Raising a Glass to Oil & Whiskey: A Fresh Take on Musical Theater
Can country music and musical theater actually work together? Oil & Whiskey doesn't just try—it pulls it off. With powerhouse vocals, whiskey-soaked ballads, a live band that rivals a Nashville set, and just enough story to tie everything together, this intimate new musical feels less like a traditional stage production and more like stumbling into the best country concert in New York.
Hidden below the West Bank Cafe, not far west of Port Authority, is a modern yet cozy dinner theatre/cabaret spot: the recently refurbished Laurie Beechman Theater. You walk through the cafe, furtively looking about as if you're in the wrong place, and then descend the stairs into the warm and welcoming lights of the theater. Tawk visited to view the new musical Oil & Whiskey ahead of its world tour.
Opening with a honky-tonk pre-show featuring young singer-songwriters, it felt like a taste of Nashville right here in NYC. The crooning tunes created a polished, open-mic atmosphere, and I was particularly impressed by Sammy Isabela Antonetti and Sam Woolf, who should both have sparkling singing careers ahead of them. The only aspect that I didn't enjoy was the ensemble of line dancers scattered throughout the audience; though they looked great, they distracted from the talent onstage, and the whole bit was a bit too on the nose.
Then onto the main event, Oil & Whiskey. A musical theatre/country music hybrid, the show revolves around the reunion of two old lovers, Zelda and Teddy (played by Juliet Perel and Cornelius Versa), and their evening reminiscing over drinks.
There is, of course, the protective and sassy friend, Bree (Sarah Giulianti), who does her darndest to stop her bestie from backsliding, and bartender Ray (Levi Penley), who injects plenty of humor and alcohol into the awkward moments. They were an entertaining duo and the perfect comic relief. Giulianti has mad pipes, and Penley's rap cameo really had me laughing.
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The music was fantastic, full of the diphthongs, trills, and soaring high notes that make up the best country songs. Complete with a four-piece band and backup singers, it felt like a country rock concert crossed with a musical, with numbers ranging from revenge-style songs to power ballads. A fight scene was tensely underscored before evolving into its own song. One number cleverly (and I must assume deliberately) incorporated a piano melody reminiscent of the theme from La La Land, overlaid with Perel's powerhouse vocals. Versa went through his numbers with the charm and confidence of a country music king, and the performers fully inhabited the country vibe, from their belted notes to the devastating duets and the emphasized reminder to NOT TEXT YOUR EX! The dialogue, while minimal, was used to good effect, connecting the songs and giving the audience the right amount of context without weighing down the play.
While I wouldn't put it in quite the same category as most musicals—the show itself is only an hour long and mostly focused on the music—Oil & Whiskey deserves its own moment as a new kind of theatrical experience.
Brilliantly written and composed, and threaded together with fun bits of banter, Oil & Whiskey was fresh, fun, and an interesting marriage of two worlds that don't often see the stage lights together. It was professionally staged, had a rocking band, and the actors oozed talent. Unlike many a new work finding its footing on the festival circuit, the show has already matured beautifully, and I look forward to seeing where it goes from here. I could easily imagine it on bigger stages, though there was something both pleasing and suitable about the intimate bar backdrop as a setting. Overall, it was well executed and smooth, like a good glass of whiskey. Watch out, New York!
Oil & Whiskey is playing in several New York venues before its Edinburgh debut. Check out oilandwhiskeymusical.com for more information.
