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Men and feminism are useless in PTC’s John Proctor is the Villain (Review)

| Rachel's Reviews

I must admit I came to PTC’s John Proctor is the Villain on Friday having had my own tough day as a modern woman trying to make something for myself in this hard world. My youtube channel has been hacked and it has currently been eliminated from existence. It’s beyond discouraging to see something I’ve worked at for over a decade just gone as if it didn’t even exist. Anyway I came to this play feeling physically exhausted and mentally drained, which isn’t ideal but it’s just the reality of life sometimes. I did my best to focus on the new-to-me play and the production from PTC and overall I enjoyed the experience.

While I do wish there was more nuance to the men in John Proctor is the Villain the playwright takes aim at feminism and supposed advocates for women as well, which helps make the experience interesting and enlightening. There is also a lot of humor and that helps make any preachiness more palatable and entertaining to watch.

This look at feminism comes with a re-examination of the play The Crucible by Arthur Miller which was written in 1953 as a critique of the “red scare” of that time but is set during the Salem Witch Trials of 1692. As is clear from the title John Proctor is the Villain takes this play from the 50s and analyzes it with a modern ‘me-too’ lens. This is interesting to see what group think and womanhood looks like from a 1692, 1953 and 2018 perspective.

The woman in the modern play are high school students in rural Georgia who are reading The Crucible under the guidance of their seemingly charismatic teacher Mr. Smith (Colby Strong.) At the same time the girls are forming a feminist club which is supposed to be helping them (although it is never clear what the purpose of the club actually is.) While there are boys in the club as well as girls it becomes a safe space for the girls to vent their frustrations with their lives.

At PTC director Karen Azenberg faced a challenging situation with their stage being flooded and the play having to be performed at Westminster University. I am sure this has been a very difficult time for the production I do think the smaller venue provided an intimacy which works quite well for this small human story. My only complaint is it was very warm in the theater the night I attended, which makes sitting through the experience more difficult.

The cast for this play is excellent being led by Skye Alyssa Friedman as the energetic nerd Beth who is leading the club and Alex Humphreys as Raelynn who probably has the biggest growth arc of any of the girls. As I said, the men are all fairly one-note with Mason played by Gage Martinez probably having the most nuance as the dumb lug of the group.

I suppose I would be more annoyed by the portrayal of the men as all suspect and predatory if feminism was being presented as a great answer to all of these problems but it isn’t. The play does not have any such easy answers. It all could be seen as quite cynical especially given we see so little societal grown throughout time but the play is funny enough that it keeps the audience from feeling discouraged.

Especially knowing they had a venue change the scenic design by Jo Winiarski is very impressive. It looks and feels like a classroom with a wall of chalkboards that is used by the students with desks and chairs that are moved into different configurations throughout the play. They also have music cues and other sound design by E.E. Bradman

At the end of the day, the message behind John Proctor is the Villain is we cannot lean on any philosophy or movement to dictate how we treat others. Those of ill-intent will manipulate the vulnerable every time whether it be now, the 1950s or 1690s. We have to look at the individuals and decide for ourselves whether the person should be helped or condemned. It’s the only way actual human progress happens- on a case for case basis and we can’t do that without listening effectively. While I do wish there was more nuance it is a message and a play that should inspire a lot of discussion especially if any teens are in attendance. I would love to hear what younger audience members think of it. I’m certainly glad I saw it even on what was a very difficult day. It is playing at PTC through October 3rd and tickets can be purchased here.

John Proctor is the Villain is a play by Kimberly Belflower and it was first performed in Washington DC in 2022 and on Broadway in 2025.

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.

What fun fools these mortals be at ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ at The Empress (Review)

| Rachel's Reviews

I’ve said it before but I wish more community theaters would consider putting on plays rather than musicals. They are such a great way to train up new talent, build confidence and there’s less room for error when it comes to audiences. While companies can do plays from any era it is also entertaining to see different interpretations on plays within the public domain- Shakespeare being the most popular playwright even to this day. A great example of an entertaining take on Shakespeare is currently showing at The Empress with their Appalachian themed A Midsummer Night’s Dream. I was lucky enough to attend on their Dolly Parton tribute night but any night is worthy of your time and patronage.

Also thanks to the good folks at the Empress for printing me a program. It really helps me a lot to enjoy the experience more

There’s a reason why Midsummer is Shakespeare’s most produced play (It actually was the most produced straight play period by high schools in 2025-2026!) because its play-within-a-play structure allows for a lot of creativity and adaptation. A company can really make it their own which is harder to do with some of Shakespeare’s other works. Like I said, at The Empress they have an Appalachian theme but they are also working in dance any way they can. Director Dallyn Steenerson and choreographer Stormy Hintz even start out the evening with an extended dance of the fairies setting the tone for what we will experience.

We then alternate between the Mechanicals and their ridiculous theatrical antics and the 4 Athenian lovers who are played tricks on. If anything Puck and his fairy teams are a bit more understated than I’ve sometimes seen (I always feel sad when I see Puck because of stupid Dead Poets Society which is stupid but true.) The lighting design by Chris Peck adds a lot to the story with starlight covering the stage on multiple occasions. It creates the magic you need for these wonderous events.

I’ve always felt the events with the Mechanicals is where Midsummer loses me. It’s like Shakespeare only had enough story for a one act so he puffed it out with all of the meaningless antics of this acting troupe. However, Biz Sharp as the leader Bottom is very funny and brings a lot of energy to the part. She makes those scenes enchanting and fun to watch.

That said, my favorite cast of the night was the youthful energy of the 4 Athenians- Kami McDonough as Hermia, Tanner Larsen as Lysander (who is such an underrated local talent,) Jezory Munoz as Helena and Braxton Moore as Demetrius. They all conquered the Shakespearean dialogue very well and have great chemistry as a cast.

I do wish Steenerson had involved the Appalachian theme more. I think some accents might have been nice and in the final 2 acts of the Mechanicals performance we could have had more of a folksy feel. Particularly for Dolly night it might have been nice to play one of her song choruses during that section. I also am not sure why they had me seated where they did because I really couldn’t see much of what was going on on the top of the platform because of the angle I was at and the large ladder blocking my view. I am, however, happy they had a sold out show so can’t complain much. I do also wish they could have made the greenery over the entire back wall just to make it more immersive but I understand that is probably a budgetary item.

Sitll, I enjoyed my night in the fairy forest with A Midsummer Night’s Dream at The Empress. I hope they have a good response and are encouraged to keep doing more plays like this. It is playing through Sept 12th and tickets can be purchased here. (Also don’t be afraid of it being in Magna. It’s just a hop up from the SLC airport. Not far)

A Midsummer Night’s Dream is the 12th play written by William Shakespeare. He wrote it sometime around 1595 in between Richard II and King John. The events of the play revolve around Greek mythology and the marriage between Theseus and Hippolyta. It is still incredibly popular to this day. It along with The Tempest are Shakespeare’s most fantastical stories.

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.

‘Pride and Prejudice’ manages to feel fresh and new at The Ruth (Review)

| Rachel's Reviews

One might call it a universal truth that I will always be excited about a production of Pride and Prejudice. I absolutely love the novel by Jane Austen and the stage adaptation by Melissa Leilani Larson is perfect (I also love all of the film adaptations. Yes all) That said, I did feel a little bit cynical when I saw The Ruth was putting it on again after just doing it in 2023. It felt a little bit like a cash grab when they could do something new and fresh (even from Austen); however, my cynicism was ill-founded and unwarranted. The good folks at The Ruth have not only put on a great production of Pride and Prejudice but they’ve found a way to make it feel fresh and new.

Believe it or not I have actually seen this production twice now because my friend Jacks was in town for our epic 5 shows in 2 days theater trip. I did not, however, see both casts. The only difference in my Saturday and Thursday casts is we saw the understudy for Darcy played by Dustin Parmley. I hope to be able to see the MWF cast eventually but 2 times in one week is certainly plenty even for this Jane Austen fangirl.

One of my favorite parts of The Ruth is their commitment to diversity and inclusion. Not only are they doing shows like Once on this Island and Ragtime but they are thinking outside the box for shows like Pride and Prejudice. For example, in the role of Mrs. Bennet, a character who is usually loud and overbearing, they cast a deaf actress Anne Post Fife. Director Kymberly Mellen has integrated sign language and characters sharing the lines of Mrs. Bennett; thereby, giving her a voice she might otherwise have. You also get to see the expression of the characters as they are reciting the lines of their mother.

My favorite part of this adaptation of Pride and Prejudice is how it gives voice to some of the scenes and characters that Austen leaves ambiguous. This is mostly done through letter writing but I love seeing, for example, what Darcy writes his sister while Caroline Bingley and Lizzie are taking a turn about the room. Another great scene I love is when Jane and Bingley are both writing letters to each other and then throwing them out because they are so miserable for each other.

Of course, we all know the key to a successful Jane Austen adaptation is the 2 leads and their chemistry. Like I said, one night I had the Darcy understudy, and he is excellent but the main single-cast actor for Darcy is James Carter who I had previously seen in the role at Centerpoint Legacy last year. He captures beautifully the shy yet brooding charm which has become the most popular way to portray Darcy of late. He also has great chemistry with Lauren Pope who is our Lizzie. She is an actress that captures the emotion of scenes in an authentic genuine way. When she gets the news of Lydia, for example, it feels like she is truly weeping.

The rest of the cast is strong with Sydney Claire Olson standing out as a single cast Lydia and Parley Lambert as Wickham. Kim Abunuwara also practically steals the show as Lady Catherine de Bourgh. I particularly like she decides to sing terribly with Lizzie at the piano. It makes sense a woman like herself would think she’s a great singer even though she clearly is not.

I do think the play felt a little longer for some reason than other times I’ve seen this adaptation. It is nearly 3 hours at The Ruth which is a long sit even for this huge Austen reader. Also, while I applaud the integration of a hearing impaired actor as Mrs. Bennet it did lead to some confusion. I was never entirely sure if this is an accommodation for the actor to participate or is the character meant to be deaf.

The reason it is unclear is there are long stretches such as her long conversation with Mr Collins where he doesn’t sign and then other times when she is dubbed by the other actors. Also Darcy still overhears Mrs. Bennet talking and gossiping which would be harder to do with the signing. I believe the Mrs. Bennet character is the same as in the story portrayed by a deaf actor, not that the character is deaf but if any of the readers have seen it I’d love your read on the character. Also I may be unclear on this but doesn’t it seem odd to not have an ASL interpreter at all of the shows when you have deaf castmembers? I would think the likelihood of deaf family and friends would be much higher for something like this so a signer might have been nice.

Regardless I appreciate The Ruth trying something new and fresh for this story. Austen fans will adore it like I did. The costumes are outstanding by Brenda Van Der Wiel with hair and makeup by Shannon Hutchins. Pride and Prejudice is playing through November 7th but it’s selling out so don’t miss your chance to see it buy purchasing tickets here. It’s a romantic, heartfelt, and classic night of community theater for sure!

Pride and Prejudice is adapted by Melissa Leilani Larson based on the classic novel by Jane Austen. This was commissioned by Brigham Young University in 2013 and first produced in 2014.

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.

It’s elementary to enjoy Moriarty at Hale (Review)

| Rachel's Reviews

Growing up my Dad was a big fan of Sherlock Holmes as a character and particularly the BBC Granada series starring Jeremy Brett (if you haven’t seen it it’s fantastic and available to watch on amazon prime) I also am a big fan of The Great Mouse Detective from Disney and the first season of Sherlock as well as other iterations of the character. For these reasons I’ve been highly looking forward to Hale Center Theatre’s latest production of Moriarty (yes I’m aware the official title is Ken Ludwig’s Moriarty but I’m not writing that every time. Sorry Mr Ludwig.) Fortunately for this Holmes-head it did not disappoint.

The biggest standout to this production is the incredible set (set designer Jenn Taylor & Madeline Ashton) that transforms before our eyes with ease. The main set has exaggerated panels that can be folded in and flipped over to use both sides to create different rooms. They even at one point turn the stage into the Reichenbach Falls which are iconic in the Holmes stories. The set almost has a literary quality as if when they flip the panels over it is turning a page in the classic novels (I especially loved a boat that flips around to become a carriage. Ingenious!) This is mainly an adaptation of A Scandal in Bohemia mixed with The Final Problem and a few others added for fun. With this combination the play combines a lot of action and memorable characters like Irene Adler and the villainous Professor Moriarty (as the title of the play implies.)

Director Ryan Simmons has gathered a terrific cast that are just over the top enough to be fun without leaning too far into the camp. It never feels silly or like a comedy but it has a playful energy to it. Adam Packard is endearing as Sherlock and he banters well with Morgan Gunter as his sidekick Dr Watson. Packard also has delightful chemistry with Amber Dodge’s Adler. The Concord Theatricals page for this show says it has 5 actors playing 40 roles but here at Hale they have 7. The ensemble includes Bryan Dayley, Claire Kenny, Danny Kenny, and Bryson Smellie. Dayley is particularly impressive with his elaborate costume changes playing 6 roles including Mycroft Holmes, Inspector Lestrade, and Professor Moriarty all with different accents and personas. I saw him playing the D’Ysquith family in A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder years ago. He’s incredible at playing different roles in the same show.

Even though the program says it is 2 hours I was in my car recording my reaction by 8:30 so it is under 90 minutes. While sometimes I feel cheated by a show with a brief runtime I didn’t mind it here. Where something like Six feels like I’m only getting half a show here it is full experience and nothing feels truncated or not fleshed out enough. Ken Ludwig knows how to put together a crowd-pleasing show and that’s what he does here. I think this is a lot better than his other take on Sherlock Holmes called The Game’s Afoot which is too meta for its own good (I felt cheated out of a Sherlock story with that one.)

The rest of the technical team behind Moriarty at Hale are first rate with costumes that can handle quick changes by Joy Zhu, lighting by Marianne Ohran, and sound by Kristin Tenney to name a few (by the way I love how many women are working on this production at Hale.) Because there is a little bit of romance along with the mystery and adventure Moriarty is also a play that should appeal to both men and women equally making it a great choice for date night.

Because I love musicals so much it might be a surprise to hear that of the 3 shows currently at Hale Ken Ludwig’s Moriarty is my favorite (My reviews for Our Town and Joseph.) It’s a super fun night at the theater that you and your family will love. While it is playing through November 14th I’d get your tickets now as it is sure to sell out. Tickets can be purchased here.

Ken Ludwig’s Moriarty is written by of course Ken Ludwig based on the classic detective short stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It first premiered at the Cleveland Playhouse in 2023.

I need your help!  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.

‘John Henry vs the Robot’ is as original as it sounds at Great Hall Theatrics (Review)

| Rachel's Reviews

While I am not the most experimental of theatergoers I do enjoy seeing new original productions especially ones from local talent that I can hopefully nurture and support. Such is the opportunity at Great Hall Theatrics with their new original musical John Henry vs The Robot. While this production is not perfect it won me over with its creativity and heart.

The idea behind this comedy is quite clever. In practically a one-man show by Stephen Gashler (he is responsible for book, music, lyrics, producing, directing, and much more) he takes the classic folk hero John Henry and transports him to modern times where he confronts a Mach 21 robot a family has recently adopted. This is a smart take on the folktale because John Henry’s entire story is a tragic confrontation with steam powered machinery. He also creates an appealing counter-balance to the seemingly perfect robot character.

I know people think something has to be a musical to succeed, but I do think this story might have worked better as a straight play. The music didn’t add much to the overall message and without it we could have used the time to dive more into the themes and potentially problematic elements of an 1840s John Henry confronting a modern 2026. In this production John Henry is played by Dorsey Williams and he completely looks the part of the mythical figure. I also appreciate how physical a performance he gives. Several times he is thrown to the stage, which makes him seem all the more commanding when he rises back up to confront the robot.

Tiffany Davis plays Polly, the single Mom who takes John Henry in when her son Bobby finds him by the train tracks. Christopher Doubleday gives my favorite performance as the robot Mach 21. He is funny and gets that synthetic robot voice just right (also does a good Sean Connery imitation!) I also appreciate they kept the robot pretty likable. There really isn’t a villain in this piece.

A good comparison as far as the plot of this show would be the Thor movies over at Marvel. Basically there you have a character of mythological strength confronting modern culture and falling in love. They even both have hammers. Davis has the best singing voice of the cast and gets the best song of the night with “Multidimensional Mom” and “Against the Currents of Time.” Some of the other singing was not the strongest, but I’m inclined to be forgiving for a piece with so much originality.

The set is effective with 2 stories and a painted forest background that allows them to go from the different timelines without any scene changes. Most of the costumes fit the roles quite well except for a suitcoat they give John for his date with Polly that was so oversized I’m thinking it was intentional although the purpose behind that choice was lost on me. It was also quite warm in the Angelus Theatre making the experience more taxing than it might have otherwise been. The spotlight also seemed to wander across the stage and was a little messy.

I also think it is a bit of a mistake to have John Henry confront modern times and not address the race issue at all. I get this is a family comedy but a man like him would have all kinds of emotions and feelings especially when it comes to courting a white woman like Polly. I am sure it’s challenging writing about these themes but it feels disingenuous to not mention them at all.

That said, there is a lot of good here in this quirky little musical at Great Hall Theatrics. I can guarantee you this- you won’t see anything quite like it in Utah this year and there’s something to be said for that. John Henry vs the Robot playing through August 29th and tickets can be purchased here.

John Henry vs the Robot is created by Stephen Gashler and it is based on the classic folktale of John Henry which originated in the 1840s. He was known as the “steel-driving man” who confronts a steel drill and is driven to exhaustion. The actual man the legend was based on was born in 1848, and he did not actually die of exhaustion like the myth would have us believe. For more information on John Henry click here.

I need your help!  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.

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.

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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.

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