THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY Music and Lyrics by Jason Robert Brown Book by Marsha Norman Based on the novel by Robert James Waller. Rehearsals begin on Monday, 4/10/25; Runs: 5/9/25 – 5/25/25 Rehearsals typically Monday - Friday, 6:30pm-10:30pm
Based on the best-selling novel, and developed by Tony Award winner Jason Robert Brown (The Last Five Years, Parade, Songs for a New World) and Pulitzer Prize winner Marsha Norman’s The Bridges of Madison County captures the lyrical expanse of America’s heartland along with the yearning entangled in the eternal question, “What if…?” Winner of the 2014 Tony Award for Best Score and Orchestrations, this sweeping romance about the roads we travel, the doors we open and the bridges we dare to cross will leave audiences breathless. Francesca Johnson, a beautiful Italian woman who married an American soldier to flee war-ravaged Italy, looks forward to a rare four days alone on her Iowa farm when her family heads to the 1965 State Fair. When ruggedly handsome, National Geographic photographer, Robert Kincaid, pulls into her driveway seeking directions, though, what happens in those four days may very well alter the course of Francesca’s life. With a soaring score and a heartbreaking story, The Bridges of Madison County is a touching and powerful addition to any theatre’s season. The tour de force roles of Francesca and Robert are a dream come true for any actor, while the ensemble is rich with characters who tell their own individual stories and receive plenty of focus on stage.
[FRANCESCA]: A beautiful Italian woman, generous, luminous, and funny, now married to a farmer and living in Iowa. Gender: Female; Age: 35 to 45
[RICHARD “BUD” JOHSON]: Francesca’s husband. An Iowa farmer, a good guy, diligent and dependable, but always exhausted and irritated that things haven’t gotten easier. Gender: Male; Age: 40 to 50
[ROBERT KINCAID]: A ruggedly handsome, worldly, visionary photographer. Gender: Male; Age: 40 to 50
[MARIAN]: Robert’s former wife, a musician. Gender: Female; Age: 35 to 45
[CHIARA]: Francesca’s sister still living in Italy. Gender: Female; Age: 35 to 45
[MICHAEL]: Francesca and Bud’s son. Gender: Male; Age: 16
[CAROLYN]: Francesca and Bud’s daughter. Gender: Female; Age: 14
[MARGE]: Francesca’s neighbor, sassy and nosy. Gender: Female; Age: 45 to 60
[CHARLIE]: Marge’s husband. Gender: Male; Age: 60 to 70
[ENSEMBLE]: 8 actors to play Townspeople, Waitress, State Fair Patrons, Ginny, State Fair Singer & Fiddle Players. All must sing extremely well, retain harmonies and basic movement.