I love when theatres take time to make high quality productions for children, and I love even more when these shows are original material instead of the franchise material we so often see. Such is the opportunity happening right now at Salt Lake Acting Company with their new one act musical Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed: The Rock Experience. The ungainly title is evidently based on a book by Mo Willems who pens the script and lyrics and it ends up being a lot of fun.

The story follows mole rat Wilbur who is bucking convention by wearing clothes (clothes that have fallen from the sky.) He then sets up shop and sells the clothes trying to influence his fellow mole rats to dress smashingly. Since this is for kids the messaging is kept very simple with Wilbur having the bravery to be different and the other mole rats learning to accept him and try wearing clothes themselves.

If it was for adults they could dive into the introduction of commerce, wealth and identity through clothes but probably best to keep things basic in a 50 minute play for kids. Joseph Paul Branca plays Wilbur and he is very sweet with the rest of the cast energetically supporting his performance. The show is directed by Penelope Caywood and she manages to keep the energy high and the cuteness ever-present. The big standout production-wise is the costumes by Dennis Hassan, especially the pink, black and white outfits Wilbur is selling.

I do wish they would make the show much more interactive. There are a lot of moments where they could have involved the audience more. For example, they could give the kids a chance to yell out in support of Wilbur or clap along with the music. The only real audience interaction is at the end with the fashion show. Kids love an interactive experience so the more of that they can add the better.

Still, Naked Mole Rat at SLAC is sweet and worthy of your time. It is playing through December 30th and tickets can be purchased here.

Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed: The Rock Experience has script and lyrics by Mo Willems with music by Deborah Wicks LaPuma. It is bsed on the children’s book

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 love the play Noises Off. In fact, I’ve now seen it 3 times this year, but I haven’t had a chance to do a longform review of it on the site because the other 2 times were my shorter logs here and here. Then again I often find it difficult to write about comedies, both theatrical and film, because at the end of the day it comes down to the jokes and if they make me laugh or not. It’s hard to find much nuance to wax poetic about in the genre, but I will do my best. Pioneer Theatre Company has a new production of Noises Off and it’s absolutely hilarious and should not be missed.

Part of what makes Noises Off work so well is how it embraces the chaos of a good farce. In many ways it could be seen as a predecessor to the more recent The Play that Goes Wrong. In both, a theatre company is putting on a production where everything is a mess although Noises Off gets more into the relationships of the actors and crew than Wrong does. What I find most impressive at PTC is the way director Shelley Butler is able to keep all the moving pieces working together seamlessly even when everything gets very madcap.

It’s a play split into 3 acts and the amazing two-story set by scenic designer Paige Hathaway is flipped around in between acts so we are sometimes from the perspective of the audience watching the play (called Nothing On) and others from behind the set with the cast and crew. This is especially effective when we see the actors performing or the noise of the crew depending on what side it is on. It’s also very funny how they use the PA announcements to the audience in repeated gags.

The other technical elements to Noises Off at PTC are great but at the end of the day this play comes down to the actors being able to sell the broad comedy and they do here. I love them all but Rhett Guter is an especial favorite as Garry. Whether he’s exasperated at a tangled phone line or literally falling down the staircase he commits 100% to the gags and I was in stitches every time. I also really enjoyed Olivia Kaufmann as the ditzy Brooke. This character barely seems to realize she is in a play or portraying a role which makes her genuine responses so funny. Finally Terence Archie is a riot as the high-minded Frederick who is constantly trying to find deeper meaning to each part of Nothing On despite the exasperation of the director and rest of the cast.

Naturally there is a lot of holiday entertainment at theaters right now but I would encourage readers to make time for Noises Off at PTC this December. We all could use a good laugh and this wonderful play will have you cracking up. It just feels great to be in an audience of fellow Utahns all laughing together. Don’t miss it! It is playing through December 20th and tickets can be purchased here.

Noises Off is a play by Michael Frayn and it originally premiered in 1982 in London opening on Broadway in 1983. It has been revived and rewritten by Frayn many times over the years most recently in 2015

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.

As much as I love seeing countless productions of holiday shows like A Christmas Carol itis nice when something different is offered, and this is exactly what you get with Cirque du Soleil’s new offering at Eccles entitled Twas the Night Before Christmas.

I am not a dance critic or knowledgeable to give any kind of critique on the various performers of the night. The aerialists, acrobats, and jugglers make it all look easy, which of course it is not, but that’s how one knows they are doing a great job. I’m sure someone more familiar with these type of performance acts would be able to give a more nuanced critique but that’s not me.

The setup for the show is a little girl is listening to hip-hop Christmas music when she is taken to a winter wonderland after reading Twas the Night Before Christmas. We then get various ‘acts’ as they are referred to in the playbill including aerialists on various apparatus, roller skaters, acrobats, jugglers and dancers. The artistic director is Melissa Colella and she lets the performers shine and do what they do best. The sparkly decor that surrounds them along with lighting by Greg Groeszinger make the experience more memorable but at the end of the day it’s the quality of the athletes on display which are first rate talents.

My only complaint would be that the production feels a little small for what it’s trying to do. Most of the time there are only one or two performers for every act. I haven’t been to any other Cirque du Soleil shows, but I feel like usually it is bigger with more performers. The few times they made any mistakes (like a juggling pin being dropped or hoops falling over) it stands out because there are so few doing the acts on stage, which is a bit of a shame.

Still, if you are looking to do something different this holiday season I recommend Twas the Night Before by Cirque du Soleil. It is playing through December 14th and is something one could take the whole family to enjoy. Tickets can be purchased here.

If you enjoy my writing and would like me to review your production I’d love to. I also have a patreon which is a great way to support my shorter logs for shows I don’t get to review. I have some really fun perks like bonus episodes, patron polls and monthly Q&As with actors, directors and writers. Please take a look here.

Perhaps because they are performed annually I find some of the holiday musicals to be quite underrated amongst theatre fans and critics (I also am a huge Christmas person so that could be part of it.) One of the most underrated is the adaptation of White Christmas that I love and there’s a new wonderful production of it at Heritage Theatre. It will definitely be a great way to dance your way into this holiday season.

Most of us know the plot of White Christmas from the classic 1954 film with Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye, and this adaptation does a terrific job of taking out what doesn’t work (like the “Minstrel” number) and adding new songs that are still from Irving Berlin so they feel right at home with the rest of the music. I guess the show got bad reviews when it premiered on Broadway in 2008 but I don’t understand why. It does everything I want an screen to stage show to do but that’s just me.

One of the difficulties Heritage faces when doing this type of musical is how small their stage is but director Leslie Richards is up for the challenge. The choreography by Charli Adams often goes out into the audience which helps make it a more immersive experience. Throughout the course of the night we are treated to tap, ballroom and Broadway dance routines and they are well done with a lot of old-school personality. The dancing highlight is probably “The Best Things Happen While You’re Dancing” where it’s hard to not get swept away in the old-school quality of the routine.

The night I attended Bob Wallace was played by David Sensenbaugh with Andrew Crumpley as Phil Davis. They have a nice chemistry together as friends and work well with their leading ladies Karlie Clark and Ginny Waldron playing Betty and Judy Haynes respectively. This isn’t professional quality singing but it’s pleasant and fits the homespun quality of the musical. I also appreciate how well the ensemble is used. This is a great show for community theatre because the book gives so much for the ensemble to do not just in terms of dancing sequences but a lot of characters have lines and are involved in the story (as opposed to something like Into the Woods or Little Shop which have almost no ensemble work.) I particularly enjoyed numbers like “Happy Holiday/ Let Yourself Go” that are full of energetic tap dancing for the whole cast.

Driving up to Heritage Theatre in Perry takes me almost an hour but it is a must visit whenever they have a new show. I just love the mixture of heart, ambition and entertainment they provide. White Christmas is no exception and definitely worthy of your time. It is playing through December 20th and tickets can be purchased here.

White Christmas has music and lyrics by Irving Berlin with a book by David Ives and Paul Blake based on the classic film from 1954. It first premiered on Broadway in 2008 and then again in 2009.

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.

There is not much that can bring in the Christmas spirit better than seeing A Christmas Carol on the stage. Luckily here in Utah there are ample opportunities for being a part of this classic story each holiday season. In fact, I saw 3 different versions during just this weekend alone. I enjoyed all 3 but must admit the musical adaptation isn’t my favorite. I would definitely recommend the straight play versions at PCT and Parker over this but it is a very well done production and if you like the musical you will love it.

My main problem with this musical is it feels like composer Alan Menken took Beauty and the Beast and put A Christmas Carol skin over it. It opens with a song about Scrooge walking through the town and feeling different, it has a song about home and another bizarre number called “Abundance and Charity” that has definite “Be Our Guest” vibes where some how they work in a kickline into Victorian England. The score even sounds nearly identical to Beauty and the Beast It just leaves me feeling uninspired when it comes to the music.

All that said, the core story is still good and everything that OMT did to elevate the material totally works. In the end, a company can only work with what they’ve got and they do a great job with this musical. It is directed by Todd Wente and just visually it is extremely impressive. The massive 2-story sets by Josh Roberts light up like actual houses and are interactive for the cast to open and walk on creating a lived in feel to what is happening. The choreography is also very strong by Michael Hernandez. I particularly enjoyed “Dancing on Your Grave” where the dancers feel like the ancestors in Addams Family, which is a lot of fun.

The cast is also strong with Chuck Gillmore leading everything as Scrooge. I especially enjoyed his transformation Scrooge. He really sold the mania and heart of those scenes. Maddie Cruz Curletto is also very good as Ghost of Christmas Past with one of the best singing voices and stage presences of the night.

The best song of the evening is probably “God Bless Us Everyone” and Theodore Kenneth Burton is very cute as Tiny Tim. Peter K. Weiner is also a warm and empathetic presence on stage as Bob Cratchit.

Unfortunately tonight is the last night of A Christmas Carol at OMT but if you want to see a musical version of this story it’s worthy of your time. They do everything they can to elevate this material and I do think OMT is one of the most underrated theatre companies in Northern Utah. If February they have The Scarlet Pimpernel coming up and that is worthy of your time.

A Christmas Carol has music by Alan Menken with lyrics by Lynn Ahrens and a book by Mike Ockrent and Lynn Ahrens. It is based on the classic novel by Charles Dickens and was performed at Madison Square Garden from 1994 to 2003.

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.

One of the unique aspects of being a regional theatre critic is I end up seeing the same shows repeatedly. This might annoy some people, but I really enjoy seeing the different takes productions have on the same material. My most commonly seen story is Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, and my first version of the season came from Payson Community Theatre. It is a new adaptation done in house by Paul Cave and focuses on the religious themes of the novel and story.

It’s fascinating because I also saw A Christmas Carol at Parker Theatre and that version barely mentions the religious elements and magnifies the social themes and horror sequences. This PTC version is the reverse. High on religion, low on horror. Scrooge here seems barely scared by Jacob and the scene at the door with Jacob is zoomed over (where at Parker they extend it into multiple scenes.) I don’t know about you but I find these unique looks at the same story to be fascinating.

I do appreciate if they are going to emphasize the religious themes they are consistent throughout. When the benefactors are introduced Scrooge criticizes them as performing “Christian thievery.” We also have a theme of light throughout with Jacob saying he dimmed the light of those around him, Past warning Scrooge “it is one thing to dim the light on yourself. Another to dim it on others.” Fezziwig and Belle are characters of faith and sister Fran’s favorite hymn is “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day” which is a carol referred to multiple times (it actually wasn’t written until 1863, 20 years after A Christmas Carol but that’s fine.) The characters in Present even refer to Dickens as “Reverend Dickens” and in present Tim sings “God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman” which adds to his normal “God Bless us Everyone” mantra.

Fortunately the production doesn’t forget to have lighter moments to break up the solemnity. I particularly liked the device of Scrooge being annoyed by Christmas carolers. He literally refers to them as “the enemy” and has a sign saying ‘no carolers’ in his office. That’s a funny touch that made me laugh out loud. I also enjoyed the 2 gravediggers that begin and close out the story and the boisterous Present played by Calvin Kitchen.

The stage at Payson Jr High School is small but they stretch it out as far as they can having the graveyard jutting out on the left side. They also make the space work with doors and windows that are moved around and set-pieces that easily create different spaces like the office or Fezziwigs. I also enjoyed how Cave gave more of dynamic arcs for both Fran and Mrs Cratchit. There’s a lovely scene where Scrooge asks Mrs Cratchit (Melissa Hudson) if she can forgive him, which given the religious theme of the production is a nice element. Fran it turns out is the one who sends the ghosts because of her love for Scrooge, which while I love the idea that Jacob does it in the novel, it’s a sweet take on the sibling dynamic of the story. I also love that Scrooge’s normal pleading at the grave is at Tim’s tombstone not his own. What a clever take for A Christmas Carol.

I know I’ve talked the most about this adaptation and less about the production (which I usually don’t do) but there are tons of A Christmas Carols in Northern Utah this season and the adaptation is what makes PCT’s production most unique. If you are hoping for a show that focuses on the religious aspects of the story and holiday than you absolutely must see this.

The proceedings are directed by Perry Ewell and he has gotten the best possible performances out of his cast in the challenging space. Scrooge is played by BJ Harrison and he gets to some vulnerable moments- particularly, like I said, at the ending when he is pleading for forgiveness. Ace Ortiz is very cute as Tiny Tim and Simon Kirschman is an endearing Bob Cratchit. The only aspect that didn’t work for me is the classical music Cave chose for the production. It just felt out of place to have Mozart and other classical music pieces and not Christmas music. I also always forget to bring a seat cushion to PCT and those office chairs can be brutal after a couple of hours.

Other than that PCT’s Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol is a wonderful adaptation that anyone looking for a spiritual boost this holiday season will enjoy. It is playing through Dec 8th and tickets can be purchased here.

Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol is adapted from A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens by Paul Cave. This production at PCT is its premiere staging.

If you enjoy my writing and would like me to review your production I’d love to. I also have a patreon which is a great way to support my shorter logs for shows I don’t get to review. I have some really fun perks like bonus episodes, patron polls and monthly Q&As with actors, directors and writers. Please take a look here.

Hi theatre friends! I hope you are having a great Thanksgiving week and enjoying great local theatre wherever you might be. Lately I have been posting full reviews for most of the productions I’ve been seeing, which I am very grateful for but I have had 4 shows I’ve attended as a patron in the last month that I’d like to update you all on. Let me know if you’ve seen any of these shows and what you thought of them.

A Christmas Story: The Musical- Centerpoint Legacy Theatre, Centerville

As I’ve said many times I find this musical adaptation of A Christmas Story to be very underrated and I always enjoy a chance to see it especially at Centerpoint. They did it in 2021 and I adored it then and this new production is just as outstanding. Every element is impeccably made and executed. The stage is dominated by 3 large sets (set designer Josh Roberts) that are double sided making them work for multiple settings like the school and department store. The costumes (designer Stephanie Colyar) are period accurate with attention to small details like shoes and hats. The acting and singing is all great. I don’t know what more you could ask for a community theatre production that sells tickets for under $30.

It’s a real treasure for Northern Utah to have a place like Centerpoint and to see shows like A Christmas Story. This production is directed by Shelby Ferrin, and I saw the MWF cast with Lindsey Stephens being the standout as Mother. I absolutely loved her rendition of “What a Mother Does.” A Christmas Story is playing through December 20th and tickets can be purchased here.

Pride and Prejudice- Centerpoint Legacy Theatre, Centerville

Also at Centerpoint Legacy in their Second Stage is Pride and Prejudice. This is the adaptation penned by Melissa Leilani Larson, which is very popular here in Utah and for good reasons because it is excellent. I actually interviewed Melissa about the adaptation here. In fact, it’s so popular this production has completely sold out during it’s whole run! I saw the MWF cast and I am hopeful I can find a way of seeing the TThS cast but I may not be able to! I bet they are regretting not doing this on the big stage with this amazing response. They even added 6 additional shows and they sold out immediately. I love how much we love Jane Austen in Utah!

I’m so happy for Centerpoint because this is a wonderful production of this play. I loved all of the cast I did see and again the attention to detail is outstanding. Everything from the costumes to the accents is thought out and well executed. I even loved the projections which surrounded the actors (it’s a black box stage) and made the experience feel more immersive. For example, when Lizzie is at Pemberley we see the grand house all around us and when Jane travels to Netherfield in the rain we are surrounded by video of Regency rain. Everything is directed by Brighton Sloan with set and projections by Josh Roberts. They do have a standby list each day that I am going to try and get on for TThS but you can find more information here.

She Loves Me- BYU Theatre, Provo

Another musical I absolutely love is She Loves Me. I could never tire of seeing it and was thrilled when I saw that my alma mater BYU was putting it on. This is the classic Parfumerie story about 2 people who fall in love over letters while hating each other in real life. It’s a complete charmer of a show and they did a phenomenal job at BYU.

First of all the George and Amalia (Austin Zimmerman and Elena Shill respectively) had incredible chemistry with both being especially funny at the argumentative sequences. The whole cast was great and I love how director Geoffrey Reynolds worked in dance into so many scenes and paid attention to little details like making the shop sequences feel lived in with shoppers walking by interacting with the cast. I honestly walked away without any notes. Unfortunately the run has finished for the show but you can find out more about BYU OnStage here. Also Lehi Arts has a production of She Loves Me coming up in just a few weeks which I can’t wait for. You can find out more about that production here.

Steel Magnolias- On Pitch Performing Arts, Layton

Lately I’ve realized how much I enjoy seeing a good play. In fact, sometimes I prefer for community theaters to do straight plays because there are so many fewer parts to master than a musical. Steel Magnolias makes particular sense for community theatre because it is a play for all women and that’s usually the bedrock of most community theatre. I also love any chance I have to get up to OPPA in Layton because they nurture talent in a way that’s special and unique. This production of Steel Magnolias was in their black box Creator’s Stage and it is definitely rough around the edges but that’s what I liked about it.

I saw the TThS cast and was especially impressed by Heidi Williams as Shelby (she captured a young innocence needed for the character) and Sarah Casper as Ouiser (she actually had a frog in her throat that day which was perfect for the character!) The production is directed by Kennedy Miller and the set design by Peter Davis convincingly captures Truvy’s salon. Steel Magnolias is one of those plays that’s hard to screw up and they certainly don’t here. It is playing through December 6th and tickets can be purchased here.

I would recommend all 4 of the shows I logged today. A Christmas Story: The Musical features music and lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul with a book by Joseph Robinette based on the 1983 film script by Jean Shepherd and his book. It first premiered on Broadway in 2012. Pride and Prejudice is based on the novel by Jane Austen and adapted by Melissa Leilani Larson. She Loves Me has music by Jerry Bock and lyrics by Sheldon Harnick with a book by Joe Masteroff. It is based on the Parfumerie play by Miklos Laszlo and first premiered on Broadway in 1963. Steel Magnolias is a play by Robert Harling and first premiered on Off-Broadway in 1987 with its Broadway debut in 2005.

These logged shows I usually pay for out of pocket, and I’d love to do that as much as possible. If you have a show you’d like me to take a look at and write a full review let me know. I also have my patreon which is a great way to support what I do and get some really fun perks. Find out more here.

As I’ve said many times I love when a theatrical company takes a risk- when they try something new to me or put on a show less commonly performed in this area. So I was intrigued when Sentinel Theatre invited me to come take a look at a play I’d never heard of entitled Circle Mirror Transformation. While in the end, I didn’t love the play I appreciate the swing and see value in much of what the production has to offer.

When I first heard the title I thought it must be some kind of trippy scifi piece but in reality Circle Mirror Transformation is a play about the communities we form every day and how they can impact our lives. These communities can form from a variety of interactions. It could be people gathering for a political rally or a book club, or in this case taking an acting class, but whatever it might be these relationships add value to our lives.

At Sentinel (performed at The Hive Collaborative in Provo) the ensemble is the greatest strength for the production. All 5 actors have chemistry together and are giving good performances for the roles they have. I particularly enjoyed Dani Klappoth as the new age class leader Marty and Wayne Keller III as the neurotic student Schultz.

My problem with Circle Mirror Transformation is unfortunately Annie Baker’s inauthentic script. We are given to believe these 5 people only interact at this weekly class and yet they can present obscure details about each other like what one class member calls her Grandma or what their childhood bedroom looked like. I’ve known people for decades that I could introduce less fully than the characters are able to do here after just a few hours together at a weekly class (2 of the characters are married so that relationship is probably the most convincing.)

I can see how this material might have worked better as a one act or short play but at nearly 2 hours it feels repetitive and tough to engage with. Baker’s script could have also brought in more humor- poking more fun at the silliness of these dramatic exercises and attempts at achieving mental clarity. The closest we get is the youngest class member Lauren getting frustrated with the lack of actual acting going on (I would be frustrated too!)

Fortunately the team at Sentinel does what they can with the material, and like I said, I’m always glad to see something that’s new to me. Circle Mirror Transformation is playing through November 22nd and tickets can be purchase here.

Circle Mirror Transformation is a play by Annie Baker and it opened Off-Broadway in 2009 where it won an Obie Award for Best New American Play

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.