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Merry Wives stays merry through the rain at Creekside (Review)

| Rachel's Reviews

One of the best parts of watching and reviewing community theatre is how unpredictable it can be. One never knows when sitting down to a performance if we will get the one night where a voice cracks or an actor forgets all their lines and improvs- you get the idea. It could also be a night of triumph for the entire company. We just don’t know. Of course, sometimes the elements of a performance end up outside of the cast and crews control and the team has to then adapt to the unexpected. Such was my experience yesterday at Creekside and the weather for The Merry Wives of Windsor.

I honestly was nervous going to the play that night because it had been a rainy day. If I was just a patron and not doing a review I probably wouldn’t have come (reason for the small attendance I’m sure) but I like to uphold my commitments whenever possible and so rainclouds and all I headed to Cedar Hills to watch the show.

To be clear Creekside has 3 venues this year both inside and outside but Merry Wives is held in the outdoor venue at Heritage Park. It is literally creek-side where on the left of the stage is a loud running creek. The previous year we had a wind storm that was incredibly memorable (see review here) so I might just be bad luck for this company but we will always keep trying!

The night started tame enough but about 20 minutes in the rain began and I was fortunate to have a chair with a sun covering for the beach. They were also very good about distributing umbrellas to anyone who needed it, which I appreciate. There wasn’t any lightning so no danger to the actors so we pushed on forward. Between the creek and the wind it sometimes was hard to hear the actors but fortunately it is not a complex play so I followed along just fine.

If you are unfamiliar with Merry Wives it is quite possibly Shakespeare’s silliest play focusing on Sir John Falstaff and his attempts to seduce 2 rich married women (hence the wives.) These women, Mistress Ford and Page, are rightfully offended by his advances and seek revenge on him in very funny ways. Because of some outdated elements it isn’t a play performed a lot, and I’ve actually only seen it one other time years ago (although they just announced it for Utah Shakespeare Festival for 2027 so that will be fun.) I wish I could have had a distraction-free viewing without the rain but I still enjoyed the opportunity to see this silly play.

The production at Creekside is directed by Jan Hunsaker and I appreciate her using the unique space as much as possible. Several times actors come out into the crowd- at one point an actress handed out chocolates to us and during the scene with the faeries the actors are on the grass dancing outside of the actual stage. I also appreciate when Falstaff gets dumped into the Thames the actor actually goes down into the dry creek-bed and pulls himself back onto the stage. They also do a good job with all of the laundry props that are given to Falstaff to make him look ridiculous. The costumes by Jen Christensen are also a lot of fun although a little confusing as to what era they belonged in. Some seemed to be Edwardian, others Renaissance, others Victorian but I did like the colors and fabrics used.

While the weather did make it harder to absorb some performances I was still impressed with the quality of the cast. Liam Owens is appropriately stupid and foppish as Falstaff and Hillary Straga and Jana Wilhite have a nice chemistry together as Mistress Ford and Page. I particularly appreciate towards the end when Falstaff is dressed as a stag and made to look the fool. It’s very funny.

I also appreciate they shortened the intermission with the rain so we were able to get finished the production in around 2 hours. This is considerate of the audience sitting out in the rain. I wish I had time to see The Merry Wives of Windsor again at Creekside but I do not. Fortunately you still have time to see it. It is playing through July 1st and tickets can be purchased here.

The Merry Wives of Windsor is Shakespeare’s 23rd play having been written between 1600-1601. It is sandwiched in between Hamlet and Troilus and Cressida so it must have been a breath of fresh air in between 2 tragedies and especially a nice break after the intensity of Hamlet. Evidently Queen Elizabeth 1 asked Shakespeare to write a play about Falstaff after seeing him depicted in Henry IV Part 1

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.

A classic story told well with Creekside’s Persuasion (Review)

| Rachel's Reviews

Anyone who knows me knows I’m a huge Jane Austen fan, and I jump for any chance I get to see one of her novels on the screen or stage. Persuasion has always been a difficult one to adapt because the heroine is more introspective and most of the romantic action happens off-page with it being a classic case of second chance romance. This is why I love many of the choices made by playwright Melissa Leilani Larson in her adaptation of Persuasion, and I enjoyed getting the chance to see it at Creekside Theatre Festival this year.

The smartest choice Larson makes in her script for Persuasion is she has 2 sets of actors cast as the leads Captain Wentworth and Anne- both a young and older version of the couple. This helps the audience become attached to the pair and their relationship in a way the novel is able to do through backstory and exposition but needs a visual manifestation for a play to be effective. I liked both sets of actors at Creekside with Eden Bostrom and Anne Madsen as our Annes and Christian Wawro and Ian Hadfield as our Wentworths.

The cast overall is large and strong in this Persuasion even if they had to overcome some occasional opening night jitters. I particularly enjoyed Isabelle Purdie as sister Mary who is one of Austen’s most obliviously self-absorbed characters. Purdie has good comic timing and captures the exasperating cluelessness of her character very well.

Director Jon Liddiard has made the decision to bring the audience forward at the Liahona by setting up office chairs on the stage to watch the show from. I didn’t mind this approach although it would be nice to get some kind of notice of this type of seat so I could bring some support for my back. Also I’m not sure if it is the stage lights but it does get quite warm on the stage which can make the play feel longer than it actually is.

Maybe I missed something but I also don’t understand what the point of the hanging chairs is for the story? I suppose it is because Anne has been waiting for Wentworth all these years but it just struck me as strange. In addition, there are times when Liddiard could have staged things differently for a better view of the action on stage particularly with the letter writing. If these actors had been in the back of the stage instead of in a front corner with their backs to us everyone would have seen them better.

Costumes are of course an important part of any period piece and I really enjoyed what designer Jen Christensen came up with for this production. The dress for Hillary Straga’s Lady Russell is especially pretty, and I like that both Annes and Wentworths have similar clothing in color and style to add to the feeling of them being the same characters.

For those that are less devoted to Austen and period pieces the pacing may be challenging. They are also attempting to do the play without microphones which mostly worked fine but there were moments particularly when the loud rotating stage was moving that were difficult to understand and hear. Still, for those of us that love this story it’s a wonderful adaptation put on by a talented group of actors. Persuasion at Creekside is playing through June 29th at the main Liahona stage. Tickets can be purchased here. Usually Austen adaptations do so well in Utah so we clearly need to get the word out on this one! (I would also not recommend getting seats on the South side because there are windows frequently present on that side that would obstruct the view a lot.)

Persuasion is based on the novel by Jane Austen, which was the final of her 6 books to be published. This adaptation is by Melissa Leilani Larson

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.

Outstanding acting is reason to see New World’s The Seagull (Review)

| Rachel's Reviews

One of my favorite parts of being a theatre patron is the variety of experiences I get to have. I love a big grand musical like I saw on Thursday with Hale Center Theatre’s My Fair Lady, but I also love the experience I had Saturday night at a small black box production of The Seagull put on by New World Shakespeare Company. While a long Anton Checkhov play won’t be for everyone I’d recommend seeking out this production for the insanely high quality acting alone but also for the immersive and memorable experience you will be treated to.

This is my second time seeing The Seagull and I was struck like the last time with the humor it has. One expects a Russian treatise like this to be dark and solemn and it has those moments but it also has quite a bit of humor. This makes the characters feel more real and human.

If you are new to the material, The Seagull follows a group of artists who seemingly have nothing in common but the desire to create things. Irina (Amber Heinrich) is given number one listing on the call sheet but it is a true ensemble piece. She is an actor who prioritizes her career over relationships including her son Konstantin (Jackson Eastmond) who she gives patronizing affection to. Konstantin is in love with a young actress named Nina (Kate Potter) who then is in love with writer Boris (Zach Reynolds.) And that’s only the start. There are a lot of characters in this play and they are all superbly acted at New World. Since they did the adaptation I do wonder why they didn’t trim it down a little bit as every character didn’t feel necessary but they are very well performed.

The production elements are simple in the black box space with a few props and a backdrop for each of the 4 acts (set design by Blayne Wiley.) Director Shea Potter smartly doesn’t complicate things but let’s his strong cast shine.

As far as downsides to The Seagull it is a long sit at 3 hours. Sitting on those office chairs for that long is pretty brutal so I would recommend bringing a cushion if you can remember. Either way you have to be ready for a long, slow moving drama. The characters aren’t super likable and it can be on the depressing side.

Fortunately you have almost a month to see this play so there’s no excuse to miss it. It is playing until June 27th and worthy of your time for the acting alone. Tickets to New World Shakespeare can be purchased here.

The Seagull is a play written by Anton Chekhov. This adaptation was done by Elise C Hansen. It was first performed in 1896 in Russia.

My patrons keep me honest and able to see and review as much as I do. Make sure you check out the patreon for perks, exclusive reviews and to be part of our monthly events and watch alongs. If you value honest criticism check it out. Find out more here.

Arsenic and Old Lace is an old favorite at the Empress for a reason (Review)

| Rachel's Reviews

Recently I did a podcast episode with my friend Jacks about community theater and in it I gave recommendations of 5 plays I said are ‘surefire hits for community theater.’

One of those 5 plays I mentioned in the episode is Arsenic and Old Lace. It’s such a funny play and one I never tire of seeing especially if the 2 aunts are well cast it’s hard to not have a good time with it. And fortunately the production at The Empress does cast well and continues this tradition of being a fun time at the theater.

I saw the Arsenic Cast (they did 2 shows the Saturday I attended which is very impressive for a volunteer cast. Well done!) which features Rose Lagos as Abby and Diana Sorensen as Martha Brewster. At first I was a little concerned that these actors didn’t seem much older than Marc Reading who plays Mortimer. I might have gone with white haired wigs for them just to make them look a little older but I grew used to it quite quickly and both actresses pull off the naivete of the characters quite well. They are convincing as completely believing they are in the right to be murdering which is hilarious and crazy (of course.)

Reading dials up the manic-nature of Mortimer to an 11 and his comic timing is very funny. I particularly enjoyed his expressions when Adrian Young as Officer O’Hara drowns on and on about his play. One of my favorite parts of Arsenic and Old Lace is all of the jabs at critics the playwright Joseph Kesselring throws in. “Mortimer hates the theatre,” says one of the aunts. “He was so happy writing about real estate and then they just made him take this terrible night position.” It’s ironic now because most anyone would do anything to be a theatre critic in New York City as a full time career but my things have changed since this was written back in 1939.

I do find the Jonathan Brewster/Dr Einstein element of this play to be the less funny/compelling part of the story. Although, when Mortimer finds the additional body in the window sill it is very humorous indeed. Mike Brown and Ryan Munsey do what they can with the characters respectively and it is still an enjoyable comedy.

The production at The Empress is directed by Carleigh-Jo Naylor who I’ve usually seen at MadKing Productions and she brings some of that indie spirit over. Like I said, particularly with Mortimer the madcap antics are dialed up to 11 in a true screwball comedy that’s a lot of fun.

The set by James Naylor is simple but effective with the unique 2nd story at the Empress being the perfect place for JD Robison’s Teddy to blow his bugle horn. Arsenic and Old Lace does have 2 intermissions which can make it feel on the long side but I don’t mind it since I’m laughing throughout. It is playing at The Empress until April 18th and tickets can be purchased here.

Arsenic and Old Lace was written by Joseph Kesselring in 1939 and first premiered in 1941. The popular Frank Capra directed film with Cary Grant and stars Josephine Hull and Jean Adair as Abby and Martha respectively premiered in 1944.

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 11/25-12/14 (She Loves Me, Elf) (Rachel’s Theatre Log 227)

| Rachel's Reviews

Hello theatre lovers. I hope you are having a wonderful December and getting in those wonderful holiday themed shows. Most of what I have seen have been my full detailed reviews as a critic; however, I do have 2 shows I attended as a patron I’d love to catch you all up on. Make sure you are following my instagram for out of show reactions to every show and movie I see (plus other fun content.) I did recently see my 200th show for 2025, which I think is a cool accomplishment for a busy critic like myself. Thanks to all the companies who have let me view their work. It’s something I never take for granted.

She Loves Me- Lehi Arts Council, Lehi

I was thrilled when I found out Lehi Arts Council (one of my favorite arts councils) was putting on She Loves Me for the holidays which is one of my favorite shows. I was even more thrilled when I found out Josh Egbert is playing George because he’s a wonderful local actor. Fortunately the production did not disappoint and it’s one I highly recommend seeing in its final week coming up.

Camilla Curtis plays Amalia and they tell the classic Perfumerie story of 2 coworkers who hate each other in real life but are secretly falling in love over their pen pal letters. While their antics play out on stage we are treated to wonderful songs and a delightful cast including Madison Fitzgerald as Illona and Ed Eyestone as Mr Maraczek (the only time I’ve seen Maraczek with an accent, which is perfect because the musical is supposed to be set in Budapest.) I was particularly impressed with how the cast brought out the humor of the piece making me laugh with their comedic timing and chemistry together. It’s not even a show I think of as particularly funny, but they sold every humorous interaction. Curtis and Egbert have terrific chemistry and they make a couple we are rooting for throughout the story.

She Loves Me at Lehi Arts is directed by Brett Jamison and he makes use of every inch of the tiny space at the center making beds work for multiple scenes or having the store be easy to move around and manipulate into other scenes like the restaurant scene. I loved She Loves Me at BYU last month but this is wonderful as well and well worth your time. It is playing through December 20th and tickets can be purchased here.

Elf: The Musical- Draper Historic Theatre, Draper

Meanwhile over at Draper Historic they are putting on a different fun bubbly holiday musical- Elf. If you have seen the feature film starring Will Farrell than you will enjoy the musical adaptation. It sticks pretty close to the movie with of course songs added in. The songs I think are fairly uninspired but they get the job done I suppose. (If you want to see a fun take on the material check out the underrated stop-motion animated special based on the musical. It’s really nostalgic.)

Anyway, the production in Draper Historic is everything I could want in a community staging of Elf. Director Derrick Cain gets the most out of the tiny stage and large cast. I saw the Twinkle Jingley cast (although it was labeled incorrectly in the program) and while Nathan Krist Janson is a lot of bubbly energy as Buddy (it didn’t feel like an imitation of Farrell which I always appreciate,) the entire Hobbes family stood out the most with Eric Smith as Walter, Katrina Smith as Emily and Sebastian Long as Michael. I particularly liked Katrina Smith and Long in “There is a Santa Claus” in act 2.

They use a lot of projections at this theatre (also designed by Cain) but they do a good job of using them to add to the immersion not as a cheap substitute for practical sets. For example having a screen of Central Park with Santa’s sleigh along with snow coming down and other practical elements adds to the effectiveness of the closing scene or at least doesn’t detract as projections sometimes can do.

I also really enjoyed the costumes by Brooke Holahan and the choreography by Yunnie Kim. Like I said, it’s amazing how much and how many people they get on to the stage in so many scenes. Elf is playing through December 20th at Draper Historic but you’ll have to try standby because it is sold out. The tickets are very affordable and I highly recommend getting a season pass to this wonderful community theater. You can find more information here.

So there you have it 2 quality shows to see this holiday season! Enjoy!

 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. Elf: The Musical has music by Matthew Sklar and lyrics by Chad Beguelin with a book by Bob Martin and Thomas Meehan based on the 2003 feature film. It first premiered on Broadway in 2010 and had a successful revival in 2024

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.

Utah Shakespeare Festival 2025 Recap and Log

| Rachel's Reviews

Hi friends! This month I had the opportunity to attend The Utah Shakespeare Festival in Cedar City. I was attending as a patron not as a critic so I am not reviewing what I saw there but I did cover them on my podcast.

I attended the festival with my friend Jacks and went with the Utah Theatre Lovers group which is a wonderful organization I highly recommend following on facebook and attending their events. We covered the whole experience on the OnStage Blog podcast episode you can see above (and on all the podcast platforms here)

Here’s a few quick thoughts about each of the shows I saw:

The Importance of Being Earnest

First up we had The Importance of Being Earnest written by Oscar Wilde and directed by Rodney Lizcano. The strength of this production is Sarah Shippobotham as Lady Bracknell (I really loved her in Steel Magnolias as well.) The costumes by Bill Black are also outstanding. That said this isn’t my favorite play. I’ve seen it a few times and I just don’t find it that funny and when I’m not laughing at a comedy I find it tedious. This was particularly true for this showing as I was tired after a long drive and struggled to pay attention. (Really the first day was hard for me but that’s on me not the performers.)

Macbeth

Next we had Macbeth and even though I was over-heated and not feeling well this was a really fun take on the classic Scottish drama! What particularly stood out is them including Hecate, the Greek goddess of magic and witchcraft which is usually cut out of the show. Not only is she included but it’s quite the spectacle with a giant bird apparatus that takes up most of the stage. This was so impressive that at times Macbeth and Lady Macbeth felt like a bit of an afterthought but it is still definitely fresh and innovative. Director John DiAntonio.

Steel Magnolias

The following morning I was better rested and we started the day with Steel Magnolias. I love this play and I saw a wonderful version of it earlier this year see review here. This is also an outstanding production and my favorite play I saw at the festival. The play is written by Robert Harling and directed by Melissa Maxwell and it lives and breathes on the chemistry of the women and them being able to play believable friends, which this cast does in spades. I particularly loved Olivia D. Dawson as M’Lynn and her final speech is devastating. If you have a chance to see Steel Magnolias take it. It’s such a good play.

Antony & Cleopatra

Our second Shakespearean play is the rarely performed Antony & Cleopatra. This is directed by Carolyn Howarth and I like that she leaned into the campy elements of the story. This is not a girl power take on Cleopatra, which some in our group were annoyed by but I didn’t mind it. there are times where the narrative can get a little confusing- probably because they had to cut a lot of the play to make it manageable but it still was sold with enough panache to have a good time with. Kathryn Tkel and Geoffrey Kent make for a convincing Harlequin-esque version of our leading couple. It’s campy fun.

Ken Ludwig’s Dear Jack, Dear Louise

Our final day of the festival started with a black box play called Dear Jack, Dear Louise which is a fictionalized account of how writer Ken Ludwig’s parents met writing letters in World War II. The lead couple are played by couple-in-real-life John DiAntonio and Caitlin Wise which I think helps them to be able to have chemistry despite never meeting until the end of the show. Everything is very cleverly staged by director Michael Perlman so that the 2 never make eye contact despite sharing a small stage together but they still manage to interact together. The only thing I wish I had was a few lines about how they were matched as pen pals to get begin with but this type of romantic play is totally up my alley and I loved it.

As You Like It

The final show of our trip (we didn’t see A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder which I wasn’t too sad about because I’ve seen that show many times and I think it is just ok) was As You Like It. It’s a Shakespeare I think I had seen once before but am not overly familiar with like I am Macbeth or Twelfth Night. Overall I enjoyed it but it is not as funny as I thought it was going to be. In a lot of ways it reminded me of A Midsummer’s Night Dream. Both are about love and magic that happens in a forest and both have about the same level of humor. The only bummer for me about this production is the big wrestling match that everyone was excited about I couldn’t see well because of where the actors are placed. They basically blocked my view of the big spectacle moment of the show! Director Beth Lopes needs to consider the sightlines of the audience especially because those actors could have easily been further back on the stage. Still, the ensemble is very strong led by Kayland Jordan as Rosalind. The Orlando played by Gabriel W Elmore is exactly what you want for a leading man role like Orlando.

So that’s the festival. If you got to attend this year let me know what you got to see and what you enjoyed. They have an incredible line-up planned for next year so hopefully I will be able to get back down there. It’s always a highlight of my theatrical year.

The whole festival gets a Go See It!

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.

CHAC’s The Lightning Thief is as Electrifying a Production as Possible (Review)

| Rachel's Reviews

This last weekend I had the chance to see a new production of The Lightning Thief by the incredible Cottonwood Heights Arts Council and even though I find the material they had to work with weak they put on a very strong piece of community theatre.

Of course, The Lightning Thief is a musical based on the books by Rick Riordan and it tells the story of Percy Jackson the teen kid who much like Harry Potter finds out he is special and even goes to a special school (or camp) that helps instruct the half-blood children of the Greek Gods.

The biggest problem with this show is the book of the musical is very weak. The narrative is choppy without a clear focus and characters are introduced and then forgotten about and then brought back out of nowhere. The scenes have little cohesive flow to them and aside from Percy the character development is confusing and poor.

All that said, the team at CHAC did everything they could to make this flawed show engaging and artistically interesting. It was a big step up from the last production of this show I saw in basically every aspect- from the acting, to the directing, to the singing. If you are a fan of this musical (which I know especially young people and fans of the books are out there) then you will love this production.

What impressed me the most is the control of the story director Lauri Baird is able to bring to an ungainly script. I love how she makes every scene visually interesting with elements like puppetry, action and dance (members of the Aerobatics Circus Center perform.) This helps so much because even if I’m a bit lost on what is happening with poor Percy I can still be entertained with what is occurring on stage.

I also found Garrett Stephenson to be a strong lead as Percy with Kat Tietjen and Austinn Le relishing the chance to take on many over-the-top roles. They also have a live orchestra at CHAC (director Robert Bedont) so one really could not ask for more from a piece of community theatre. The choreography by Karllen Johnson is visually interesting and helped me understand the mythical characters that had previously been confusing.

Much like Footloose which I just reviewed at Hale Center Theatre, The Lightning Thief provides a lot of points of conversation for parents to talk with their teens. Plus like I said, this production is a way to introduce them to so many aspects of musical theatre including dance, instrumental music, puppetry and more. All this for under $15? It’s a no-brainer! It is playing through July 19th and tickets can be purchased here.

The Lightning Thief has music and lyrics by Rob Rokicki with a book by Joe Tracz based on the The Lightning Thief novel by Rick Riordan.

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 6/4/25-6/10/25 (Emma, The Sound of Music, Good Night and Good Luck) (RACHEL’S THEATRE LOG 144)

| Rachel's Reviews

Hi friends! It’s time to update you on some of the local theatre I’ve been watching. It’s a little different because I actually didn’t pay individually for any of the shows I’m talking about today but I was still in attendance as a patron not a critic so I think a shorter log is appropriate.

GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK- LIVE STREAM CNN, BROADWAY

I have not been able to make the New York trip I would have liked to in 2025 so I was thrilled when I heard the George Clooney led play Good Night, and Good Luck was going to be streaming live from the theater on Broadway. This is the first time in history a live Broadway performance has been simultaneously televised.

While I obviously haven’t seen the live performance I wonder if the pro-shot is is the ideal way to watch this play? The set appears to be quite sprawling as it recreates the CBS studios of Edward R Murrow and chronicles his confrontations with Senator Joseph McCarthy. I was also surprised with the little side plot between Shirley and Joe Wershba (Ilana Glazer and Carter Hudson.) It’s been a while since I have seen the movie and I forgot about their inclusion. Clark Gregg also plays the producer Don Hollenbeck and he and Clooney have nice chemistry. These additions help keep the play from feeling preachy and overbearing when especially towards the end it begins to feel heavy-handed. It seems like Clooney is playing a variation on himself but he does a good job with it. Overall I was entertained by this play and am grateful I got the chance to see it. More like this please! You can watch the movie version of Good Night and Good Luck here (ad)

EMMA- BLUFFDALE ARTS, BLUFFDALE

Everyone knows I’m a big Jane Austen person so I will jump at the chance to see any local production of her works- especially when said production is free! Every summer Bluffdale Arts puts on free plays for its community and I think that is a wonderful gift to offer those around you. I love it. This year they have Emma and then Charley’s Aunt coming next at the outdoor stage at Bluffdale City Hall and Park.

My favorite part of this production of Emma is how approachable it is. If you are someone who feels Jane Austen is stuffy and even boring (how dare you!) this staging might change your mind. None of the actors are taking themselves too seriously and they are quick to make a joke or give a wink to the audience. The standout in this regard is Kylee Summer as Miss Bates. Leah Allred is also very funny as the snobby Mrs Elton but the whole cast are charming and easy to find the humor in their scenes.

Elena Arana is a wonderful Emma and has terrific chemistry with Alex Grover’s Mr Knightley. The only real downside to this (did I mention it’s free) is that it is a long sit. The transitions between scenes are very slow and it was almost 3 hours by the time we finished. I love Austen so I was fine with it but it might try the patience of some guests and is something they could work on.

That said, director Melanie Gonzalez and her team have put together an enchanting theatrical gift for their community with Emma and it is playing through June 14th. More information can be found here. This adaptation is done by Michael Bloom.

THE SOUND OF MUSIC- DRAPER AMPITHEATER, DRAPER

Like Jane Austen, everyone also knows I’m a huge fan of The Sound of Music; although, I do think it is one of the rare musicals where the movie actually improves upon the stage version. Still, any time I get a chance to see it I’m a happy woman.

I recently had the chance to see The Sound of Music at the Draper Amphitheater and while it was not as good as I am used to seeing from them it was still a nice way to spend an evening in Draper.

This production is directed by Robin Edwards and contains everything you could want from The Sound of Music– cute kids, charming songs and a brave captain standing up to Nazis. Tyler Oliphant is fantastic as Captain von Trapp and Serena Mackerell has a nice chemistry with the kids as Maria. Speaking of the kids they are all very cute especially in songs like “So Long, Farewell.”

I suppose if there is any disappointment it’s only because the other productions I am used to seeing at Draper Ampitheater have felt more polished and less of a community theater vibe. I was especially impressed with their Hairspray a couple years ago. This The Sound of Music is more of an amateur production but that’s fine. It’s still a cute enjoyable piece of theatre. It is playing through June 14th and tickets can be purchased here.

Good Night and Good Luck is written by George Clooney and Grant Heslov based on their film of the same name. Emma is based on the novel by Jane Austen and adapted by Michael Bloom. The Sound of Music has music by Richard Rogers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II with a book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse.

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.

‘Alice By Heart’ is a Weird Mixture of War and Wonderland at West Valley Arts (Review)

| Rachel's Reviews

As a patron of the arts even more than a critic I want companies to take risks and try bold and ambitious new productions. That said it doesn’t always mean those risks pay off, and I end up loving the finished product. This is now the second time I have seen the musical Alice by Heart. The first time was at Weber State University last Fall and now West Valley Arts has taken it on and it’s a decidedly mixed bag.

Not to over-compare productions but one thing that made the Weber State piece better is they created the atmosphere and feel of a wartime bunker more effectively. I keep feeling like WVA isn’t picking shows that use the theater-in-the-round set up they have to its advantages. Shows like this, A Chorus Line and A Play That Goes Wrong do not benefit from the immersive nature this stage has to offer. In fact, those shows in particular are actively hurt by this stage.

For Alice by Heart director Brooklyn Pulver Kohler doesn’t use the platforms in the audience at all failing to give much of an atmosphere or tone to a source material that desperately needs it for the mixture of war and nonsense to work. It leaves the audience alone to guess and try to figure out what is happening to the characters or even where the scenes are taking place (and we only have an electronic program so no help there.)

I feel like I am coming across too harshly on this review because there are things to like in this production. The talent is all there, and I appreciate the choreography by Emily Henwood and the creative costumes particularly for the Queen of Hearts (Rachel Mardis) by Tabitha Sublette although I would still say the Weber State team did a better job combining WW2 and Wonderland aesthetics even in the costumes.

The songs are largely forgettable and while Ivy Dunbar Jones has a good belt her performance as Alice feels one-note and shouty without any softness or sense of calibration to what she is facing. It’s all loud, loud, loud and that can be exhausting. The best number of the show is “Isn’t it a Trial” which makes the most of the various pieces all working together as Alice is on trial with the Queen of Hearts.

Still, if you are looking for something different that takes some risks than I’d recommend supporting Alice by Heart. I wish I loved it, but I appreciate the swing and hope they keep on experimenting at WVA. It is playing through June 28th and tickets can be purchased here.

Alice by Heart contains music by Duncan Sheik, lyrics by Steven Sater and a book by Sater and Jesse Nelson.

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