Another month of incredible live theatre in Utah has come and gone. My friend Maren was dealing with a death in the family so my friend Marc Bonanni was kind enough to join me for the end of the month episode of Theatre Tuesdays and this time we made it a live stream. It’s a lot of fun.

SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN (TERRACE PLAZA PLAYHOUSE, WASHINGTON TERRACE)

If you follow my content at all you know I am a huge fan of the screen to stage adaptation of the classic film Singin’ in the Rain. I love it so much I saw Hale Sandy’s amazing version 3 times! It’s got just the right mixture of humor, romance, dance, and whimsy for my musical loving heart. Seeing it was coming to Terrace Plaza I just knew I had to see it. They are a community theatre in every sense of the word. Nothing is polished or snazzy but it always has a wonderful community spirit to it and I leave having had a good time. And that’s what happened with Singin’ in the Rain. It’s definitely up there with one of the best shows I’ve seen at Plaza (The Scarlet Pimpernel still holds that prize.)

My favorite part of the production was the 2 comedic leads with Emily Dickerson as Lina Lamont and Quinten Moon Wood as Cosmo. They were both hilarious in their roles and Jayson and Madison Benedict as Don and Kathy were good as well. What stood out the most was how well they did with the filmed silent movie segments. For a small community theatre I was impressed with the effort they put into these sequences. The costumes by Kathy Richmond were also excellent and they always have the best hats/wigs at Terrace by Jacci Florence. Singin’ in the Rain is a show that’s hard for me to dislike and I certainly liked this version! Singin in the Rain is finished but I am heading back up to Terrace Plaza tonight to see Beauty and the Beast so check out their website for more information and to purchase tickets here.

DIAL M FOR MURDER (COVEY CENTER, PROVO)

I had the chance to review Dial M for Murder at the Covey Center in Provo for UTBA. It wasn’t my favorite play but the cast did what they could with it. You can read my review here.

THE PRINCIPLE WIFE (COVEY CENTER, PROVO)

Unless I am reviewing a play or musical for UTBA I usually don’t receive comp tickets for the shows I review but occasionally a member of a production will reach out to me and ask for my feedback. That was the case with The Principle Wife– a new musical I saw last month at the Covey Center in Provo. I went in hoping for an intriguing story about a polygamous pioneer and left feeling mostly befuddled at the strange piece that felt more like polygamy propaganda than a sensitive look into a religion’s past. I say this as someone who is a Latter-day Saint but is also open to frank discussions of the past and the messy policies and beliefs that make up my church.

There are some positives of the production. I liked Ethan Kelso as the father in the story and the full orchestra was impressive (he has a beautiful voice and great stage presence). There were also a few stand out songs, and I appreciate the humor Erin Wilson brings to her role as Sarah the second wife. However, the script is just not there yet. I felt like I was at a sales pitch for polygamy of all things not being given an honest look at the highs and lows of ‘the principle.’ Also the show is way too long coming in at over 3 hours it needs at least 45 minutes removed. There is an entire subplot involving a soldier who is in love with the first wife Rebecca that added nothing to the story and could easily be removed.

A friend said she felt like they were going for a Mormon version of Fiddler on the Roof but if that’s the case they need a lot more nuance and the characters need to feel more like human beings with flaws mixed in with their faith than we got here. I was also shocked to discover the tickets for this play were $49 so it’s not like they were offering it at workshopping prices. It has finished its run but I definitely would be frustrated if I paid that price for it. You can find out more about The Principle Wife here.