Review of Bus Stop

Personalities collide when five strangers converge on a small street-corner restaurant outside of Kansas City in Barksdale Theatre at Hanover Tavern’s latest offering Bus Stop.


The five travelers seek warm refuge in the restaurant after their bus has been stranded by a snowstorm. Elma and Grace, who work in the restaurant, do what they can to make everyone feel comfortable. As the strangers’ individual stories unfold, we see that each is a lost soul looking for some type of fulfillment.

The characters in Bus Stop develop at a gradual pace. The three-act show drags a bit in the beginning but gains momentum as it progresses.

The strangers that gather in the restaurant include everyone from a pretentious drunk to a love-smitten cowboy who forces a girl he’s just met to move to his home in Montana. As an ensemble, the cast seems at ease with each other which helps pull the story together.

Jacqueline O’Connor and Emily Bradner give noteworthy performances in their roles of Elma and Grace. Bradner is particularly delightful as the innocent Elma.

Michael Hawke as the sheriff and Bill Brock as the bus driver provide solid characterizations as does Christopher Dunn who plays the boastful, intoxicated Dr. Lyman.

In her role as small town nightclub singer, Cherie, Alia Bisharat gives an energetic performance that has the just the right amount of over-the-top enthusiasm.

Jonathan Conyers gives his all to the cowboy role of Bo Decker but in doing so often loses the depth of the character’s journey from an overbearing boy to a thoughtful man.

As Virgil, Decker’s older sidekick, Eric Williams turns in a charming portrayal that puts a human touch on the ever-changing situation at hand.

Special mention also goes to set designers, Terrie Powers and David Powers, for their charming and realistic set.

At its core, Bus Stop looks at the differing needs people have for human connection, from one night flings to lasting relationships. This thought provoking play shows how even strangers are interconnected in this world we live in.

Bus Stop plays through January 10th at Barksdale Theatre at Hanover Tavern. For Joan Tupponce.com, this is Joan with One Woman’s View.