Hi everyone! I’ve had another super fun couple weeks of enjoying local theater here in Utah. There honestly hasn’t been a bad show in the mix. I’m so grateful to live here and have so many wonderful opportunities to be a patron of the arts. Here are my thoughts on some shows

A CHORUS LINE- OPPA, LAYTON

A Chorus Line is an interesting Broadway show because it is one of those shows that while considered a classic I don’t think it is given the respect it actually deserves. I’ve been able to see it twice, and I really love it. I love the songs, characters and energy of the piece. It’s rarely done by community theater because it is so demanding with so many roles, male roles and so much dancing. So when I saw that OPPA was putting it on I knew I had to make my way up to Layton to enjoy their heartfelt wonderful production and of course it was just that.

In some ways I think seeing A Chorus Line in a community theater makes the most sense. It’s about struggling dancers who aren’t perfect trying not to get the lead but to get in the ensemble. This production at OPPA was directed by Jared Daley and he wisely kept things simple and allowed the actors to shine. The standouts were Paul (Gabriel Barrett) and his moving monologue and Niamh Helwig as Val with her hilarious “Dance 10 Looks 3” number. Sadly A Chorus Line has finished its run but OPPA always has something on the horizon (even if their next show is Into the Woods!) You can get tickets here.

MAY WE ALL- HALE CENTRE THEATRE, SANDY

I haven’t been able to review many productions for UTBA at Hale Centre Theatre Sandy (only one in fact) so it is random that I actually have 2 in May to cover. First was May We All– a country jukebox musical that was basic but fun and full of the energy I expect from Hale. If you want to read my full review click here.

THE HELLO GIRLS- HALE CENTRE THEATRE OREM, OREM

As much as I enjoy seeing a classic like The Music Man or Fiddler on the Roof it is always fun when a company takes a risk and does something new. Such was the case with The Hello Girls at Hale Orem. This is a musical about a group of women who assisted the army in WW1 by manning the telephone stations.

The standouts in this production are the performances of the women in particular Megan Heaps as the leader Grace Banker. The costumes by Kim Wright were outstanding and felt very authentic as was the sound design that used the intimate space to create a feeling of war and tension of the moment. I do think the musical gets way better in the 2nd act. It’s when most of the action is happening and most of the memorable songs occur. There is a song called “Twenty” about going to war that I thought was the best of the night. I’m also glad that for the most part they stuck to the friendships and relationships of the women with no real romantic subplots of any substance. If they ever do try and take the show to Broadway I would work on that first act but I still really enjoyed learning about the Hello Girls and appreciated so many aspects of what they did at HCTO. I did have bad luck and a light was right in my face for multiple scenes which was challenging but not everyone will have that problem. Oh well! The Hello Girls is playing through June 1st and you can get tickets here.

DADDY LONG LEGS- LEHI ARTS COUNCIL, LEHI (CAST A AND B)

If you have been following my criticism for any period of time you know how much I love the musical Daddy Long Legs and will jump at any chance I have to see it. This month I saw it at Covey Center, have a viewing later in the month in Logan and saw it twice at Lehi Arts Council (because I wanted to make sure to get both casts.) I also had the chance to interview Paul Gordon who did the music and lyrics for it and I will post that interview as soon as it is posted. Needless to say he’s a wonderful human being and it was an honor to get to talk to him.

This production in Lehi was so well executed for a community theater. They thought of everything with convincing but flexible sets for both Jerusha and Jervis to play off of with wooden slats in the background and a mail slot to communicate with. They also had projections with some of the letters displayed and live musicians up for the challenge of the difficult score.

It’s always special when you can see Daddy Long Legs with a married couple in real life and Cast B gives us that chance with the immensely talented Sydney and Bronson Dameron. It obviously adds to the chemistry for the leads to have that chemistry and they are both fantastic singers (I admire anyone who takes on these roles but these 2 were some of the best I’ve seen.) I particularly admired how Bronson elevated the more humorous sections when Jervis is getting jealous or responding negatively to a letter.

Cast A was also a lot of fun with Kelsea Smellie shining as Jerusha. It’s a real treat and I highly recommend either casts of Daddy Long Legs. It is playing through May 18th and tickets can be purchased here.

What have you been watching in the world of live theatre? I’d love to hear all about it!

None of the shows in logs like these are comped which is hard to do on a substitute teacher salary! If you’d like me to showcase more theatre and appreciate what I do please check out the patreon here

Back in 2006 my aunt Kate was living in New York City so you can bet I took the chance to not only see her but to visit and see as many Broadway shows as possible. One that I saw a preview for on that trip was The Drowsy Chaperone. This hilarious and sweet take on the classic musicals went on to win 5 Tony Awards and I have now seen it many times including the current production at one of my favorite theaters the Pleasant Grove Players. As is always the case with PGP this is a wonderful night of theater that I highly recommend especially for big musical theater fans.

This production is directed by Howard and Kathryn Little who are the best directors working in the state. They know how to get the best performances out of their casts and make the best use of their very small PGP stage (it’s in the Pleasant Grove Library.)

The lead for the show is called Man in Chair and is played by Jeff Thompson. His take on the character was a little more sweet and energetic than I have seen before. Some productions really lean into the cynical moments but this was a bubbly and pretty happy version of the character. I also enjoyed the entire ensemble with Ethan Kelso and Laura Jacobs doing professional calaber work as Robert Martin and Janet Van De Graff respectively.

The choreography by Brodee Ripple stood out especially in scenes where nearly the entire cast is singing and dancing on the once again small stage. I particularly liked the “Bride’s Lament” with Janet having a “complete mental breakdown” as she dances with actors in monkey costumes and bemoans her lost love. It is a very funny scene and Jacobs is up for the physical comedy. Kelso also nails the goofy sensibility of “Accident Waiting to Happen” on roller-skates.

This is the first time I have seen The Drowsy Chaperone without “Message from a Nightingale” which is a parody of The King and I. I personally find the scene funny as it is mocking the racism of musicals of the past but I have heard it falls flat for many so fair enough MTI saw to remove it.

On a similar note this production did not have a person of color playing the Aviatrix. I know it can be difficult when nobody auditions for certain roles but it would have been nice and a more biting piece of satire if that role was cast differently. In the show Man in Chair describes the musical as progressive for the time because the Aviatrix. This is ironic because she literally has one song at the end. That’s what makes it funny- what scraps were often seen as progressive.

The only other critique I’d have is they could have used the apartment more in the storytelling. I know it’s a small space but one of the fun things about the musical is the actors use the apartment to tell the story. People come out of fridges and ovens and in this version there is a bookcase instead of a door and they get the skates out of the oven. They could have done more with that.

Small quips aside what a funny, sweet, endearing night of theatre. The Drowsy Chaperone at PG Players is definitely worth your time and at only $15 for adults it’s a bargain. The space is small so get your tickets now. It plays through May 13th and tickets can be purchased here.

While this show was comped, I try to not ask for comps whenever 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

Hey everyone! I hope you are having a wonderful April. I’ve been busy attending theatrical productions all over the state of Utah, and it’s been a great month!

SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS- HOPEBOX, KAYSVILLE

First up we have Seven Brides for Seven Brothers at Hopebox. I admit to start this adaptation of the classic film is not my favorite. It only has 4 songs from the movie and the new songs are very forgettable but that is obviously not Hopebox’s fault. Fan of my content Allison was in town doing some acting and wanted to see a show and knowing Hopebox’s quality productions I knew it would still be a fun time and it was!

The key to making Seven Brides work is leaning into the absurdity and they did a good job with that here. The kidnapping, for example, is done with slapstick and is never felt threatening or all that serious. Of course if taken seriously the show can be problematic but I don’t.

The leads were both strong with Spencer Mack playing Adam and Anna Peacock as Milly. The biggest praise goes to Ginny Spencer as the choreography fitting so many people dancing on to the small Hopebox stage. Scenes like the barn dance are especially entertaining.

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers plays at Hopebox until April 27th and tickets can be purchased here.

BITTER LEMON- PLAN-B THEATRE, SALT LAKE

Next up I was able to catch Bitter Lemon at Plan-B theatre in Salt Lake. This is a creative little play by Melissa Leilani Larson who I have been a big fan of for many years. In fact, she was one of the first interviews I did way back in 2016 about her feature film Freetown. Bitter Lemon was completely sold out (small black box) but I decided to risk it on Saturday afternoon to see if they had any no-shows and to my delight they did. Not only that but they gave me the ticket for free! Thanks so much to Plan-B for doing that.

Bitter Lemon is an interesting exercise where Larson has taken a minor character from Macbeth named Lady Macduff who in the spirit world is given Lord Finley Macbeth as a companion. Neither is sure why they are there or what they are supposed to accomplish to move on to the next phase but as they discuss their situation processing of life and forgiveness become clear.

This is a bare-bones black box production with stone blocks and panels with different lights that at times had a purgatory-esque vibes. The main standout is the script by Larson and the performances from Yolanda Stange and Bobby Cody as our 2 leads. Even though they are angry at each other the chemistry the actors have together makes the drama compelling.

Bitter Lemon is playing through the 28th and you can get tickets here (or go to the box office. Maybe you’ll get lucky like I did)

THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE- TIMPANOGOS, AMERICAN FORK

I love when a play or musical surprises me and is a lot better than I expect. Such was the case with The Pirates of Penzance at Timpanogos Community Theatre. I reviewed it for UTBA and you can read my review here. Pirates plays at the Valentine Theater until May 4th and tickets can be purchased here.

SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE- WVPAC, WEST VALLEY

A few years ago I was blessed to attend a staged reading at BYU of the movie to stage adaptation of the Oscar winning film Shakespeare in Love. I really enjoyed the staged reading (can read it here) so I jumped at the chance to see it produced by WVPAC. They’ve been on a bit of a miss streak for me lately but fortunately they knocked this play out of the park. I loved it and the only thing that made me sad is how small the audience was.

It’s always discouraging when you see people doing their best to mostly empty seats but especially so when it is such a great production as this is. This version of Shakespeare in Love is a straight play and it is pretty much beat for beat from the movie (which is a movie I think gets a bad rap because of its bought and paid for Oscar campaign leaves a bad taste in people’s mouths.)

Of course the story is a fictionalized account of William Shakespeare falling in love with Viola de Lesseps who is betrothed to the mean Lord Wessex. What she truly wants to do is act but that is forbidden in the Elizabethan era. So she pretends to be a man and meets the dynamic playwright and the 2 form an attachment which is meaningful but destined for a sad end.

The key to this play working is the chemistry between the two leads and they have that in spades at WVPAC. I completely bought that Josh Egbert and Jillian Joy were crazy in love with each other and it attaches you to the journey of the couple. I also enjoyed all the supporting performances especially Sonia Inoa-Rosado Maughan as Queen Elizabeth. All the costumes by Emma Stringham are outstanding and the fight choreography is very well done.

I think even if you don’t like Shakespearean plays much you still might like Shakespeare in Love at WVPAC. The chemistry is so good and the story so compelling that I can’t imagine not being entertained by it. It’s playing until May 4th and I couldn’t recommend it more highly. You can purchase tickets here.

I try to not ask for comps whenever possible (and paid for 2 of these shows) 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

Any of my readers knows I love a chance to support small community theater productions. Such was my opportunity this week with musicals at Sanctuary and the Empress and while both having basic flaws of community productions they are definitely worth supporting and enjoying.

ONCE UPON A MATTRESS- SANCTUARY THEATRE, WEST JORDAN

First up was Once Upon a Mattress at Sanctuary Theatre which is a small black box theater in West Jordan. Their productions are always of the amateur variety with pretty raw talent if I’m honest but what they lack in skills they make up for in heart, community and energy. If you are someone who cant sit through less-than polished performances than this isn’t the company for you but in my opinion the imperfections give a ton of charm and heart. Such is the case with Once Upon a Mattress which is a show I love and find to be very underrated (I wish that a few of the companies that constantly do Into the Woods would do Once Upon a Mattress every now and then because I think they are quite similar.)

The strongest performer in this production was definitely Kyra Furman as Princess Winnifred. It was actually a little distracting because her voice was so much better than anyone else in the cast but as she is the lead I’ll take it! I wasn’t surprised to read in her bio that she is a vocal performance grad because she had a beautiful timber and tone to her voice. I also thought Connie Beaty costumed and make-upd her well. She looked gorgeous especially her opening purple dress.

It’s a small space at the black box and as the director Beaty used the space well with creative touches like using a fabric panel in place of all the mattresses. The only major downside to the production is it was roasting in that little black box so I would recommend bringing a hand fan with you if you see it. There was a point where they bring an electric fan onto the stage as a prop and I was like ‘wait leave it for us!’ so they might want to consider doing that in the future! It was brutal.

I also want to say how grateful I was to be greeted by name by the staff and welcomed so warmly. In a week where I wasn’t treated that well as a critic by other more fancy theaters I will throw my support behind the less-polished but caring Sanctuary. They are a company that actually cares about the cast having the best experience possible and their patrons as well so I would love to see them get some support. Once Upon a Mattress is double cast and playing until May 4th. You can purchase tickets here.

THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL- EMPRESS THEATRE, MAGNA

Even though they are one of my favorites it had been a bit since I had been to the Empress Theatre in Magna. I have season tickets but their last 2 shows didn’t interest me (sorry I just don’t like that Anastasia adaptation and was too busy for their holiday show) so I was excited to see their adaptation of The Spongebob Musical even though I have very mixed feelings about the book of this show. I was hoping a second helping of it would win me over but I still don’t love it. That said, the production at The Empress was fantastic and I recommend it even though I don’t love the show.

My problem with the book by Kyle Jarrow is I find it surprisingly joyless for a Spongebob musical. Having seen the TV show and movies I was expecting something nutty and silly going into it and instead I get an apocalyptic dystopian narrative where friends are divided and characters treat each other in unkind ways. Shrek: The Musical is the gold standard to this kind of animated adaptation and it far exceeds anything in Spongebob in every way. For one thing, it’s actually funny… I honestly think one is better approaching Spongebob as a drama because the laughs are so few and far between it’s bizarre. I just don’t know what the creators were thinking with this one.

That aside director Chalese Craig has done what she can with the material to make for an entertaining night of theatre. She keeps the action moving and uses both the main stage and the second level in their theater-in-the-round set up they have at Empress. They were very creative in coming up with the worlds of bikini bottom and the volcano and other set pieces they need. They even passed out little flashlights to the audience to help with mood. I think it’s one of the most impressive looking shows The Empress has done in some time.

I also really enjoyed the cast with Tanner Larsen and Maddy Bishop being the standouts as Spongebob and Sandy. Both of them sang well and captured the energy and spirit of their characters in nearly every scene. I also liked Alexander Richardson as Squidward who I think has the best song of the show in “I’m Not a Loser.” Aaron Evensen was also hamming it up as the villainous Plankton.

I know a group of artists wrote the songs and maybe that is why they feel disjointed and like they were all written by different people. Still they did what they could to bring energy to the material at The Empress and I think it is bright and colorful enough to entertain families and little ones especially if they are fans of the cartoon. I probably won’t see this show again but I’m glad I gave it another try and supported the Empress with my season tickets. I was surprised to find out the regular tickets are $25 which seems high for this level of community theater but they were mostly sold out so good for them. Spongebob is playing at the Empress until April 20th and tickets can be purchased here.

I try to not ask for comps whenever possible (and paid for both of these shows) 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

I don’t care what a theatre critic says we all have our favorite shows. Now that doesn’t mean we automatically give a positive review to a production of our favorites. In fact, we can be harder on a show we love and know particularly well compared to something new and fresh without any expectations (ie I was pretty tough recently of the national tour of Les Miserables which is a show I love.) I say all this to add context to my glowing review of the new production of Daddy Long Legs at the Covey Center for the Arts. This is a show I love and adore and it is told exceedingly well.

Daddy Long Legs is a perfectly crafted piece of musical theatre with music and lyrics by Paul Gordon and a book by John Caird. It is based on the novel by Jean Webster. Many may also know the 1955 film with Fred Astaire and Leslie Caron although this retelling is miles better than that film. The story is told through letters and is mostly a romance between orphan Jerusha Abbot and her mysterious benefactor she names Daddy Long Legs (real name Jervis) but it is also a coming of age story as she experiences all the new joys of college and becoming an independent woman.

I love what Gordon and Caird have done so much taking the novel and building the relationship and characters bit by bit until we are so invested in their journey. It is a masterpiece in romantic comedy writing if you ask me. I also love the songs and marvel at the talent of the actors for commanding the stage in an only 2 person show for the entire runtime (this show saved me during the pandemic because it could be done easily by companies and its themes were so applicable with a correspondence over letters.)

It’s interesting because at first I didn’t know if I was feeling the chemistry between Dylann Riggs playing Jerusha and Scott Hendrickson as Jervis but I warmed up to them and really loved what they brought to the characters. Riggs brings out the comedy in Jerusha and is so expressive in songs like “I Couldn’t Know Someone Less” and especially in “Graduation Day.” You feel the highs and lows of the character and go on a journey with her. Hendrickson was a little stuffy at first as Jervis which is appropriate but it just took me a second to warm up to him and then I loved his nerdy awkward take on the character. “The Man I’ll Never Be” and “Charity” were the highlights for his performance and character. By the end I was so happy to see them come together and forgive each other. Again this is a perfect piece of romantic comedy on stage.

Another feature I really enjoyed is director Kris Peterson set up a bookcase in between Jervis’ office and Jerusha’s set (this is all in the block box at the Covey) and then the characters passed items and letters to each other through the bookcase. For a show entirely told through letters this was a very creative way to keep the characters connected and build the chemistry between the actors. They almost touched as they were reading each other’s letters a number of times through the bookcase.

I also loved the 1912 appropriate costumes by Elizabeth Crandall including cute little bowler hats for Jervis and I loved Jerusha’s final blue dress with buttons down the front. It reminded me of something you’d see in Anne of Green Gables which fits her character perfectly. My only real critique of this staging of Daddy Long Legs is the backtrack was a little too loud making the actors having to shout their lyrics from time-to-time. Also you definitely want to try and get a B seat because Jervis had his back to me in C section a lot including the entire finale. It’s nice when the actors can move a little to help everyone even in a small black box participate in the action equally.

Those are small quibble, however, in a wonderful night of entertainment. I can’t recommend Daddy Long Legs at Covey more strongly. It would make the perfect date night with a special someone and I’m sure tickets will sell out quick so don’t miss out. It is playing through May 6th and tickets can be purchased here.

I try to not ask for comps whenever possible (I did receive them for this review) 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

Being a theatre patron and critic certainly can give one a variety experiences. At no point was that more true than recently with 2 productions I’ve experienced: Pretty Woman: The Musical and Of Mice and Men. Here are some thoughts:

OF MICE AND MEN- PARKER THEATRE, SALT LAKE CITY

We all have those classics of literature that we don’t care for. Often we’ve read them in high school or growing up and for whatever reason they didn’t sit well with us or we didn’t enjoy them. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck is such a story. I understand why people like the tragic tale of friendship but I’ve always disliked it especially the ending. There are lots of reason for this but suffice it to say I had very mixed feelings when I saw it was a part of the season at the Parker- a theater I have a season pass with. So then the question is do I see a story I know I dislike to support the theater or pass? Well, I decided to see it and I’m glad I did even though I still hate the story. They did an outstanding job and it was wonderful to watch for the craft on display alone.

Of Mice and Men tells the story of 2 friends, Lennie and George, in the 1930s who have stopped to work at a farm in California. Lennie is mentally handicapped, and childlike in his understanding of the world but he is large and strong. George loves Lennie but also resents the trouble he is constantly getting into by mistake. Lucas Charon plays George with warmth and kindness (almost too much so to buy the ending) and Brinton M Wilkins plays Lennie in a performance that could be demeaning if not as carefully performed as Wilkins does. The chemistry between both actors is palatable and real making everything that happens even more devastating.

The whole cast is strong with the always great Matthew Delafuente as the villain Curly and Brook Robertson in a devastating turn as Candy. (An unforgivable sequence when his dog is killed. ) The production is all outstanding with the incredible lighting and sound work I expect to see at the Parker. If you like this story than I can’t recommend this production more highly. It is a professional quality retelling of this classic of American literature.

I guess the reason why I don’t like the story is because I feel overly manipulated to accept an ending that’s not acceptable. I frankly think George would be more likely to shoot himself rather than Lennie. Why did he leave him alone? Why didn’t they run away? I don’t care what solution there could have been. Anything would be better than the ending we get. It also perpetuates the idea that handicapped individuals are dangerous or scary when in truth they are more likely to be the victims of abuse not the other way around.

Nevertheless, I can see value in a production even if the source material isn’t my favorite and this is an outstanding production of Of Mice and Men at Parker (Director Joanne Parker, set and lighting by James B Parker.) I highly recommend it to anyone that is willing to give it a chance especially if you appreciate the story more than I do. Of Mice and Men is playing at the Parker through April 27th and you can purchase tickets here.

PRETTY WOMAN: THE MUSICAL- ECCCLES (NATIONAL TOUR) SALT LAKE

Now for the other end of the spectrum we have Pretty Woman: The Musical with the national tour coming through to Eccles in Salt Lake. I actually hadn’t heard good things about this adaptation of the popular film but I figured as the resident rom-com girl I better check it out. In the end, it’s watchable but forgettable and not worthy of the high prices the tour will cost you.

If you know the classic film this production tells the story of a prostitute Vivian who is picked up by businessman Edward and the two have a Cinderella romance where she is treated like a princess, they fall in love and he learns to be a good man of business that builds boats rather than taking apart companies.

All the main moments from the film are there except bizarrely they don’t have the iconic Roy Orbison song in the actual show until the curtain call (they poke fun at this at intermission but its missing is very strange.) Unfortunately the songs they do give by Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance are completely forgettable and bland. I also thought Ellie Baker who played Vivian had a shrillness to her belt singing I didn’t enjoy. Chase Wolfe is fine as Edward but pretty bland and the two don’t have any chemistry which is a key element of the film working with Richard Gere and Julia Roberts.

I also was expecting the costumes to be stronger with them often feeling like dime-store ripoffs of the costumes from the movie. We particularly didn’t get the brown with white polka dot dress she is so well known for wearing to the big party. They changed it to a black dress for some reason.

There is some nice 80s inspired lighting and set design (director DB Bonds with scenic design Christine Peter) and the supporting cast is energetic Adam du Plessis takes the Hector Elizondo role from the movie and has a fun time being the fairy godmother of the story. I also enjoyed Connor Kabat as the dancing bellhop who comes in and out of the story.

I know many really disliked Pretty Woman: The Musical. I have a good friend who left at intermission, and I can understand why. It’s definitely average at best. It is finished at Eccles but if it’s coming by you I’d only see it if you can get a deal and you love the movie. If not I’d just watch the movie and enjoy the better version of this story.

So there you have it. 2 widely different shows and experiences. The joy of being a theatre fan and critic in Utah!

I try to not ask for comps whenever 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

It goes without saying that I love any chance I get to see an equity production at Pioneer Theatre Company. Even if it’s a show I don’t love they always execute it with the height of professionalism. On Saturday, however, there was a special degree of excitement with their new show, The Lehman Trilogy for a couple of different reasons. First of all, the play is highly lauded winning 5 Tony Awards including best play in 2021 and it tells the ambitious and sprawling story of the Lehman Brothers Corporation and the 3 Lehman brothers from 1844 to 2008.

Second, it is the first 3 act play with 2 intermissions I’ve ever seen. Third, it is the first production in the new Meldrum Theatre at the Einar Nielsen Fieldhouse and Lastly, it marked my 300th show since I returned to live theatre after the pandemic. What a ride it has been!

Let me say a few words about the new theatre. This is an absolutely beautiful thrust theatre that can accommodate hundreds of patrons in very comfortable chairs (they did an excellent job choosing those chairs out because I was nervous how a 3.5 hour show would be on my back! No problems!) There is space for a orchestra pit if they want and state of the art lighting and other production qualities that should allow PTC and the students at UofU to put on just about anything. I can’t wait to see many a wonderful show at the Meldrum!

As far as the actual play itself it was a fascinating experience. Written by Stefano Massini and adapted to English by Ben Power it is a small production with only 3 in the cast but like I said covers 160 years of American history through the lens of the Lehman Brothers company and family. There were times when the business talk and exposition was a little dry (it got less so in the 3rd act but maybe that’s partly because I am more familiar with recent events than 19th century American history.) Huge praise goes to the amazing 3 actors Jeff Talbot, William Connell and Seth Andrew Bridges in a never-ending stream of roles including switching accents and occasionally playing women.

The director Karen Azenberg keeps the actors moving which helps break up the exposition and helps make it clear when they are transitioning in and out of a character. The costumes by Yoon Bae are kept simple and give hints to the period with things like a top hat and a scarf.

The lighting by Michael Gilliam did a great job at keeping us focused on the 3 actors as they moved across the stage; however, I do think they could have picked a play requiring more ambitious lighting and production for the first test of this new theatre. There’s nothing production-wise that astonishes in The Lehman Trilogy. It’s the acting and writing that stand out and could just have easily been performed in the small Black Box theatre the University has (I saw Cabaret there and it was incredible!) Why not do something that really shows off your new space?

In a way though I can see why they chose The Lehman Trilogy because it captures the history of America and American capitalism just at a time when we are embarking on a perilous election cycle. In a year where it seems hard to believe our 2 options are the best we could come up with it’s helpful to contemplate on how we got here as a nation- a nation of companies and families.

Mostly I recommend seeing The Lehman Trilogy for what will no doubt be some of the best acting of the year. It’s a tour de force from our cast of 3 and it should not be missed.

If you’d like me to review more theatre and appreciate what I do please check out the patreon here

Hi everyone! Since I got home from Texas I’ve been busy but trying to heal from this non-bronchitis that’s been morphed from the allergies that I had on the trip (this is one of those viruses that is sticking around forever!) Nevertheless, I have had the chance to see 2 shows and I love the chance to give both productions a shoutout (Plus I saw the new production at the new theatre at Pioneer Theatre Company but that gets its own post.)

NEWSIES- DRAPER HISTORIC THEATRE, DRAPER

One of the most reliable local theatres of late has been right here in Draper at Draper Historic Theatre. I recently saw Annie there that was delightful and last year I was blown away by their Jekyll and Hyde (I’ll never forget that show.) Their latest production is the very popular Newsies and it was once again a very well done piece of community theatre. This production is particularly fun because my sister and niece were in town so they got to see it with me.

I’m always so impressed at Draper Historic how well they use the little space with such large casts and this was no exception. They also use projections and flexible sets (scaffolding for this show) to make the stage as versatile as possible.

Of course, Newsies has a special place in my nostalgic heart with a score by Alan Menken and lyrics by Jack Feldman and a book from Harvey Fierstein. I think most of the changes they made for the movie are to its benefit and the cast at Draper is totally up for the challenge. Jared Gaskill isn’t the strongest singer I’ve ever heard for Jack but what he lacks in polish he makes up for in sincerity and charisma. He also has terrific chemistry with Tearza Foyston. The rest of the cast is excellent and there is a tremendous community spirit about the whole production which is what you want in this kind of community theatre. There were flaws particularly in the microphones but nothing that hindered my enjoyment. It was also fun to see one of my favorite local couples in the cast with Dylan and Sophie Manzanares playing Davey and Spot Conlon.

Newsies at Draper Historic finished today with a sold out run (congrats!) but I recommend checking out their very reasonable season tickets. Next up they have Legally Blonde which I can’t wait for! You can purchase tickets here.

SEUSSICAL: THE MUSICAL- CENTERPOINT LEGACY, CENTERVILLE

It’s interesting because Seussical: The Musical is a show that is done all the time in Utah but somehow I’ve never actually seen it! I had listened to the music and most of my friends aren’t high on it so I just hadn’t seen it until this week. It was part of my season pass for Centerpoint Legacy in Centerville so I decided to finally check it off of my list.

Now that I have seen it I can see why it isn’t a favorite of many of my friends. If you are a story person (which I am) it doesn’t weave the Seussian elements together into a very coherent story. It’s a bit of a mess in that regard and it has so many characters and subplots that it can feel less than satisfying. It does, however, give lots of opportunity for creativity in productions and has a large cast so lots in the community can participate, which I am sure is why it is so popular.

Centerpoint always does an incredible job with their material and this is no exception. Director Kristin Pettingill Callor has brought out the best in her cast by using the entire stage and helping the actors be as dynamic in the roles as possible. There is particularly a sequence using fluorescent light that was very inventive and eye-catching.

I particularly enjoyed Dan Call as Horton and Emily Henwood as Gertrude who I think has the best song of the musical with “Notice Me Horton” and “Alone in the Universe.” The costumes by Stephanie Colyar are also first rate managing to capture so many different worlds and characters.

The only thing I didn’t love in this production was the AI-looking projections they had as part of the background. Everything else was so lush and colorful so to have that flat AI look wasn’t my favorite. I would have rather just a plain painted background personally.

If you like Seussical you definitely should check out this production at Centerpoint. It plays through April 17th and you can purchase tickets here.

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Hello from Texas! I am finishing up the last few hours of my 9 day trip to Austin, Texas with my thoughts on 2 live shows I got to experience during my trip. Unfortunately I got a bad case of Texas allergies and was pretty sick especially at the end of my trip so it’s been a challenging trip but I am always glad when I get to see live theatre whether I’m at home or abroad.

DANCING AT LUGHNASA- CITY THEATRE AUSTIN, AUSTIN TEXAS

I love finding small community theatres across the country to support and encourage in their productions, so I was thrilled when City Theatre Austin accepted my request to come and review their latest production of the play Dancing at Lughnasa. This is one of those plays I had heard of but had never seen and of course I know of the movie version starring Meryl Streep although I have also never seen that. So I went to CTA not knowing what to expect and I left having seen a delightful piece of community theatre with a big heart attached to it.

Dancing at Lughnasa won the Tony Award for best play in 1992 and was written by Brian Friel. The production at CTA is directed by Peyton Trahan with artistic director and manager Andy Berkovsky leading things along. The stage for the play is at a church and the sets and props stay constant throughout the runtime.

The most important factor to the success of a play like this is are the sisters a believable family unit? Do they have chemistry together so they can sell the scenes and fortunately I’d say the cast at CTA has chemistry in spades. They also all did well with their Irish accents which I found impressive for community theatre. My favorite of the women were Josie Hood as Kate and Catherine Woodiwiss as Maggie. I also enjoyed Moses Kutz as the narrator Michael who is an old man remembering this time with his Mother and aunts.

I was also impressed that it didn’t appear any of the actors were microphoned and yet they all projected well. I do think the actors could move around a little more as much of the action was spent sitting at the family table. For a play with dancing in the title there’s not much of it to be found and that can make it a little dry in spurts.

Still, if you are a someone who has sisters or family of any kind you should be able to relate to the dynamics going on with these 5 sisters. It’s real and honest and explores the deep topics of life with everything from war to religion to what makes a fulfilling life.

If you are in the Austin area check out City Theatre Austin. I know I will be on future trips. Dancing at Lughnasa plays through March 31st and one can purchase tickets here.

COME FROM AWAY- NATIONAL TOUR, MAJESTIC THEATRE, SAN ANTONIO

I have long wanted to see Come From Away on the stage but hadn’t had the chance aside from the excellent pro-shot that is available on Apple TV (which I highly recommend.) Needless to say I jumped at the chance to see it with my friends when visiting San Antonio as part of my trip. And even though I was not feeling well it still wowed me as a heartfelt and human musical.

Come From Away has music, book and lyrics by Irene Sankoff annd David Hein and it tells the story of what happened in Newfoundland when 7000 people were transferred there after the Sept 11 attacks. What this show does so well is it takes on weighty themes of loss, racism, war, fear and more but it tells its story with such humanity and warmth that it all works. I was so impressed with how many stories it manages to tell in a relatively brief 100 minute runtime.

Technically Come From Away is a simple show with mostly chairs that are rearranged to make the plane and other rooms for the passengers so it’s really all about the writing and characters and these are winners. They didn’t give us a program (which is very annoying for Broadway level pricing) but the highlights are probably Hannah singing “I Am Here” and Beverley singing “Me and the Sky.”

Truly it is the ensemble that makes Come From Away special. It’s one of those shows I have a hard time imagine anyone disliking. It’s such a positive yet impactful musical. If the tour is coming by you I recommend giving it a watch.

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