Last Train to Nibroc: a sweet and funny romance at Rosebud Theatre

Laureen F. Guenther
Times Contributor

 

The Last Train to Nibroc, a sweet and funny romance directed by Kevin McKendrick, opened on Rosebud’s BMO Studio Stage July 2.
May and Raleigh grew up in neighboring Kentucky towns, but don’t meet until they’re on the homebound train from Los Angeles, each of them carrying broken dreams. May (Heather Pattengale) had hoped to get married and become a missionary, but broke up with her fiancé when she discovered he wasn’t the man she thought.
Raleigh (Jordan Cutbill) was training to be an air force pilot but had to leave the forces when he developed epilepsy. He still dreams of being a writer.
Their hilarious and hopeful love story plays out over two and a half years, from December 1940 to the spring of 1942. I was afraid the three far-apart scenes might seem disjointed, but playwright Arlene Hutton wove the back story so smoothly into the dialogue, it seems I saw those in-between events too. All of the dialogue feels very genuine, made even more so because Pattengale and Cutbill deliver it in consistent, believable Kentucky accents.
In the intimate setting of the BMO Studio Stage, the chemistry between these two is nearly tangible. Watching the adoration in Pattengale’s eyes, hearing the teasing in Cutbill’s voice, observing their finely-crafted body language – I felt like I was sitting in someone’s living room, watching two people fall in love.
I’ve seen Pattengale play diverse roles – most recently in We are the Body, where she gave a heart-wrenching performance as a Romanian Christian, imprisoned and tortured for her faith. Here she’s just as convincing as the naive and trusting young May. This is the first lead role I’ve seen Cutbill perform, and after Last Train to Nibroc, I’ll be looking for opportunities to see him perform again.
May and Raleigh’s story is sweet, sorrowful, healing – and very tender. For anyone who loves a romance, it’ll also be deeply satisfying. I confess I’ve already seen it twice – and will likely see it again.
The Last Train to Nibroc runs on Rosebud’s BMO Studio Stage until Aug. 29. You can get tickets at rosebudtheatre.com or 1-800-267-7553. The theatre was sold out both nights I was there, so book your tickets soon.