CHICAGO — Truth be told, it was strange on Wednesday to be at a show that depicts the life and death of a great American music star not named Dolly Parton.

But whereas the iconic country music queen, who I truly loved, had a long and profoundly consequential eight decades on this Earth, Buddy Holly died in a 1959 plane crash at the age of 22. I’ve reviewed Alan Janes’ “Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story” more times than I care to remember, and every time the show’s narrator, Hipockets Duncan, mentions Holly’s age, the audience that has just been rocking out to “Peggy Sue,” “Oh Boy” and “Why Do Fools Fall in Love” lets out a collective gasp.

People forget.

I’m not a fan of the current trend of Chicago’s suburban musical theaters doing the same programming in close proximity to their peers.

In the case of this 1989 show, for example, Marriott Theatre produced this perennial just two seasons ago. Some argue that the theaters have distinct audiences and the number of easy-sell shows finite, which is a fair point, but the ecosystem is better served by a more adventurous programing philosophy than this show that is now much older than the pop star whose work it celebrates. Our distinguished community of musical-theater actors deserves greater challenges and if theaters don’t train audiences to take a risk on newer material, its embrace will be yet harder in generations to come.

For sure, “Buddy” packs in about 20 of Holly’s hits, a remarkable number not just in terms of this lightly dramatic revue but in terms of how much Holly was able to record before his prodigious career ended.

This is a less sophisticated production from director Matthew D. Carney than the recent Marriott staging, at least in terms of the physicality of the show, which has a very simple unit set (summer budgets, perhaps) and doesn’t make much attempt to credibly render either the recording studio where Holly and the Crickets made their hits or the Apollo Theater, where the shows depicts them as winning over a skeptical Black audience at the legendary venue.

But that doesn’t much matter at this juncture with this uber-familiar show. It’s really all about the talent, and Joey Chelius, although hardly as nerdy as the titular character, certainly knows how to bang out Holly’s hits. Better yet, he can whip up the audience, which he did to great effect in the extended curtain call.

Although originally written for a cast of more than 20, this show now can be put on with as few as seven actor-musicians, which is the case here, although that feels on the cheap side to me. Some performers, such as Samantha Sayah, play so many characters I don’t know how they keep them all straight. But with the help of choreography from Kenny Ingram, there are fun turns from Eric A. Lewis and Marta Bady to enjoy in the Apollo sequence; Bady genuinely livens everything up as soon as she shows up on the stage.

So, folks, another “Buddy.” You gotta want to spend time with those songs, but this cast will make sure you have fun if you do.

Review: “Buddy” (2.5 stars)

When: Through Oct. 18

Where: Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane, Oakbrook Terrace, IL

Running time: 2 hours, 10 minutes

Tickets: $85-$150 at 630-539-0111 and drurylanetheatre.com

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