Hey everyone! I hope you have been having a wonderful August and a nice end to your summer. I’ve been extremely busy (as usual) and seen lots of great theater. The latest episode of Theatre Tuesdays is up and it was a lot of fun with my giving my pick for the best shows I’ve seen at my favorite local (and Broadway) theaters.

I have also reviewed a lot for UTBA lately with reviews for 3 shows that are all still currently playing and that I heartily recommend:

The Music Man at Sandy Arts Guild- review here

Beauty and the Beast at Terrace Plaza- review here

West Side Story at WVPAC- review here

Of course there have been a few others so make sure you are following me on instagram to get my out of theatre reactions to everything I see both theatre and film.

ROMEO & JULIET- PARKER THEATRE, SALT LAKE CITY

I think everyone has Shakespeare plays that they love and others they could do without. Romeo & Juliet is one of the latter for me. It’s obviously incredibly important in the history of English literature but I would almost always rather watch one of its inspirations rather than the OG play itself. In fact, it was kind of fun that the same weekend I saw it at the Parker Theatre I saw West Side Story at WVPAC and as expected I much preferred WSS. That’s not to say this interpretation of R&J is bad. It just was a basic competent version of this play I find rather dull and uninspired.

We had our UTBA training at the Parker and my colleague Scott Savage was a lot harder on their Romeo & Juliet than I was. His review makes lots of good and fair points that someone who is more familiar with the source material could make. You can read it here. For my part, I thought it was fine with good performances from Dallin Suman and Isabelle Purdie as our leads, and I appreciate they tried to spice up the production with sword-fights and other action.

It also had a tremendous set design with beautiful lighting by James Parker. If you want an introduction to Romeo & Juliet you could certainly do worse and The Parker is a theatre worth your support (Plus, I love that they have show themed food at the concessions stand!) It’s also fun that you can see West Side Story and Romeo & Juliet at the same time at 2 awesome theater companies and compare them. Romeo & Juliet plays through Sept 2 and you can purchase tickets here.

BEETLEJUICE- BROADWAY AT THE ECCLES, NATIONAL TOUR

One thing I struggle with as a critic is how much my individual experience can impact my feelings about show or film. I try to reduce it as much as possible but I’m still a human reviewing a piece of media and not a robot so my life experience, individual biases and even daily moods can impact my overall impressions of a project. In 2021 I saw Beetlejuice on Broadway and I for the most part enjoyed it. I was particularly taken with the incredible production design and unusual artistic design that captured the energy and tone of the film despite it differing quite a bit storywise.

After this mostly positive response you can imagine my surprise when I felt quite the opposite about the National touring production at Eccles. The production design was still there but I was thoroughly annoyed by almost everything else. I found everything to be shouty and grating, which I get is part of its whole gimmick and appeal, but for whatever reason it did not work for me this go around. I also noticed how much Beetlejuice is off stage, which is a big problem because he had nearly all of the funny jokes. Andrew Kober is fine as Beetlejuice. All the performances are good but the show needs to take a second to breathe and actually help you to care about the characters and story. Instead it’s an unending gag-fest that felt like someone shouting in my ears for nearly 3 hours.

I can’t say I wouldn’t recommend it because the first time I did enjoy it for the production values alone but this national tour I’d probably skip (I’d be interested to know if they changed it at all for the tour) and I think it’s a show that I just have to be in the right mood for and I wasn’t this time. It’s weird and maybe unfair but true. You can find out more information about the tour here.

CINDERELLA- EMPRESS THEATRE, MAGNA

It’s interesting The Empress started their year off announcing a bold set of shows including Kinky Boots but then funding forced them to change plans and go with a more traditional set of shows including Freaky Friday and Cinderella. I sincerely hope they get to do Kinky Boots someday but it’s fascinating how they have taken something as tried and true as Cinderella and injected into it as much personality, style and edge as they can. Director Sarah Walker Bringhurst deserves a lot of credit for squeezing everything out of this production as possible. I loved how the Fairy Godmother (Marie in this version played by Cassie Hurt-McLarty) character was a continual presence throughout the show commenting on what was happening like a member of the audience herself.

Joy Austin was completely lovely as Ella and Aaron Allred stole the show as prince Topher. Their chemistry was off the charts and “Do I Love You Because You’re Beautiful” was the highlight. The costumes by Ty Whiting and Callie Halverson stood out with Ella’s ballgown morphing into several different looks depending on the occasion (its final look as a wedding dress was too perfect!) I recently saw Cinderella at OPPA (and enjoyed that although the talent here was much stronger in the leads) but this was a different version based on the 2013 Broadway revival and it was so interesting to see the changes. Unfortunately the show closed on 8/12 but I am beyond excited for Empress’ next show my favorite Bright Star. Make sure you have tickets for what is sure to be an unbelievable production here.

SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN- SCERA SHELL, OREM

I think by my count I have seen the Broadway adaptation of Singin in the Rain 9 times including a recent production up at Terrace Plaza. I famously loved the production at Hale Centre Theatre Sandy so much I saw it 3 times! It’s such a good adaptation of the classic film. My latest outing to this classic is at the outdoor Scera Shell in Orem and once again I had an absolute blast with this high spirited night of song and dance.

Director DeLayne Bluth Dayton has put their own unique spin on the material with a sprawling stage made up mostly of a long staircase that made for terrific dance sequences like the “Broadway Melody” ballet having several layers of dance to look at. The casting is also strong particularly with TJ Thomas as Don Lockwood and Heidi Hughes as Kathy Seldon. Tanner Frederiksen was less successful as Cosmo but it wasn’t really his fault. The choreography they gave him for “Make Em Laugh” was odd with him flailing on the floor instead of doing the normal flips associated with the number. Tina Trimble is a riot as Lina Lamont and I loved the filmed silent movie segments even if the screen was very small because of the large staircase.

Overall, Singin in the Rain at Scera is a delightful night of theatre that any fan of film, dance or music should enjoy. The ensemble is large and talented and all the technical details from the sound, to the rain effects, to the costumes are very well executed. It is playing until 8/22 and tickets can be purchased here.

So there you have it! What have you been watching? Have you been able to see any of these shows? I would love to hear your thoughts on any of them. Thank you and remember theatre matters

Another month of incredible live theatre in Utah has come and gone. My friend Maren was dealing with a death in the family so my friend Marc Bonanni was kind enough to join me for the end of the month episode of Theatre Tuesdays and this time we made it a live stream. It’s a lot of fun.

SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN (TERRACE PLAZA PLAYHOUSE, WASHINGTON TERRACE)

If you follow my content at all you know I am a huge fan of the screen to stage adaptation of the classic film Singin’ in the Rain. I love it so much I saw Hale Sandy’s amazing version 3 times! It’s got just the right mixture of humor, romance, dance, and whimsy for my musical loving heart. Seeing it was coming to Terrace Plaza I just knew I had to see it. They are a community theatre in every sense of the word. Nothing is polished or snazzy but it always has a wonderful community spirit to it and I leave having had a good time. And that’s what happened with Singin’ in the Rain. It’s definitely up there with one of the best shows I’ve seen at Plaza (The Scarlet Pimpernel still holds that prize.)

My favorite part of the production was the 2 comedic leads with Emily Dickerson as Lina Lamont and Quinten Moon Wood as Cosmo. They were both hilarious in their roles and Jayson and Madison Benedict as Don and Kathy were good as well. What stood out the most was how well they did with the filmed silent movie segments. For a small community theatre I was impressed with the effort they put into these sequences. The costumes by Kathy Richmond were also excellent and they always have the best hats/wigs at Terrace by Jacci Florence. Singin’ in the Rain is a show that’s hard for me to dislike and I certainly liked this version! Singin in the Rain is finished but I am heading back up to Terrace Plaza tonight to see Beauty and the Beast so check out their website for more information and to purchase tickets here.

DIAL M FOR MURDER (COVEY CENTER, PROVO)

I had the chance to review Dial M for Murder at the Covey Center in Provo for UTBA. It wasn’t my favorite play but the cast did what they could with it. You can read my review here.

THE PRINCIPLE WIFE (COVEY CENTER, PROVO)

Unless I am reviewing a play or musical for UTBA I usually don’t receive comp tickets for the shows I review but occasionally a member of a production will reach out to me and ask for my feedback. That was the case with The Principle Wife– a new musical I saw last month at the Covey Center in Provo. I went in hoping for an intriguing story about a polygamous pioneer and left feeling mostly befuddled at the strange piece that felt more like polygamy propaganda than a sensitive look into a religion’s past. I say this as someone who is a Latter-day Saint but is also open to frank discussions of the past and the messy policies and beliefs that make up my church.

There are some positives of the production. I liked Ethan Kelso as the father in the story and the full orchestra was impressive (he has a beautiful voice and great stage presence). There were also a few stand out songs, and I appreciate the humor Erin Wilson brings to her role as Sarah the second wife. However, the script is just not there yet. I felt like I was at a sales pitch for polygamy of all things not being given an honest look at the highs and lows of ‘the principle.’ Also the show is way too long coming in at over 3 hours it needs at least 45 minutes removed. There is an entire subplot involving a soldier who is in love with the first wife Rebecca that added nothing to the story and could easily be removed.

A friend said she felt like they were going for a Mormon version of Fiddler on the Roof but if that’s the case they need a lot more nuance and the characters need to feel more like human beings with flaws mixed in with their faith than we got here. I was also shocked to discover the tickets for this play were $49 so it’s not like they were offering it at workshopping prices. It has finished its run but I definitely would be frustrated if I paid that price for it. You can find out more about The Principle Wife here.

Hi friends! I hope you all have been doing well. I have admittedly gotten behind in my theatre reviews but am still seeing lots of shows. Make sure you are following me on instagram to get my out of theatre reactions to everything I see.

I also have been busy with my film reviews here and been keeping up my weekly Theatre Tuesday series on my podcast/youtube channel. This week I had local actor, the very talented, Matthew DelaFuente on to talk about his path to being an actor and the several great performances I’ve seen from him. It’s a lot of fun.

I have seen 6 shows over the last 2 weeks so let’s talk about all the fun!

the music man- high valley arts

I had a blast seeing The Music Man at High Valley Arts- out under the stars in a wonderful community environment. You can read the rest of my thoughts in my UTBA review here. High Valley Arts is such a breathtaking way to see a show. This production has concluded but you can learn more about future productions here.

THE SECRET GARDEN- KAYSVILLE CITY

When I was interviewing friend Caitlin Olsen about her dream role she told me how much she loves The Secret Garden and how she almost auditioned to play Lily in a new production in Kaysville City. I had never seen a show there, and I’m sure glad I took a chance because it turned out to be an outstanding production. I am fully convinced this is the best you could do The Secret Garden from all aspects. Everything from the lush production design (production designer Kristin Pettingill Callor) to the stunning costumes, to the beautiful singing were first rate. The highlights were “Lily’s Eyes” and “A Bit of Earth.” The only complaint I had was the little boy Colin had a strong lisp that made him difficult to understand at times. I’m not sure if that was an acting choice or just his natural voice but it was a barrier to the performance. I was so impressed with everything else, and will make sure to see any future productions in Kaysville. This is done but you can find out more here.

THE LION IN WINTER- CENTERPOINT LEGACY, CENTERVILLE UT

It’s always fun to see a classic play with good performances that I’ve never seen before. Such was the case with The Lion in Winter. This ran through July 9th and I saw one of the last performances. It tells the story of the family of King Henry II and his family drama during the Christmas season of 1173. This is a story I wasn’t familiar with and the actors were all top notch especially Leslie Barrett as Eleanor. She captured well the desperation inherent in the character. Some of the other casting felt a little off- like Phillip (Ryan Kinville) seemed the same age as Alais (Isabella Giordano) and she talks about carrying him as an infant. That didn’t make much sense. What was most shocking, however, is it was the first time in my life a patron has picked up her phone and answered in the middle of the play! Especially in a small blackbox this was shocking. Don’t do that folks! Still it was a very engaging story that went to darker, edgier places than I expected. They finished the show on July 8th but I highly recommend getting out to CenterPoint for their future blackbox productions. More info here.

OKLAHOMA, SCERA SHELL OREM UTAH

Oklahoma is one of those shows I feel like I’ve seen more than I actually have. It’s such a part of musical and pop culture but it’s not performed that often. Fortunately I was able to see it at the Outdoor Scera Shell in Orem. This was a wonderful outdoor theatre production starring a married couple IRL Jeff and Hailey Bennett Sundwall as Curly and Laurey respectively. The strength of this show was the dancing particularly the “Dream Ballet” choreographed by Janessa Ramsey. I also really enjoyed McCall Brainard as Ado Annie and Ty McQuiston as Will Parker. There were times the transitions between scenes felt a little rushed and there are definitely some outdated segments of the show- particularly involving how everyone treats Jud. Curley basically telling him to kill himself in “Poor Jud is Dead” (he’s a bad dude but arguably driven to it by the way he is treated.) It’s definitely a show that is darker than its wholesome reputation and cheerful songs would imply. This weekend is the last of Oklahoma at Scera but they have one more Summer show you won’t want to miss with one of my favorites: Singin in the Rain. You can purchase tickets here.

JEKYLL & HYDE- OPPA, LAYTON

OPPA or On Pitch Performing Arts in Layton is a wonderful place to see true community theatre. Their focus is on education and providing a nurturing environment for all who participate to learn and grow. Their shows do not have the polish of a Hale or CenterPoint but that has its own charm. I also appreciate they are braver than other companies in their selections. I’ve seen everything from Rent to Legally Blonde there and their latest production is Jekyll & Hyde. I did just see an outstanding version of this show at Draper Historic but I still enjoyed this more imperfect version. The women were particularly strong with Cariel Goodwin and Caitlin Olsen killing it as Lucy and Emma. Them singing “In His Eyes” was the highlight of the show. I also enjoyed Tyler Neil who played Emma’s father Sir Danvers. The costumes by Stacey Hastam were a lot of fun and I appreciate they weren’t afraid to zoosh it up a bit with “Bring on the Men.” Austin Payne has a nice voice as Jekyll/Hyde, but I wish they had just used his regular hair instead of the atrocious mullet-styled wig they gave him. It was awful but the performance was nice. Jekyll & Hyde has finished its run but you can get tickets to OPPA shows here.

NEWSIES- LEHI ARTS COUNCIL, LEHI

Last up is the wonderful staging of Newsies by the Lehi Arts Council. This production is held at Skyridge High School which is a totally different environment than the very small normal Lehi Arts Center. Fortunately they are up for the challenge of a large stage and fill it with wonderful singing and dancing (I just saw Newsies at Hale Sandy and this was every bit as good for much less cost). The large cast is up for the energetic choreography by Rebecca Boberg and every scene is skillfully directed by Kathryn & Howard Little (they are local legends here and I hope to have them on Theatre Tuesdays one of these days!) The cast is top notch with Luke Ellison shining with charisma as Jack Kelly and Cairo McGee as Davey. With 2 major strikes happening in Hollywood what a perfect time to take your family to see Newsies and have an important conversation about labor and its value in the past and today. I admit I have huge nostalgia for the Alan Menken music and lyrics by Jack Feldman but it still has to be performed well and it is here. “King of New York” and “Carrying the Banner” are probably the highlights but there wasn’t a bad number in the show. For only $15 for adults and $12 for kids/seniors that’s a tremendous bargain for the quality and energy of a wonderful production. Newsies is playing through the 29th and you can get tickets here.

So there you have it! Let me know if you have seen any of these shows and what local theatre you’ve supported in July. Thanks!

Hello theatre lovers! I am here to give you 2 quick updates on shows I saw this last weekend- both shows that have a lot of nostalgia for me, which always makes for a fun watch. I also had a great time interviewing my former teacher Dave Smith on Theatre Tuesdays. He is the director of education at Hale Center Theatre in Sandy and used to teach me for voice lessons at Hale Center Theatre Orem. We covered a lot of ground including my great love for Daddy Long Legs and Hale’s production of Singin’ in the Rain from 2022. We also solve the mystery of the Hale water tank so it’s a good listen!

Newsies- Hale Center Theatre Sandy

Not only did I get to interview Dave, but I also got to experience his latest directorial efforts at Hale Center Theatre Sandy with their new production of Newsies. Perhaps this connection makes me a little bit biased, but I thoroughly enjoyed this musical and as someone who loved the movie growing up (even though it got tons of hate!) this show at Hale brought me all the Newsies feels I could ask for.

The Broadway rendition of Newsies took the film and refined it making it the best version of itself it could be. It has music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Jack Feldman and a book by Harvey Fierstein (he less successfully updated Funny Girl recently on Broadway.) My favorite part of this production is the comradery the boys had together. Led by Weston Wright playing Jack Kelly and Ethan Freestone playing Crutchie this felt like a group of friends, which is something sometimes missing with the sleek productions at Hale Sandy.

I also appreciated the creative use of the stage and how they integrated real life headlines into the video clips shown in the background. Hale provides a spectacle that no other theatre in Utah can match and Newsies used every inch of that stage to its full potential (scenic design by Jenn Taylor.) They had a few sound hiccups on my night of performance, and they were still finding their home with some of the choreography, but I still had a great time with this wonderful, energetic take on a show I admittedly love. The highlights were probably the group numbers like “Carrying the Banner” and “King of New York.” The cast chemistry amongst the young men and women was able to shine in these numbers.

It will be interesting to watch it at Lehi Arts Council next week as I’m sure it will be an equally great but more intimate take on this wonderful show. If you are interested in getting tickets to the Hale production you can do so here.

Les Miserables national tour- broadway at the eccles

My regular readers will know how important Les Miserables was to the formation of my love of both theater and music. Outside of The Little Mermaid it was the first piece of media I ever truly loved and there was a point in my high school years I knew literally every word to the show. Even now seeing the national tour at Eccles I was silently mouthing the words as it was being sung by the actors (I would never sing out loud like a group of teenagers rudely did when I saw Beetlejuice on Broadway!) I do think, however, because I have such nostalgia for Les Miserables and I’ve seen it so many times I am perhaps a little more nitpicky than I might otherwise be. This was a decent production and the show with music by Claude-Michel Schonberg, Lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer and a book by Schonberg and Alain Boublil still holds up to this day.

My favorite part of this Les Miserables National Tour is the cast particularly Haley Dortch as Fantine and Christine Heesun Hwang as Eponine. Preston Truman Boyd was also strong as Javert and I loved his rendition of “Stars.” Nick Cartell was mostly strong as Jean Valjean although I felt after nailing “Bring Him Home” his voice kind of lost him and he had some weak moments (understandable especially after that long high note in “Bring Him Home”.) This production has the new staging without the rotating stage and I must admit I don’t care for it. I miss being able to see the entire barricade and get a full sweeping look at what is happening. Also they make the bizarre decision to have “Empty Chairs at Empty Tables” in the abstract without chairs or tables and little memory balls that the departed friends pick up as the song commences. This was so strange and really took me out of the otherwise well-sung moment. This version also uses projections to create the effects of the sewers and other sets which is fine but did feel a bit generic at times.

Other than that it’s Les Miserables. It’s a great show with a powerful message of hope and redemption. I will see it any time it is performed; although, I do think the version at Hale Center Theatre Sandy in 2021 (which is the first show I saw after being vaccinated) was better across the board. At the end of the day (see what I did there…) it’s Les Miserables, and I will always enjoy seeing this show, even if it’s a flawed production. If you want to find out more about this production check out their website here.

Hi friends! So I’ve had another busy week of theatre and the arts and I thought I would update you on what I’ve been able to watch.

RELATIVE SPACE

First, I was able to see a new musical Relative Space at Creekside Theatre Festival and you can read my review on UTBA here. I don’t think it is close to being ready for NYC but it was fun to see something new

SARA EVANS

I’ve been a big fan of Sara Evans for many years. She has such a unique quality and timbre to her voice, so I jumped at the chance to see her in this year’s Scera Shell in Orem. Fortunately she did not disappoint. At first I was worried she was only going to do new songs from her album Copy That but then she ended the concert with classics like “Suds in the Bucket” and “Born to Fly.” She was personable and engaging on stage and it was fun to have her daughter Olivia not only sing back up but a full song. It was very entertaining. The Scera Shell season (including outdoor movies- I saw Mulan last week and it was a blast) is one of the best deals in Utah County and worth investing in even if you can’t attend every event in the package (if you can it’s definitely worth it!) You can learn more about it here.

PUFFS (WVPAC)

I have never been that big of a fan of parody. A lot of times it doesn’t strike me as clever and is more a bunch ‘this looks like something you know.’ I’m also not a huge Harry Potter person, although I do enjoy them. So Puffs really wasn’t made for me and it didn’t win me over. I found it very looks-like in the humor, and I wasn’t laughing. I must admit I left at Act 1 intermission because I had a very busy day, and I just wasn’t enjoying it (I never do this but I could tell it wasn’t for me). If you like parody and/or are a big Harry Potter fan than you may like it more than I did. Puffs is finishing up this weekend but then they have West Side Story coming up Aug 3rd. That will be amazing so don’t miss it!

MACBETH (TOOELE VALLEY THEATRE)

Saturday was a special day because with Puffs and my evening show, Macbeth at Tooele Valley Theatre, it marked my 200th live theatre performance attended since getting vaccinated in April 2021. Fortunately I picked a great show to mark this occasion with TVT doing a special performance of Macbeth that I thoroughly enjoyed. Tucked away in a small cement amphitheater literally in the mountains (a deer came up to the stage just before the performance. That’s how wooded it was!) I was treated to outstanding performances and an intimate, simple production of perhaps Shakespeare’s most accessible play? PJ Stinson and Zel McAllister were very compelling as Lord and Lady Macbeth but the star of the show was Steven Argyle as Macduff. When he finds out what has happened to his family it is devastating, and we are invested in him getting his revenge on Macbeth. I am sure some could find flaws in this production but it was so neat to be out in nature hearing these time-tested words performed well. I absoloutely loved it. Unfortunately I also saw Macbeth on the last night but you can find out more about TVT here.

OLIVER! (HALE CENTER THEATRE OREM)

It’s always a fun experience to see musical with a member of my family and this week I got to do just that at HCTO’s Oliver!. I saw it with my sister and niece. It’s not a perfect show by any means but has some real entertaining songs and the staging was excellent as always at Hale. I really appreciated how director Ashley Gardner Carlson expanded the small stage with platforms for the actors to move about on. This added layers for the acting and showcased the energetic choreography. The whole cast is excellent with John Wakley as an endearing Oliver and Stephen Kerr as a charismatic Fagin. Bryan Harper did such a good job as the evil Bill Sikes that the crowd booed at his curtain call. If I were that actor I’d take it as a big compliment that people were so invested in my performance to boo! Nancy’s arc in the story is frustrating but accurate to the novel and some of the side characters like the Bumbles get more time than they need but it’s still overall a classic show well told. Oliver! is playing at HCTO Aug 5th and tickets can be purchased here.

42ND STREET (CENTERPOINT LEGACY THEATRE)

42nd Street is one of those musicals I’ve heard about but actually never seen until last night where I got the chance to see it at Centerpoint Legacy Theatre. I love CLT, and they have never missed in terms of production and the quality of the singing. This was no exception. 42nd Street is not a show you go to see for the plot (barely any exists and its one we’ve seen in many other musicals like Thoroughly Modern Millie and Crazy for You) but the song and dance are exciting and classic songs like “Young and Healthy” and “Lullaby of Broadway” are catchy. The choreography by Bailee DeYoung is the real star here with fun and energetic numbers with lots of tap dancing. Also I appreciate the casting of Danna Facer as Peggy who had an enthusiasm that fit the hopeful wannabe Broadway star character. I also really enjoyed Judy Binns as the veteran actor Dorothy Brock. The incredible costumes were also a standout by Brianna Taylor. I particularly loved a sparkly rainbow dress in the finale of Act 1. 42nd Street does feel long especially with how little story there is, so I don’t know if I’d jump to see it again. But as always they did a fantastic job at CLT. It is playing until July 11th and you can get tickets here.

Theatre Tuesdays

Hi friends! I clearly have gotten behind on my theatre logs. I did review the amazing Somethin Rotten from Midvale Arts for UTBA here. Then I went to Christmas Con so that was super fun and I have been keeping up my Theatre Tuesdays over on my channel (make sure you are subscribed!) Above you can see the Tonys recap with Marc Bonanni who was actually at the ceremony!

Then today I had actress Caitlin Olsen on the pod for Theatre Tuesdays. She performed as Elle Woods in Legally Blonde at OPPA in 2022 and really inspired me. I now wills see anything she performs in and it was so much fun to get to know her better.

Theatre recap

So I saw 5 shows over this last long weekend I’d like to update my readers on. All were wonderful experiences and I feel so fortunate to live in a state that gives me such incredible theatrical opportunities.

HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAl- murray city arts

There are some shows that are just a joy to watch and I’d say High School Musical is one of those. It’s bubbly and energetic and a ton of fun. This version was done at the Murray Ampitheatre and it’s where I have seen amazing shows like Shrek: The Musical and Little Women. As is appropriate most of the cast is teens or young adults and they had a wonderful chemistry and were up for all the choreography and singing. My friend Amber Kacherian played Ms Darbus with a lot of humor and even came out and chatted with the audience. It was also very impressive they had a full band for a small community show like this. Unfortunately they had tons of microphone issues which I know they were very frustrated with. Still, I had a blast with this show and recommend checking out their future shows Cinderella and Seussical. More information here.

WAIT UNTIL DARK- HOPEBOX THEATRE (SILVER CAST)

Hopebox Theatre in Kaysville has quickly become one of my favorite local venues. I love the mission of the theatre in helping a cancer patient with each show but have also found the quality of the productions to be uniformly excellent. Fortunately Wait Until Dark was no exception. I love the movie with Audrey Hepburn and have seen the play one time before at Hale Center Theatre a few years ago. The first half can be a bit dry as they build up all the details of Suzy’s life and her vision abilities (the world’s greatest blind woman.) Then it all pays off in the second act when her life becomes threatened. Jillian Joy is outstanding as Suzy and Spencer Mack is chilling as Mr Roat. The production design is also outstanding- really capturing a 1960’s apartment and creating a completely dark atmosphere when it is needed. I appreciate they took a risk at Hopebox doing this show and it is playing until July 1st so go out and support it here. You won’t see a better version of this play even on Broadway.

KINKY BOOTS- THE ZIEGFELD THEATRE

Before their production of Kinky Boots started at Ziegfeld in Ogden they received an unwarranted amount of attention from trolls online upset they were putting on a drag queen show and that they offered a ‘student night’, which they do for all their shows! I definitely wanted to make sure to support them after such a ridiculous outcry (if you don’t want to see it folks don’t go!) and I was very pleased to see a full house!

This was my first time seeing Kinky Boots and for the most part I really enjoyed it. I did find the book to be a little uneven especially in the 2nd act when Charlie gets uncharacteristically angry and that seemed to come out of nowhere. But aside from that the show has a very positive message and “Raise You Up” is the stand out song. I was most impressed with Sydney Lorraine Vance as Lauren. I loved her singing voice and she rocked the fashion so well. Awesome. Andre-MarQuis Mitchell was also strong as Lola. The production design was all excellent and the whole experience was life affirming and wonderful. It closes this weekend but can get tickets here.

FOOTLOOSE- KENSINGTON THEATRE

I must admit that Footloose is not my favorite Broadway musical. Some of the songs are fun but the story of this entire town banning dance is a little silly for my taste. Nevertheless, I love Kensington Theatre (so underrated) and wanted to support them, so I went out and saw it Monday night. I’m glad I did. Not only was the production value outstanding with professional quality sound and a dramatic bridge set but all the performances were excellent. I particularly enjoyed Lucas Morley as Ren, Isaac Butler as Willard and Elizabeth Birkner as Rusty. I challenge anyone to find a more competently produced version of this show than the one you can see at Kensington. They even have a live band to accompany the show, which makes a world of difference. The show plays until the 6/26 and you can get your tickets here.

If you like what I do please consider supporting me on patreon. There’s some great perks and I sure appreciate it https://www.patreon.com/hallmarkies

I have to admit I am not the biggest fan of the musical Hello Dolly. It has a few standout songs but I mostly prefer them in Pixar’s Wall-e than in the actual musical. I also find the story to be on the bland side and it just doesn’t do much for me as a piece of musical theatre.

That said, Hale Centre Theatre in Sandy is always excellent at big spectacle productions so I knew this version of Hello Dolly would be outstanding and it actually was! It’s still not my favorite show but they did about as good a job with it as can be done. Director Ryan Simmons has filled the stage with incredible sets including a large full scale moving train and enough confetti to rival any New Years Eve celebration (set design Kacey Udy)

I saw the MWF cast with Jennifer Parker Hohl playing Dolly Levi and she was good in the role. I appreciated how she and the other performers brought out the comedy in the show. I’ve never thought of Hello Dolly as that funny of a show but they proved me wrong by interacting with the audience and making everything as funny as possible.

There was also a sense of Victorian whimsy to the costumes, sets and other production details (costumes by Joy Zhu.) I particularly liked Dolly’s iconic red dress we get for her iconic “Hello Dolly” number.

As is always the case with Hale the singing in Hello Dolly is top notch. Also the choreography by Afton Wilson is outstanding. Sometimes in theatre in the round you can end up seeing the backside of most of the characters if you get unlucky (recently happened to me at Hale Orem’s Once) but that wasn’t the case here. The multi-layered circular sets moved around enough to make sure everyone got a good view of the action.

Hello Dolly will never be a favorite show of mine but I do respect its role in musical history and it has a couple of bops. However, I would still recommend heading out to Hale to see the show because of the incredible spectacle and quality singing. Plus, they brought out the humor of the show, which was fun.

Michael Hohl is good as Horace Vandergelder but he’s written as kind of a pig so I don’t know how I feel about him and Dolly ending up together. I particularly don’t like his song ”It Takes a Woman.” Gross

It says sold out on many of their shows but there were a lot of empty seats when I went so don’t be afraid to go standby or call the box office to see if any late cancellations. Hello Dolly plays through June 10th and you can find out more here.