As much as I enjoy seeing the classics on stage it’s also nice when I see something that’s new to me. Such is the opportunity presented by Pygmalion Productions in their new play at Rose Wagner Black Box called Be Here Now. This is an entertaining little play that balances both humor and heart well making for a pleasant evening at the theatre.

The premise for Be Here Now is a simple one. It focuses on a middle-aged woman named Bari who lives in a small town in upstate New York and is disenchanted and frustrated by the world. She in many ways is like Jack Nicholson’s character in As Good as It Gets or if you saw a little movie called Hard Truths from last year the lead characters are very similar. Bari is a cynical character and she is struggling to find the motivation to finish her doctorate dissertation so she can continue teaching classes on nihilism at the community college. You have to be pretty cynical to be cynical about nihilism!

Things get messy when Bari starts getting seizures which cause her to have flashes of brilliance and hope. Then she is left with the question of does she fix the problem for her health or keep having the seizures which make her happy?

Such a straightforward black box play is very reliant on the material and the ability of the actors to translate said material to the audience. All of the actors are terrific at Pygmalion especially April Fossen playing Bari. She reminded me a lot of Oscar winning actress Kathy Bates. She is sarcastic and even a little rude but there’s always a little more going on in the background of her performance and the other actors help bring that out with their performances.

The set by Allen Smith is relatively simple with a wall of junk that is transformed to a yoga studio, fulfillment center and home to name a few settings. They also have sound (Mikal Troy Klee) and lighting (Chad Henwood) elements that are worked in quite seamlessly into the story by director Jason Bowcutt.

I do think the play tries to tackle too much for 90 minutes with the severe trauma that is behind the scenes with Mike (Matthew Sincell) who Bari goes on a blind date with. I don’t know if the script can adequately deal with all of Bari’s issues and Mikes. It’s too much and starts to feel like a pile-on after a while. Also Bari’s sarcastic humor gets a little old after a while.

But Be Here Now at Pygmalion comes down to the script by Deborah Zoe Laufer that is both funny and thoughtful and the performances by Fossen and others. It’s definitely worthy of your time and should give you some laughs and a few things to talk about as you leave the theater. It is playing through May 17th and tickets can be purchased here.

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.

I don’t think it’s a big secret that I am a huge Jane Austen fan so I was thrilled when I was invited to watch a new production of Pride and Prejudice at new to me Eagle Mountain Community Theatre in Eagle Mountain. This was especially fun because it is the Andrew Davies version of the play and as he did the iconic 1995 miniseries version of this story I was very curious to see it in play form.

This production at Eagle Mountain was also unique because it was at an elementary school and this did provide some challenges for the cast and crew. The stage sits on the side of a gymnasium making the space very echoey and difficult to move from scene to scene. However, director Jerid Clark and their team pushed through and prevailed with a fun take on the classic story.

The biggest strength to this production is the cast. I have never seen a bald Darcy but Brigham Jenkins brings the awkward energy that has become the popular way of portraying the character. Rachel Lundberg is commanding as Lizzy and when The Ruth does their upcoming Pride and Prejudice I hope she is a serious contender for the role. Meg McCoy as Mrs Bennet and Cimony Carter as Lady Catherine De Bourgh are also standouts.

Unlike his miniseries, this play version by Davies clips along quite quickly especially in the second act but lovers of the story certainly get enough for them to fill in the details. At Eagle Mountain they use a combination of projections and handmade sets (Rochelle Rackliffe and Elizabeth Ellis) to take us through the many events of the novel. There was also obvious care put into the costumes, especially Lady Catherine’s dress by Elizabeth Mashburn. They also have musical interludes from Eagle Mountain Symphony Quartet, which was a nice touch.

As you can tell from my description, Pride and Prejudice at Eagle Mountain was a true community event with everyone putting forth their best efforts, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Unfortunately it was only last weekend so I saw the final show, but I will definitely attend shows in the future. You can find more information here.

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.

Hi friends! I hope you are all doing well. I have been mad busy as usual and most of the shows I’ve been seeing have been full reviews (which is amazing) but I have 2 logged shows to talk about today. Also if you missed it I had the chance to interview Victor Hamburger about the upcoming 2025-2026 Eccles National Tour season. This interview is only 7 minutes so well worth your time:

That said here are my 2 recent logs. (For those new to the site logs are for shows I pay for out of pocket and are not full reviews.)

AMELIE- RIVERTON HIGH SCHOOL DRAMA, RIVERTON

When I saw that Riverton High School was putting on Amélie: The Musical (High School Edition) I was intrigued because I had heard about the show but never seen it. This production is also in a black box which you don’t normally see with high school, so that was a neat experience to watch.

Directed by Clin Eaton Amélie at RHS gives students the chance to perform in a more intimate environment and learn to project properly without microphones. What an incredible skill to give your students and one that will help them greatly in their careers whether they are microphoned up or not. There were times when they didn’t project enough but I didn’t mind because it’s all part of the learning experience. The choreography and amount of kids involved in the production especially in a black box is impressive.

I also appreciate how many students were involved especially for a black box. Avery Rindlisbach plays adult Amélie well capturing the introverted quality of the character convincingly. Carter Reid also has a beautiful voice as Nino. All of the leads appear to be seniors and it’s a testament to this wonderful program to see their talent on stage and I look forward to seeing what they all do going forward on the Utah stage and beyond (their Hadestown was incredible)

In the end I was impressed with the students but underwhelmed with the material they had to work with. I think the problem is Amélie is a movie that charms with vibes and visuals more than the story. It barely has a story with Amélie trying to find the owner of a box of trinkets and learning to have the confidence to embrace life. With such thin story the music and lyrics need to be incredible, and they just aren’t here. “Stay” is probably the highlight of the show but it didn’t do much for me as far as a memorable musical.

If you are curious to see this show and to support the students Amélie at RHS has one more showing tomorrow Tickets can be purchased in the front office or at the door. More information on their instagram.

LEGALLY BLONDE- HERITAGE THEATRE, PERRY UTAH

I will just have a few quick thoughts on the Bruiser Cast of Legally Blonde: The Musical at Heritage Theatre in Perry. I already reviewed the production’s Rufus Cast here. The Bruiser cast is almost the same except for the 3 leads- Hannah Atkinson as Elle, Zackery George as Emmett, and Jess Tarbet as Paulette. Atkinson leans into the bubbly youthful energy of Elle and George brings a nerdy approach to Emmett which is accurate to the character. Tarbet is hilarious as Paulette and Luke Merkley steals the show as hot UPS man Kyle. Very funny. Ryan Boam quite possibly has the best voice of the cast as the smarmy Callahan (he makes for a great villain in ‘Blood in the Water’)

They could still work on the music volume levels but they fixed the costume problem of opening night so that’s good. I would recommend they tone down the amount of blush they had on Elle. Other than that everything else went off without a hitch.

Legally Blonde: The Musical is frankly a show that is tough to screw up. It’s just so overall entertaining and neither cast gets it wrong at Heritage. Whichever one you see I’m confident you’ll have a great time (unless you’re a content-complaining Karen. See above.) It is playing through May 10th and tickets can be purchased here.

Amélie: the Musical has music by Daniel Messé with lyrics by Messé and Nathan Tysen. Book by Craig Lucas. Legally Blonde: The Musical has music and lyrics by Nell Benjamin and Laurence O’Keefe with a book by Heather Hach.

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.

When I first heard about Bat Boy: The Musical at Salt Lake Acting Company I initially dismissed it. SLAC does a lot of broad comedy parody which is just not my thing but then I heard some positive reactions from people so I decided to give it a shot, and I’m so glad I did. Going in knowing absolutely nothing about this musical I walked away blown away by everything I saw and experienced.

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I think the easiest comparison to Bat Boy is another off broadway legendary show Little Shop of Horrors. They both have campy horror themed vibes and speak to similar themes of humanity and love. The show starts off in a cave beautifully created by set designer Jesse Portillo. It almost felt like I was entering a dark ride at Disneyland and about to enter the world of the cave. The sound design by Joe Killian also gives that immersive vibes for the cave and even the microphoning of the actors in the cave scene felt different with more of an echo than the rest of the night’s vocals.

This production at SLAC is directed by Eric Sciotto and he has managed to get the best from his cast with a very strong ensemble often taking on multiple roles in the same scene (even switching off genders within a scene.) All the leads are professional quality one expects from SLAC with Julian R Decker putting in a masterful performance in the title role as Bat Boy. Adrien Swenson is also perfect as the seemingly traditional mother Meredith who has an unexpected bond with Bat Boy. I also loved the whole revival sequence with “A Joyful Noise” sung by Reverend Hightower played by Chris Curlett (so much is happening in that sequence plus it’s a terrific song!)

I was definitely caught off guard with how much I enjoyed the songs but I really shouldn’t have been given it has music and lyrics by Laurence O’Keefe who also penned Legally Blonde and Heathers: the Musical– both musicals I love. He knows how to craft heartfelt, funny musicals that are just plain entertaining. I will never doubt him again! The book is by Keythe Farley and Brian Flemming.

I honestly have very few notes for Bat Boy at SLAC. It was fantastic, and I can’t recommend it more highly. It is playing through May 4th and tickets can be purchased here.

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.

It’s always a tricky thing whenever a play or musical is portraying a marginalized group especially if that group is not the one creating or authoring the production. With their play The Boys Next Door the good folks at PG Players are faced with this challenge in portraying those with mental handicaps and disabilities, and I’d say for the most part they succeed. While not perfect, The Boys Next Door is overall a warm and endearing portrait of an often ignored group without turning them into the inspiration porn we sometimes see.

Set in the 1980s The Boys Next Door tells the story of 4 men with differing mental disabilities that live in a group home in the Boston area. The men are helped by a social worker named Jack (Matthew DelaFuente) who is genuinely friends with the men even if he does become exasperated with them on occasion. For the most part, the first act is a comedy with the men getting into varying shenanigans like accidently flushing the neighbors hamster down the toilet and trying to impress the girls at the local dance.

In Act 2 things get more serious particularly for a character named Barry (Harrison Kaylor) who is the subject of abuse and trauma that is tough to watch. Anxiety-ridden Arnold (Dennis Purdie) is also the victim of bullying at work, a situation that is not really tied up in a bow which I appreciated for its realism.

The biggest issue with The Boys Next Door is one of pacing. This play would be so much better at a good 90 minute runtime but it goes on for 2 1/2 hours. It’s hard to maintain the momentum and not run into caricature with such a long play. It’s like playwright Tom Griffin is asking for trouble. I also didn’t love having Jack speak for the men in long diatribes in-between scenes. These are grown men and we don’t need an able-bodied person to narrate their struggles to us. We see it on the stage.

That said, directors Howard and Kathryn Little have taken imperfect material and put together a meaningful experience. The cast has a nice chemistry together and one can easily tell the performances come from a place of advocacy and compassion. They even have a section of the program ‘Notes from Friends About Living with Neurodiversity and Mental Health Challenges.’ This did not go unnoticed by me and was greatly appreciated.

The acting is all excellent with Purdie giving his 53rd production with PG Players. He has played the role of Arnold before and one can sense his experience and comfort-level with the character. Delafuente is one of the best actors working in amateur theatre in Utah, and he is terrific as Jack even full-on crying at a scene in Act 2. Kaylor is also quite devastating as Barry. You’d never guess in a tiny theater in a library to get this good of performances.

Even with its flaws The Boys Next Door is worthy of your time and certainly the good folks at PG Players are. If you haven’t discovered this gem of Utah County what are you waiting for? It is playing through May 12th and tickets can be purchased here.

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.

I always love a chance I get to support teens and high school theater. Maybe it’s because that’s the only time I have ever acted in productions is high school (and it was such a positive experience) but I love supporting the students in any way I can. Plus, the teen productions in Utah are so good that it hardly seems like a hard task to review their work. This week I had the chance to see teens put on Grease: High School Edition and it was a really fun night of theater. The young people should be very proud and I’m glad Hopebox gave them this opportunity.

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In so many ways Grease is a perfect choice for a high school or teen production. Most obviously it is set in a high school and is about teenagers and even though it is set in the 50s a lot of the issues the characters at Rydell High are dealing with are still faced by teens today: Fitting in, being the new kid, falling in love, what are you going to do with your life, dealing with adults etc. This high school edition does tone some of the darker themes down (such as Rizzo thinking she’s pregnant) but it’s still more real than sometimes given credit for as a show.

The production at Hopebox is directed by Wyatt Welch, and he has cultivated a nice chemistry among his teen actors and given them all choreography and moments to shine, which is what I like to see in a high school production. They also have a bright jukebox diner inspired set by Curtis Dalton and props that moved and transformed with ease. I particularly admired a car they put together in pieces for “Grease Lightnin’ and then they used it again for a very clever drive-in setup before Danny sings ‘Sandy.’ They even have a make-shift movie screen with clips of James Dean and other 1950’s films. One doesn’t expect those kind of details from a production like this. (The costumes by Livvy Noonchester are also really impressive.)

While the leads are good, it was the ensemble members that stood out most in this show. I saw the Silver cast but Grant Sorensen plays Eugene/Teen Angel in both casts and he is really terrific as both the nerd and singing star. Emery Andrus is a standout as Marty doing a very good ‘Freddy, My Love’ and Clara Gittins and Caden Carver are fantastic as Jan and Sonny respectively. Avery Koford is probably the best singer of the group as Rizzo in ‘Look at Me, I’m Sandra Dee.’

Everything went off pretty smoothly the night I saw Grease at Hopebox. There were a few odd lighting choices where the spotlight moved around too much and the characters were left in the dark for too long but nothing too distracting. Hopebox does have a wonderful mission and the high school shows are no exception. This production is donating to a high school senior Afu Fiefia who is undergoing chemo treatments currently. What a wonderful purpose making a night of entertainment even better and more impactful. Grease: High School Edition is playing through April 26th and tickets can be purchased here.

Grease has music, lyrics and book by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey

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.

ps. I used to think Grease was too outdated but a few years ago I had a change of heart about it. See my review