Before it was a live theater, local residents may remember THE MAJESTIC THEATER as a movie house. It has since been renovated and reimagined to bring live performances to the West Springfield area, giving local performance and technical artists the opportunity to thrive. Every season at THE MAJESTIC consists of five productions (including at least one musical) featuring local actors. In addition to the subscription season, the summer includes children's theater, concerts, plays, open mic nights, and improvisational comedy shows. Recently named the best place to see live theater in the Pioneer Valley in the Valley Advocate Readers' Poll, THE MAJESTIC THEATER continues to offer great theater thanks to the support and generosity of its 4200+ subscribers.
131 Elm Street
West Springfield, MA. 01089
# 413-747-7797
