When a company brings back a show after just a year that’s a sign it was well received. If they bring it back for a third year in a row that means it has become a beloved tradition. Such is the case with The Woman in Black at the Parker Theatre. This is the third year they’ve put on this ghostly play and I loved it just as much this go-around as I did the first time I saw it. What a truly terrifying night at the theater!
The Woman in Black is a two-hander play with Ben Lowell returning as Arthur Kipps and Michael Hohl playing the Actor for the third year in a row. You can tell these actors have a complete mastery of these parts and especially in Act 2 Lowell taps into a mania with the character that adds to the tension we are all feeling. Hohl is more of a steadying influence but we need it to make the jump scares as effective as possible.
But truly the star of this play is the incredible sound and lighting. The sets are simple with items like a basket becoming multiple items as well as chairs and beds. It relies on the words of the actors and the sound to create the setting and sell the marshes and terrifying hallways of the manor. Parker is second to none with the way they use sound and this is a master-class in that artform (sound design Michael Hohl and Spencer Hohl.) The lighting is by James B Parker and he is very smart in knowing what to light and more importantly what not to light. I also appreciate they bring the surprises and spooks out into the audience (that’s all I will say because don’t want to spoil the surprise.) Suffice it to say I had a big smile on my face the entire evening.
My only complaint with The Woman in Black is I don’t love the play-within-a-play framework. It takes too much time to get to the spooks and meat of the story and I always feel like it could be eliminated and we would still be able to understand different actors are playing different roles throughout. Lots of shows do that such as The 39 Steps and we get it without an explanation setting things up. But then again this play ran for 20 years in London so who am I to argue with success.
Obviously you have to be up for a scary night of theater to enjoy this play. but I certainly am and did. It is only playing until November 7th, however, so make sure you get your ticket while you have the chance! You never know if we will see this suspenseful tale for a 4th year so don’t miss it. Tickets can be purchased here.
The Woman in Black is a play adapted by Stephen Mallatratt from Susan Hill’s novel of the same name. It opened in London in 1989 where it ran until 2023 with 13,232 performances. The only play that has lasted longer is another mystery The Mousetrap.
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During the spooky season of Fall companies are looking for a darker/horror themed show to do that Utah conservative audiences will tolerate. The Addams Family is a favorite (which can still be seen in all its grandeur at The Ruth) but others like Wait Until Dark and Woman in Black are done frequently. Another local favorite is the campy 80s classic Little Shop of Horrors. It is currently playing at 4 different companies in Northern Utah alone. The latest is at Pioneer Theatre Company and while I think it loses some of its charm on a big professional stage it’s an entertaining production audiences will enjoy.
If you are unfamiliar with Little Shop it tells the story of nerdy botanist Seymour who works in Skid Row Florist Shop and one day finds an unusual venus flytrap type plant he names Audrey II after Audrey the floral assistant who works at the shop who Seymour is in love with. The other main characters are Mr Mushnik who owns the shop, the Urchins who are our Greek chorus for the show and Audrey’s boyfriend dentist, the abusive egotistical, Orin.
Of course the biggest character of the show is Audrey II which starts out small and then becomes bigger with each feeding. The only problem for Seymour is those feedings have to be fresh human blood, which becomes increasingly harder to come by as Audrey II grows (and becomes increasingly larger puppets) and becomes more famous with each passing day.
Little Shop at PTC is directed and choreographed by Gerry McIntyre and he keeps things simple and doesn’t let anything get in the way of the story and characters. The scenic design (designer Bryce Cutler) is kept to the florist shop and anything like the dentist office is staged in front without its own set. The shop is very impressive with the front panel being outside the shop and then it can be lifted up to reveal the inside of the shop. This certainly makes transitions fast and seamless. I will say that some of the signs on the outside of the shop had the look of generative AI graphics. It’s so hard to tell these days but I would prefer a more hand-painted aesthetic especially for a show like Little Shop which thrives on its underground off-Broadway gritty roots.
The standout at in this production is the cast which is uniformly excellent. Andrew Faria is convincing nerd as Seymour and he is up for the challenging vocals and choreography in songs like “You Never Know.” Nicholas Ward gives a deep and surprisingly charming take on Audrey II’s voice (puppeteer Joe Gallina) that you can almost feel him winking out to the audience with his performance. Alanna Saunders has the most difficult role of the piece with Audrey and she brings all the vocal prowess you could ask for to songs like “Somewhere That’s Green” and “Suddenly Seymour.” I also admire how she grows in her performance of the character. The first time we meet her she shoves off having a black eye and says that being from Skid Row that’s all she can expect but by the end she’s strong and makes her own decisions for her life. Not all actors playing this role can bring that kind of journey to the character.
Other standouts at PTC’sLittle Shop of Horrorsare the impressive costumes by Tina McCartney and the hair and makeup by Kate Casalino- particularly on the Urchins, with that high 1960s look to them perfectly executed. My only real complaint about this production is I do think Little Shop is more at home in smaller more intimate venues and when one can see it for a third of the price at a venue like Murray Arts ($20 there vs $62 at PTC) it becomes harder to recommend. It’s not bad. In fact, it’s very entertaining but is it 3 times as good? Probably not but if you do see it you’ll have a bloody good time and that’s what’s most important. Little Shop of Horrors is playing until Nov 7th at PTC and tickets can be purchased here.
Little Shop of Horrors has music by Alan Menken with lyrics and a book by Howard Ashman based on the 1960 film of the same name directed by Roger Corman. It first opened Off-Broadway in 1982 and has a current revival there since 2019.
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When the good folks at MadKing reached out to me about their new production of Carrie: The Musical they were quite surprised when I enthusiastically agreed to review the show. They warned me it is scary with a lot of blood but that actually only added to my interest. I have loved this horror movement in theatre. One of my favorite musicals of recent memory was Evil Dead: The Musical. I also absolutely love Heathers. Misery is a phenomenal play. The list goes on. I was also very curious to see Carrie because it is one of the most infamous flops on Broadway running for only 5 performances in 1988. Could it be that bad? I had to check it out myself!
Now I have seen it and evidently there was all kinds of production drama that led to it being such a flop in 1988 because I was thoroughly entertained by this musical! It had an Off-Broadway revival in 2012 which revised the book and score so that has undoubtedly made a bit difference but the musical as it now stands is a brooding, tragic coming of age story.
The production at MadKing is directed by Chad Henwood and it uses the black box space well, keeping things simple and focusing on the characters over spectacle. I like in Act 2 the bucket of blood looms over everything, adding to the tension because we all know what is coming at the prom (I think even if you haven’t seen a Carrie film or read the book you know about Carrie being soaked in blood and are waiting for that to happen.)
Carrie is played by Jordan Soper and she is just awkward enough that we can understand why her fellow students struggle to talk with her. We feel for her but she’s also mousy and weird and that makes her compelling. Soper’s voice is so good, really selling every note like it might be her last.
Sofia Paredes-Kenrick is also effective as bully Sue Snell and Dylan Panter plays Tommy Ross who asks Carrie to the prom after being pushed to do so by Sue. Both teens know they should be kinder to Carrie but they give in to the pressure to elevate themselves by downgrading Carrie.
There is also a lot of pressure on Carrie from her mother Margaret who forces her Puritan brand of Christianity on her daughter as some kind of an attempt to protect her. Instead it just makes Carrie more awkward and uncomfortable; thereby, making her also more depressed. Janzell Tutor plays Margaret with a cold aloofness that is especially hard to take as she’s trying to get some joy out of this prom date (Carrie knows she’s only being asked as a prank but wants to make the best of it anyways.)
While it is true the songs in Carrie: The Musical are not as memorable as something like Heathers they are pleasant to listen to and like I said the tension leading up the prom is palpable and effective. I wouldn’t say it is scary but it is terribly sad. Particularly if you have teens it’s got a ton to say about the way we treat each other and how we should try harder to lead with kindness. It is playing at MadKing Fellowship Theater until October 25th and the perfect show to watch this Halloween season.
Carrie: The Musical has music by Michael Gore, lyrics by Dean Ptichford and a book by Lawrence D Cohen based on the novel by Stephen King. It opened in the West End in 1988 and that year in New York for just 5 days. It had a revival in Off-Broadway in 2012
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Anyone who has followed my writing for any amount of time knows how much I love the musical Bright Star. It is quite possibly my favorite musical, and I have seen it over 20 times at this point. So I was naturally very excited when I heard Terrace Plaza was going to be putting it on and even more excited when I heard the amazing cast they have assembled. Last night I had the chance to see the Zebulon cast and unsurprisingly I loved it!
The biggest challenge within Bright Star is finding talent that can sell Alice Murphy and Jimmy Ray as both young and mature versions of the characters. Often I leave feeling one side works better than the other but Teaira Burge and Porter Beesley are believable in both versions of the characters and have terrific chemistry together. I also really liked Bryson Wanner and Riley Plott as Billy and Margo. They are very flirty together from the beginning which helps make their friends-to-lovers dynamic all the more effective.
Given I have seen this show so many times it was interesting because I happened to be seated next to two women who were completely unfamiliar with the material. Watching their shocked expressions particularly at the close of Act 1 was a lot of fun and reminded me of why I love this show so much to begin with. This production is directed by Bryant Larsen and he puts his large ensemble to work with dynamic and energetic choreography throughout (choreographer Kaylee Wheeler.) I also really appreciate the period accurate costumes (Jacci Olsen Florence) and hair (Jamila Lowe.)
The most effective sequence of the show is that Act 1 finale with “A Man’s Gotta Do (Reprise)” Lighting designer Laura Crossett uses red and white lightning bolts to create the feel of a speeding train and like I said the shock of the women sitting next to me added to the immersive feeling of the scene. David Storm brings an extra level of manipulative villainy to the role of Mayor Josiah Dobbs and he owns the pre-meditated coldness of that song.
I do prefer when Bright Star can have some live music. It doesn’t have to be a full band. Some community theater productions I’ve seen have had a trio performing and that would have added a layer to the experience at Terrace Plaza. I also wish they hadn’t felt the need to use the AI projections. I understand when dealing with a fantasy setting like Urinetown but when royalty free stock images in a real-life setting could be used that would be my personal preference. In fact, I didn’t really see the need for the projections at all? The wood frame that surrounds the back of the stage is beautiful, and like I said with the close of Act 1, I was fully immersed and on that train just with lighting, sound and choreography.
One of the more challenging numbers of this show is “Another Round.” I understand why the makers felt a need to break the heaviness at that moment but it can come across as jarring in the wrong hands. I like the way Larsen stages the song here with tables in the Shiny Penny and then we have dancers on top of the tables. It helps make the sequence more memorable and unique to this production. Also Kirsi Jarvis is believable as little tipsy Lucy which isn’t always the case with Utah performers (we sometimes don’t do drunk that well in the Beehive state.) Jarvis particularly delivers the lines about her dreaming of becoming a censor with nice comedic timing.
At the end of the day Bright Star comes down to the journey of Alice Murphy and Burge delivers that full life of the character. When she sings “At Last” at the end we feel the relief because we have been on this journey with her from beginning to end, young to old. This is the experience one gets with Terrace Plaza’s beautiful production of Bright Star and it is playing through November 14th. Tickets can be purchased here.
Bright Star has music and lyrics by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell with lyrics by Brickell and book by Martin. It premiered on Broadway in 2016 and was nominated for 5 Tony awards (it would have won some if it wasn’t up against Hamilton I’m convinced of that.)
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As I was watching the latest musical from Timpanogos Arts Foundation, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, I realized musical theatre loves itself a murder mystery. From Gentleman’s Guide, to Curtains, to Clue: the Musical and many more there’s a lot of murder mystery musicals. Within all of those entries one of the most entertaining entries is Edwin Drood mostly for how interactive it is. As they always do, Timp Arts has put on an impressive version of this mystery musical and they make it a great time for the whole family.
You might be surprised to hear me say family friendly with this musical but they do a good job taming things for a family audience here. There was even a moment where one of the actors reminds the other of the 2 children in the front row watching, which was very funny. Anyway, if you don’t know Edwin Drood is an interactive musical that allows the audience to help tell the story. This works because it is based on Charles Dickens’ unfinished novel so the murderer, detective, and lovers are left up to the audience to vote. The night I attended I could tell the winners of the audience votes were more unusual and that gave such fun energy to the proceedings. In fact, I Beck Mercury who plays Bazzard said it was his first time getting selected for the lover along with Krstysan Williams as Princess Puffer.
One of the challenges of Edwin Drood is its interactivity makes it a little jumbled and all-over-the-place when it comes to story. Luckily the cast at Timp Arts makes this work with their energy and charisma. There isn’t a weak link in the group with Wayne Keller III keeping everything together as The Chairman. Mark Gordon is hilarious as the villainous John Jasper and Lily Shepherd wears many hats (literally) as Edwin Drood.
I really enjoyed how director Andrew Jefferies made use of the entire large Valentine Theater including both of the side platforms and having the actors go out into the audience quite a bit (I love when shows do that!) The sets by Williams was also easy to move around and manipulate into different settings making the transitions quick. I also admire the lighting by Caleb Wallengren which gives everything a professional feel and keeps the atmosphere going even if the script is a bit of a mess. The costumes (particularly for Rosa Bud) are professional quality Victorian era clothes by Brooke Holahan (they always have such amazing costumes at Timp Arts.)
I don’t think the songs are super memorable in this musical. It could be just as fun without the songs but Taylor Ann Jaeger probably has the most beautiful voice of the cast as Rosa Bud. Her rendition of “Moonfall” is gorgeous. Mercury is a hoot with “Never the Luck” and Williams camps it up with Princess Puffer’s saloon-like songs “The Wages of Sin” and “Don’t Quit While You’re Ahead” and more. This musical gets a real jolt of energy in Act II when it starts to become interactive. If you aren’t feeling it to that point keep with it because it certainly left me with a smile by the end.
The sound at the Valentine theater can be a bit of a challenge, and I recommend sitting further back if you can. Also there are times the actors seemed to struggle to be in sync with the backtrack (especially the very fast songs) but other than that this is a great production of The Mystery of Edwin Drood. If I had time I’d see it again just to see what it would be like with different results. It is playing through October 24th and tickets can be purchased here. (Also anyone thinking of doing Gentleman’s Guide do Edwin Drood instead! I like it so much better)
The Mystery of Edwin Drood features music, book and lyrics by Rupert Holmes. It is based on the unfinished novel by Charles Dickens and first appeared on Broadway in 1985 and then in the West End in 1987. It had a revival in both locations in 2012. It won 3 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.
When I saw that Regalo Theatre Co was coming back into operations I couldn’t have been more thrilled. I absolutely loved so many of their productions including the professional quality White Christmas and an incredibly ambitious Amadeus. After a 2 year absence they are back with a new production and it’s continuing on their tradition of ambitious and entertaining shows: They are not only putting on the classic play 12 Angry Men but they are doing 12 Angry Women with different casts performing on alternating days. I saw both productions (12 Angry Women was in a preview night) and it proved to be a fascinating and powerful experience at the theater.
At first I wondered if the gender differences would be inconsequential but the scripts are different for both productions. It’s small differences but I do think they make subtle differences in the dynamics of the jury and the character arcs for different jurors. The biggest difference is with Juror Three. Jurors Three and Ten are the most boisterous and anger-filled of any of the jurors and acting in either role has to be a dream job for any actor. I won’t get too much into the script but just as an example of the differences between the portrayal of Juror Three in an iconic speech they give about ‘kids today’ this is what the male Juror Three says:
“‘I’m going to make a man out of you or I’m gonna bust you up into little pieces trying.’ When he was 15 he hit me in the face. He’s big, you know? I haven’t seen him in 3 years. Rotten kid! I hate tough kids! You work your heart out”
Where the female Juror Three says:
“After all I’d said about staying away from those toughs- he goes and joins them! I gave him a whipping he wouldn’t forget! And you know what? When he was fifteen he hit me-a woman- his own mother- in the face! He’s big, you know? I haven’t seen him in 3 years. Maybe I’m better off. A rotten kid! I hate tough kids! You work your heart out”
I’m still pondering the differences between these 2 statements. Both have a certain degree of disappointment and entitlement but the female version feels more personal and is possibly has more manipulative power to the other members of the jury who are all also women and presumably mothers. It also feels more sociopathic for a woman to claim maternal rights while admitting to whipping her child in the same sentence where Juror Three as a man, can be more easily brushed aside as a brute of a man.
Anyway, this is just one example that stood out to me but suffice it to say the differences between the two scripts are fascinating and if you can see both versions I highly recommend it. Both productions at Regalo are directed by Michael Carrasco and he has assembled 24 actors who are on a professional quality level. Because this is a one-room show it is an actor’s showcase and Carrasco smartly let’s these talented individuals tell this story and tell it well.
The set designed by Carrasco is simple with a table, a fan that doesn’t work and 2 windows with a cityscape visible outside. We also have a framed picture of President Dwight D Eisenhower letting us know this is happening in the 1950s. We can also see that in the costumes with the suits of the men and the dresses of the women (costumes by Colleen Carrasco, hair and makeup by Hannah Anderson.)
As I said, this play is an actor’s showcase and in particular Jurors Three and Ten get the most bombastic rage-filled dialogue and all 4 Regalo performers are excellent. For the women, I’d say Serene Parker as Juror Three gives the standout performance of the cast. There was something about her going from being the woman crocheting to threatening to kill another woman that was quite mesmerizing. Juror Three for the men is played by Kyle Baugh, and he is captivating as well. Matthieu Kohl and Elizabeth Ludwig chew the scenery as Juror Ten with Kohl able to be more physically dominating especially given he is seated next to the aged Juror Nine played by Robert Bahr and soft-spoken immigrant Juror Eleven played by Jakob Tice (he has a reveal I won’t spoil that is quite moving which is different in the female production.)
Of course, the main takeaway from 12 Angry Men focuses on Juror Eight. He or she has the guts to stand alone at the beginning of the deliberations. This can make this character feel a little preachy or a paragon of virtue, but I didn’t feel that way with either of the Juror Eights we had at Regalo. I particularly loved a moment where Sarah Neipp practically tears up saying “This is a man’s life.” BJ Oldroyd is also great as Juror Eight, and he felt a little bit less of an outsider amongst the other men than Juror Eight did with the women.
As I watched both casts I wondered how I would have voted. Some of the jurors particularly Juror Six and Juror Two seem to switch their votes with ease depending on who is making the argument. In contrast you have Juror Seven and Juror Twelve who seem annoyed by the entire process and having to be involved at all. The Foreman, Juror Four and Juror Eight seem the most academic and rigorous in their approaches to the case (I especially enjoyed Craig Gardner as Juror Seven particularly the way he moved around the stage.)
I truly believe seeing 12 Angry Men is a rite of passage every theatre fan needs to see, and you couldn’t have a better example of this classic play than these incredible actors are putting on at Regalo. Whichever version you see I hope you make time for it as you won’t regret it. It’s regional theatre at its best. The production is being put on at the Hive Collaborative and the casts alternate each night with the last performance being the Women on Oct 24th. Tickets can be purchased here.
12 Angry Men is a play written by Reginald Rose based on his screenplay for the 1957 film. It debuted in the West End in 1964 but not on Broadway until 2004where it was nominated for 3 Tony Awards.
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.
Hi theatre friends! I hope you are doing well. Sorry this log is late. I’ve just been so busy with my trip to Toronto and everything else plus I’ve been writing full reviews for most of what I see so it’s been delayed. Anyway, here are a few quick thoughts on what I didn’t get to review. This log will be even more brief than my usual logs because I have long since lost the digital playbills of these shows and a bunch of them were rewatches so I have full reviews for you to read at your leisure.
First up I want to talk about West Side Story at Draper Historic. This was an ambitious show for this company to try and mount and for the most part I feel they succeeded. The most interesting choice was having a bilingual and multi-racial cast with Yunnie Kim playing Anita and other cast members appearing to be Filipino or Asian backgrounds. This is not blind casting as they do add in dialogue with Asian slurs along with the anti-latino rhetoric thrown at the Sharks. I’m not sure it all 100% works particularly for Anita who is singing about Puerto Rico and her island home but I appreciate the swing and trying something new. Also, the dance was outstanding with them filling up the stage with movement. Gabriella Zuniga was also strong as Maria with Cade Marshall as Tony. This production has finished but they have Little Shop of Horrors coming up next, which should be a nice change of pace from the intensity of West Side Story. Tickets can be purchased here.
The next grouping is all shows I have reviewed or logged previously on this site. I saw them again as part of playing host to my friend Jacklyn Collier who is also my co-host for the Onstage Blog Theatre Podcast (see above for the episode.) Because her time was so limited we saw 5 shows in 2 days which was pretty epic. In addition to seeing the shows the talent for almost all of them greeted us and we even got to participate with the cast preshow meeting at Hopebox and get a behind the scenes tour of Hale Center Theatre. It was a wonderful weekend I will never forget. So here’s what happened:
First up we saw Joseph... at Hale Center Theatre. This was the same cast as I saw for my review (I’m going to see it again with my sisters and see the other cast.) While I have my critiques of the direction it’s still a ton of fun and delivers on the spectacle you want from Hale. Jacks was blown away by it which was fun to see her response. Joseph plays until October 24th and tickets can be purchased here.
Next, we saw Anything Goes at Hopebox. Like I said, this was neat because they invited us into their cast meeting and I got to see the other cast with Lindsey Stephens as Reno and Savannah Ruiz as Hope. Daylen Bills played Billy in both casts and was delightful. The whole cast was great and I’m so glad I got to see it a second time. The most impressive aspect was the amount of dancing packed into that small space. If this was in Draper I probably would have seen it even more. That’s how much I enjoyed it. Hopebox has Cinderella next and I will be seeing that this weekend. Tickets can be purchased here.
The next morning we saw Pride and Prejudice at The Ruth. This was the same cast as I reviewed except for we had the understudy for Darcy played by Dustin Farmley. He was great and managed to have chemistry with Lauren Pope which can be challenging sometimes with understudies. I did get to see Elena Belen Shill as Lizzy and she is also commanding in the role. I know they say it is only 2 hours and 20 minutes which would have worked perfect for our 3 show day but we didn’t get out until almost 3 hours making us late for the next show but it all worked out so that was fine. The addition of Anne Post Fife as a deaf Mrs Bennet adds a fresh new approach to the material that I really enjoyed especially since they just did this show in 2023. Pride and Prejudice plays at The Ruth until November 7th and tickets can be purchased here.
Next we had Cyrano at Parker. We were actually at their last day of performances and because it has 5 acts we arrived at the interlude after Act 1, which was perfect timing. Roger Dunbar is an incredible actor and I loved seeing him as Cyrano again and Russ Maxfield was perfectly cast as the sweet but oafish Christian. I felt proud to show Jacklyn this production as I think it holds up with anything she might see Off-Broadway in New York as far as the acting, fight choreography, production design and overall experience. The Parker has To Kill a Mockingbird next but I won’t be seeing that until October 17th (I’d love to review their shows but no luck so far on that front.) Tickets can be purchased here.
Finally, we saw Curtains at Heritage but I was reviewing that show so there is the full review here. Like I said, it was a weekend I will never forget and I know Jacks feels the same way. Thanks to all who made it so special.
The last show I will quickly log is Noises Off at Scera. I love this play and jump at any chance I have to see it. This production proved to be an interesting experience because the audience felt low energy and were not responding to the slapstick humor. While not perfect the actors were doing a good job with the broad comedy but it was just not landing well with the audience. I was surprised how much this was impacting my enjoyment considering how much I love this play. Fortunately for Act 2 they started to loosen up a bit and by the chaos of Act 3 it was more of a lively audience. My favorite part ofNoises Offis almost always Garry played here with a funny fatigued expression by Carson Davies and the ditsy Brooke played by Chloe Barrus. The set is also very impressive with 2 stories and the double sides that is flipped around for the different acts. This is playing through October 10th and I’d recommend it but hopefully you’ll have a more energetic audience than I did. Tickets can be purchased here.
I also got to attend the opening season event put on by Pioneer Theatre Company. I was honored to be included at that party. Make sure to support their new season here.
West Side Story has music by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim with a book by Sarthur Laurents based on Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat has music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics and book by Tim Rice based on the Biblical story. Anything Goes has music and lyrics by Cole Porter. Pride and Prejudice is based on the novel by Jane Austen with the adaptation penned by Melissa Leilani Larson. Cyrano de Bergerac is a play written by Edmond Rostand in 1897. Noises Off is a play by Michael Frayn written in 1982.
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.
One of the problems I sometimes face as a theatre critic and pundit is my loud and vocal opinions are out widely known and circulated making it difficult for me to approach a show in a new way or have a change of heart about a particular material. I like to think I have an open mind for any show but there are times when I feel like I am fighting back against past me and my big mouth. Such an example of this experience happened on Friday when I got a chance to see the new production of The Addams Familyat The Ruth (in this sense theatre criticism is very different from film because I am unlikely to see films I’m lukewarm on multiple times where that is not the case with theater.) It might sound like hyperbole, but I truly believe this team has crafted the best version of this musical possible (and I’ve seen it many times) but it is one of the best musicals I’ve seen this year in Utah.
The first aspect we have to discuss is the stage design at The Ruth. Director Jennifer Hill-Barlow and scenic designer Kacey Udy have expanded the stage beyond where it normally extends to with seats with tables surrounding it. The actors then interacted with these patrons and moved up and down the rows frequently making the entire experience feel immersive (I know that’s become an over-used buzz word but it’s true in this situation.) Sometimes this stage can feel a little bit like a giant black box but it didn’t with this design. It felt more like a theatre-in-the-round just with a smaller circle.
I also love how choreographer Sayoko Knode Peterson keeps the actors continuously moving throughout each song. The Ruth has become my go-to theatre company when it comes to innovative choreography and The Addams Family is no exception. They even bring movement into the “Full Disclosure” sequence which is a song that I loathe but them not sitting at a table reciting the dialogue made it as tolerable as that slog of a song can be. I also love how the ensemble adds movement to almost every scene in the form of the ancestors who dance in and around what is happening with the characters.
They have seemingly thought of every detail like they even give out little finger lights for “The Moon and Me” so when Fester sings about the Moon we are literally glowing as an audience along with him. Speaking of Fester there’s a reason why they have single casted the role with Joseph Paul Branca. He stole the show and is absolutely hilarious in the role. My pen wasn’t working so I wasn’t able to write down some of his wise cracks but he had us laughing throughout at some pretty-saucy-for-Utah jokes he told along the way. In fact, the entire cast seemed open to ad-lib and sarcastic asides that again make us all feel more invested than the book for this show normally allows.
Another single casted role is Benjamin J Henderson as Gomez and he has fun chemistry with Brittany Sanders as Morticia. He also gets my favorite song from the show “Happy Sad” and sings it with the sincerity the song requires. The cast can also be seen in video that is integrated seamlessly into the show that makes for a very memorable experience.
Now there are aspects of this show that still aren’t my favorite like the Beinekes get way too much time devoted to them but they did all they could to make even them entertaining at The Ruth. My only major critique was why they didn’t make Wednesday’s dress more yellow (it looked off white to my eyes) but that’s a nitpick.
If you are at all considering attending The Addams Family at The Ruth I highly recommend it. Like I said, it is the best version of this musical I have ever seen, and I left feeling way more entertained than I expected to be. The use of choreography and direction is particularly exceptional. It’s a night fit for even an Addams family member! This musical is playing through October 31st and tickets can be purchased here.
The Addams Family has music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa with a book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice base don the comic strip by Charles Addams. It first opened on Broadway in 2010
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.
Back in 2016 I read the printed play for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child and I was underwhelmed. The story with Albus and Scorpius was weak and the plot point of Voldemort having a daughter makes no sense. Here is my review from that read (at the time I was reviewing all the movies on my channel)
With such weak source material I was honestly surprised when the Broadway production came out to rave reviews concluding with it winning 6 Tony awards including Best Play (in 2018.) Then the high school edition became available and while I loved the teens I was again not the biggest fan of the play itself (particularly the run time.)
The whole time this was all happening friends and family kept telling me ‘the Broadway spectacle is unbelievable’ and insisting I would like it when I saw the professional production.
Well, now I have seen the national tour and…
They are mostly right. The spectacle really is amazing to watch.
The production of this national tour is directed by John Tiffany and the way the set combines physical set pieces like staircases and frames with projection videos is seamless and magical. I’ve heard the Broadway stage is even more immersive but they bring out the best of the Eccles for this national tour experience (set design by Christine Jones and video by Finn Ross and Ash J Woodward.) But what really impressed even more than the big spectacle was the smaller visual effects. When fire would come out of a wand or people would transform into another person it almost feels like actual magic is happening before your eyes (illusions by Jamie Harrison.) I don’t know how they pull off certain effects like shooting fire across the stage multiple times!
Fortunately these visual effects are constant enough that it allows us to forget about the bland and uninteresting story they picked for some unknown reason for Harry’s son Albus to go through in this sequel. The fact this tale is 6 hours in London makes me want to die. I will definitely never be reviewing that version. I can promise you that much.
As weak as I think the story is I do actually think the teen versions are a little more poignant in selling the emotions of the father/son dynamic between Harry and Albus. Being actual teenagers I feel their pain a little more acutely than I did with the national tour. I also felt the actors playing Albus (Adam Grant Morrison) and Scorpius (David Fine) are a little shouty in delivering their lines. While this makes sense for the action sequences it was harder to be invested in the performances in what should be softer more tender moments. I wanted to say stop shouting and just talk. The rest of the cast is entertaining and up for the physical demands of the long show but my favorite is probably Ryan Hallahan as Draco Malfoy and Katherine Leask as Professor McGonagall.
I did attend the play with a friend who is a die-hard Harry Potter fan, and she liked it but agreed about the weaknesses of the story. Like I said, it is more a play to be enjoyed for the spectacle of it and the immersive experience rather than for the story or profundity of the message. I suppose your mileage may vary depending on how much you enjoy theatrical spectacle. I had a fun time but I think it’s a one-and-done experience for me and unless teens ask me to see their new productions I will probably check Cursed Child off of my theater bucket list and be done with it. Let me know if you see it what you think. It is playing at the Eccles through October 11th and tickets can be purchased here.
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is written by Jack Thorne with a story by J.K. Rowling, Thorne and John Tiffany based on the Harry Potter novels by Rowling. It first premiered in 2016 in London with a Broadway production in 2018. That production was a two-parter over 6 hours in length which is still running in London. The current Broadway production is just under 2 hours like the national tour production I saw.
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.
