Orlando Fringe 2025
Sweet Home Alabama
Unseen Images Theatre
Genre: Comedy, Music, Musical Stories, Musical Theatre, Theatre
Venue: Silver Venue
Festival: Orlando Fringe
Low Down
A perfectly sweet and predictable rom-com with a stand-out ensemble
Review
The actual plot of Sweet Home Alabama is your typical rom-com affair. A big-city girl, once from Alabama, must return to her hometown to get her divorce papers signed so she can marry the big-city man of her dreams. Only to realize she does love her hometown, her ex-husband, and country-fried living. If you’ve seen a Hallmark movie, you know what happens. It is a perfectly inoffensive plot about finding the joys in small-town living. Expect cliche rom-com tropes with this book, as well-written as the snappy dialogue often is. Lazy husband, crazy parents, city/country girl fights, soulless and manipulative city-folk, you know what to expect. Sweet Home Alabama’s world is a utopianistic sweet-as-hell country life. The story was not for me but I know my Lifetime original movie watching mother would have eaten up every minute.
The ensemble and staging of the show are the true stand-out stars in an otherwise generic story. Every time that ensemble entered the stage I was enthralled with their choreography, singing capabilities, and humor. Some of my favorite moments of the show were the subtle background shenanigans the ensemble brought around. Everyone was committed and engaged in the performance. The staging, using but a few tables, chairs, and lights were all excellently done and well-directed. The show was incredibly professional and would not be out of place playing at Dollywood. The country song choices were a great selection of classic tunes (if sometimes a tad forced) which supplemented the story.
Three singers particularly stand out amongst the ensemble: Christie Duffer, Austin Sultzbach, and Lauren Anne Andersson. All three, particularly Andersson, showcased powerhouse vocals. Sultzbach’s mid-show ballad was powerful. Duffer was a charming lead. Andersson played a light-hearted best friend role where she could just sing her heart out.
One moment in particular worth mentioning during the show left me with a sick feeling. The main character, Melanie, outs her gay best friend Bobby while on a drunk tirade. It is a shocking moment that is then resolved immediately with a simple apology. While I admire that the Alabamians did not care about Bobby’s sexuality, the outing was poorly done and felt problematic. Perhaps I’m more sensitive to this as a queer writer myself but this moment needed more depth or to be gone all together. It simply made Melanie an unforgivably bad person, which I do not feel is the intent.
Overall, Sweet Home Alabama is fun, light-hearted entertainment. If you love Mamma Mia, you will also love this. The ensemble cast is spectacular and deserves lots of love. The book itself? Dragged in the dirt cliche. If you’re just looking for a good time and some great singing, Sweet Home Alabama will hit that sweet Cherry pie spot.
