hale

‘THE PRINCE OF EGYPT’ DELIVERS A MIXED EXPERIENCE AT HCT (REVIEW)

| Rachel's Reviews

Sometimes being a theatre critic can be tricky. There are so many aspects that go into a successful production that it can be tough to know what to value more than others and how much my personal taste to factor into an overall recommendation. This is why I am starting a new grading icon. Since I don’t have the rotten/fresh requirements my movie reviews must fit into I am now going to have a ‘mixed bag’ rating for a production I feel mixed on. Simple as that. Let me know what you think of this new rating!

I mention this new rating because it is exactly how I felt about Hale Center Theatre’s new production of The Prince of Egypt. This is an adaptation of the popular animated film (a movie I adore) and this is only the 7th worldwide production of this musical just after a 2020 staging in the West End that was filmed for a pro-shot released in 2023. I saw the pro-shot and felt it was a mixed bag but was excited to see it in person at Hale. In the end I left feeling once again mixed about the whole experience.

Let’s start out with the good. Pretty much everything that is within Hale’s control they excelled at. The singing and choreography is Broadway level quality as is expected at Hale with Zack Wilson and Ren Cottam having terrific chemistry as Moses and Ramses respectively. The spectacle by director Dave Tinney is also very impressive with “The Plagues” being the highlight of the night. They use a giant metallic fabric with surrealist projections on it to symbolize the darkness and chaos. It is a breathtaking effect. I was also impressed with how grounded the production was with the stage staying put almost the entire night with only a few small movements. I loved the spectacle of Beauty and the Beast, but I know the stage mechanizations hurt the sight lines for many patrons. This is a welcome change of pace for anyone who has those concerns.

All that said, this is a terrible adaptation of this movie. I left thinking what on earth was music and lyricist Stephen Schwartz thinking? I understand that an animated film needs to be puffed out in order to fit the length of a Broadway musical but this show only has 5 songs from the original film and all the new songs are weak and the changes they make to the characters is honestly baffling. What shocked me most is how much Schwartz and team have secularized the piece. I understand the animated film focuses on Ramses and Moses as brothers but not at the expense of a religious transformation by Moses and a clear weakness on the part of Ramses to recognize the power of the Hebrew God.

In this version the burning bush sequence is treated as an after-thought and the Egyptian Gods are mentioned more than the Hebrew. It feels like Moses is the villain of Act II not Ramses the enslaver and dictator who lets his pride get in the way. Believe it or not they give the 2 brothers a happy ending embracing in the middle of the Red Sea. It’s completely ridiculous and underwhelming (I could go on and on with loads of nitpicky changes I didn’t like but I’ll spare you!)

I will definitely be curious what others think of this one. Perhaps I am too attached to the animated film. I don’t know. Like I said, the Hale aspects are outstanding. It looks great. All the talent is impressive, so I can’t say don’t see it. It’s worth seeing for all they accomplished. I just wish it was a better adaptation. If it ever makes it to Broadway I hope they make significant changes.

This mixed experience makes it the perfect time to use my new rating! Let me know what you think if you get to see The Prince of Egypt at Hale Center Theatre. It is playing through April 12 and selling out fast. 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.

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

| Rachel's Reviews

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

If you enjoy my writing and would like me to review your production I’d love to. I also have a patreon which is a great way to support my shorter logs for shows I don’t get to review. I have some really fun perks. Please take a look here.

UTAH THEATRE LOG 10/9-10/11 (MY FAIR LADY, PERSUASION, CLUE: THE MUSICAL) (RACHEL’S THEATRE LOG 61)

| Rachel's Reviews

I truly had a magical week of theatre this week and will be logging and reviewing more of the productions over the next few days. If you want to read my reviews of the movies I saw click here. Meanwhile here are some logs for 3 local shows:

MY FAIR LADY- HALE CENTER THEATRE OREM, OREM

Seeing My Fair Lady at Hale Center Theatre Orem was a bit of a bittersweet experience because even though it was highly entertaining it is probably the last show I will see at this location. They will have their A Christmas Carol which is not part of the season pass and then will be moving over to their new location in Pleasant Grove called The Ruth. I am very happy for them but I will miss the intimacy and unique nature of the theater in Orem.

Fortunately this production of My Fair Lady is an excellent one for them to go out on. I saw the MWF cast and on pretty much every level it delivers on a wonderful take on this classic material. What impressed me the most is how the humor in the script was highlighted and brought to the forefront. M. Chase Grant in particular as Henry Higgins gives the funniest take I’ve ever seen for the role and helped make the character more endearing and the romance more palatable (an element of this musical I typically don’t enjoy.)

Ashley Gardner Carlson is fantastic as Eliza Doolittle and again she brought out the humor in the role with songs like “Without You” and “Show Me.” This production is directed by Rodger Sorensen with beautiful costumes by Dennis Wright. I particularly loved the Ascot scene using grays and purples in contrast to the usual white and black. My only real critique would be they could have changed out the individual settings a little more. I understand the space makes set changes tough but keeping it the flowered street whether they are inside or outside for even the Embassy Ball was a little underwhelming. But other than that it is a great version of My Fair Lady I highly recommend. It is playing at HCTO until Nov 23rd and you can purchase tickets here.

My Fair Lady is of course the classic musical with lyrics and book by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe.

PERSUASION- SNOW COLLEGE THEATRE, EPHRAIM

As soon as I saw that Snow College was putting on Melissa Leilani Larson’s adaptation of Persuasion I knew I had to see it despite the college being a nearly 2 hour drive in Ephraim. Larson is my favorite local playwright and was one of the first interviews I ever did when I had just started out my channel back in 2016. Even as I was driving down in heavy traffic I began to think ‘is this going to be worth it.’ Well, once seated any doubts I had were put to the side by a wonderful production of one of my favorite Jane Austen novels (I saw a production of this adaptation via a live stream during the pandemic so it was meaningful to see it live on stage this time.)

The art direction of the piece (director Jenn Chandler) is simple with an abstract background that could become everything from Kellynch Hall to the beaches in Lyme. Persuasion is a particularly difficult novel to adapt because much of the action either happens off stage before we meet the lead couple or within their minds. What Larson has done to fix this is the brilliant choice of having 2 couples play Anne and Wentworth. This way we see the couple’s first and second chance at love.

The whole cast of students at Snow College are excellent with Chloe Hannah and Shayla Florence playing Anne, and Joshua Peterson and Landon Bulloch as Wentworth. It may help I am so well versed in the story that I wasn’t confused by two versions of the characters but it is so widely known that most who buy tickets are probably aware of the basic plot. Of all the performers, however, Ruby Bagley really stole the show as Mary Musgrove. She is probably the funniest character in the novel and Bagley has terrific comedic timing.

Some of the other performers could be a little too exuberant and big for the regency setting and relative stillness of the backdrop but Persuasion was still a very entertaining night of theater. It can still be seen until the 15th and tickets can be purchased here.

CLUE: THE MUSICAL- HERITAGE THEATRE, PERRY

When I saw Heritage Theatre in Perry was putting on Clue: The Musical I was intrigued. I have seen the play based on the game/movie but didn’t even know the musical was a thing. So despite the over an hour drive to get to Perry I made my way up to see the show and I’m so glad I did. Heritage Theatre is a community theater in the best sense of the word and this is an ambitious but well executed mystery experience.

What impressed me the most about Clue: The Musical is the interactive elements. I’m normally not the biggest fan of improv but you’d never know there are 216 different outcomes to this musical! It all feels very scripted. The songs aren’t especially memorable but they work as transitions from one scene and clue to the next. Directors Bree and Derek Hendricks have seemingly thought of everything with a game board projected on the wall and a live band to play the musical cues. I also loved the set design by Derek and Jess Tarbet. Each of the rooms of the iconic game are created on a turntable that moves from one setpiece to the next. They even have playing pieces for each character in each of the rooms which I thought was quite clever.

The performers are all having a ton of fun but Sam Bakker is probably my favorite as Mrs White. I think we really lucked out to have her as our murderer (not a spoiler since every performance will be different.) I’m actually not that big of a mystery person but this is just a fun experience. It’s not the polish you’ll find at something like HCTO but that’s part of the charm. If you are anywhere near Perry I’d highly recommend seeing Clue: The Musical. It is playing until Oct 26th and you can purchase tickets here.

Clue: The Musical has a book by Peter Depietro, lyrics by Tom Chiodo, and Music by Galen Blum, Waynde Barker and Vinnie Martucci.

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.

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.

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