Hi friends! I hope you are doing well and having a great time at the local theater near you. In the last week I had the privilege of seeing three shows, one I was blessed to be there as a critic and did a full review of on this site. See my review of The Secret Garden in Payson to learn more of my thoughts. I would love to do full reviews on more shows and as a professional theatre critic can give a fair and balanced analysis of any production small or large. Please email me at rachelsreviews65@gmail.com with your review requests and I will do all in my power to make that happen. Also make sure you are following me on social media as I publish all of my out of theatre reactions there and promote what I am seeing as much as possible.

All that said, I have 2 other shows I have saw as a patron that I want to do my shorter logs for. Since I pay for these shows and am not requested by the venue as a critic these are just my quick thoughts for any who may be interested. So here goes

ARSENIC AND OLD LACE- HALE CENTER THEATRE, OREM

Arsenic and Old Lace is a classic play I have seen many times. In fact, I have even seen some of these actors that were in the HCTO’s version in the play before. Particularly Jayne Luke was in a version I reviewed for UTBA at Pleasant Grove Players last Fall. Fortunately this is a classic play for a reason and it still holds up as a very funny piece of dark comedy.

If you didn’t know the play centers on 2 seemingly sweet elderly sisters who have a very unsightly hobby of poisoning old men who come to rent out a room at their house. In their demented philosophy they are helping these men from their lonely existence and ensuring they have the proper Christian burials they deserve (they make sure to know which denomination the gentleman are before administering the poison.) When their beleaguered nephew Mortimer uncovers what is happening the whole plot becomes a comedy classic full of laughs.

This version at HCTO works because it is manned by such pros like Luke and Melany Wilkins who play Agatha and Martha respectively. Jon Liddiard is a convincing straight man as Mortimer and Matt Kohler gets a lot of laughs as the bizarre Boris Karloff imitating brother Jonathan. Director Mark Fossen is smart enough to keep things simple and let his cast do their jobs. The 1940s home sets by Jason Baldwin are immersive and the costumes by Kim Wright are very well done. My favorite parts of this play is when playwright Joseph Kesselring takes jabs at theater critics (this is Mortimer’s job) and how they just might write their reviews on the way to seeing the play (I would never!) It’s this witty script that makes a play like Arsenic and Old Lace still work today and I was in stitches throughout along with the rest of the audience I was with. When something works it just works. Arsenic and Old Lace is playing at HCTO until Sept 21st and you can purchase your tickets here.

LEGALLY BLONDE: THE MUSICAL- WEST VALLEY PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, WEST VALLEY

Most people who have followed my reviews for a long time know I’m a big fan of the musical adaptation of Legally Blonde. I enjoy the movie but I sincerely think what the team did (music and lyrics by Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin and a book by Heather Hatch) elevates it above the movie, making it one of the strongest screen to stage adaptations out there (you can see me rank a bunch of adaptations here.) All that is to say Legally Blonde is an easy win for me and WVPAC came through with a terrific version of this wonderful show (I recently saw it in Draper and that was fantastic as well.)

While the cast is uniformly strong what impressed me the most is the direction from Brooklyn Pulver Kohler and how she managed to elevate songs that are typically some of the weaker moments of the show. For example, “Whipped Into Shape” is usually pretty forgettable but the jump rope routine they accompanied with it is super cool and entertaining (terrific choreography by Benjamin Rowling.) How Bryn Campbell and the whole ensemble are able to sing and jump-rope so effortlessly is very impressive. I also loved the entire “Gay or European” number which is often a bit of a throw-away but was extremely funny and well executed.

Rachel Matorana brings the bubbly energy you need for Elle and Geoff Beckstrand is a nerdy version of Emmett I enjoyed quite a bit. Even though he’s the villain, Jared Lesa as Callahan probably has the best voice of the cast and his “Blood in the Water” is another song elevated by such a strong production.

I also really loved the ensemble throughout and they all nailed the humor making for a very fun evening of musical theater. My only main critique would be the wig they got for Matorana was too big. It looked like a Dolly Parton wig reused for Elle and that’s not who Elle is. She’s far too fashion-conscious to have a huge bouffant curly hairstyle and it managed to swallow Matorana up distracting from her wonderful performance.

Still this is a show in Legally Blonde: The Musical that I love, well done at WVPAC. It’s definitely worth your time. You can see it through August 31st and purchase tickets here.

I paid for both of these logged shows out of pocket. I’d love to cover as many local shows as possible but I need your help to do so. If you’d like me to review more theatre and appreciate what I do please check out the patreon here

Because Utah is so flush with theatre and theatre companies there are some really wonderful organizations that don’t get the praise they deserve. Payson Community Theatre is one such organization. I have reviewed their shows multiple times and have yet to leave disappointed. Their current production of The Secret Garden is no exception and anyone in the area should take advantage of the opportunity to see this moving show.

The Secret Garden is of course based on the classic novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett and features music by Lucy Simon and lyrics and book by Marsha Norman. The musical tells the story of young orphan Mary Lennox who is sent to live with her mysterious uncle Archibald. She begins as a spoiled child but as she comes to know the trauma of the Craven house she becomes more empathetic (while still stubborn) and the entire family is able to grieve when she revives the secret garden of the title.

What makes this musical work is the transformation of the characters accompanied by the beautiful music. It all starts with the foundation of a dynamic and talented Mary and that’s what they have at PTC. The cast I saw is the Iris Cast and features Izzy Deschamps as Mary and she didn’t miss a beat the entire performance. I especially loved her when she throws a fit at the school superintendent. With the belligerent moments, however, she also has sweet ones with Wyatt Bills as Colin and Daniel Mason as Archibald. In addition to a strong Mary I loved Cecily Ellis-Bills as Lilly (she has a gorgeous soprano voice) and Talia Rowberry as Martha who nails the Yorkshire accent and delivers one of the more underrated songs of the show “Hold On” with power and conviction.

The cast is large at PTC and director Kris Holley does an excellent job keeping things moving. As lovely as it is sometimes The Secret Garden can drag and this production has energy and movement to it that kept me engaged. This was aided by the panel background sets by Perry Ewell that flowed and made it easy to move from scene to scene. The final reveal of the garden also really paid off and was appropriately magical. The period appropriate costumes by Miranda Mobbs are extremely impressive especially for such a large cast to dress. They do chose to give Archibald a barely-noticeable hunchback but I didn’t mind that choice given he is still a social and active person not limited in his travels and activities by a disability.

The major frustration with the evening was some recurring microphone issues particularly with Ewell as Neville. I’m sure as they continue their performances they will work on fine tuning the microphones and it will improve. I’m not sure if it was these sound issues but the powerful duet “Lily’s Eyes” between Neville and Archibald could have more of a connection between the two actors. Even though they are in different areas of the stage they are singing the song to each other and that could be more clear.

In the end, The Secret Garden is a story about family and how we can help each other heal from the wounds of grief and loss. The talented cast and crew at PTC capture this message beautifully making for a moving night of community theatre. It is playing at Payson High School through September 2nd and you can get tickets here.

I’d love to cover as many local shows as possible but I need your help to do so. Please spread the word about my reviews and check out the patreon here

Hi friends! I hope you are all doing well and enjoying great community theater wherever you are. I have 3 shows to update you on today and all 3 worth your time.

SCHOOL OF ROCK- CENTERPOINT LEGACY THEATRE, CENTERVILLE

I first saw the musical adaptation of the School of Rock film in June at Creekside Theatre Fest in Pleasant Grove. While that production had some technical challenges I was really impressed with the show itself especially the song “If Only You Would Listen” which has become a new favorite showtunes. So I was thrilled when I saw that Centerpoint Legacy was putting on the show in August. They are quite possibly my favorite community theater in Northern Utah and certainly the biggest quality for the lowest price you can ask for.

Now having seen the MWF cast I can say their School of Rock did not disappoint. One can easily tell that this musical has an all-star team behind it with Julian Fellowes writing the book, Andrew Lloyd Webber the music and lyrics by Glenn Slater (with additional lyrics and music by Jack Black, Mike White and others.) It’s a very tricky thing the book pulls off because the lead Dewey Finn (J.R Moore) is a very unlikable character especially in a show with children. He is rude, ungrateful and seems completely oblivious to what a school even is. At one point he asks the children to go off campus and get him lunch which is just wild. You’d think he would at least be trying to play the part. Later he’s accused by Patti of not even knowing how to read and not that illiteracy is a character flaw but it does seem plausible given his total cluelessness of what a normal school day consists of.

Anyway, the thing that makes it all work for Dewey is his authenticity. That might sound weird given he is lying but his responses to the world around him are authentic and natural. And then what makes that work with the kids is he allows them to be authentic. When the kids sing “If Only You Would Listen” it becomes endearing because Dewey is in fact the only one who is listening.

J.R. Moore makes for a good Dewey at Centerpoint with him doing more of a Jack Black impersonation than Kristian Huff did at Creekside but he has a nice chemistry with the children and it works for the role. Michaela Shelton stood out even more as Rosalie Mullins. She has obvious opera experience and was incredible in the “Queen of the Night” sections. The kids are all also terrific and play their instruments convincingly.

Director Danny Inkley creates a believable rock environment for the Battle of the Bands segments and the scenic and projection designs by Joshua Roberts give that 80s power band feel we need.

Most importantly School of Rock at Centerpoint is a show anyone can enjoy. The whole family will be able to relate to it and be entertained. Plus it might start some good discussions between teens and parents hopefully encouraging parents to listen more effectively to their kids. I would say School of Rock is an underrated Broadway musical and the production at Centerpoint is a rocking good time! Stick it to the man and go see it! It is playing until Aug 31 and tickets can be purchased here.

DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS- TERRACE PLAZA PLAYHOUSE, WASHINGTON TERRACE

I haven’t been up to Terrace Plaza since their Christmas show Scrooge for a number of reasons (mostly they are a long drive from my house) but when I saw they were putting on Dirty Rotten Scoundrels I jumped at the chance to visit them again and check this show off of my musical theater bucket list. Now that I have I’m glad because I think it was one of the stronger outings from Terrace Plaza and a show that’s uneven but really grew on me as it went into its second act.

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is based on the 1988 film starring Michael Caine and Steve Martin about 2 con men who try and cheat an heiress out of her money but as they do so they end up being the ones conned by her. The musical has music and lyrics by David Yazbek and a book by Jeffrey Lane and was famous for getting Norbert Leo Butz his Tony Award (his speech at the Tonys is an all-timer!)

At Terrace Plaza I saw the T/Th/S cast with Nicholas Balaich playing a confident and slick Lawrence and Jeff Erickson as a bumbling Freddy. My favorite of the cast, however, was Scott Ogden as Andre and Carla Zarate as Muriel. Their little side relationship was so winning and lovely I could have had the entire show about them. I loved their banter in “Like Zis/Like Zat.”

It took a while for this show to get going. I felt like the first act was far too focused on disabled jokes with Freddy pretending to be an injured victim. It just got old fast and I even contemplated leaving at intermission but I’m glad I didn’t because it turned around. Like I said Andre and Muriel were so winning and soon after the 2nd act starts they abandon the wheelchair bit and it became funnier for our leads.

The production was all solid at Terrace Plaza. The direction by Whitney Cahoon kept the action moving across the stage and up the staircases to different platforms. The costumes by the team have a glamorous appeal to them and the choreography by Katie Swainston was energetic and fun.

I was surprised when Terrace Plaza chose to put on Dirty Rotten Scoundrels as it definitely has its non-family friendly moments so I don’t know I’d bring the young ones to this but for adults it’s one of the better shows I’ve seen from them and a good time to be had by all. It is playing until September 21 and tickets can be purchased here.

BANDSTAND- DOGOOD THEATRE COMPANY, PLEASANT GROVE

I was so excited when I heard a company was putting on Bandstand here in Utah and even more thrilled when I learned it is a new company trying to make a name for themselves. DoGood Theatre’s production of Bandstand is the first time the show has been done in Utah and they crushed it in this production. Especially with the quality of the lead singers with Kiley Todd Drake playing Julia and Luke Urry as Donny I don’t think anyone could ask for better leads in a community production like this. Drake was especially powerful in her closing number “Welcome Home” and Urry got every high note thrown at him. It was so good.

The show also has real emotional depth to it. Something you don’t typically see with WWII stories. I was moved by the journey of the characters as they dealt with their PTSD and conflicted feelings over a war we typically paint in only heroic colors. I describe more of my thoughts in my review for UTBA. You can read it here. Bandstand is playing until the 24th. Please go see it. You can purchase tickets here.

Aside from the show I reviewed for UTBA I paid for all of these logged shows out of pocket. I’d love to cover as many local shows as possible but I need your help to do so. If you’d like me to review more theatre and appreciate what I do please check out the patreon here

Hi friends! I’m back in Draper after a nice little 5 day trip down to Cedar City to attend this year’s Utah Shakespeare Festival. This year I went with a group from Utah Theatre Lovers and had a fantastic time. They are a very welcoming group and the airbnb we rented was perfect for our needs. Make sure you check out my log of the first 3 shows I saw here. Here are the remaining 3:

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING- UTAH SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL, CEDAR CITY

I enjoyed the festival’s production of Much Ado About Nothing so much I decided to see it a second time at the matinee on Saturday. This time I was in the cheap seats in the gallery but I think I actually preferred the experience as I could get the scope of the entire production better and I didn’t have air conditioner blasting on me like in the first row.

I don’t have much more to say about it this time as the cast is the same as my first log but just want to reiterate how well directed the production is by Brad Carroll, not sparing any details to make a gag funnier or a sequence work better. For example, when the gulling scene happens Benedick has a pail attached to his foot and him maneuvering around the stage with a pail makes an already funny scene even funnier. Walter Kmeic is outstanding as Benedick and I’d see anything he does after this I enjoyed his performance so much.

In the after-performance seminar they said part of the reason Much Ado About Nothing is so accessible is because it has a higher prose to poetry ratio than most of Shakespeare’s text and that makes sense because there are so many long sections of monologuing particularly with Benedick. I guess some people debate whether Beatrice or Benedick is the lead protagonist and I think at least in this production it’s definitely Benedick. He has a lot of scenes where he is either alone or with just Claudio or the Prince. More so than Beatrice.

Since Much Ado About Nothing is playing in the Randall I think it will be continuing through the festival which ends October 5th. I highly recommend checking this one out and bring the whole family. This is a terrific introduction to the Bard and everything the festival has to offer.

THE WINTER’S TALE- UTAH SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL, CEDAR CITY

I’m not sure why but going into seeing The Winter’s Tale I was worried it wouldn’t be a Shakespeare I’d enjoy much. Maybe because it’s not performed often and the plot sounds a little dry I was prepared to be entertained but bored. Imagine then my surprise when it turned out to be a thoroughly absorbing play put on with great skill and craftmanship by the team at the festival.

In truth I’m not sure why The Winter’s Tale isn’t put on more as it’s a nice mixture of elements. It has the drama of jealousy and revenge but it can also be quite funny and romantic as well. In addition, it has the whimsy and magical realism of some of Shakespeare’s other plays like A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

The story focuses around a King Leontes who becomes fixated on the idea that his pregnant wife is having an affair with his best friend and that the child she is caring might not be his. His jealousy tears his marriage and family apart and her repeated denials do nothing to satisfy his desire for revenge.

Tracie Lane plays Queen Hermione and her performance is very impressive especially late into the show where she has to hold a pose as a statue for a very long time. The makeup and costuming given to her adds a lot but still the regality she holds even while remaining still is wonderful to watch. Chauncy Thomas is devastating as Leontes and he really sold the scenes where he realizes the mistakes he has made.

The play, however, is not a heavy production or at least it doesn’t feel so with humorous segments with silly characters like Autolycus who literally steals the clothes from off the back of characters. The costumes by Raven Ong add a lot to each scene making the entire production feel lush and full of imagination.

But mostly The Winter’s Tale is a great mixture of light and darkness, full of compelling characters and a story that never fails to entertain. I really enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone attending the festival.

THE TAMING OF THE SHREW- UTAH SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL, CEDAR CITY

My last of the festival, The Taming of the Shrew, I can’t fully comment on because unfortunately we only made it through the first half and then we were canceled (after a mighty effort to try and restage) because of repeated lightning strikes. Nevertheless I will share my thoughts on the first act.

The team behind this version of The Taming of the Shrew decided to use an introduction with a company putting on a play for the drunk Christopher Sly (Topher Embrey who is such a talented comic actor) and then everything becomes a play within a play. This is a true version of the play and I didn’t mind the choice. I also understand the desire to paint The Shrew story as something in a heightened reality as a way to make the problematic elements more palatable to modern audiences.

That said, I think they went a little overboard in the fantastical elements with hair, costume and background choices that were distracting more than compelling. For example, Bianca is supposed to be a great beauty that all the men desire after and yet she has a bizarre hairstyle with braids that made her look like Cindy-Lou Who from the Grinch not something from Shakespeare. All of the costumes are bright strange colors and the hairstyles strange with a background that really did look more out of Seuss than Shakespeare. It kept me from getting immersed in the story.

That said, the performances were all full of energy with Cailtin Wise selling the most unhinged Kate I’ve ever seen and John DiAntonio unleashing a charm machine as Petruchio. They are both pretty crazy characters so it makes the violence they unleash on each other a little more even-keeled than the text might imply.

It’s too bad I didn’t get to see the second act of The Taming of the Shrew but they did give me a credit to return so maybe I will get a chance to see it another time. As what I did see I’m not sure the choices worked for me, but I suppose better to have swung and missed than not tried anything creative at all. If you got to see the entire production I’d love to hear what you think?

So there you have it! It was a terrific trip and a wonderful festival. I hope to return next year and see more professional theatre in Cedar City. Have any of you been to the festival? What are your favorites from this year or other years?

All of the shows logged here I paid for out of pocket. I’d love to cover as many local shows as possible but I need your help to do so. If you’d like me to review more theatre and appreciate what I do please check out the patreon here. You will find the patreon has many benefits including watch alongs with writers and actors of TV and films and more. Please take a look.

Hello from Cedar City! I am down in Southern Utah with some other ladies from Utah Theatre Lovers (a great group on facebook and meetup for theatre lovers from anywhere) and taking a little bit of much needed vacation (my last trip to SXSW was spoiled because I grew very sick as the trip progressed.)

Anyway, I am here to see 5 performances at the Utah Shakespeare Festival and this entry will log 3 of them. I also saw You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown at Centerpoint on Monday so I will log that as well. I hope you are enjoying some great theatre wherever you are!

YOU’RE A GOOD MAN CHARLIE BROWN- CENTERPOINT LEGACY, CENTERVILLE

You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown is a show I’ve had on my bucket list for some time and so I jumped at the chance to see it at the black box at Centerpoint Legacy. In the end, I’m glad I did because it’s a very cute show that captures the look and feel of our favorite Peanuts characters.

It’s interesting the show is not done more because it has a lot going for it. It’s based on beloved characters. It has cute songs and is appropriate for the entire family. I do think Putnam Spelling Bee came along decades later and did this same idea but made it better and much funnier (although less kid friendly.) This is perfectly cute for a family.

The standouts in the Centerpoint production are the scenic design by Brian Hahn and costumes by Rachel Lindsay. They perfectly capture the charm and whimsy of the Peanuts world. My friend told me there were lighting problems on opening night but they must have fixed those issues because it was all perfectly well lit.

My favorite song of the show is probably “My New Philosophy” and it is sung well by Anissa Roberts playing Sally. Scot D. Struble was also a very cute Snoopy the dog. You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown is probably not a show I will jump to see again but I’m glad I caught it once and would recommend it to anyone in or near Centerville. It’s a cute sweet show for the entire family. You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown is playing until August 17th and you can purchase tickets here.

THE 39 STEPS- UTAH SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL, CEDAR CITY

Since I have become a frequent theatre patron I have noticed certain shows are more rewatchable than others. In particular I have found myself growing especially weary of comedies. If I never see A Gentleman’s Guide again it will be too soon. The Play that Goes Wrong I’m very tired of etc. So when I say this staging of The 39 Steps didn’t do much for me put that in perspective as someone who has seen it many times and the gimmick is getting a little stale.

In addition, the environment of this production was working against it as the Randall L Jones theatre is blasting out air conditioning to the point people are bundling up to watch a show there and as I was in the front row I had a burst of air right on top of me the entire time. It’s a very bad situation especially when you are paying $50 for these tickets!

If you didn’t know The 39 Steps is a farce loosely based on the classic film and novel. It has a small cast of only 4 people and they literally wear different caps and play over 140 characters by the time the play is finished. It can be quite funny particularly with the supporting characters Clown 1 and Clown 2 played by Michael Doherty and Bailey Savage respectively. My favorite bit is a political rally where clowns are old people who walk absurdly slow. That was a really good piece of comic acting.

Tom Coiner as Richard Hannay was less successful in my opinion. His choices were too big all the time making the truly humorous moments fall flat. He’s supposed to be the straight character that has all this madness happen to him but in this version he was as crazy as anyone else which made it less funny. I also did not appreciate when he heckled the audience. In particular me for wrinkling my bag to get out my water. Especially when I’m being forced to sit in this freezing theatre a little bit of grace from the actors is expected as we are all trying to do our best.

If you have never seen The 39 Steps you’ll probably enjoy this production more than I did but for the price I would pass on this show and see something else at the festival. If you do go bring your sweatshirt!

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING- UTAH SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL, CEDAR CITY

Yesterday I braved the Randall L Jones theater again to see one of my favorite Shakespearean plays (perhaps my absolute favorite?) Much Ado About Nothing and it was worth the cold with one of the best plays I’ve seen all year! I adored this production.

Much Ado is one of Shakespeare’s comedies and it in many ways set the blueprint for the screwball comedies and romantic comedies that would follow it. It’s very funny and the team at USF was able to keep things accessible and easy to follow with the Shakespearean language. I could tell everything happening on stage was guided by a very talented director, Brad Carroll, because it wasn’t enough just to have an action occur it had to be topped off with an extra ingredient to provide laughs. For example, when Benedick overhears the conversation about Beatrice loving him he has a pail on his foot and this pail stays on there for the entire scene making everything he does even funnier than it would otherwise be.

Speaking of Benedick, Walter Kmiec, is outstanding in the role. He is funny when he needs to be funny but also serious when the moment calls for it. It’s that calibration that makes the character so endearing and makes us as the audience root for him and Beatrice ( who was also excellent played by Melinda Parrett.) The costumes by Brenda Van der Wiel are moved up to the turn of the century Italy as opposed to the 1600s but they all suited the characters well. I know Shakespeare isn’t for everyone but this Much Ado About Nothing I can’t imagine anyone disliking. It’s a blast.

HENRY VIII- UTAH SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL, CEDAR CITY

When I saw Henry VIII was on the docket for the festival this year I was very intrigued. It’s one of Shakespeare’s plays that is rarely done. In fact, it is only the 3rd time they have produced it in the 63 years of the festival. Now that I’ve seen it I can understand why it isn’t done that much but it was still interesting to watch and I’m glad I can check it off my theatre bucket list.

What is fascinating is I just saw the feature film Firebrand which is all about Henry but paints a very different picture of the king as a brute of a man who used and abused everyone in his life especially the women. You can read my review for Firebrand here. Of course Shakespeare being close to Henry’s reign and literally having the monarchy sponsor his Kings Players he couldn’t write a play like Firebrand. One of the actors told me it’s basically political propaganda for its day and that is a fascinating thing to watch and see how they tried to sell Henry and in what ways he’s presented as a towering noble figure.

The cast in Henry VIII is all excellent as are the costumes by Bill Black. Director Derek Charles Livingston does what he can to keep things moving along the stage and not have actors just standing in one spot too long. The dramaturg Isabel Smith Bernstein evidently did a lot to pair down the lengthy play and make it more approachable for modern audiences.

The main thrust of the story is Queen Katherine who is put on trial because she won’t agree to an annulment of her marriage to Henry. Cassandra Bissell is excellent in the role and commands the stage whenever she is speaking. Topher Embrey is Henry and has a big booming voice appropriate to a monarch. The rest of the cast is all good. It’s just, even with the changes, a little dry and uninteresting. But in truth I feel this way about most of Shakespeare’s histories. They are more interesting as a historical artpiece than an actual engrossing plot/characters. Henry V plays being the big exception. Still, I’m glad I saw Henry VIII and would recommend it for any history buffs in the area.

The Utah Shakespeare Festival is running until October 5th so there is still lots of time to see any of the 7 shows playing there. I will have 2 more to recap during my trip but I would love to hear what you think of these plays if you’ve seen them here or otherwise. Happy Shakespeare!

All of the shows logged here I paid for out of pocket. I’d love to cover as many local shows as possible but I need your help to do so. If you’d like me to review more theatre and appreciate what I do please check out the patreon here. You will find the patreon has many benefits including watch alongs with writers and actors of TV and films and more. Please take a look.

I had a busy weekend with lots of film and theatre. Fortunately my experiences at the live theatre were a lot better than at the movie theater. You can read my movie reviews here. But here are my thoughts on the theatre I did see:

MATILDA- LEHI ARTS COUNCIL, LEHI

Most people know I’m not the biggest fan of the Broadway adaptation of Matilda. I don’t hate it but it’s not my favorite musical. Therefore, it might be surprising to see I have seen it 4 times in the last few months. It’s honestly too much but it’s such a popular show and I have so many friends who are in it and I’m always eager to support my friends so I go to see it!

This production was directed by Howard and Kathryn Little who are the best community theater directors in Utah working today and this was no exception. They know how to get the best out of their actors and work with an ensemble whether it be a large space like the Skyridge High School stage here or the smaller productions at Pleasant Grove Players where they’ve directed many shows.

Alicia Wright played Matilda here and she brought the right amount of spunk for the role and John Newall and Jas Petrell are a ton of fun as the parents. Kat Hawley Cook was another standout as Miss Honey.

I’m not a big fan of the escapologist sections of this musical but I must admit they were staged quite beautifully with silhouettes in this production. The large cast was very impressive and numbers like “Revolting Children” and “The Smell of Rebellion” are highlights.

Matilda is finished at Lehi Arts Council and I will probably take a break from this show for a bit but this is one of the best arts councils in the area so make sure to keep an eye on all their productions here.

This production…

but also on Matilda…

HAMILTON- BROADWAY AT THE ECCLES, SALT LAKE

I will never forget when my sad heart was comforted watching the pro-shot of Hamilton on Disney Plus in summer of 2020. It meant so much to me and so I will always have a special place in my heart for Hamilton and jump at the chance to see this iconic show. Fortunately the touring company is coming through Salt Lake and they are staying for over a month! Hopefully everyone who wants to see Hamilton will have the chance with such a long residency. I was blessed to see it with my friend Stefanie as I reviewed it for UTBA. This was Stefanie’s first Broadway show and what a great one to start with! I get the critiques of Hamilton (there’s bound to be a backlash for anything that’s so big) but I still think it is a fresh and exciting look at our history. You can read more of my thoughts in my review here. Hamilton will be in Salt Lake until September 1st and you can purchase tickets here.

TWELFTH NIGHT- PARKER THEATRE, SALT LAKE

I think every theatre fan has their favorites from William Shakespeare. I know for me it is the comedies- particularly Twelfth Night and Much Ado About Nothing. You wouldn’t think a comedy like Twelfth Night, written in 1601, would still hold up and be funny today but it does and the new production at the Parker Theatre is a gem that shouldn’t be missed (nothing at the Parker should be missed but this is no exception.)

The biggest strength of this production is the wonderful ensemble cast who are all professional quality actors. Camrey Fox is charismatic and likable as Viola who is pretending to be Cesario and woo the Countess Olivia for their master Duke Orsino. Fox manages to have great chemistry with both Olivia played by Hannah McKinnon and Orsino played by Jason Hackney. The whole cast is phenomenal and sold the humor even when the language can be challenging for modern audiences.

The highlight of the play is of course poor Malvolio who is tricked into looking ridiculous for Olivia by the scheming Sir Toby, Maria and the jester Feste. Malvolio is played by David Johnson and he brings just the right amount of snobbery while still making you feel a little sorry for him especially when he is locked up in the asylum for his antics. It’s truly laugh out loud fun.

All the technical aspects of Twelfth Night are excellently done by director Anthony Buck and I especially love the music and and sound design by Buck and David Campbell. It’s hard to believe you can see a show like this for under $30. Less than $20 if you get season tickets which I highly recommend as they have an amazing 2025 season planned. Twelfth Night plays until September 7th and you can purchase tickets here.

MAMMA MIA- SANDY ARTS GUILD, SANDY

I’m honestly not sure what inspired me to get a ticket for Mamma Mia at Sandy Arts Guild. I love a good rom-com of course but its thin plot can be a little much for me and I have left more bored than entertained in the past. Well, I’m glad I took a chance on them and saw Mamma Mia this weekend because I ended up loving this production. I may go see it again I enjoyed it so much.

While the cast was brilliant and terrific in their roles I have to give the most credit to the director David Hanson. He did such an incredible job with attending to every detail of the production. The set by Dwight Western was massive and impressive but it’s how it was used that stood out. In nearly every scene if there was something going on in the foreground actors were also doing something in the background- usually not even lit but they are opening shutters or talking to a neighbor. This made everything a richer experience.

The choreography by Jessica Pace was so well executed by the large ensemble cast and the storytelling moved across the stage and one could not help but smile at the bubbly singing and dancing. The entire cast played off each other well and I didn’t think there was a single weak link performance-wise. Carolyn Hogan had a young vibrant energy as Sophie and Julianna Boulter was perfect as Donna. I also loved Sara McDonald as Tanya. She completely sold “Does Your Mother Know” and I was cracking up at her performance.

Mamma Mia may be a show you dismiss as light and fluffy but I’d encourage you to give this Sandy Arts Guild production a shot. It was a blast and I left with a big smile on my face. One of the theatrical highlights of the summer for sure. It’s playing until August 15th (they extended it because it kept selling out!) and you can purchase tickets here.

So that’s this weekends theatre log. What have you been seeing?

Aside from the shows I reviewed for UTBA I paid for all of these logged shows out of pocket. I’d love to cover as many local shows as possible but I need your help to do so. If you’d like me to review more theatre and appreciate what I do please check out the patreon here

Happy day to all my theater loving friends! I hope you are doing well. I’ve been pushing myself very hard lately on pretty much every front- working 2 new temporary jobs, my other work, film criticism and of course watching live theater. It’s amazing I’ve still managed to see as much as I have but I’m fortunate to have been able to do so. I also had the chance to recap the Tony Awards with my friend Marc for OnStage Blog

I also have 5 local shows I couldn’t wait to tell you about. Some I reviewed for utba and others are just mentioned on this log. Please let me know what you have been watching at a theater near you.

SHE LOVES ME- SPRINGVILLE PLAYHOUSE, SPRINGVILLE

It’s always fun when I get a chance to check out a new to me company (there’s so many in this area I could see a new one every day!) and it’s especially fun when they are doing one of my favorite shows. I recently had this experience when I went to the Springville Playhouse for the first time and saw their take on She Loves Me. I absolutely adore She Loves Me and this was a really fun community version of this wonderful musical.

I think the key is the Parfumerie story that it is based on just works. Whether it is this, The Shop Around the Corner or You’ve Got Mail it’s a great concept for 2 people to fall in love over their words. They hate each other in real life but are in love as penpals. It’s a great idea. She Loves Me takes this concept and then adds music by Jerry Bock and lyrics by Sheldon Harnick and it is completely charming.

At Springville they had a talented cast led by Allison Dean as Amalia and Jared Gaskil as George. They had a nice chemistry together and both brought a nerdy energy to their button-up personas. It’s super fun to see them become unglued and surprised as they realize they are falling in love. The sets and costumes were also very impressive with a 2-story set creating the Parfumerie store and then Amalia’s apartment, the restaurant etc.

The only downside was it was all performed at a school and the office chairs were pretty uncomfortable and the sound they had to work with was frustrating. It would be nice if when company’s are in an environment like that they gave a little notice on their social media so we could bring a cushion or something like that. I appreciated at Sugar Factory recently when they even had cushions to rent but they did give me a heads up so I brought my own pillow. I have never felt She Loves Me’s length before but I did feel it this night.

She Loves Me has finished its run in Springville but I look forward to seeing more from them. You can find out more here.

SEUSSICAL- HALE CENTER THEATRE OREM, OREM

I debated about whether I wanted to see Seussical at Hale Orem. I had just seen it at Centerpoint a few months ago and wasn’t that impressed with the show and figured it might just not be for me. (I have season tickets to HCTO so that’s why I had a ticket.) Eventually I decided to give it a shot and I’m glad I did. It was a lot better and just the visual components of the show alone were more than enough to make up for the scattershot script.

Seussical has music by Stephen Flaherty and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens (who would go on to do Anastasia which I also don’t love) and it is of course based on the works of Dr Seuss. The problem is in attempting to tell all of Seuss’ diverse stories they fail to find a coherent narrative throughout them all and it’s just kind of sporadic and all-over-the-place.

Nevertheless, the folks at HCTO have made an incredible immersive experience with practical sets (not the AI!) and dynamic lighting, whimsical costumes. They also did a good job bringing out the humor of the piece. In particular Blake Barlow as the Cat in the Hat was very funny and since I was laughing I didn’t mind the disjointed story. Wade Robert Johnson is also very endearing as Horton the Elephant who takes care of the Whos no matter how small and sits on Mayzie’s egg.

I don’t think Seussical will ever go down as a favorite show of mine but HCTO has done about as good a job staging it as one could do. I recommend checking it out. It plays through August 3rd and you can buy tickets here.

INTO THE WOODS- OPPA, LAYTON

Anyone who has followed my content for any amount of time knows I’m not the biggest fan of Stephen Sondheim’s magnum opus Into the Woods. I respect things about it but I don’t think the subversion in Act 2 pays off and I just find the whole experience to be rather long and frustrating. Nevertheless, it is extremely popular particularly here in Utah so I often find myself seeing it and in spite of what people may think I can give a fair review of a show I’m not crazy about. I recently saw the production at OPPA and especially if you’re a fan of this show you should totally give this one a shot.

There are 2 aspects that made this version of Into the Woods stand out. The first is giving it a 1950s setting both in costumes and iconography in the backdrops with domestic housewife posters and advertising for the day. I think someone could even go further with this and have it be set in a city park with buildings around it, giving the woods an urban feel. It could be a cool way to freshen up a oft-told story. Nevertheless, I really appreciate that they tried to make it their own (director Kristie Post Wallace did a great job.)

The cast was also one of the strongest I’ve seen at OPPA. They have an education mission so I’m pretty forgiving of their imperfect casts but this one basically everyone was bringing it. I particularly enjoyed Caitlin Olsen as the Witch (I think she is one of the strongest singers acting in Utah today and her acting is compelling as well.) and Preston Fulllmer as the Wolf and Cinderella’s Prince was absolutely hilarious in both roles (I don’t think these roles are usually cast with the same actor but it really worked.)

There was some kind of problem happening with Cinderella’s costumes. I assume this comes from the show being double cast but her dress was starting to come apart and I was nervous it was going to literally fall off her and there were a couple other costume construction issues. This is community theater after all. That said, this is a very strong take on Into the Woods and especially if you love this show and what it has to offer I highly recommend it. It runs through July 13th and you can purchase tickets here.

OLIVER!- HOPEBOX THEATRE, KAYSVILLE

Hopebox is a really special local theater with a wonderful mission of supporting individuals fighting cancer in the community. They’ve also never missed for me. Even if it is a show I’m not crazy about like Seven Brides for Seven Brothers they still put on a quality production that makes for an entertaining night of theater. I recently reviewed Oliver! there for UTBA and it was an incredible experience. I absolutely loved their steampunk take on the classic story. Being it is set in the Victorian era the steampunk sensibilities really make sense and work and it fit the venue so well. I highly recommend checking it out. You can read my review here. Oliver! plays through July 13th and you can purchase tickets here.

SCHOOL OF ROCK- CREEKSIDE FESTIVAL, PLEASANT GROVE

One of the shows on my musical theater bucketlist for some time has been School of Rock. I knew about it because it comes from Andrew Lloyd Webber, Glenn Slater and Julian Fellowes (all who I love) but I had never had a chance to see it. Fortunately I got the chance at Creekside Theatre Company in their Summer Festival series and I wrote my review for UTBA. There were a lot of technical issues which was unfortunate but I still really enjoyed the experience. I love the comradery between Dewey and the kids and there are some really catchy tunes especially “If Only You Would Listen.” I was thinking about it and I honestly think I prefer School of Rock over Matilda which might be a hot take but there it is. You can read my full review here. School of Rock plays through July 1st and you can get tickets here.

All of these logged shows not part of UTBA I pay for out of pocket. If you would like me to be able to see and write about more shows please consider checking out patreon which has some really fun perks. More information here. Thank you