broadway

UTAH THEATRE LOG 10/12-10/14 (JEKYLL & HYDE, LITTLE WOMEN) (RACHEL’S THEATRE LOG 63)

| Rachel's Reviews

There must be something in the Utah air right now that everyone is feeling Jekyll & Hyde and Little Women! I’ve reviewed them both recently, and now I am logging them again. Luckily they are both shows I enjoy, so I don’t mind seeing lots of different takes on the material. So let’s talk about these fun shows:

JEKYLL & HYDE- WEST VALLEY PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, WEST VALLEY

Jekyll & Hyde is an interesting show because while I think it could be better as far as its book and pacing its overall entertaining in mood, atmosphere and some banger songs. My favorite version I ever saw was at Draper Historic where Tanner Tate blew me away as Jekyll/Hyde but this production at WVPAC was equally strong. I left with little to no notes. What impressed me the most is how original the interpretation is. It did not feel like a show I had just seen a very good version of on Monday when I saw this the same week Saturday. Director Shelby Ferrin deserves massive praise for seemingly thinking of everything when it comes to this production. It is dazzling.

Rhett Richins is remarkable as our lead Jekyll/Hyde. It is an incredible accomplishment to see him switch between the 2 characters in every way, voice, timbre of singing, posture, everything. He is as accomplished an actor as any equity actor I’ve recently seen. Jessica Knowles Andrus is also remarkable as Lucy with a beautiful belt for songs like “Someone Like You.”

I loved the scenic design by Morgan Golightly (what a perfect name for musical theatre!) They don’t miss a beat even making sure the chemical reactions actually happen in Jekyll’s lab and the large set for the Red Rat created visual interest for the dancers in “Bring on the Men.”

The most impressive aspect of this Jekyll & Hyde at WVPAC, however, is the creative choices. Most notably to have the demons haunting Jekyll portrayed by actual dancers who surround our actors and come out into the audience giving everything such atmosphere and tone. I have never seen that done before with this show and it is brilliant.

I read another review saying the actors weren’t syncing well with the backtrack. They must have worked on that because it wasn’t noticeable at my performance. The fact one can see a show of this quality for under $30 is incredible. They should be selling out. It is playing at WVPAC through Nov 2nd and you can purchase tickets here.

Jekyll & Hyde is based on the novel by Robert Louis Stevenson with book and lyrics by Leslie Bricusse and music by Frank Wildhorn.

LITTLE WOMEN- SANDY ARTS GUILD, SANDY

Moving up as far as setting to the 1860’s we have another adaptation of a classic novel in Little Women at Sandy Arts Guild. Being the oldest of 4 girls and it being the first big novel I ever read Little Women will always have a special place in my heart, and I am pretty easy to please when it comes to adaptations (we don’t talk about the 2018 modern film adaptation…) Fortunately this musical version is lovely, and I will jump at any chance I get to see it.

Of course everyone knows the story about the 4 March sisters during the Civil War trying to make the best of a bad situation. This production in Sandy is directed by Lisa Noyes and she manages to get the best out of her performers and they feel like a family unit- particularly the 4 sisters which is key to making Little Women work. The 2 story set by Cassie Smith and Megan Sternod is very impressive with little details like period accurate wallpaper and a very convincing fireplace we need for the infamous book burning scene.

The costumes by Karen Chatterton are interesting. She definitely embraces the hoop skirts of the era. One doesn’t always see that as the March sisters are usually portrayed as more grounded and earthy than we think of as the hoop skirts of the era. She also mixed patters and fabrics together in a surprising way. In one scene Laurie has a giant bowtie which is something I’ve never seen done quite that way before. I’m sure it must be period accurate but it was unique enough to be intriguing. The wigs are also excellent particularly with Jo’s long to short transformations. It truly looks like she cut the same hair from scene to scene.

My favorite performance of the night is Anne Jensen as Amy. Often times people forget Amy is the youngest of the family, not Beth, but Jensen captures this immaturity well making her a sweet and endearing character. She also manages to keep that young energy as adult Amy but is a believable love interest for Laurie (Rhett Butler.) Derrik Legler is also terrific as Professor Bhaer and extremely convincing with his accent.

My two favorite songs from this show are “Some Things Are Meant to Be” and “Days of Plenty” and both are beautifully performed by Emma Roberts as Beth and Tamari Dunbar as Marmee respectively. I do think the operatic tragedy portions of this adaptation drag and are too long but that’s nothing this production could control.

If you are looking for a great way to introduce your family to musical theatre and classic literature Little Women at Sandy Arts Guild is a great choice. It is playing through Oct 19th and you can purchase tickets here.

Little Women is based on the novel by Louisa May Alcott with music by Jason Howland, lyrics by Mindi Dickstein and a book by Allan Knee.

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 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.

‘FUNNY GIRL’ NATIONAL TOUR IS JUST FINE BUT YOU’VE GOT TO SEE IT (REVIEW)

| Rachel's Reviews

I was very curious to see that the national tour of Funny Girl was coming to Eccles this month because I saw this revival on Broadway when it was in previews back in 2022. I know Beanie Feldstein’s take on Fanny Brice was widely criticized and she only lasted a few months but I appreciate she brought something new to the role and it didn’t feel like a Barbra copycat.

Back in 2022

I think part of the reason it took Funny Girl so long to get a revival on Broadway is it is so defined by Barbra Streisand’s performance. She is Fanny Brice to most Broadway fans. She even won an Oscar for her role in the Funny Girl film in 1969.

After seeing Barbra (in film) and Beanie’s take on the role I was excited to see what the national tour could bring to it. Now that I’ve seen it I’m decidedly middle-of-the-road on it. It’s fine and worth seeing to check off a musical theatre bucket list but that’s about it. I probably won’t be itching to ever see it again. Twice is enough.

This touring production has Hannah Shankman playing Fanny and she is good especially on those long notes and delivers “Don’t Rain on My Parade” with gusto which is the most important song to nail. For “People” she is mostly an excellent singer but struggled a bit with the low notes. Her and Stephen Mark Lukas (he is very swoony) playing Nick Arnstein have terrific chemistry together and I bought them as a couple more than I did Beanie and her co-lead on Broadway.

The production also looks great with big marque lights of the Ziegfeld surrounding the stage and some scenes where we looked at the back of Fanny as she performed on stage. This helps immerse us in the story and feel a part of Fanny’s journey as a performer. There is some energetic choreography by Ayodele Casel and Ellenore Scott throughout especially from Izaiah Montague Harris who plays Eddie Ryan (although the script doesn’t really give his character anything to do. What is his point in the narrative?)

Speaking of the script that’s where Funny Girl has problems. Despite the updated book by Harvey Fierstein the story of Fanny and Nick’s love just isn’t that compelling. Particularly in the 2nd act things drag and it’s hard to care about what is happening on stage. I think one could easily cut 20 minutes from this show and it wouldn’t miss a beat (probably be better for it.) There’s only so many times Nick gambling and Fanny bailing him out can be compelling.

The other disappointment in this production is how small the ensemble scenes are. Fanny is a Ziegfeld performer so to only have a handful of dancers on the big Eccles stage for songs like “Rat-Tat-Tat-Tat” feels underwhelming. If the story isn’t going to entertain one hopes the spectacle will and it’s not the case here.

Still, I’d recommend seeing Funny Girl at least once for the iconic songs and the place it holds within musical theatre history. It’s far from perfect but worth checking out nonetheless. Funny Girl plays through Oct 13th and you can purchase tickets here.

‘LITTLE WOMEN: THE MUSICAL’ AT IDEAL PLAYHOUSE ASTONISHES (REVIEW)

| Rachel's Reviews

The novel Little Women by Louisa May Alcott will always have a special place in my heart. It was the first big book I ever read. The first book I was proud of for finishing at around 8 or 9. I think as the oldest daughter in a family which would come to include 4 girls and having an independent streak like Jo I easily connected with it and have loved almost all adaptations of this material I’ve seen film or stage (we don’t talk about the modern version from 2018…) I’ve seen Little Women: The Musical many times over the years and really enjoyed it each time. The latest version is at the Ideal Playhouse in Heber and it’s a production worth your time and effort.

Little Women: The Musical came to Broadway in 2005 and helped Sutton Foster receive a Tony Award nomination for playing Jo. It has music by Jason Howland, lyrics by Mindi Dickstein, and book by Allan Knee. The production at Ideal is directed by Steve Anderson with music direction from Karyn Anderson.

One of the aspects that makes Ideal Playhouse so unique is the screens surrounding the viewer on all sides. I hope to see a concert or event film there soon because it adds a special element I’ve never seen before in a theatrical production. This was particularly neat in operatic tragedy numbers of this musical with the audience being surrounded by action and excitement. It is a cool way to differentiate the space from the many other local theatre companies.

They also have a terrific cast for this production with Ashley Bates as Jo, Lisa Blaser as Marmee and the great Michael McLean as Mr Lawrence. He mentioned on social media this is his first time playing a different character outside of his own material. I’ve seen McLean in The Forgotten Carols several times but it was super fun to see him stretch his acting wings here. I actually got to interview him during the pandemic and he is as friendly as you’d expect.

The highlights of Little Women: The Musical are the beautiful duet between Beth and Jo “Some Thing are Meant to Be.” It’s such a lovely song and performed with skill and chemistry at Ideal. I also love Marmee’s song “Days of Plenty.” The rest of the songs are fairly generic Broadway ballads and bops but certainly pleasant enough and well performed.

The costumes feel a little more Regency than mid-19th century but my favorite of the night was worn by Nicole Cable as Aunt March, and she is the costume designer for the production. All the other sets and transitions worked with the projections to create a warm and comforting atmosphere on stage.

There are times when the music overpowers the performers and there was a problem with the mics not being turned off when actors are off stage. You could hear little whispering off stage which can be distracting to what’s going on on stage.

Other than that, I really enjoyed Little Women: The Musical at Ideal Playhouse. If you are in and around Heber I recommend seeking it out. They also listened to my advise and lowered prices to under $30, which I appreciate. With children at just $14 this could be a great family activity especially young girls will love. Go out and watch something that’s astonishing! This show plays through Oct 12th and you can 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.

‘THE WOMAN IN BLACK’ AT THE COVEY USES THE BLACK BOX FOR PRIME SCARES (REVIEW)

| Rachel's Reviews

It’s always nice when a company knows their venue and selects material that suit the space well. Such has been the case with the last several selections for the Covey Center for the Arts in their Brinton Black Box Theater. They recently did Wait Until Dark which was ideal for that small confined space and the same can be said for their latest production: The Woman in Black. This was my first time seeing this play and Covey was kind enough to provide me with a ticket and for 2 of my friends who were in town for the Fanx convention. This was above and beyond on their part, and I am sincerely grateful.

This review will probably be on the brief side because I don’t want to spoil any of the surprises for you.

As I said, this was my first time seeing this play although I am going to see it later in October at the Parker and evidently it has been playing on the West End in London for some time. The Woman in Black is a play by Stephen Mallatratt based on the novel by Susan Hill and it tells the story of a young man who travels to help settle the estate of a reclusive widow, Mrs Drablow. What he doesn’t realize is that the home is haunted by the Woman in Black of the title, and she does not plan on going away without a fight.

While the events of the play can be quite thrilling for some reason Mallatratt decides to set them in the construct of a play-within-a-play. This was confusing and rather tedious a set up that I just didn’t enjoy. However, once the actual characters and story starts everything perks up quite a bit. Act II especially is one thrill after another and I left feeling very satisfied with an exciting theatrical experience.

I’m actually surprised The Woman in Black isn’t done more because it has a cast of only 2 people making it very approachable for a community theater to put on. At Covey they have wisely cast Samuel Wright as the Actor and Mathew DelaFuente as Arthur Kipps. DelaFuente is one of the finest actors we have working in Utah today and he carries this production on his back and does so well. Especially as things became more tense and scary he commits fully to the moment which was impressive with so much being left to the imagination (even the dog is imaginary.)

Director Morgan Gunter uses DelaFuente and the simple sheer black curtains of a theater to create atmosphere and tone. Spencer Powell’s lighting, and the Robert Seely/Mark Pitt sound design are also critical in making the scares pop when they need to (and pop they do!)

In the end, The Covey’s The Woman in Black does take a bit to get going but if the audience can have some patience they will be rewarded with a fun night of scares and surprises. It might be too scary for young ones but anyone teenager age should be fine and they’ll have a great time. It is playing until Oct 21st and 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. Please take a look here.

UTAH THEATRE LOG 9/17-9/22 (SWEENEY TODD, BRIGHT STAR, THE SEAGULL) (RACHEL’S THEATRE LOG 55)

| Rachel's Reviews

Hi theatre friends! I hope you are doing well. I have had an eventful week with lots to report on and some changes to my process. First thing is I have decided to retire from UTBA. I am grateful for everything I’ve learned there and the opportunities I’ve received but it was time for a change. I should have one more review for them in October and then it’s moving on to new outlets including my own writing and podcasting.

On the same breath some new opportunities for this site are emerging including covering the Broadway Across America series! This is the first time I have been individually approved to cover the national Broadway tours and I’m thrilled. In addition, I am reviewing all the Hale Sandy shows and hopefully more as I continue to grow this site and find more venues interested in my unique brand of theatre criticism. If you know anyone looking to have their shows critiqued and publicized let me know!

With all of that I have 3 shows to report on in this post as well as a review for a new outlet to share. It’s an exciting time to be Rachel’s Reviews!

SWEENEY TODD- DRAPER HISTORIC THEATRE, DRAPER

Everyone who follows my writing knows I am a bit hit and miss when it comes to Sondheim. I don’t always love his work as much as others but I certainly respect him and all he was able to create over his career. One of his most iconic musicals is Sweeney Todd and I had a terrific time seeing it at Draper Historic Theatre last week.

I attended the show on Tuesday so I saw the Razor Blade cast directed by Melissa Van Dam with choreography from Mike Romney. It’s always amazing how much they are able to do with such a small space at DHT and such was the case for Sweeney Todd. This becomes particularly challenging with the setup for the chair and having it all feel believable but they used the space well and especially the bakehouse and furnace were very well realized.

The cast is also very talented with Jonathan Saul giving a sense of unease and mania to his Sweeney and Matthew Davids chilling as Judge Turpin. He was honestly one of the creepiest performances I’ve seen in years particularly in the scenes with Joanna.

One thing I realized in watching Sweeney Todd this time is how slow the first act is. Not much happens for that first hour. She doesn’t even start baking the pies until we are almost at the intermission. It’s one of those shows where act 2 is way stronger and more memorable than 1.

My only real complaint with this production at DHT is not every performance resonated with me. The projections were also not as effective as I’ve seen at DHT in other shows. Felt a little too modern for the story we are experiencing. Still, the show is a perfect way to ring in the spooky season, and I do recommend it.

Sweeney Todd is playing at Draper Historic Theatre until Sept 28th and tickets can be purchased here.

BRIGHT STAR, SCERA CENTER FOR THE ARTS, OREM

Everyone knows how much I love the musical Bright Star. In fact, I love it so much I felt it was worth it to drive down to Orem to see at Scera, even though they are a venue that I have my issues with. I just had to get my Bright Star fix!

This production is directed by Chase Ramsey and stars Kelsey Mariner Thomspon as Alice Murphy and Christian Wawro as Jimmy Ray. While both are more convincing in the older versions of the characters they still have a lovely chemistry and sold the more emotional moments effectively. My favorite interpretation by this production, however, came at the end when Alice Murphy and Jimmy’s father shake hands in a moving demonstration of forgiveness.

The only major critique I’d give is the set has a lot of doors and windows on it where they showcase various projections. The characters don’t use the doors much and I really don’t see what the connection is to the material. It was distracting to have such large visual elements of the set for seemingly no purpose.

Still Bright Star is a beautiful show expertly crafted and certainly one of my favorites. I don’t think I will ever get tired of it whether at the Scera or anywhere else. Bright Star plays through Oct 5th and you can purchase tickets here.

HARVEY- PG PLAYERs, PLEASANT GROVE

Now that I am retiring from UTBA it gives me the chance to look at other outlets I could contribute to and learn from the unique style each has (in addition to my own reviews and logs of course.) First up is my review of Harvey at PG Players for the Rhetorical Review. This is a site run by my friend Keolanani. I love how she gives all the information about the production but also includes a lesson or moral we can take away from the experience. This is a refreshing and fun way to look at a show and Harvey is a great one to start with as it offers so many life lessons.

The production at PG Players is outstanding as expected (they’ve never missed in the tiny library theater!) It is also special because the show is actor Dennis Purdie’s (who plays Elwood) 50th show for the company! Unbelievable. You can read my full review here. Harvey is playing until Oct 14th and tickets can be purchased here.

THE SEAGULL- STING AND HONEY COMPANY, SALT LAKE

I always appreciate when a company gives me a chance to check off one of my bucket list shows that I haven’t seen yet. It’s also nice when I get to see a new to me company like I did with Sting and Honey’s new production of Anton Chekhov’s The Seagull. It was a lot more engaging than I expected.

I’m not sure why but I was prepared for a stiff but proficient experience when I stepped into the Regent Street Black Box at The Eccles Theatre in Salt Lake. I thought it was going to be effective but boring but it actually proved to not be the case and even had more of a sense of humor than I anticipated. It’s not a laugh riot or anything like that but it also doesn’t take itself too seriously.

Javen Tanner directs this production of The Seagull and he smartly keeps things simple so that we can focus on the actors and all the drama they are experiencing. All the acting is excellent and it seems unbelievable such a small black box could boast such talent. I particularly enjoyed Trayven Call as Konstantin Treplieff and Ryann Bailey as his beloved Nina.

This adaptation of the Chekhov play is translated by Tom Stoppard and it focuses on the expectations we have for our loved ones and how those can uplift us but also cripple us if we are not careful. Don’t be afraid of understanding the production. This is a chance worth taking for a memorable night of theatre!

The Seagull plays through Sept 28th and you can find out more at the Sting and Honey website here.

Aside from the Harvey review I paid for these logged shows out of pocket. I’d love to cover as many local shows as possible but I need your help to do so. If you’d like me to review more theatre and appreciate what I do please check out the patreon here

THE ELEPHANT DAZZLES MORE THAN THE STORY AT ‘THE MAGICIAN’S ELEPHANT’ AT HCT (REVIEW)(RACHEL’S THEATRE LOG 54)

| Rachel's Reviews

One of the downsides of being a theatre critic that is not in New York or London is I do not get the chance to see many new productions. Often even a ‘new to me’ show by the time it arrives to Salt Lake already has baggage of expectations from their initial Broadway run. That’s why it is especially exciting when a company does get to premiere something new and fresh, and even if it is flawed I try to give some grace that the performance is part of the workshopping and testing phase. That’s why I have really appreciated the premieres Hale Center Theatre in Sandy has been doing over the last year or so. I’ve felt the company really pushing themselves and their audience which I find very admirable. And while their latest the US premiere of The Magician’s Elephant is probably my least favorite of their recent premieres I do appreciate the swing.

The Magician’s Elephant is a new musical based on the novel by Kate Di Camillo created by Nancy Harris and Marc Teitler. It was commissioned by the Royal Shakespeare Company in England and this production is directed by Hale favorite Dave Tinney. I have not read the book or seen the Netflix film but the plot about a town who find themselves blessed with a magical elephant and all the adventures that go around with that.

The reason I am being rather vague about the plot is because I honestly found it to be the most confusing aspect of the whole experience. The musical suffers from a wandering protagonist. One scene it seems to be Peter (Hyrum Smith) a young man looking for his sister. Then another scene it seems to be Leo (Keith Evans) who wants to have a baby with his wife but then there is a villain countess, a woman who becomes wheelchair-bound by the elephant, Peter’s sister Adele (Hailey Burnham) gets her own arc, and many more. At one point the Count (Brett Myers) get a whole song and I had no idea who he was or what was happening. Unfortunately this muddled plot caused me and the audience around me to be disengaged. A lot of people were visibly nodding off and one young lady gave up pretense and put her head in her lap to sleep

That said, if you can stomach the weak book the visual delights are very impressive. In particular the elephant might be the most stunning puppet I’ve seen on stage since The Lion King on Broadway. What was particularly amazing is how much emotion they were able to get out of this giant puppet as he gets more frail as the magic is weakened. He slumps down and the sounds get more frail and desperate. I was shocked how absorbed I was in the elephant’s story despite being less than interested in the humans around him! They even have a pink light in the center that pulses to show the elephants heart beating at different levels depending on the scene. The puppeteers behind the elephant deserve the highest of praise (Benjamin Tate, Miranda Renee Smith, Jessica Zoe Bird, Josh Durfey)

I also love the lighting design by Jaron Kent Hermansen with the blues and greens and the way the team uses the stage to create visual interest and has the action happening on any different levels at the same time. The singing is also across-the-board excellent even if the songs aren’t particularly memorable. My favorite song of the show is probably one called “Real Magic” sung by Peter, Leo and more.

Honestly I feel a little torn on whether to recommend The Magician’s Elephant. On one hand the elephant is just that great it’s worth a ticket but on the other hand the ticket price at Hale is so high I wish the story around the spectacle was more engaging. I guess one might consider this a mixed review but I give them full credit for at least trying something new and ambitious. The Magician’s Elephant plays at the Young Living Centre Stage at Hale Center Theatre in Sandy until Oct 19th and you can purchase tickets here.

 If you’d like me to review more theatre and appreciate what I do please check out the patreon here. You will find the patreon has many benefits including watch alongs with writers and actors of TV and films and more. Please take a look.