'The Bridges of Madison County' at Artistry Theatre

Jennifer Baldwin Peden (Francesca Johnson) and Eric Morris (Robert Kincaid) Photo by Devon Cox

Near the top of Clint Eastwood's resume sits the The Bridges of Madison County. The adapted musical is directed by Benjamin McGovern, running at Artistry Theatre in Bloomington through February 16th.


Based on the best-selling book and movie by the same name, the musical takes us back to rural Iowa in 1965 when photographer, Robert Kincaid (Eric Morris), comes to Madison County and stays with Italian housewife, Francesca, as her family is away at the Indianapolis fair.
Jennifer Baldwin Peden make Francesca’s Italian character come to life. She holds her hand to her chest and looks out wistfully in the distance while singing songs like "What Do You Call a Man Like That?" And "Always Real." Her desire for Robert and nostalgia for Italy are apparent. During exciting flashback scenes, the orchestra, led by conductor Anita Ruth, picks up its momentum.

Her imagination leads her to the memory of her sister, Chiara,  who captivated the attention of quite a few men. McGovern leaves the set sparse except for sultry Chiara, as she moves across the stage with a bold, domineering cat-like walk. The audience will relate to the sibling rivalry, the person in their family who holds the power, and their desire to idolize or cast them away.

 Photography by Devon Cox

The script also pokes fun at small town life, “People are either working or looking out from their window,” says Francesca. A simple window is used with neighbor, Marge, (Wendy Short-Hays) looking from behind it, with binoculars, as she speculates with her husband what Francesca and the photographer are up to.



In this musical, the frame of the famous covered bridges of Madison County are lowered onto the set, and they return several times as the cast drives out to see them. A couple of seats and an oversize steering wheel create the illusion of a truck. The stage crew pushing them out gets a laugh from the audience.


This production of The Bridges of Madison County is a testament to the creative abilities of Artistry Theatre. Perhaps the most stunning element of the aesthetic is the light design by Mike Kittel. Shades of pink, purple and violet are most memorable in creating the atmosphere in Madison County.

Tickets at artistrymn.org