If someone was going to ask me for the definition of a mixed bag show I might respond with the coming of age musical Dear Evan Hansen. The songs are so catchy and it means well that I enjoy watching it but let’s just say the plot is strange. Anyway, I really appreciate when a company can take a mixed bag show like this and elevate it to something more than the sum of its parts and that’s what Centerpoint Legacy has done with their Dear Evan Hansen. It is one of the best staging of this musical I’ve seen and that includes the Broadway touring company.
One of my favorite parts of Centerpoint Legacy is how they repeatedly use projections to help add to the storytelling not replace it. There is no better example of this than in Dear Evan Hansen. This is a show that has a tradition of a social media presence on stage (sometimes behind, surrounding them on pillars, I’ve seen many different ways.) Here director Bre Welch incorporates that social media but makes the projections appear to be on triangles- as if it is on shattered glass. This is a brilliant way of adding context to the cracked world of the story and these inspirational moments are based on lies and half-truths. It helps us as an audience to deal with the problematic nature of the story in a way I’ve never seen before, which is a again a brilliant choice (projection/video design Alex Young is so talented!) I also love the lighting work by Jordan Fowler with bright colors framing the shattered glass or the stage to help add dramatic impact to what is happening on stage. It adds so much to the story, which again isn’t the strongest by itself.
This cast is wonderful with Josh Call playing Evan and Anna Kocherhans as Zoe. I appreciate both of them felt like teenagers. Sometimes when seeing this show it feels like we are watching 30 year-olds pretend to be teenagers but these two felt like believable teens. I also really liked Ryan Munsey’s take on Connor. He’s usually played as a big athletic bully type but Munsey has more of an emo rebellious read on the character which is interesting. This version of Connor feels more similar to Evan which is good because we need it to believable that people would think they could have been great friends.
Some of my favorite moments of this production are songs like “You Will Be Found,” “Words Fail” and “Requiem” which on the surface are inspirational ballads but because of the shattered glass dynamic it adds a layer to the soaring melodies. “Waiving Through a Window” is a terrific start of the show but again because I was so immersed in the production design it quickly was eclipsed by the other numbers, which is saying something because I love that song.
My only real critique is these songs are deceptively difficult and the young performers should work on supporting their notes as much as possible. There are times when I felt they could have pushed through the ending of sentences a little more and thereby really driving home the hopeful message. Otherwise I loved this production of Dear Evan Hansen. It truly elevates the material in special ways and especially if you have teens it is a cracking night of theatre. It is playing at Centerpoint through October 15th and tickets can be purchased here.
Dear Evan Hansen has music and lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul with a book by Steven Levenson. It first premiered on Broadway in 2016 and it won 6 Tony Awards including Best Musical.
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. Right now I am crisis with my channel being removed so I could really use your support. 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.
I’ve said it before but I’m not the most experimental of theatre critics. While I can appreciate seeing something in different phases I don’t know if I’m the best person to capture the vision of what a project is going for. That’s why I am often hesitant to critique a new work like the new musical Possessive: The Musical. In the case of this musical, however, they invited me, my friend Dylan had seen and loved it and it did well over at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. So I drove up to Heber to see Possessive: The Musical performed at Timpanogos Valley Theatre, and I’m so glad I did. What a fresh, exciting, unhinged evening at the theatre!
The story behind this musical is quite diabolical. A family in the early 2000s led by parents Carl and Hannah (David Thorpe, Kaushay Ford) are stressed-out dealing with an unruly child named Darian. Then one day Darian starts behaving better but also in very strange ways. It turns out he has been possessed by a devil which of course is very concerning but the parents are tempted to keep their child behaving well for as long as possible. This is made even more complicated when their relationship also improves with their rebellious daughter Lisa (Yasamin Marashi) and she becomes friendly with the demon’s minion (Connor Thompson.) It’s all as ridiculous and off-the-wall as that premise sounds and even more so!
It’s hard to not compare Possessive to Beetlejuice. They even make a joke about that comparison themselves but I have to be honest I found Beetlejuice to be much more annoying than what we get in Possessive, so I prefer this. Beetlejuice I feel like the characters are constantly shouting at me where this has a variety of expressions along with the big over-the-top laughs. Jessica Wall, who plays Darian, deserves much of the credit. She lip-syncs her demon dialogue who is standing behind her as played by Derek Wayman. The two of them work seamlessly together and seeing Wayman’s big booming voice coming out of Wall’s petite frame is hilarious.
Everything the night I saw the production was directed by David Thorpe with sound design by Emily Wayman, and like I said it’s the coordination between the different elements to make Darian become a demon that worked so well. Plus, other characters switch places or are inhabited by other characters. It brings the biggest laughs of the night. Plus, the dialogue is very funny with a lot of nods to the early 2000s and things like dial up modems and bands like Blink 182.
I also really enjoyed how the scenic design they used making the background look like a giant book and each scene change looks like the moving of a page in said book. This is a smart way to make transitions fast and add a bit of whimsy into the low budget production.
Even though I liked the songs better than Beetlejuice I do wonder if it actually needs to be a musical? The songs are fine but it’s really the dialogue and the effect with Darian/demon that makes the show work. I think I’d like it just as well as a straight play, but I understand those aren’t as marketable especially for comedies. I do think it would be fun for Darian/demon to get a real showstopper introducing themselves in the vein of “Sweet Transvestite” from The Rocky Horror Picture Show. The parents have most the memorable songs in this current version of the show.
If they were going to ask me for advice going forward I’d suggest adding some interactivity to the show. It has a cult-following feel to it and something like the splash zone in Evil Dead: The Musical might really work. Especially towards the end when you have blood and windex and other that could potentially be brought into the audience.
Obviously the most important aspect of any comedy is did it make me laugh and with Possessive: The Musical it definitely did. It has loads of potential and I can’t wait to see how it evolves and grows over the years. If you do get a chance to see it it’s a great ghoulish good time.
Possessive: The Musical has book, music and lyrics by Spencer Ford with orchestrations by Alec Lowe. It was first performed in 2023 at a Hart Theatre Company production and there is a cast album available to listen to from 2023 on Spotify.
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.
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 themedA 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 withA 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.
As much as I love seeing my favorite shows on repeat I also love checking shows off of my blind spot list that I’ve long wanted to see but never had the chance. Such was my opportunity this weekend with Springville Playhouse’s wonderful new production of Nunsense. Oddly enough I’ve seen the sequel to Nunsense entitled Nuncrackers but never the original musical. Now I’m so glad I have as this is a very funny little musical well performed by Springville Playhouse.
The concept for the musical actually sounds quite grim. The nuns lost 52 of their numbers in a horrible accidental poisoning mistake. Now the Reverend Mother Mary Regina played by Robinne Booth is leading the remaining women to put on a talent show to fundraise for the burial of the remaining 4 women. Again this sounds quite morbid but the musical is in reality very funny. I guess you might call it a dark comedy but it’s mostly just a funny good time.
The production is directed by Michael Roberts and Julia Allen and they have created a very intimate space with only a couple of rows on each side of the stage (it’s basically a black box space.) The nun’s school is putting on Grease so the main backdrop looks like a high school production of Grease. It’s delightfully random. I also appreciate the performers are close enough to the audience that no microphones are needed. There were a few times the music drowned them out a little bit without microphones, but I loved the intimate feel the production has. I also enjoyed how the actors would peak out over the top of the set as if they were watching the performance right along with us. It feels authentic, which I appreciate.
My favorite of all the characters is Mary Amnesia played by Amber Roberts. She is a nun who, as the name would suggest, has forgotten who she is or what her real name is. Roberts has terrific comedic timing for the character and plays the dumb blonde in some very funny scenes. I really loved her songs “So You Want to be a Nun?” and ” I Could’ve Gone to Nashville.” I also really enjoyed Andrea Wardle as Sister Mary Robert Anne. She is given the most banter with Boothe, and they pull it off very effectively.
All that said a show like Nunsense is all about the laughs and fortunately the show is funny. It is honestly funnier than I expected- never feeling like it is putting down the characters or their religion which I appreciate. It makes for an endearing and sweet performance that I’m so glad I got to take part in. There are some adult jokes but nothing too bad. I think you could bring kids to this and they’d have a good laugh. Nunsense is playing at Springville Playhouse until Sept 5th and tickets can be purchased here.
Nunsense has music, lyrics and book by Dan Goggin. It premiered Off-Broadway in 1985 and it has spawned 6 sequels including 3 spinoffs.
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.
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.
Hey theatre friends! I have a few shows to report to you all quickly that I attended as a patron not a critic. These are not full reviews but just a few quick thoughts on the productions. Make sure you are following me on instagram to get my out of theater reactions to everything, film and theatre, that I see. If any of these companies or others would like me to do full reviews DM or email me at rachelsreviews65@gmail.com. Here goes
Romeo & Juliet- Millcreek Community Theater, Millcreek, Utah
I love all levels of community theater but I especially love when a company leans into the community aspect. There’s no better example of this than the recent production of Romeo & Julietat Millcreek Community Theater. Not only was this classic well performed and directed but it was a free gift to the community. I hope that the community used this free gift as a way to introduce your kids to Shakespeare and this classic play or just enjoy it at no cost to yourself.
Of course, the show still has to be good even if it is free and this was. Director Traci Nelson got quality performances out of her large cast and Russell Jordan and Paige Sutherland had good chemistry as our leads. They could have done a little more with the 1950s setting update to the play but the way they used scaffolding and the outdoor amphitheater at Canyon Rim Park was effective. My only critique would be to give more directions next time because I parked on the wrong side of the park and I wish I’d brought my folding chair. Still, I really enjoyed this classic story well told. This production of Romeo & Juliet has finished its run but keep an eye on Millcreek’s facebook page for more information here.
Cyrano de Bergerac- Parker Theater, Salt Lake City
When Parker Theater announced their 2026 season we were all very surprised to not see a Shakespeare play on their roster. Along with Jane Austen they always do a play from the Bard but it all made sense when they had Cyrano de Bergerac instead. Even though it is a play written hundreds of years after Shakespeare it has much in common with one of his dramas and as an audience member it scratches a similar itch.
While the prose is good by Edmond Rostand it is a play that lives an dies on its main leads and you couldn’t ask for better actors than they have at the Parker. Roger Dunbar is commanding and devastating as Cyrano and Russ Maxfield (who I have loved for years since seeing him as Harold Hill in The Music Man at Centerpoint Legacy) as Christian. Sometimes I can leave this play feeling frustrated with Christian in his lack of honesty with Roxane but Maxfield creates empathy for the character. When he delivers his final plea to Cyrano that he wants to be loved for who he is it’s quite devastating. Roxane can also be a frustrating character because one can’t help wonder why she can’t see that Cyrano is the one who wrote those letters especially after 15 years! Kristi Curtis is convincing in the role and one can’t really blame her when everyone is lying to her for those years.
This production of Cyrano de Bergerac is directed by Spencer Hohl and he also does the fight choreography and sound which are all superb and help keep the play from feeling stodgy. The lighting by James B Parker is always the best in the state. They did a pretty good job paring down the play to just over 2 hours and it does include 5 acts but only 1 intermission is long. Cyrano is playing at the Parker through August 29th and tickets can be purchased here.
Frozen- Sandy Arts Guild, Sandy
I’m not sure why but nothing is being performed more this year than Frozen here in Utah. I could spend my entire theatre year going to just Frozen but one can only take so much Norwegian Disney delight. Suffice it to say I’m being picky with the Frozen productions I do see but when I heard about the cast at Sandy Arts Guild I had to see it and it did not disappoint.
To begin with I am always amazed at what SAG is able to pull off in a high school auditorium, which are so big and echoey- a tough venue to perform in but they don’t let that stop them. The team there led by director Mindy Eckroth has seemingly thought of everything with impressive visual effects using projections and lighting by Rick Marston, professional-looking sets by Tavnir Carey (Oaken’s Trading Post was a standout) and gorgeous costumes by Karen Chatterton (I like the unique design of Elsa’s “Let it Go” dress. Sometimes companies feel like they have to make things exactly like the movie or show but this had its own flare to it with the sparkles and sheer overlay.) I also like how they made the “Hygee” number their own (even though I can’t stand that song) with the cast in satin bathrobes and hair coverings.
The cast is across-the-board outstanding with Sydney Dameron and Makayla Conner Marriott leading the way as Anna and Elsa respectively. You couldn’t ask for better singing or acting for either role. I also really liked Gabe Velez as Olaf. He not only operated the puppet well but broke the fourth wall on occasion with winks to the audience. It is charming.
There are some challenges to performing in the auditorium but I still highly recommend this production of Frozen. Take the whole family. They will love it. There are 2 more performances and tickets can be purchased here.
The Scarlet Pimpernel- The Ruth, Pleasant Grove
I already reviewed the MWF cast of The Scarlet Pimpernel at The Ruth, which I thoroughly enjoyed. However, I wanted to see the TThS cast with my Dad because he is a big fan of this musical. Fortunately I was able to do both, and we had a great time with this cast. I particularly loved the men in this cast with Scott Hendrickson delivering every emotional moment as Percy and Bronson Dameron a commanding villain as Chauvelin.
I love how director David Morgan has transformed the stage into whatever the story calls for. He creates ships sailing, guillotines slicing, carriages riding and more. The fight choreography is so much fun (I even like that Marguerite gets in on the sword-fighting action at one point.) Even though The Scarlet Pimpernel is on the forgettable side it’s so well performed at The Ruth that it becomes memorable. I’m glad I saw it a second time. It’s playing through August 22 and tickets can be purchased here.
Newsies- West Valley Arts, West Valley
While Frozen is a show that taps into younger Disney fans Newsies is one that triggers my nostalgia quite strongly. The movie came out when I was 11, and I loved it then and still love it today. Fortunately the new production at West Valley Arts doesn’t even need that nostalgia to make for a good time. It’s honestly one of the best shows I’ve seen from them in some time.
My favorite part of this musical is how immersive it felt. Director Kate Rufener did a great job using the entire theater to tell the story including all of the platforms. I particularly liked how Pulitzer is up in his office looking down on scenes he’s not in but being impacted by like “Seize the Day.” Jerdyn Akeripa has huge charisma as Jack and the rest of the cast is great surrounding him. One of my favorite touches is having all of the Brooklyn newsies be girls (not girls playing boys but just girls.) The costumes throughout by Alicia Kondrick are excellent. If you like Newsies you should definitely give this production a try. It is playing through August 29th and tickets can be purchased here.
Waiting for Godot- Good Company, Ogden
There are certain plays that I feel are important for any theatre fan to eventually cross off their bucket list. One such play is Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett. I am not much into absudrism or modernism but again I feel this is a play I needed to see at least once. This is why I was excited when I found out Good Company was staging a production. Even though the style of the play isn’t really my favorite I’m still glad I got to see a very good version of it this year.
This play is about 2 main characters Vladamir (Michael Scott Johnson) and Estragon (Arie Allred) who are waiting for a mysterious Godot in some kind of barren wasteland with only a plastic tree in the middle of the stage. Along the way they come in contact with a man who I think is the devil called Pozzo (Alvaro Cortez) and a couple other characters. Both Johnson and Allred are excellent in these roles and the play definitely gives the viewer something to chew on. It would be a fun play to see and then go to dinner with friends and talk about the different interpretations.
My only complaint with the show is the door was hard to find so I walked around in the blistering heat trying to find it with every door being locked, so I was overheated by the time I was watching everything. Perhaps a better sign might be helpful? I don’t know I’d want to see Waiting for Godot again but I’m glad I saw it with this strong version of it directed by Mark Fossen. It is playing through August 16th and tickets can be purchased here.
So that’s my update! Have you seen any of these shows? Let me know in the comments. What have you been watching on the stage lately?
Romeo and Juliet is a play by William Shakespeare originally debuting in 1597 and it was his 10th play. Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand was first published in 1897 in France. Frozen is based on the animated film and has music and lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez. It was first performed in 2018. The Scarlet Pimpernel has music by Frank Wildhorn with lyrics and book by Nan Knighton. It is based on the novels by Baroness Orczy. Newsies is based on the film with music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Jack Feldman and a book by Harvey Fierstein. It premiered on Broadway in 2012. Waiting for Godot is a play by Samuel Beckett which was first published in 1952.
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.
Previous to this week I have only seen the play Our Town one other time. As a young girl my best friend was cast over me as Young Emily, and I was bitterly disappointed. I’m not sure that resentment is the reason I never saw it again but it does feel like the kind of experience Thornton Wilder is trying to portray in his classic play. Fortunately I had the chance to see it in the new production at Hale Center Theatre and it is definitely worthy of your time.
Like I said, Our Town is a classic play written by Wilder in 1938 looking back at the passing of time since 1901. You can imagine that a nostalgic piece from 1938 feels extra nostalgic now all these years later. In fact, the first 2 acts were not engaging me the way I had hoped and it all felt a little cloying and tedious. Then the 3rd act comes up and it makes it all work and packs the emotional wallop I needed to go home satisfied. The play is focusing on the small moments of life (childhood, marriage, and death) but Act 3 is where I connected with the characters and piece and it makes the earlier acts feel more profound and powerful.
Certainly the cast director Dave Tinney has put together can’t be topped. The conceit is this is a play-within-a-play and Michael Hohl acts as our stage manager or narrator. He is warm and endearing and perfect for this role (he reminds me a lot of Richard Thomas who was in the recent revival on Broadway.) We then have Becca Ashton as Emily and Timothy Qusenberry as George, and they have terrific chemistry (especially Qusenberry) and really sell those Act 3 moments. Other stars are the great Jane Luke, Ben Parkes, Sanford Porter, Cecily Ellis-Bills and more. It’s a large cast and they feel like a cohesive group of small town residents. I was particularly moved by Jared Stewart as the troubled Simon Stimson.
Despite having 3 acts this Our Town is just over 2 hours so you get to that Act 3 pretty quickly. The set is simple with projections by Madeline Ashton and sound design by Griffin McMullin. The costumes are period accurate by Kim Wright. I guess it is tradition of this play to have no props, which is the case here. I read that Wilder wanted this because it would make the audience focus on the emotions rather than the items; however, I actually found it to be the reverse. I felt like the act of someone pretending to hold a cup or eat a fake ice cream soda to be more distracting than if they were just doing those things. I’m not sure if that makes sense but suffice it to say that’s not my favorite aspect of this play. I’ve been told some productions don’t even have chairs, which they at least have here.
It is also quite slow those first 2 acts, and I left wondering if it would be better as a one act with just Act 3. However, perhaps then it wouldn’t have the emotional resonance without the build up of the other 2 acts? I’m not sure but just know that you are signing yourself up for a slower, softer paced experience with Our Town, and be ready for the emotion in Act 3. If you can go in with that perspective you’ll have a good experience with this play. It’s certainly executed extremely well by the folks at Hale and it’s always good to cross those classics off of your theatre bucket list. Fortunately you have a long time to see Hale’sOur Town with it running through October 19th but it is on the smaller Beehive Stage so tickets will sell quickly. More information can be found here.
Our Town is a 3-act play written by Thornton Wilder in 1938. He won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for it and it premiered on Broadway that same year. It has been revived many times including a recent production in 2024 starring Jim Parsons as the stage manager and Richard Thomas as Mr Webb.
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.
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
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Obviously there is nothing I love more than an afternoon of community theatre. Sometimes I think I love it even more than the more polished professional variety. Of course I am here in St George to see the incredible productions at Tuacahn but I’m so glad I made time to see 2 smaller shows at Stage Door and at a new to me company in Cedar City called The Forge. I was able to see a Saturday matinee of their Oklahomaand it was a remarkable experience.
First, I want to thank UTBA for making me aware of this company in their review of High School Musical (see here.) In the review they mentioned that this company The Forge was putting on 3 musicals in 3 weeks and I just had to be a part of this! Fortunately my trip fell over week 2 of Oklahoma but Cedar City residents have the chance to seeHigh School Musical, Oklahoma, and 1776 from the same repertory company in the same space. What a bold frankly insane project to take on but now that I’ve seen Oklahoma I only wish I lived here so I could see all 3. Incredible!
Director and producer Ellen Wheeler deserves much of the credit and she has gathered a great group of individuals to help her pull off this vision. You would think given the stark differences of all 3 shows that the sets would be minimalist black box type of environments but that isn’t the case. The set for Oklahoma by Ky Habel is arguably the most impressive part with a shack that transforms from Aunt Eller’s house, to the Jud’s smokehouse, to town center for the box social. I think they could have used the screen behind the actors more (like some stock footage of corn for “Oh What a Beautiful Morning” would be cool) but this is not a rushed together piece of theatre despite the condensed timeline.
The choreography by the leads Remington Comp and Brielle Bowden is also impressive. I particularly enjoyed the creative use of cowboy hats in “Many a New Day.” They also don’t skimp out on any part of the “Dream Ballet” which is probably the most challenging part of this classic musical.
As I said I attended the Saturday matinee of Oklahoma and there was an unexpected joy in the performance I’m so glad I was in attendance for. Amazingly both of the options for Ali Hakim were unable to perform so Austin Fronk who normally plays Slim stepped in as a last minute replacement. I can’t overstate how impressive his performance was. He made the book part of his movement and expression. I’ve never seen anything quite like it. I can tell you if I was casting for a project in Utah I would absolutely hire him. Not only was it a clutch performance but it was good and very memorable.
I give a lot of credit to Cheyenne Grace playing Ado Annie not only for her wonderful comedic timing but for working with Fronk seamlessly and not being distracted by the book in his hand. She made it feel natural and that’s not easy to do especially with hours notice.
All 3 plays at The Forge take place in a movie theatre in Cedar City, and I still can’t believe they transitioned from something as different as High School Musical in one week. There are some typical flaws in community theater. The microphones are not always perfect, some of the singing isn’t the best but it certainly captures the scrappy message of Oklahoma and a great show for a company starting out a brand new venture in a brand new place (could almost sing ‘Cedar City where the wind comes sweepin’ down the red rock!’) It’s also a great choice to celebrate America 250 with both the light and darker elements of the American frontier spirit (great choice to be ending with 1776 right over July 4th weekend!)
If you are in Southern Utah you still have 2 chances to see Oklahoma tomorrow with both a matinee and evening performance on Monday. Then 1776 is the next 2 weekends. I highly recommend supporting this bold project and all it has to offer. Tickets can be purchased here.
Oklahoma has music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics and book by Oscar Hammerstein II. It was based on Green Grow the Lilacs by Lynn Riggs and first premiered on Broadway in 1943 with a most recent Tony Award winning revival in 2019.
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.
Rachel Reviews Theatre 