This review contains spoilers.

Ashland’s Theatre Department of Bus Stop was the perfect remedy to escape for a few hours and be transported back to the 1950s.

Walking into the Studio Theatre, I found myself in an old-style diner where vibes of relaxation bounced off the walls. Oldies songs filled the theatre and I could not help but tap along to the beat.

Grace’s diner was adorned with antique Pepsi-Cola and Lemmy lemonade signs and leather bar chairs surrounding the service counter. Dimmed lighting effects helped set the tone of a welcoming place from the harsh, snowy weather outside of the frosted windows.

The audience was first greeted by the mid-west charm and accents of the owner of the diner, Grace, played by senior Johanna Regan and her innocent niece, Elma, played by junior Emily Jeppesen.

Grace’s larger-than life personality and Elma’s innocuous spirits captivated the audience from the beginning and I found myself smiling at their carefree and lighthearted demeanor. Regan and Jeppesen showed a wonderful performance filled with charisma and goodness.

Final preparations by Grace and Elma were being made in the diner before the bus rolled into town carrying five eclectic characters. As the bus stops at the diner, tensions are already high since a snow storm forces a layover.

Will Masters, the town Sherriff, played by senior Aaron Arnold breaks the news to the bus passengers that they will be spending some quality time in the diner. Arnold played the Sherriff with a great deal of pose and confidence, which I found created a commanding presence to establish his role of authority.

Frantically running through the diner is the nightclub performer, Cherie, portrayed by junior Rebecca Ribley. Adorned with sparkling high heels and a long glitzy coat with yellow feathers on the fringe, Ribley’s performance made a statement as she feverishly explained that she was kidnapped by a cowboy on the bus who wanted to marry her.

Junior Brandon Wurgess plays Carl, the bus driver, and strolls into the diner with distress because of the unexpected layover. Wurgess performed his character with great personality and humor as he successfully charmed Grace into an overnight stay with her. Of course, his sly ways drew a few snickers from the audience.

Not before long the audience was greeted by Dr. Gerald Lyman, the professor played by senior Austin Arnold. The professor’s lackadaisical and scheming behavior with younger women was played in a humorous manner by Arnold. I found myself constantly laughing at his witty, intelligent comments that might have been brought on by having too much to drink.

Lastly, the mysterious cowboys on the bus saunter into the diner and these two cohorts could not be more opposite. Virgil Blessing, played by David Wagar is a calm man who quietly plays his guitar at a table to help pass the time. Wagar’s reserved acting style matched the wise and sensible cowboy perfectly and was a great balance to his eccentric partner.

The spitfire cowboy, Bo Decker, played by Jay Kunzi, drew all the attention on himself as he yelled and declared his love for Cherie hoping for her hand in marriage. Decker would not give up his pursuit of Cherie has he hollered and jumped over counters to be close to her.

Kunzi played his role with a great deal of enthusiasm and commitment. Kunzi’s character took a great deal of energy to execute, and from beginning to end Kunzi did an outstanding job.

My favorite scene of the play was the floor show performance put on by characters to help pass the time of their layover. The characters illustrated their best talents and their acts drew a great wave of laughter from the audience, including myself.

Virgil Blessing sang Go Johnny Go! on his guitar while Dr. Lyman and Elma performed a hilarious version of the iconic balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet. Elma’s animated portrayal of Juliet and Dr. Lyman’s tipsy portrayal of Romeo sent the audience into rolls of hilarity.

Cherie took center stage at the diner in a swanky costume and displayed her angelic voice and enticing dance moves. To her frustration, Cherie’s performance was stopped short as Bo Decker gawked at her and whistled in excitement.

After apologies were exchanged, Cherie saw that she could indeed marry Bo Decker because of his genuine love for her. The roads are finally cleared from the snowstorm and Cherie and Bo continue their journey to Montana to be married.

I found Bus Stop to be a heartwarming performance filled with laughter, excitement, heart and that Midwest charm that we all seem to love. The cast and crew put on an excellent performance and I felt that each performer gave everything they had to help the audience relax and put a smile on their face.

If you want the chance to see this feel-good comedy, purchase yourself a ticket for this weekend’s Bus Stop performances on October 4-6. I promise you will be in for some great laughs.