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Something Rotten at The Ruth is a Laughfest Renaissance Style (Review)

Believe it or not tonight I saw the musical Something Rotten for the 4th time this year. I’ve seen it 9 times since the pandemic so to say that it is popular in Utah would be an understatement. Usually with comedic shows the comedy starts to wear on me after a while, but fortunately that is not the case with Something Rotten. It made me laugh the first time I saw it and it still makes me laugh on the 9th time.
If you are unfamiliar with the story of Something Rotten it’s a farce written to poke fun at all things theatre in particular Shakespeare and musicals. The lead characters are Nick and Nigel Bottom and they are Renaissance playwrights who have to compete with the biggest bard of them all William Shakespeare. Through various contrivances they get a glimpse into the future and decide to start the modern musical in 1590 to revolutionize theater.
In all the Something Rotten I’ve seen there are varying degrees that the company choses to lean into the musical theatre scavenger hunt of it all. I’ve seen productions where every ensemble member in “A Musical” is dressed up in an iconic musical theater costume but then I’ve seen others where no special costumes are used and it is left only to the lyrics to do all the parody in the songs. Director David Morgan and his team at The Ruth have found a happy medium between these extremes. This is smart because it is enough to entertain the hardcore musical theatre fans without alienating newcomers who won’t get more obscure references (my Dad saw it with me at one of the more intense versions I’ve seen and he didn’t get most of the references and jokes. I think he’d like this one at The Ruth much better.)
The cast is all great here. Blake Barlow and Austin Dorman make believable brothers as Nick and Nigel respectively and Jordan Nicholes has the bravado to pull off rock star Shakespeare (one interesting aspect of Something Rotten is Shakespeare is the most memorable character but he’s actually not in that much. He barely appears in Act 1 until “Will Power” and then in Act 2 he only has one song “Hard to be the Bard.”) The Ruth stages those two songs like a concert complete with adoring fans shrieking and brightly colored lighting (Ryan Fallis.)
I was a little disappointed they didn’t do more with the set and other production elements for “We See the Light.” No stained glass or even church pews to set the scene. I know it is a dream sequence but it made the song feel a little forgettable when it is one of my favorites. I also wish the company had come out into the aisles like they did with their recent production of An American in Paris or Cinderella. It just could have been more immersive. My final point of critique is the sound mix was off some particularly for Shakespeare’s songs. It makes the singing feel less professional when they are having to yell above the music.

All that said the production does what it needs to do- it makes the audience laugh. I don’t know how one doesn’t laugh at ridiculous songs like “Make an Omelette” with eggs jumping around (costumes by Lexi Goldsberry.) But with all the laughs there is a sweet story of brotherly friendship, being true to oneself and finding love both new and in ones marriage partner. It makes for a very fun night of community theatre.
They tone down some of the more bawdy humor at The Ruth so Something Rotten is appropriate for the entire family. It is playing through October 4th and tickets can be purchased here.

Something Rotten features music and lyrics by Karey and Wayne Kirkpatrick and a book by Karey and John O’Farrell.
If you enjoy my writing and would like me to review your production I’d love to. I also have a patreon which is a great way to support my shorter logs for shows I don’t get to review. I have some really fun perks like bonus episodes, patron polls and monthly Q&As with actors, directors and writers. Please take a look here.
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Heritage Might be the Ideal Location for ‘The Play That Goes Wrong’ (Review)

Over the years I have become a bit of an expert on The Play that Goes Wrong. Pride and Prejudice and A Christmas Carol are the only straight plays I’ve seen more times than it since the pandemic and for the most part I always leave having had a good time. That said, the schtick is becoming wearing a bit thin. That is why I was nervous going into seeing it at Heritage Theatre and was so thrilled coming out of it having been so entertained. I didn’t know if such a small company could pull of this show and make it entertaining but in many ways they are tailor-made for it and all it has to offer. I really recommend seeing The Play that Goes Wrong at Heritage.

If you didn’t know The Play That Goes Wrong is a farce about a fictional theatre company, The Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society, and their disastrous staging of The Murder at Haversham Manor. During the mystery sets fall apart, actors are incapacitated (a few multiple times) and lighter fluid is ingested and spit-taked repeatedly. It’s absurd and can be very funny. What is most inspired about the production at Heritage is they use the smallness of their limitations to lean into the jokes even more than is on the page. So yes their second story platform is dinky and can’t pull off every gag but that in a way makes everything more funny. The play is after all is about a small company where everything goes wrong in their play. Heritage in its smallness can sell the jokes better than anywhere else I’ve seen!
Another factor where the smallness paid off in droves is being forced to have Trevor (Duncan Christensen), the sound technician on the stage with them instead of in the tech booth in the crowd. This adds to the technical and production based jokes. Director Jed Broberg and his set designer companion Dave Matthews seemingly have thought of everything to make the material work for the small space (where it didnt work very well at the theater-in-the-round space at West Valley this year.)
I have to hand it to the actors as well because they are fully committed to the comedy even being totally in on the physical demands of the gags. Ashley Dean Hansen as Sandra/Florence is particularly impressive as she is dragged through windows and plopped on to the floor multiple times. Chauntelle McAlhany is absolutely hilarious as Annie and her growing rivalry with Hansen is so much fun to watch. All the men are in top form including Alex Patterson as Dennis/Perkins. The scene where they keep recycling the same lines over again waiting for him to say the right ending line had me in stitches.
I am sure most of the people reading this review have seen this show before. It’s been done a lot but I’d encourage you to give Heritage’s version a shot. I truly found it quite illuminating and frankly one of the funniest shows I’ve seen in a long time. Tickets to Heritage are very affordable and it would be a good way to teach kids about comedy and have an enjoyable night out together. Also their Winston is adorable. You can’t go wrong with Heritage’s The Play that Goes Wrong! It is playing Sept 6th and tickets can be purchased here.
Also the audience was very responsive and interactive the night I attended. I wish every audience of theatre I sat with helped the performers as much as this one. It really adds to the experience!

The Play that Goes Wrong is written by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer and Henry Shields of Mischief Theatre Company
If you enjoy my writing and would like me to review your production I’d love to. I also have a patreon which is a great way to support my shorter logs for shows I don’t get to review. I have some really fun perks like bonus episodes, patron polls and monthly Q&As with actors, directors and writers. Please take a look here.
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Utah Theatre Log 8/9-8/23/25 (Daddy Long Legs, Frozen, Macbeth ) (Rachel’s Theatre Log 177)

Hi theatre friends! I hope you are doing well. I have a few recent shows to update you all on. For those new to my site for shows I attend as a patron I do brief logs letting you know what I think and for those I see as a critic I do a full detailed review. Make sure you are following me on instagram to get my out of theater reactions to everything I see both film and theatre. Lately I have been finding most companies want me to do full reviews which is a complete honor so down the road I may have to come up with a different system for logging these patron thoughts but for now it’s working well enough (I also have no deadline for the logged review which for a full comped review I try and get them out within 48 hours.)
So here goes a few things I’ve seen recently:
Macbeth- Parker Theatre, Salt Lake

It was very interesting to get to see Macbeth at Parker Theatre so soon after seeing it at the Utah Shakespeare Festival. I enjoyed both productions and would recommend them both for different reasons. They both tried different strategies to make Shakespeare more entertaining. With USF they portrayed Hecate, which is an element usually left out but it gave the production a rockstar appeal and was fresh and exciting. With Parker they focus on the soldier element and we even see some fight choreography (Spencer Hohl) between Macbeth, MacDuff, Malcom and others. Interestingly both start with a funeral and the Macbeth’s losing a child. This does a lot to ground the characters and with Parker a child actor appears as their Ghost Daughter (Eloise Hohl.) It is fascinating they only had one Macduff child an older daughter played by Emme Hatch.
As much as I enjoyed the rockstar element of Hecate at USF I feel I got to know the Macbeths a little better in the Parker production. They felt like a bit of an afterthought at USF. I also think Lucas Charon is perfectly cast in the lead role. Everything about his appearance, energy and performance is just what I envision for the character of Macbeth. We also get the sense of grieving and loss from McKenna Walwyn’s performance as Lady Macbeth. The sound (Spencer Hohl), lighting (James B Parker) and other elements are always a standout at Parker and this is no exception. Others have written more about the adaptation and it not being to their liking. I saw no major problems with the script. The production is directed by Brinton Wilkins and it plays through August 30th. Tickets can be purchased here. (Also I’ll be sad to have no Shakespeare next year at Parker 😦

Daddy Long Legs- Centerpoint Legacy Theatre, Centerville

I’ve already given my thoughts about this production of Daddy Long Legs at Centerpoint but I did get to see the TThS cast and I adored it just as much as the MWF cast, perhaps even more! This cast has Mackenzie Turner as Jerusha and Jacob Coates as Jervis. They both feel like teenagers (don’t know how old they are but just how they felt on stage) which is a fun choice for these characters who are supposed to be college-aged. I also really liked both of their nerdy energy they bring to the roles. It feels obvious from the first letters that they belong together just by their expressions and excitement for life.
All of the strengths of the MWF cast are still here. I love how director Liz Christensen starts with Jervis back facing us and then in the second act she changes so the chair is facing towards us. It’s symbolic of his growth as a character but also his relationship with Jerusha changing from a man in the shadows. I appreciate the decision to not have him pin up the letters. It helps him seem more grounded and likable as a character. The only thing I think is weird is the decision to have oil painting projections in the background. Nobody in the play is a painter and art or paintings are never talked about. I think a projection of letters and writing would make more sense.
But I adore this musical and this is a wonderful production. I wish I had time to see it again. If you can get out to Centerpoint it’s well worth your time. Daddy Long Legs is playing until Sept 2nd but only a few tickets are left and can be purchased here.

Frozen: The Hit Broadway Musical- Disney Plus

Lastly a few quick thoughts about the proshot for Frozen that has recently appeared on Disney Plus. While the title ‘hit Broadway’ isn’t very accurate as this is filmed in London West End, it’s still an excellent recording of this show based on the beloved animated film. The cast is wonderful led by Samantha Barks as Elsa and Laura Dawkes as Anna.
Next to The Lion King, Frozen is probably the most visually impressive of the Disney Theatricals. The quick dress changes and the timing of the lighting effects are very impressive and fun to watch. Plus, watching them on the proshot one gets to get up close and personal with what is happening (the first time I saw Frozen my view was obfuscated which was a bummer. In some ways a proshot can be an improvement!)
Frozen does drag at times but that’s another benefit of watching from home. You can enjoy as much or as little of it as you want while folding laundry or doing any other thing. This musical is perfect for that kind of watch. If you want to see my ranking of all the Disney theatricals click here. Definitely give this Frozen a shot!

So there you have it! My latest update. What have you been watching? Let me know in the comments!
Macbeth is written by William Shakespeare. Daddy Long Legs has music and lyrics by Paul Gordon and a book by John Caird based on the novel by Jean Webster. Frozen: the Musical has music and lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez with a book by Jennifer Lee
These logged shows I pay for out of pocket, and I’d love to do that as much as possible. If you have a show you’d like me to take a look at and write a full review let me know. I also have my patreon which is a great way to support what I do and get some really fun perks. Find out more here.
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Shrek has Strong Leads and Heart but Lacks Normal Hopebox Polish (Review)

Earlier this year I did a ranking of Utah theaters and Hopebox Theatre in Kaysville was 2nd place in my ranking. Not only do I love their mission and find what they are doing to help cancer patients incredibly moving but their productions have been some of the most inventive and immersive I’ve seen each year. Whether it’s Oliver or Fiddler on the Roof the attention to detail in all aspects is outstanding. So when I say their current production of Shrek is a little underwhelming it’s only because I hold them up to such a high standard. It has many positives and is a fine night of community theatre but it doesn’t have the polish I usually see from Hopebox.

Let’s talk about the positives. First I found all 3 leads to be excellent and to have a nice chemistry together. Gregory Harrison has a sweet vulnerability as Shrek, Dusti Mulder is sassy with a beautiful voice as Fiona and Lance McDaniel gives his own fresh take on the character of Donkey (sometimes it can feel a little weird when a white actor is mimicking Eddie Murphy too much so I appreciate McDaniel didn’t do that.) I also liked the ensemble work particularly the tap dancing mice in “Make a Move.” It’s always amazing how they are able to pack in so many performers into the small stage at Hopebox and director Sadie Day has worked with choreographer Kayley Turner to get the most out of the large ensemble. The Duloc scenes and fairytale creatures are the especially big and energetic sections. Of course, it’s most important in community theatre that everyone seems to be having a positive experience together and that is always present in spades at Hopebox.
I’m afraid most of my negatives will come across as very nitpicky but again it’s only because I’ve come to expect such a high standard from this incredible organization. There are just little things they could work on. For example, the makeup could be more consistent. Even on Shrek most of the night the green didn’t go to the top of his head and there is a large streak in between the makeup and his cap. Fiona’s ogre makeup is practically non-existent and Shrek’s mother at the beginning has very little if anything on. The costumes are surprisingly minimalist for this company. Donkey, for instance, only has a normal suit with fur on hands and feet and ears. The Dragon has almost nothing to signify she’s a dragon. The sets are also pretty sparse with one castle set doing most of the heavy lifting and even then the stairs didn’t clamp down like they should so they were giving the actors a lot of grief moving around throughout the night. They could make the settings more unique by little things like having fabric lava at Fiona’s castle or more signs to distinguish Duloc.
Anyway, now that I feel like a big meanie that’s going to join Lord Farquaad in his villainy I’d still say Hopebox is worth supporting and that Shrek is a fun night of community theatre. Tickets are $16-21 and can be purchased here. It runs through Sept 6th.

Shrek: The Musical has music by Jeanine Tesori, lyrics and book by David Lindsay-Abaire and is based on the animated film and book by William Steig.
If you enjoy my writing and would like me to review your production I’d love to. I also have a patreon which is a great way to support my shorter logs for shows I don’t get to review. I have some really fun perks like bonus episodes, patron polls and monthly Q&As with actors, directors and writers. Please take a look here.
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Utah Shakespeare Festival 2025 Recap and Log

Hi friends! This month I had the opportunity to attend The Utah Shakespeare Festival in Cedar City. I was attending as a patron not as a critic so I am not reviewing what I saw there but I did cover them on my podcast.
I attended the festival with my friend Jacks and went with the Utah Theatre Lovers group which is a wonderful organization I highly recommend following on facebook and attending their events. We covered the whole experience on the OnStage Blog podcast episode you can see above (and on all the podcast platforms here)

Here’s a few quick thoughts about each of the shows I saw:
The Importance of Being Earnest
First up we had The Importance of Being Earnest written by Oscar Wilde and directed by Rodney Lizcano. The strength of this production is Sarah Shippobotham as Lady Bracknell (I really loved her in Steel Magnolias as well.) The costumes by Bill Black are also outstanding. That said this isn’t my favorite play. I’ve seen it a few times and I just don’t find it that funny and when I’m not laughing at a comedy I find it tedious. This was particularly true for this showing as I was tired after a long drive and struggled to pay attention. (Really the first day was hard for me but that’s on me not the performers.)
Macbeth
Next we had Macbeth and even though I was over-heated and not feeling well this was a really fun take on the classic Scottish drama! What particularly stood out is them including Hecate, the Greek goddess of magic and witchcraft which is usually cut out of the show. Not only is she included but it’s quite the spectacle with a giant bird apparatus that takes up most of the stage. This was so impressive that at times Macbeth and Lady Macbeth felt like a bit of an afterthought but it is still definitely fresh and innovative. Director John DiAntonio.
Steel Magnolias
The following morning I was better rested and we started the day with Steel Magnolias. I love this play and I saw a wonderful version of it earlier this year see review here. This is also an outstanding production and my favorite play I saw at the festival. The play is written by Robert Harling and directed by Melissa Maxwell and it lives and breathes on the chemistry of the women and them being able to play believable friends, which this cast does in spades. I particularly loved Olivia D. Dawson as M’Lynn and her final speech is devastating. If you have a chance to see Steel Magnolias take it. It’s such a good play.
Antony & Cleopatra
Our second Shakespearean play is the rarely performed Antony & Cleopatra. This is directed by Carolyn Howarth and I like that she leaned into the campy elements of the story. This is not a girl power take on Cleopatra, which some in our group were annoyed by but I didn’t mind it. there are times where the narrative can get a little confusing- probably because they had to cut a lot of the play to make it manageable but it still was sold with enough panache to have a good time with. Kathryn Tkel and Geoffrey Kent make for a convincing Harlequin-esque version of our leading couple. It’s campy fun.
Ken Ludwig’s Dear Jack, Dear Louise
Our final day of the festival started with a black box play called Dear Jack, Dear Louise which is a fictionalized account of how writer Ken Ludwig’s parents met writing letters in World War II. The lead couple are played by couple-in-real-life John DiAntonio and Caitlin Wise which I think helps them to be able to have chemistry despite never meeting until the end of the show. Everything is very cleverly staged by director Michael Perlman so that the 2 never make eye contact despite sharing a small stage together but they still manage to interact together. The only thing I wish I had was a few lines about how they were matched as pen pals to get begin with but this type of romantic play is totally up my alley and I loved it.
As You Like It
The final show of our trip (we didn’t see A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder which I wasn’t too sad about because I’ve seen that show many times and I think it is just ok) was As You Like It. It’s a Shakespeare I think I had seen once before but am not overly familiar with like I am Macbeth or Twelfth Night. Overall I enjoyed it but it is not as funny as I thought it was going to be. In a lot of ways it reminded me of A Midsummer’s Night Dream. Both are about love and magic that happens in a forest and both have about the same level of humor. The only bummer for me about this production is the big wrestling match that everyone was excited about I couldn’t see well because of where the actors are placed. They basically blocked my view of the big spectacle moment of the show! Director Beth Lopes needs to consider the sightlines of the audience especially because those actors could have easily been further back on the stage. Still, the ensemble is very strong led by Kayland Jordan as Rosalind. The Orlando played by Gabriel W Elmore is exactly what you want for a leading man role like Orlando.
So that’s the festival. If you got to attend this year let me know what you got to see and what you enjoyed. They have an incredible line-up planned for next year so hopefully I will be able to get back down there. It’s always a highlight of my theatrical year.

The whole festival gets a Go See It! These logged shows I pay for out of pocket, and I’d love to do that as much as possible. If you have a show you’d like me to take a look at and write a full review let me know. I also have my patreon which is a great way to support what I do and get some really fun perks. Find out more here.
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Hunchback at WVA is a Festival of Friendship, Love and Community (Review)

If you have followed my content for a long time you know I have a mixed experience with Disney’s animated classic The Hunchback of Notre Dame. My first exposure to it was when I was babysitting the nephews of my friend and put it on and was shocked at what I saw. However, as an adult I have come to appreciate it more for the bold swing it was especially for a company like Disney and for the adult storytelling it attempts to tell. Now with the musical adaptation of the animated film Disney theatricals has refined the film and actually made an improved version of the story. It’s subtler, abandons most of the off-putting comic relief, and provides more character motivations particularly for the villain Frollo than the animated film. I have seen the musical many times but I don’t know that I’ve ever seen it better than at West Valley Arts Center this week. It is truly an astonishing production and something all involved should be very proud of.

I was especially thrilled to see such a great show at WVA because their last few shows haven’t been my favorite. I was particularly happy to see director Kate Rufener use the theater-in-the-round space to its full advantage, really immersing us in the world of the story. The sets by Adam Flitton are astonishing with some of the most impressive bells and stained glass I’ve ever seen. There’s also an incredible attention to detail with the costumes by Alicia Kondrick even getting side characters like Snt Aphrodisius with the correct robes and head coverings. I was amazed how many ensemble members they fit on the stage all executing the dancing choreographed by Marilyn Montgomery. One would have to work to not be drawn in by the world created around them.
They also make the very interesting choice of having the virgin Mary (Sophia Morrill Mancilla) as an actor holding a baby that all the actors especially Frollo confront and interact with. I have never seen that approach taken and it is very compelling and adds to the immersion.

The cast is across the board as good as anything I’ve seen at any professional theater in Utah or abroad. It almost seems immoral such incredible performances aren’t being rewarded with professional contracts and salaries. They are all that good. Chase Petersen as Claude Frollo is the standout. His deep baritone voice and commanding presence is perfect for the role. His Frollo is unyieldingly selfish but has just enough humanity set up at the outset with his relationship with his brother to be extra realistic and terrifying. His “Hellfire” is an unforgettable villain moment.
Taylor J. Smith manages to avoid any sense of disability tokenism that might be present in his Quasimodo, and I was on the journey with his character. Him singing “Out There” is one of the highlights of the night. Beatriz Melo has a beautiful voice as Esmeralda and her character is the emotional glue that holds the ensemble and cast together. It’s just a remarkable cast i would put it up against any Hunchback cast ever assembled. Period end of story.
With Hunchback originating from a novel in 1831 there are some outdated language particularly when it comes to the Romani people depicted. Also the ending and some other elements from the animated film are changed (mostly for the better but it is not the most kid-friendly offering the Disney association might imply.) I saw plays with deep themes when I was a child. Parents just need to be aware and help their kids process a show like Huncback.
No matter the age, child or adult, I can’t recommend West Valley Art’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame more heartily. It is a wonderful, moving, human experience with beautiful songs, dance, and performances. I was thrilled to see my night mostly sold out (which doesn’t often happen at WVA) so get your tickets now. It is playing through August 30th and tickets can be purchased here.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame has music by Alan Menken and Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz with a book by James Lapin and Peter Parnell based on the 1996 animated film and the novel of the same name by Victor Hugo.
If you enjoy my writing and would like me to review your production I’d love to. I also have a patreon which is a great way to support my shorter logs for shows I don’t get to review. I have some really fun perks like bonus episodes, patron polls and monthly Q&As with actors, directors and writers. Please take a look here.
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Annie’s Optimism shines through at Wasatch and Sandbox Theatre Co (Review)

As a local theatre critic every so often I get presented with the question ‘is it fair to critique community theatre?’ The question is a fair one and something I’ve grappled with myself. I like to look at myself as celebrating community theatre but also providing some useful feedback that will help companies improve. It’s particularly tough on nights like I had this Monday watching a local production of Annie. Objectively speaking little seemed to go the company’s way and yet their persistence and the optimism of the piece left me with a big smile on my face (as Annie should do!) and I’d still recommend seeing it flaws and all.

This production of Annie is a combined project by Sandbox Theatre Company and Wasatch Theatre Company and was put on at the Regent’s Black Box at Eccles in Salt Lake. Being in a black box this is a much more scaled down version of Annie than I just saw in Ogden but both versions have their charm. This has a huge cast with 18 orphans who are all very cute with some of them showing off their acrobatic skills in the numbers.
Bentley Nuila plays Annie and she is terrific in the role, very expressive and animated. They do go with the subtle red hair route but it’s cute, and she has excellent chemistry with Jake Hendriksen who is a warm and endearing Daddy Warbucks. Bren Tew is lovely as Grace Ferrell and Wendy Richhart makes for a very boozy Miss Hannigan (she had to improv for several minutes with the girls when another adult was late on stage and it was a hoot to watch.)
It’s just a shame that there were so many technical hiccups. The microphones were a total mess. In fact, when they would stop working I wondered if it would be better just to have the actors shout their lines given it is a small black box? There were also problems with lighting and the transitions took a long time (we were there almost 3 hours which is a lot for Annie.) They also had sets fall apart and people missing their cues. It was just one of those nights!
Still, they kept plugging away and concluded by inviting us as audience members to sing ‘Tomorrow’ with them, and I was quite moved by the experience. At the end of the day, they had all done their best and isn’t that what community theatre is all about? This Annie is directed by Karyn Tucker and is playing through August 16th. One can purchase tickets here.

Annie has music by Charles Strouse and lyrics by Martin Chamin and a book by Thomas Meehan based on the comic and radio program by Harold Gray.
If you enjoy my writing and would like me to review your production I’d love to. I also have a patreon which is a great way to support my shorter logs for shows I don’t get to review. I have some really fun perks like bonus episodes, patron polls and monthly Q&As with actors, directors and writers. Please take a look here.
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Utah Theatre Log 7/20-8/8/25 (Daddy Long Legs, Footloose Jr, Freaky Friday, Catch Me if You Can) (Rachel’s Theatre Log 172)

Hi theatre friends! I hope you are all doing well. I am currently in Cedar City attending the Utah Shakespeare Festival. I will certainly have more logs of that experience (it’s amazing) but I wanted to share a few quick thoughts on a couple other productions I’ve seen lately as a patron not a critic.

Footloose Jr- Timpanogos Youth Theatre, American Fork
A couple of weeks ago I went and saw Footloose Jr at Timpanogos Youth Theatre. My cousin’s daughter was in it and it was fun to support her. I also found it interesting as I had just seen the full version twice in July to see what they would do with the Jr version. I’d say it does a pretty good job of focusing it and making it teen appropriate (mostly toning down the romance.) It is a great show for teens to do because it is about teenage characters and one that they will likely connect with in their own struggles with their parents and deciding what they want to be in life.
I don’t have my program for this production so I can’t give my normal shoutouts. I will try and add those when I get home. Terrific job by the teens and I hope they enjoyed the experience. To find out more about Timpanogos Youth Theatre click here.

Catch Me if You Can- Centerpoint Legacy Theatre, Centerville
Next I was able to see the MWF cast of Catch Me if You Can at Centerpoint Legacy. This was a comped ticket which is very kind of them. I said most of the details about the production in my first log (see here) so I won’t repeat all that again but this is such a fun show. I love the incredible set design and the bubbly choreography. The costumes are first rate and it’s just a really entertaining musical.
As far as this cast it’s interesting because I think they felt a little less perfect for the roles than the other cast particularly Carl and Frank (maybe I was just biased to the one I saw first) but I do think this cast is slightly better singers than the TThS cast but they are both great. Emily Richman especially crushed it as Brenda. I love this production and highly recommend checking it out and it is running through August 19th. Tickets can be purchased here.

Freaky Friday- Bluffdale Arts, Bluffdale
It was too perfect a combination to see the musical Freaky Friday the day before the new movie Freakier Friday was released. While I don’t think this musical is perfect it really tries to say something and is an ambitious show for teens, which I appreciate. I recently got to see a production by Bluffdale Arts and it was a lot of fun.
Of course, this musical tells the story of a mother and daughter who switch places as one does in Freaky Friday stories. At Bluffdale we had Mindy Eckroth as the Mom Katherine and Grace Woodhouse as the daughter Ellie. They are excellent together and are believable as a pair. The rest of the cast is huge with a large ensemble that were all able to execute any choreography given them.
The sets are simple but do the job as are all the other aspects. My only hesitancy about this play is a couple of the swings it takes don’t land for me. In particular “Parents Lie” and “Biology.” I get what the writers were trying to do with those songs but the former feels to mean for Ellie to do that to her little brother and the latter is very odd for a grown woman to be singing about young men.
Still, they did a good job at Bluffdale with the tricky material and I enjoyed getting a chance to see it before the new movie. (I will add more of the credits when I get home.) Freaky Friday has finished its run but you can find out more about Bluffdale Arts here.

Daddy Long Legs- Centerpoint Legacy, Centerville
If you’ve followed my content for any amount of time you know I’m a huge fan of the musical Daddy Long Legs. I like it so much I even interviewed the composer Paul Gordon:
Daddy Long Legs is a simple show with only 2 people and no scene changes. Fortunately Sydney McAlister and Ben Lowell are both excellent as Jerusha and Jervis and they have terrific chemistry together. I am very curious to see the TThS cast as well as they look like they bring their own charm to the roles.
This production is directed by Liz Christensen and she makes some interesting choices within the parameters of this very simple show. One little thing I noticed is she had Jervis’s back to the audience for most of the first act. In fact, his desk chair was facing back and then at intermission they moved it to the other side of the desk so he was facing forward. This helps us to really feel the growth of the character.
I also appreciated McAlister’s feisty performance. One critique I’ve heard of the musical is that Jervis is too controlling but I felt in this production Jerusha was quick with a response or defense of herself and her independence. It is interesting that they didn’t have Jervis pinning the letters to his office as I have usually seen. Maybe they felt that was too obsessive compulsive but it does make the big reveal at the end a little more subdued in tone.
The only thing I thought was a miss was the strange backgrounds they had on screens which looked like oil painting in greens and purples. Jerusha isn’t a painter but a writer so pages from a book or other literary inspiration would have made more sense. But I loved this production and can’t wait to see it again. Highly recommend. It runs through Dec 2nd and tickets can be purchased here.
Footloose has music by Tom Snow, lyrics by Dean Pitchford with book by Pitchford and Walter Bobbie based on the film Footloose. Catch Me if You Can has music by Marc Shaiman with lyrics by Shaiman and Scott Whitman with a book by Terrence McNally based on the books by Jeff Nathanson and Frank Abagnale Jr and Stan Redding and the film. Freaky Friday: The Musical has music by Tom Kitt and lyrics by Bryan Yorkey and a book by Bridget Carpenter based on the books by Mary Rodgers, Stu Krieger, Heather Hach and Leslie Dixon. Daddy Long Legs has music and lyrics by Paul Gordon with a book by John Caird based on the novel by Jean Webster.
These logged shows I pay for out of pocket, and I’d love to do that as much as possible. If you have a show you’d like me to take a look at and write a full review let me know. I also have my patreon which is a great way to support what I do and get some really fun perks. Find out more here.
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Let Your Freak Flag Fly with Shrek at Sandy Arts Guild (Review)

Since I started my support of community theatre after the pandemic one of the biggest surprises I’ve seen is Shrek: The Musical. I’m not the biggest fan of the movie (I like it but don’t love it) and the idea of it being turned into a musical seemed uninspired at best. Then I went and saw it and ended up loving it! It’s such a funny show and expands on all the good parts of the movie. The latest production of 2 I am seeing in August is from The Sandy Arts Guild and is another winner from this wonderful local arts council.
The first element that one can’t help but be impressed by here is the incredible sets by Vic Groves. They always crush it on the sets at Sandy Arts Guild and this is no exception. I love the way they seamlessly combined the projections with the handmade sets making it look immersive and vibrant. Fiona and Lord Farquaad’s castles are particularly impressive with Fiona’s castle creating a believable lava look with stage smoke added in for additional atmosphere. The costumes by Rebecca Fenton-Richards are also magical with the massive cast with unique looks for each of the fairytale characters and looks like Fiona’s short and longer dresses that need to transition quickly. They also have a rubber mask for Shrek that has to look convincing without taking away from the expression of actor Zac Freeman.

Speaking of actors I have little to complain about there. Freeman and Ella Henrie as Fiona have beautiful voices and a fun chemistry together. They could hold their own in any touring company coming through to do Shrek. Alex Taylor is also amazingly nimble on his knees as Lord Farquaad and especially in the opening scenes with Gingy (Savannah Ponder) delivers on the laughs.
One of my favorite moments of the show is “Morning Person” where Fiona ends up tap dancing ala Riverdance style with the blind mice and choreographer Judy Binns along with her strong ensemble of dancers pull this off very effectively. It’s a blast seeing the song grow from just Fiona and the Piper to a giant kickline to close out the song. It’s certainly a terrific way to open the Act 2. “Freak Flag” is another fun number and it’s a chance for us to get a break from the 4 leads and let the ensemble shine (something I really value in community theatre.)
The main feedback I’d give the company is because most of the cast is trying to do an exaggerated voice sometimes it is hard to understand what they are saying or singing about. Make sure to enunciate as much as possible particularly for the songs.
All in all, Shrek: The Musical at Sandy Arts Guild is a good time with enough laughs and heart to entertain the entire family. It is playing through August 16th and tickets are as low as $12. It will sell out quickly so get your tickets now. They can be purhcased here.

Shrek: The Musical has music by Jeanine Tesori with lyrics and book by David Lindsay-Abaire. It is based on the film Shrek by Ted Elliott, Terry Rossio, Joe Stillman, and Roger S. H. Schulman and book by Shrek!
by William Steig.If you enjoy my writing and would like me to review your production I’d love to. I also have a patreon which is a great way to support my shorter logs for shows I don’t get to review. I have some really fun perks like bonus episodes, patron polls and monthly Q&As with actors, directors and writers. Please take a look here.
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Annie at Ogden Musical Theatre will Leave You with a Smile (Review)

Annie as a Broadway musical is underrated. This may seem like a crazy thing to say given its classic status and many revivals but I feel like it is rarely brought up in discussions of the great musicals and it deserves such praise. The songs are so catchy and it has been the catalyst for inspiring many a young girl into a love of theatre. Over at OnStage Blog we did an episode of our podcast comparing Annie vs Matilda (I am sure you all know what side I was on) and it turned out pretty fun.
Anyway, I always jump for any chance I have to see Annie and the current production up at Ogden Musical Theatre was no exception. It’s a drive for me to get all the way up there from Draper where I live but well worth it for this outstanding night of family theatre. Annie at OMT is one of the best productions I’ve seen this year and definitely worthy of your time and money.
This production is directed by Jennifer Hughes and she brings together all the show elements together to fool audience members into thinking they are spending far more than the $23-$31 they’ve just spent. The sets by Daniel Simmons are particularly impressive with the orphanage platforms having 2 levels and the Daddy Warbucks house looking appropriately opulent. She also works with lighting director Daniel Garner to create a convincing New York skyline and a presidential seal for the FDR scenes.

I was also extremely impressed with the attention to detail on the costumes. Annie’s clothes are adorable particularly her finale red dress and her wig changes as she is at the Warbucks. It’s very cute! But even beyond that the attention to detail in period accurate hair clips, tuxedos, maid dresses and footwear did not go unnoticed (costumes by Shelly Burkhardt and wigs by Cynthia Johnson.)
I’ve seen a few productions at OMT and always enjoyed myself but the talent on display and the chemistry of the cast for Annie was exceptional- definitely the best show I’ve seen from them and one of my favorites of this year of community theatre. Elle Hirst is ideal as Annie. You couldn’t ask for more from a young performer and her chemistry with Addison Welch as Warbucks is endearing.

Micky Larson has just enough moxie to play Miss Hannigan giving the right amount of camp in her performance of “Little Girls” and then “Easy Street” with Eva Terranova and Michael Hernandez as Lily St Regis and Rooster respectively. Miss Hannigan is one of the more deliciously villainous characters of Broadway and it’s nice when an actor goes for it in her drunken disdain for the adorable children.
The kids are wonderful in songs like “Hard Knock Life” and “You’re Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile” but the standout is Annie Durham as Molly. It’s a wonder Ms Farrell (Jillian Durham-who’s also great) could resist taking both Annie and Molly they are both so cute. It’s especially impressive how the kids all knew their choreography and projected their songs well in the large Perry’s Egyptian Theater. It’s no easy task!

After seeing this production of Annie, I left the theatre in Ogden thinking “what else could a community theatre do?” It was a marvelous night of theater and all involved should be proud of their accomplishments. I hope that all involved especially the young kids are inspired to do even more local theater. That is after all the greatest indicator of community theatre success in the end. Annie plays through August 9th and tickets can be purchased here.

Annie has music by Charles Strouse and lyrics by Martin Charnin with a book by Thomas Meehan based on Little Orphan Annie comic strip by Harold Gray (and radio show.)
If you enjoy my writing and would like me to review your production I’d love to. I also have a patreon which is a great way to support my shorter logs for shows I don’t get to review. I have some really fun perks like bonus episodes, patron polls and monthly Q&As with actors, directors and writers. Please take a look here.