Raise Your Voice for ‘Sister Act’ at Hale (Review)

When I first saw Sister Act was on the Hale Center Theatre schedule this year I let out a little groan. It’s not that I hate the show it’s just performed a lot and it seemed like a real bland pick. Well, it just goes to show one should always keep an open mind because I saw their production on Saturday and thoroughly enjoyed it. It’s a sweet, entertaining and well performed piece of musical theatre.

If you don’t know Sister Act is based on the classic 1992 film starring Whoopi Goldberg and Maggie Smith. That movie was set in 1992 in Las Vegas but for the musical they move it back to 1978 and to Philadelphia. This is a smart move by the creators because it allows the productions to embrace the disco sparkle of the late 70s and they certainly do at Hale especially the sparkly costumes by Joy Zhu. It also helps keep things grounded so we don’t have to worry about the nuns and their singing hitting big on tiktok or anything like that.

I saw the TThS cast and it is excellent across the board. Deloris Van Cartier is played by Mack and Mother Superior is my old voice teacher Amanda Crabb (one of the best roles I’ve seen her in. She’s basically a co-lead.) This musical, however, is all about the sisterhood (pun intended) and they are all very lovely and have nice chemistry together. It’s always a little surprising how dark things get with the villain Curtis but they are trying to hide Deloris from criminals so some sense of danger is appropriate. Aioleoge Lesa is sniveling and fun as Deloris’ mob-boss boyfriend Curtis. He has a deep booming voice that is very memorable.

For the most part the songs are just ok in this musical with pleasant Alan Menken music and reliably bland lyrics from Glenn Slater. The two highlights are in Act II with Mother Superior singing “I Haven’t Got a Prayer” which Crabb sings powerfully and “The Life I Never Led” sung by Sister Mary Roberts played by Makenna Ashby. The latter might be Slater’s most touching lyrics he’s ever written or maybe I just connect with it as someone who always stayed pretty close to what was expected of me by my faith and loved ones. I also really enjoyed Christian Patrick Wawro as Eddie and his song “I Could be that Guy.” He and Mack have nice chemistry together and their romance is a fun side story to the main plot.

This production of Sister Act at Hale uses their main stage in just the right ways so it adds spectacle without getting distracting. Director Dave Tinney has gotten the most out of his cast and everything moves and flows from scene to scene with ease. I also liked the projections and stained glass by Madeline Ashton and scenic design by Danna Barney and Ryan Simmons (they have a very cool old TV prop visual effect that is a nostalgic throwback to the 70s.

Even though it does have some dark moments and themes Sister Act at Hale is still something that most families can enjoy together. Certainly if you’ve seen the movie you’ll be fine with this musical (although it has completely different songs than the movie) version. I bet it will make you want to praise the Lord you’re enjoying it so much. It is playing through October 25th and tickets can be purchased here.

Sister Act has music by Alan Menken with lyrics by Glenn Slater and a book by Cheri and Bill Steinkellner. It is based on the 1992 film with a screenplay by Joseph Howard. It premiered in the West End in 2009 and on Broadway in 2011

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 haven’t stopped thinking about ‘The Foreigner’ at PG Players (and it’s funny) (Review)

One of the best hidden gems I have discovered since I started supporting local theatre after the pandemic is the good folks over at PG Players in Pleasant Grove. It’s actually at a tiny theater in the Pleasant Grove Library and I have loved almost everything I’ve seen there. This last weekend I saw their production of the play The Foreigner and it’s had me thinking about it ever since.

On the surface the elements of The Foreigner are quite simple. It’s a farce about an Englishman who while visiting a lodge in small-town Georgia tells the people he doesn’t speak any English. Given it was written in 1983 it’s more believable that the people would be less experienced with visitors from other nations and would take the man and his story on face value (it’s basically like early catfishing without a romantic component.)

The cast at PG Players is all excellent with Cam Bronson doing a great job with the physical comedy in the role- he barely speaks in the entire first act. In many ways it has the spirit of a silent movie with the big and bold expressions needed to carry the emotion since he cant talk. I particularly like how we can see him dying to speak out when the racist characters are spouting nonsense.

Speaking of the racists it is this facet that has gotten me thinking since I saw the play. There is a plot element where several characters are members of the Ku Klux Klan and they end up attacking the other characters in their robes and all. I should state they are never presented as anything but complete villains and they are defeated in the end but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t find their inclusion troubling. Just seeing a place like PG Players with those horrible robes and people is upsetting.

Then I thought about it and wondered why it bothered me when I had seen actors in Nazi uniforms at The Sound of Music multiple times this year? I don’t even know that I have a good answer. It just did. I know some other local productions of The Foreigner do not have the KKK robes and just have them as run-of-the-mill racists, and I can see why a company might make that choice. However, on the other hand pretending evil doesn’t exist isn’t the right answer either.

Maybe part of it is The Foreigner is a comedy where The Sound of Music is not but what about a comedy like The Producers? I honestly don’t know what the answer is, and I’d love some insight from readers.

Anyway, back to PG Players… most of the comedy of The Foreigner is quite lovely with Debra Fink’s innocent Betty Meeks making a nice foil for Bronson’s physical comedy. Maxwell Warren’s Ellard Simms is also very sweet and endearing.

The production is directed by Howard and Kathryn Little who I have interviewed in the past and they have a gift of bringing the most out of their actors and making the best use of the small space at the library theater. Particularly in the second act I was impressed how they created lightning and a realistic thunderstorm on such a limited stage. With the costumes and props it seemed to say this is taking place in the 1980s but then Froggy (Wesley Clark) seemed like a character from the 40s. The timeframe could have been more clear. Also in Act 1 a fair amount of white noise came off the speaker which can be distracting.

Because I found the Klan element to be so shocking I’m underselling how funny most of The Foreigner is. It really is quite an enjoyable experience for most of the play. I know it has been performed all over the valley at different companies so I’d love to hear what any of my readers think of it and if you see it at PG Players let me know. It is playing through October 13th and tickets can be purchased here.

The Foreigner is a play by Larry Shue and was first performed in 1984 where it played Off-Broadway for 686 performances.

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.

Nothing Held Back in ‘The Full Monty’ at The Grand (Review)

I admit when I saw they were putting on The Full Monty at The Grand I rolled my eyes and was pretty skeptical of it being the real deal musical I had heard about. Usually with permission from MTI we end up getting the ‘Utahfied’ version of edgy shows that are cleaned up to make them more PG-13, family friendly (see recent versions of Jersey Boys for examples.) I know The Grand has done edgier shows in the past but I just didn’t think they would actually do The Full Monty in its full version (pun intended,) but I’m delighted to be proven wrong. Not only is this a very funny show but it’s actually quite sweet with a nice message at its heart.

Anyway, if you don’t know The Full Monty tells the story of a group of laid off steel workers in Buffalo, New York (the movie is in Yorkshire, England) who decide to learn to be exotic dancers to try and make ends-meet. There aren’t many shows that deal with male insecurities both with their bodies and relationships, and I found the dialogue in this musical to be quite sweet and endearing. I’m also a sucker for a friendship story so I enjoyed that element as well with the men of different ages and personality types coming together to support one another.

Aaron Naylor leads the cast as Jerry Lukowski who is trying to get money for custody battles with his son (the one content element I don’t love is when they have son Nathan swearing but that’s just me.) Friend Dave Bukatinsky (Trevor Blair) is the most insecure of the men about his body being the most overweight although his relationship is probably the strongest out of the men (although that has its challenges.) The group is rounded out with Darrin Burnett (who is a favorite local actor of mine), Skylar Hawker, Kiirt Banks and Ian Fernandez Andersen. Like I said, the men all have a nice chemistry and their friendship dynamic together really works. It’s also a meaningful show about marriage and how different couples communicate effectively together. In addition, Brandwynn Michelle is very funny as the chain-smoking accompanist for the boys.

As the name would suggest, the stage is large at The Grand but the set by Halee Rasmussen uses the space effectively and makes the transitions quick as the setpieces fit together like puzzle pieces. It makes it easy to go from a club, to a bedroom, to a bathroom. They also have a full band led by Ginger Bess Simmons and that always adds a polish to a production I appreciate. This show is directed by Michelle Lynn Huftalin and Briana Lindsay Fisher, and it is the best thing I’ve seen at The Grand this year. It’s a charming and very funny night of community theatre.

The only downside to the show is the pacing dragged at times. I don’t know there is anything The Grand could have done about that (like I said the set made transitions really quick) but like most Broadway musicals these days it could easily have 2 or 3 songs cut and be the better for it. Still, I’d recommend The Full Monty for anyone looking for a sweet and edgy musical for adults to enjoy. It honestly would make for a great date night choice and tickets can be as low as $30. It plays through Oct 4th and tickets can be purchased here.

The Full Monty has music and lyrics by David Yazbek with a book by Terrence McNally based on the film with script by Simon Beaufoy. It was first performed on Broadway in 2000

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.

Big River is a Sweet Adventure at Ideal Playhouse (Review)

As much as I try and see a variety of plays and musicals there are always going to be those shows I have as blind spots. Often they are great shows but just not performed often where I live in Utah. One of these shows was Big River, and I’m happy I have now been able to check it off of my musical theatre bucket list. While the new production at Ideal Playhouse is the youth edition, it’s a nice introduction to this landmark piece of musical theatre.

Of course, Big River is based on the classic novel Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. It’s a challenging novel to make into a musical because not that much actually happens in the story. There is a lot of tension especially for Jim but it’s mostly a dialogue-heavy story with them encountering various people as they travel down the Mississippi river. The musical even eliminates some elements such as the time spent with the feuding families that’s a larger chunk of the novel.

This minimalism is enhanced at Ideal Playhouse by them doing the Theatre for Young Audiences version, which is even shorter than the full Broadway version. I’ve never seen either so can’t speak to the differences but it definitely felt like the shortest version possible of this story.

Anyway, there is much to like in this community theatre production. Most notably the strong cast they have assembled. You couldn’t ask for better leads than we have with Yabosh Bonner as Jim and Stockton Palmer as Huck. I was also very impressed with Rosemary Jolicoeur-Webster as Alice (most of the days.) It’s a real treat to get to hear such talented actors sing “River in the Rain, “Waitin’ for the Light to Shine,” and “Free at Last.”

The show at Ideal is directed by Steve Anderson with tech director Dave Bates. They make the most out of their immersive stage elements with projections that stretch out into the audience space and give us thunder, lightning and rain as Jim and Huck make their journey on the river. They had some microphone issues on opening night and not everything went according to plan but I still enjoyed it.

According to Concord Theatricals there is only one other version of Big River currently happening in the US (youth or regular.) It’s just not a show performed very often for whatever reason. Now is your chance to see it at Ideal, and even though it is the shortened version it is worthy of your time and effort to get out to Heber. It wasn’t perfect but I’m glad I made the drive. It is playing through October 11th and tickets can be purchased here.

Big River has music and lyrics by Roger Miller with a book by William Hauptman based on Adventures of Huckleberry Finn novel by Mark Twain.

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.

Utah Theatre Log 9/6-9/18/25 (Little Shop of Horrors, Silent Sky ) (Rachel’s Theatre Log 188)

Hi friends! I hope you are having a great September and enjoying regional theatre wherever you might be. I have 2 shows to give my quick logs for. As a reminder the logs are for shows I attend as a patron not a critic and I pay for them out of pocket rather than the comped shows I do full detailed reviews of. Let me know if you’ve seen these shows and what you’ve been watching on the stage lately.

Silent Sky- Parker Theatre, Salt Lake

I must admit I have mixed feelings about the play Silent Sky by Lauren Gunderson. While it is wonderful the play shines a light on real-life astronomer Henrietta Leavitt, it is frustrating Gunderson felt her story needs an invented romance and male character in associate Peter Shaw. It goes against the entire message of the play- a message that Henrietta’s story matters and is worth telling. Evidently it didn’t matter enough to actually tell it without a man…

Anyway, putting all that aside the production of Silent Sky at Parker is excellent and worthy of your time. The direction of Joanne Parker creates a combination of intimacy and spectacle that works beautifully on stage. I love how she basically turns the Parker into a mini-planetarium with the constellations and other lighting effects (lighting design by James B Parker.) The costumes by Paige Wilson are also excellent as are the period accurate hair and makeup by Hillary McChesney.)

Emma Widtfeldt is strong yet vulnerable as Henrietta with McChesney giving a convincing Irish accent as Williamina Fleming. If you can go in knowing everything with the Peter character is fake than I’d say Silent Sky is worth seeing at the Parker. It is playing through October 11th and tickets can be purchased here.

Little Shop of Horrors- Centerpoint Legacy, Centerville

With Halloween coming up it’s fun to see some of the horror-influenced shows popping up in Utah. One of the first is Little Shop of Horrors at Centerpoint Legacy. This is an incredible production of this classic musical and one I recommend to anyone looking for quality entertainment.

The biggest standout of the show is the professional sets that would be at home in any Broadway house. Director Ryan Bruckman and set designer Truxton Moulton have outdone themselves creating skid row and a massive stage (usually Little Shop is performed on a smaller stage) that easily transitions from one set pieces to another with moving walls that make it easy to go from the flower shop to the dentist office and other places quickly. The way Audrey grows both as a puppet but also as greenery that covers the set is also impressive with it even coming up over the walls and out the windows by the end. If you showed this set to an industry professional without telling them they wouldn’t believe it is for a community theatre in Centerville Utah.

The cast is also terrific with Janae Klumpp-Gibb crushing it as Audrey and Jake Heywood as Seymour Krelborn. Brock Dalgleish is a more redneck version of dentist Orin than I usually see but what he does with his voice in “Now it’s the Gas” is a feat to watch him pull off. I don’t know how anyone could ask anything more of a community production of Little Shop of Horrors. The sound mix was sometimes off with the backtrack being too loud but other than that it’s a great night of theatre. I highly recommend. It is playing through October 14th and tickets can be purchased here.

So there you have it! Let me know if you see either of these shows and what you think of them.

Silent Sky is a play written by Lauren Gunderson about astronomer Henrietta Leavitt. Little Shop of Horrors has music by Alan Menken with lyrics and book by Howard Ashman based on the book by Charles B Griffith and the 1960 film.

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.

Black and white is the main appeal of ‘ The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940’ at HCT (Review)

For anyone who has followed my reviews over the years they know I am rarely a style over substance critic. It’s pretty hard to wow me on a visual level if the story, characters, and dialogue aren’t impressing me as well. However, there is an exception to every rule and the latest at Hale Center Theatre is such an experience. Their production of The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940 is a visual triumph even if the play itself didn’t do much for me.

When you watch the above trailer for the show one might think there is a black and white filter being applied to the imagery. Amazingly enough that is not the case. Through lighting, costumes, makeup and other trickery they have managed to make a black and white experience for the actors and audience. It truly is a jaw-dropping spectacle to see what they have pulled off. Director Ryan Simmons, scenic designer Jenn Taylor, costume designer Joy Zhu and lighting designer Marianne Ohran have worked together to make something astonishing to watch.

This was my first time seeing The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940 and the play is set up with a writer who is writing an old-school murder mystery which comes alive around him as he writes in his office. This setup reminds me a little bit of The Drowsy Chaperone but it becomes more visually interesting because The Author (Jacob Glenn Chapman) is the only one in color while everything around him is various shades of gray. The funniest joke of the night actually happens at the beginning as The Author goes through several time periods he could set the story in with the 80s being particularly funny.

My main problem with the play is I just didn’t find it to be very funny. I recently saw the similar A Little Murder Never Hurt Anybody at Covey and that is a much funnier spoof on a murder mystery. Even A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, which isn’t my favorite, is still funnier than this play. Clue, both musical and non-musical, are also another fun entries in the genre. This barely got a chuckle out of me and the audience surrounding me seemed equally underwhelmed by the laughs.

The acting is all professional quality with Claire Kenny as Elsa and David Marsden as Michael leading the company. They are all doing their best to bring as much camp and over-the-top antics to the goings-on. I just wish the material gave them more to work with.

If you are someone that gets a lot of enjoyment out of visual spectacle on stage than I would recommend seeing The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940 at Hale. As I said, it’s worth seeing on a visual level for what they have accomplished but prepare for a plot and story that’s just ok. It’s no The 39 Steps which is a comedy that actually delivers on the murder mystery laughs.

The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940 is written by John Bishop and first premiered in 1987.

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.

‘2 Pianos 4 Hands’ is a Genius Start to PTC’s New Season (Review)

I don’t know if it is my dyslexia or fidgeting but I never took to music lessons as a kid. As an adult I enjoyed voice lessons for many years but just for fun rather than a serious attempt to learn the skill. Watching the new play 2 Pianos 4 Hands at Pioneer Theatre Company I realize this may have been a blessing not a curse.

The play stars Richard Todd Adams and Matthew McGloin as Ted and Richard respectively. Both gentlemen are aspiring concert pianists, and we follow the entire journey of their training from being a little child pianists to adults who hopes to be successful musicians. Of course, classical music is an incredibly demanding profession and the men may or may not have what it takes to make it.

Naturally such a story would require actual piano playing from our 2 leads. We get all kinds of music with everything from Mozart to Elton John to “Heart and Soul” and it’s really fun to hear such great tunes at the theatre. In many ways it feels like we are getting the best of both a concert experience and a play, which is fresh and fun.

Both Adams and McGloin have done this show multiple times and one can sense this in the confidence of their performances. They also have terrific chemistry and bounce off of each other well like old friends do.

One of my favorite parts of the play is the increasing sense of desperation on the part of the 2 men. They have put in so many hours into their piano playing that quitting doesn’t feel like an option. If they quit than their entire life will be meaningless but staying feels like a pipedream and waste of time at a certain point.

The production elements for 2 Pianos are on the simple side. It mainly features 2 grand pianos and Ted and Richard in formal wear. The stage features panels that can work as shadowboxes where storytelling will take place. They didn’t use this feature much but it provides variety to the experience and is creative. Everything else on the production side works great for this particular show.

The first part where the men are young boys trying to win points to their fathers and satisfy demanding teachers is my favorite part of the play. Director Tom Frey makes all of the elements come together and work seamlessly and like I said it feels like we are getting a play and a concert at the same time. I especially enjoyed the “A Medley of Pop Tunes” number where we get a bunch of recognizable songs strung together.

2 Pianos 4 Hands is playing through September 27th at the Meldrum theatre at the U. It’s a burst of energy that will leave us thinking about our own attempts to master new skills. It is pretty family friendly and tickets can be purchased here.

Two Pianos 4 Hands is a play with music written by Ted Dykstra and Richard Greenblatt. It was first performed in Toronto in 1996

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.

‘A Little Murder…’ at Covey is a Campy Good Time for All (Review)

One of my favorite parts of being a community theatre critic is watching companies evolve and grow over time. One such example is in Provo at The Covey Center for the Arts. Over the years I’ve seen them master what productions work best for their Briton Black Box theater. It’s usually shows with minimal set changes and a small but expert-level cast. Their latest is a campy good time for all involved A Little Murder Never Hurt Anybody. They also tend to select shows that feature relationships. I honestly think a season pass to Covey would make for great date nights for couples looking for fun entertainment.

What’s interesting about this show in particular is I have long said A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder would be better as a straight play and not a musical. This play proves this as it has almost all of the elements of Gentleman’s Guide without the bland songs.

Anyway, as one can imagine from the title A Little Murder Never Hurt Anybody is a play on a murder mystery but taken to a screwball premise. It’s kind of like Arsenic and Old Lace in that regard. The plot focuses on Matthew a 1930s socialite who decides his wife Julia’s presence is dragging him down and she needs to go. He then foolishly tells Julia of his plans and it becomes a tit-for-tat over the course of the year where Matthew tries and fails in his bumbling attempts at homicide. This perhaps sounds harsher on paper than it is in the actual play. All of the murder attempts are over-the-top and director Ben Cumins does a good job keeping tone light and silly.

Matthew C Kohl and Hillary Straga are very funny as our leading couple and they bounce off each other well with the witty script. I also really enjoyed Tanner Frederiksen as a bumbling detective that felt like an old-time radio character even down to his voice and mannered performance. Everyone else is excellent but my absolute favorite of the cast is Autumn Bickmore as Bunny. I love a well-done ditzy character, and this performance is a terrific example of that archetype.

Most of the technical aspects of the production are on the simple side with it being all set in one room with nothing getting in the way of the actors and their performances. Jessica Moody’s costumes stand out the most especially the Halloween costumes the characters wear in the October scenes (it goes by an entire year of shenanigans.)

Again, on paper, A Little Murder Never Hurt Anybody might sound intense or upsetting but it’s really not. It’s very funny and one couldn’t ask for better acting from a community theatre production. I highly recommend checking this play out. Bring a loved one and have a great time. It is playing at the Covey until October 11th and tickets can be purchased here.

A Little Murder Never Hurt Anybody is a play by Ron Bernas first performed in 1991 in Michigan. I had never heard of this play before. Have any of you seen it?

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.

‘Flowers for Mrs Harris’ channels the French New Wave in its US Premiere at The Ruth (Review)

While I love the classics of musical theatre I also have a soft spot in my heart for new works and try to be forgiving of flaws to companies brave enough to take them on. This week we even have a US premiere here in Utah with Flowers for Mrs Harris at The Ruth. While this is far from a perfect show I appreciate the homage to the French New Wave particularly the work of filmmaker Jacques Demy as well as designers like Givenchy, Chanel and of course Christian Dior.

Many will be familiar with the feature films Mrs Harris Goes to Paris which has been adapted into movies 3 times most famously in 1958 with Angela Lansbury and recently in 2022 starring Lesley Manville. It’s a sweet story about a cleaning lady in 1957 who saves money to buy a dress from Christian Dior- the flowers dresses to be more specific. It’s the kind of simple mature women-focused stories we don’t often get these days and worthy of your time.

The production at The Ruth features Dianna Graham as Ada Harris and the first act of the musical is her 3 year quest to save the $520 needed to purchase a Dior gown. After years of loneliness she wants to have “Something to Come Home to.” We all need our goals and what I find so endearing about the story is she is rewarded with not just the dress at the end of it but a whole community of friends that feed off of her goal-setting and positive spirit.

The music has more in common with an opera than traditional musical theatre. The dialogue is minimal and the songs aren’t melodic in the way we usually see in American musicals. Like I said, it reminds me a lot of Demy and his films like The Umbrellas of Cherbourg or The Young Girls of Rochefort. It is on the plodding side at times but I still find it overall worthwhile and interesting.

The production at The Ruth is helmed by director Barta Heiner and most importantly she gets the fashion and atmosphere right. Dennis Wright is phenomenal with his costumes and the models that they have wearing the dresses look like professional models. It’s very impressive (I wondered if they’d use the ballgowns from Cinderella but these all looked new.) The accents were also excellent throughout both British and French.

I saw the show opening night and I hope they are able to work on the sound mix as the music track is frequently too loud for the singers hurting the overall immersion in the story. I also wish a character named Pamela hadn’t been in the musical as she is unbelievably selfish not really fitting the tone of the piece but I realize The Ruth can’t do anything about that. Almost all of the actors play multiple roles, both French and English counterparts and I can only imagine how challenging that is to pull off.

Like I said, I know Flowers for Mrs Harris won’t be for everyone but I enjoyed it and appreciate The Ruth trying something new. It is playing through November 15th and tickets can be purchased here.

Flowers for Mrs Harris features music and lyrics by Richard Taylor and a book by Rachel Wagstaff based on the book Mrs ‘Arris Goes to Paris by Paul Gallico.

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.