beauty-and-the-beast

UTAH THEATRE LOG 2/1-2/6 (SHREK, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST JR) (RACHEL’S THEATRE LOG 93)

| Rachel's Reviews

Hi theatre lovers! I have 2 quick updates for you. While super busy with the Sundance Film Festival this last weekend I was able to see 2 local shows I’d like to share my thoughts on.

SHREK: THE MUSICAL- KENSINGTON THEATRE, SOUTH JORDAN

One of the big surprises for me as a musical theatre fan and critic was the first time I saw Shrek: The Musical. I am honestly pretty lukewarm on the movie so I did not expect to like the musical interpretation but I saw it back in 2021 for the first time and really enjoyed it. I recently saw it at Kensington Theatre in their black box stage and had a good time with it once again.

This production of Shrek is part of Kensington’s ABC program (Adult Boot Camp) so it is what I like to refer to as a learning company. Being in the black box this was also more stripped down than some of the other ABC productions I’ve seen (they had an Into the Woods that was one of the best versions of that show I’ve seen.) Director Toni Butler is very good at bringing the best out of her cast and helping instill a community spirit that is palpable and makes watching her shows even with flaws a real treat.

Dallin Remund is up to the task of playing Shrek including a consistent accent throughout. He also has nice chemistry with Lydia Butler playing Fiona. Jack Sheehan is a ton of fun as Lord Farquaad never failing to get the most out of his puppet legs which delivers a lot of laughs.

I honestly don’t know how I feel about the casting of a non-POC actor as Donkey. Obviously donkeys do not have a race but I feel the role is so clearly written for a Black actor in mind that it is a bit of a moral grey area. This was also the first time I saw different casting for this role so that might be part of it as well. What do you think?

That said, I still enjoyed this production of Shrek: The Musical and would recommend Kensington to anyone looking for a fun night of local theatre. Next up they have Man of La Mancha which I have never seen so that’s exciting. Tickets can be purchased here.

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST JR- DRAPER HISTORIC THEATRE, DRAPER

It might sound crazy but sometimes I think I prefer the teen editions of popular musicals even more than the grown-up original versions. I like them because they cut away the more bloated elements of a show and leave us with the best the material has to offer. I recently saw Beauty and the Beast Jr at Draper Historic and it was a lot of fun for both teens performing and audience watching.

I saw the Enchanted cast in this double cast show and the teens are all wonderful and putting their best into the experience. When I see a youth production the most important element is the energy and sense of community spirit I sense from the performers. I know it’s not going to be perfect but that’s all part of the fun of it. Director Katie Davis has tapped into that youthful energy here and seems to have brought the best out of her young cast. I particularly enjoyed Tori Piacitelli as Belle and Rowan Morley as Gaston (Gaston is almost always my favorite in this show LOL.)

The ensemble choreography by Makayla Porter is a highlight with them packing as many kids as possible on to the stage and even pulling off a kickline for “Be Our Guest.”

Perhaps it is nostalgia talking but I do think it is a little bit of a shame to rely so much on projections in a production for youth. I have very fond memories building and painting sets in my high school shows and it’s a nice way for young actors with smaller roles to feel valued and included in the production. Nevertheless, it was interesting to see a more stripped down version of Beauty and the Beast with simple costumes and sets especially after I saw the complete opposite massive spectacle over at Hale last Fall. It just shows what a great show it is if it can be entertaining big or small.

Beauty and the Beast Jr is playing at Draper Historic until Feb 22nd and definitely worth your time. They even have audience participation in the transformation with light-up roses that was a fun touch. Draper Historic is a great deal and they have Bright Star coming up so I recommend getting season tickets. More information is available here.

Shrek: The Musical has music by Jeanine Tesori, lyrics and book by David Lindsay-Abaire. Beauty and the Beast Jr has music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice with book by Linda Woolverton.

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

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST AT HALE IS A TALE AS OLD AS TIME WITH BIG SPECTACLE (REVIEW)

| Rachel's Reviews

So much of what makes for a successful piece of community theatre is matching the right show with the right venue. And while I would never want to pigeonhole a company into only doing one type of show it is true that some material is just a good fit for certain venues. Such is the case with Disney shows and Hale Center Theatre in Sandy. Indeed, when one finds their seat at the Young Living Centre Stage it feels like we have left Utah and are temporarily in Disneyland. Nowhere was this more true than in their current stunning production of Disney’s masterpiece Beauty and the Beast. Playing now through January 25th this majestic show will delight young and all and may be the best show Hale’s done since Singin in the Rain.

Beauty and the Beast is of course based on the animated film with music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice with a book by Linda Woolverton. It tells the story of our headstrong Belle who ends up as the prisoner of a cursed Beast in an enchanted castle. Can these seeming opposites find love? We all know the answer to that!

I saw the MWF cast for this production and Jessica Hudson leads the group of talented actors as Belle with Kyle Olsen as Beast. My favorite performances, however, are from Russell Maxfield as Gaston and Scott Hendrickson as Lumiere. They are both very funny and expressive in their roles.

The costumes by Jenn Taylor are unforgettable and what impressed me the most is they had actual fire coming from Lumiere’s candle! In all the times I’ve seen Beauty and the Beast on stage I have never seen that effect. They also have actual fire for the mob which helps the scene feel all the more immersive than it might otherwise be.

Director Ryan Simmons makes big time spectacle to dazzle audiences with characters like the plates and cups coming from the sky for “Be Our Guest” and an awe inspiring finale where Beast and Gaston fight it out on the roof of the castle for all of us to see. As I said, a production at Disneyland would not be better or more immersive than what Hale has achieved and that’s saying something.

While I really enjoyed the production there are a few things they could work on. The main problem is one of the platforms the action takes place on has a large railing around it, which makes it almost impossible to see what is happening with the actors. For example, the scene where Maurice first comes to the castle I couldn’t see a single thing that was happening. Fortunately they didn’t use that platform much but I wish they would remove the railing because it served no narrative purpose.

They also had some problems with the sound mix. While I know there are times when the vocals are supposed to be a bit echoey like when Belle first enters the castle but there are other times when it is unintentionally off and it sounds like the characters are speaking from inside a cave.

Nevertheless, if you want a big spectacle Disney production and you don’t want to go to Disneyland make your way over to Hale Center Theatre and enjoy Beauty and the Beast. It’s a special opportunity to be immersed in a classic story well told. You will be glad to be their guest! Find out more information and purchase tickets 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. Please take a look here.