Los Angeles Times
- Somewhat Recommended
"...The pop star heroine of the new musical "Emily's Song" has a problem. It's not the fact that her mother died in childbirth, her father disappeared and now has amnesia, or her lousy taste in guys. Her real challenge is being trapped in a soapy, 100-scene screenplay that writer-director Chet Holmes has shoehorned onto the stage at the Hudson Backstage Theatre. "
LA Weekly
- Somewhat Recommended
"...Although the premise is interesting, the problem is that the story is told so cinematically: There are close to 100 scenes, some of which are four lines long before a blackout. While this may work on screen, it is disjointed and jarring on stage. The songs, co-written with Amanda Holmes and Tom Shepard, are pleasantly melodic, but many are too short to be musically satisfying. Still, Haun's voice is a highlight of the show, and she and Schmid do the numbers justice. The two of them, along with the perky and precocious Byrnes, are also very talented performers, but, like the rest of the cast, are constrained by the formulaic and at times melodramatic storytelling."
Backstage
- Not Recommended
"...Writer-director Chet Holmes wrote "Emily's Song" as a screenplay and sold it to Warner Bros. as a vehicle for LeAnn Rimes, but the movie never got made. Now Holmes has turned it, more or less, into a stage musical. Even after considerable trimming, the screenplay has 100 scenes, some lasting only a minute or two. This necessitates 90-odd blackouts for scene changes, some of them longer than the scenes. The running time is thus extended, the action is slowed to a snail's pace, and the predictable plot line becomes ponderous."
LA Theatre Review
- Not Recommended
"...Unfortunately, the script gets no help from the director, who happens to also be named Chet Holmes. Generally, it's a bad idea for playwrights to direct their own work, but particularly one who has no experience doing so. The direction picks up where the writing leaves off, leaving nothing to the imagination, spelling out every plot development and character emotion in a condescendingly simplistic manner. Mr. Holmes may think this is appealing to the masses, but I felt like I was being spoon-fed pap."
Stage and Cinema
- Not Recommended
"...Of all the talented theatre folk in Los Angeles who could have translated Emily's Song into something new and daring (anything's possible), writer Chet Holmes not only assigns himself the task of rewriting, but staging the thing as well. What, exactly, is Mr. Holmes showcasing here' The irony is that he seems to be showcasing the message that we can overcome our odds, yet he can not overcome his own odds as a writer and director. Either way, this is a showcase masquerading as theatre. As such, it would be foolhardy to even mention actors who are so out of place in this vehicle that we're not even sure if they can act. Regarding Emily's Birthday song, Charlie says, "It's sloppy, but it's original." He only got it half-right."
LA Splash
- Recommended
"...Overall Emily's Song is a fine production. Director Chet Holmes has assembled a fine company of actors to tell this bittersweet about love, lost and the sustaining power of music."
The Tolucan Times
- Not Recommended
"...This well-intended, potentially heart tugging… though not yet "ready" production, evoked mixed feelings from this reviewer, I'm sorry to say. Firstly, its two-and-a-half-hour length became tedious, and lessened the strength of its message. Secondly, most of the remaining characters, as written and performed, were too "stereotypical," with the exception of John Bigham… whose stint as Jake was truly heartfelt. A lovely and moving concept, with deep meaning and a lot of heart… became bogged down and soap opera-ish. Trimming down the length and re-directing the smaller character roles would do much, I feel, in giving this story the focus and impact it deserves…"
