At its heart, theatre is storytelling. Whether it is dressed up in fancy costumes and elaborate choreography, or is simple and straightforward, everything onstage works to tell the story. The most effective, most lasting, most potent plays are ones that tell stories that are relatable, even universal; plays in which we see something of ourselves and our own experiences reflected back to us from the stage.
Cape Fear Regional Theatre seeks to tell such stories: ones that represent a wide variety of stories. This central aspect of their identity is reflected in their logo, which states “Great Stories Told Here.”
The theatre kicks off their 2026-27 season with a play that fits their goal to tell great stories: the musical Bright Star. Based on the true story of Iron Mountain Baby and set in North Carolina, Bright Star uses high-energy bluegrass music to tell a remarkable story of perseverance, love, and above all, hope.
Bright Star tells the story of Alice Murphy. She has a successful career as a literary editor when she crosses paths with a soldier returning from World War II. The chance encounter unlocks secrets from the past, as we flash back to Alice’s upbringing in Asheville, North Carolina, in the 1920s. With twists and turns that are difficult to predict, the show is sure to keep audiences guessing.
Written by Steve Martin (yes, that Steve Martin!) and Edie Brickell, the music of Bright Star is as bright a star as any other aspect of the show. While bluegrass is not often heard in musical theatre, it is a perfect vehicle for the story set in the Appalachian Mountains in the 1920s and 40s.
Alice Murphy is played by local actress Jennifer Newman. Originally from New Jersey, the Army brought Newman and her husband to Fort Bragg in 2019, where she quickly found a home and a family at Cape Fear Regional Theatre. Her first show at CFRT was Shrek, in which she played multiple ensemble roles. Since then, she has been in a total of 12 shows, in every capacity from understudy to ensemble to leading lady. In that time and through challenges and changes, the theatre has become Newman’s “village,” a chosen family and more than just colleagues.
Newman expresses her excitement in playing Alice Murphy. She says, “It's really neat to play such a strong, quick-witted and…powerful female character.”
Alice is a successful career woman,-something fairly uncommon in the 1940s,-who has had to overcome much during her life to arrive at the status she has been able to achieve. As Newman explains, “she gets knocked down 101 times, and she gets up 102.”
For every hero, there has to be a villain, and in the world of Bright Star that villain is Mayor Josiah Dobbs. His choices and actions make significant differences in the lives of others in the play, and he is the “antagonist to everyone.”
The Mayor is played by Scott Willis, a New York-based actor who is making his Cape Fear Regional debut. Willis has been on Broadway and national tour stages, including a run playing Monsieur Baurel in An American in Paris on Broadway and the National Tour, and as Santa Claus at Radio City Music Hall.
The Mayor’s son, Jimmy Ray Dobbs, played by Jimmy Rustenhaven, has ideas of how he wants his life to go, but father and son do not see eye to eye.
Willis describes the antagonist of the play, speaking of the character as himself: “You know, I love [my son], probably more than my father loved me…but I'm going to take care of him, and if I need to make him do what I want so that I know he can provide for himself…he's going to do it the way I was taught to do it. So, I'm very controlling.”
The company of the show is rounded out by 15 additional actors, a combination of faces that are familiar to those who have frequented CFRT shows in recent years, and some who are new to the Fayetteville stage.
Led by director and choreographer Antoinette DiPietropolo and music director Sarah Wussow, the company also features something that hasn’t been on the CFRT stage in a while: live musicians. The bluegrass sound is a combination of classic instruments, like mandolin and guitar, but that classic sound will be enhanced in Bright Star by a live fiddle and banjo on stage as well.
Tickets for Bright Star are available for purchase now through the CFRT box office at cfrt.org or by calling 910-323-4233. Season packages are still available for purchase as well, for those who would like to lock in their seats for more than one show at a significant discount.
As always, there are some special event nights planned as part of the run of Bright Star. The first preview of the show is on Thursday, Sept. 10 and will feature a Welcome Back Bash, as the theatre welcomes audiences back for what promises to be an exciting season. The Welcome Back Bash will feature a complimentary pre-show “bubbly bar” and themed snacks for those in the audience.
Military Appreciation Night is Wednesday, Sept. 16, and Educators Night is Friday, Sept. 18; both evenings offer those special guests 25% off the cost of tickets.
The 2026-27 season will no doubt be a momentous one for Cape Fear Regional Theatre and its loyal patrons. While the season opener as well as the holiday favorite Best Christmas Pageant Ever will still be performed at their temporary location at 1707 Owen Drive, the season will wrap up back in their newly renovated home theatre on Hay Street.
By kicking off its new season with Bright Star, Cape Fear Regional Theatre is doing what it does best: bringing people together through unforgettable stories. With a standout cast, upbeat bluegrass music, and a deeply moving tale of hope and resilience, it is a show you won’t want to miss.
Grab your tickets today and join in on the magic!

(Photo: The cast of Bright Star will bring to life the story of Alice Murphy on the Cape Fear Regional Theatre stage. Live music will be a part of the performance. Photo courtesy of Cape Fear Regional Theatre)