Fun Music, Important Themes! Va Rep’s New Musical is Pure Gold for Families

When faced with a tragic loss, we all hope we would persevere in love, despite our grief; but the truth is, most of us don’t know how the loss of a loved one would change our outlook. 

In GOLD: The Midas Musical, King and Queen Midas and their daughter Lydia are living a charmed and happy life, until the death of Queen Midas. After the loss of his wife, King Midas’ pain is so great that his grief transforms him. He becomes greedy and cold, despite his daughter’s attempts to help him find joy.

We recently had the opportunity to see the Virginia Rep production with friends, and it was a hit – not only for the adults, but also for our nine-year-olds. The storyline was relatable, the costumes were dazzling, and the music was moving – literally! – we were moving and bouncing in our seats to the contemporary pop score.

At the start of the play, the audience meets the Midas family, a happy and loving crew who share an annual family tradition: stargazing. With Queen Midas’s death, so ends the stargazing tradition. This heartbreaking piece of the play touched my daughter and me, as we relate to losing loved ones and those special rituals simultaneously. Lydia (Lindsay Bronston), daughter of King and Queen Midas, hopes to continue the tradition with her father, but he refuses. He simply cannot find happiness after losing his wife. 

Why We Loved GOLD: The Midas Musical

My daughter said she connected to the royal daughter’s tactics – like relentless persistence and guilt trip –  to persuade her father to go stargazing. “Isn’t that what I did when I kept asking to get a fish?” she asked me. It sure did seem familiar to me!

The most touching scene for me was when Queen Midas (Kathryn Miesse) visits Lydia and they sing “Fly to My Arms.” Between the celestial tone of the Queen’s dress and the gorgeous duet, I was moved to tears.

With the word gold in the title, we expected sparkly or shiny costumes, but these were stunning and so intricately detailed. My daughter and her friend Jane adored Hestia’s costume, noting, “Wow! Even her headband sparkles!”

The play does a great job of bringing levity to the story through Nysus (Darrelle Brown), who along with his party posse, sing and dance their way down the aisle. The vibrant costumes and upbeat singing of “Keep My Belly Full” had us laughing and dancing in our seats.

The themes of the story – the value of family, the importance of keeping memories alive to keep loved ones close – are evident as the show concludes and King Midas realizes that nothing, not even gold, is as important as his daughter. 

This 75-minute show is recommended for ages seven and up. I enjoyed having nine-year-olds with me who could grasp the play’s message, and who also had some background in Greek mythology. Director Todd D. Norris and this outstanding cast did an amazing job presenting the timeless reminder that nothing is as important as family, and remembering the ones we’ve lost is what helps keep them close to us.

See Virginia Rep’s GOLD: The Midas Musical

GOLD: The Midas Musical runs through August 6, 2023 at the Virginia Rep Center for Arts and Education Jessie Bogese Theatre. For details and to grab your tickets, visit showtimes and tickets.