Kelly Howe as Linda Ronstadt in Just One Look. Photo courtesy of The Midnight Company.
Just one look—that’s all it took for Lenny Anderson to become a lifelong lover of one Linda Ronstadt. And after you see Kelly Howe as Ms. Ronstadt, you’ll understand why.
Just One Look premiered in 2023 and quickly became a sold-out smash hit. The Midnight Company players now have a residency at the Blue Strawberry (364 N. Boyle Ave.) and they’ve returned for one command performance after another.
The show is written by Joe Hanrahan, the creative director for The Midnight Company. Hanrahan plays the role of Lenny Anderson, a rock journalist and the number one Ronstadt superfan who finally fulfilled his longtime dream: an exclusive interview. He’s the MC, guiding the audience and providing context for each song (along with some juicy tidbits of music history).
Kelly Howe, the star, is a Midnight Company regular with an impressive range. She played a mysterious (and possibly dead) woman with an inscrutable past in their 2024 production of Harold Pinter’s postmodern memory meltdown, Old Times. She plays the vocal virtuoso with grace and self-effacing charm. Just like the real Linda Ronstadt, Howe is no diva. She never boasts about her obvious talent; she prefers to shift the spotlight to the skilled musicians and songwriters who helped her achieve superstardom.
Ronstadt is a household name for most baby boomers (my 63-year-old dad, who accompanied me to the show, provided some ace notes for this review). Like many millennials, I first learned about Linda Ronstadt from the classic season 4 episode of The Simpsons, “Mr. Plow.” (say it: “Mr. Plow, that’s my name, that name again, is Mr. Plow”). When Homer becomes the hottest snowplower in Springfield, Ronstadt does a catchy (if mean-spirited) country duet with Barney to promote his rival business “Plow King.” The fluent Spanish speaker later pitches a Latin version (“Señor Plow no es macho/ Es solamente un borracho”). For you younger readers, 1) you should absolutely know and care about Linda Ronstadt, and 2) she was one of the greatest American vocalists and interpreters of the 20th century.
Ronstadt’s career was incredibly diverse. She started out in country rock and Tex-Mex bands, eventually making her way to the West Coast’s mecca of music, L.A. Her original backing band later formed a popular little group called The Eagles (who I f***in’ LOVE). Her origin story provides the perfect segue into one of the evening’s best numbers, “Desperado.” Her wild fling with Jumpin’ Jack Flash himself, Mick Jagger, is a jumping-off point for a rollicking rendition of “Tumbling Dice.” As Lenny notes, Linda was the queen of interpretation; she didn’t write her own songs, but she knew how to bring out the best in other people’s songs and find new meaning in them.
Linda later brings us back to the USA with her buddy Chuck Berry, and her travels with Neil Young lead us to a tender, haunting “After the Gold Rush.” You even get a little of the Great American Songbook with “When You Wish Upon a Star,” which was arranged for Linda by legendary composer Nelson Riddle. Theater fans will be thrilled by Linda’s success on Broadway, which brings us to “Poor Wandering One” from The Pirates of Penzance.
It’s an incredibly diverse lineup of songs and Ms. Howe brings just the right mood and energy level to each of them. She also spices things up with a few wardrobe changes throughout the set, dressing up in a Mexican-style shawl, a cute cowgirl outfit, and a beautiful red cocktail dress with one strap loose. She’s backed by a live band with drums, keyboard, and guitar. The players have excellent chemistry and make the shifts from country to folk to Latin to operetta and back again seem almost effortless.
Special mention must be made of the beautiful Central West End venue Blue Strawberry, with its glowing blue, strawberry-shaped neon lights. This reviewer didn’t have time to try the food, but my banana-flavored cocktail was delicious and the service was excellent. Servers quickly and quietly take orders throughout the show without ever interrupting the experience. This reviewer found a parking spot on the street, but shows often sell out, so it’s recommended that you arrive early and enjoy some supper before the show. Tickets for the July 19 show start at $30—a fair price to see the “Rock Goddess” Ronstadt in your own hometown. | Rob Von Nordheim
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit bluestrawberrystl.com.
The Just One Look setlist:
Different Drum
Long, Long Time
Desperado
When Will I Be Loved
You’re No Good
Heat Wave
It’s So Easy
Poor, Poor Pitiful Me
Blue Bayou
Tumbling Dice
Back in the USA
Poor Wandering One
When You Wish Upon a Star
After the Gold Rush
Pour Un Amour
Just One Look
