reviews

Centerpoint brings a shattered honesty to Dear Evan Hansen (Review)

| Rachel's Reviews

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.

The Devil has never been as fun as in ‘Possessive: The Musical’ (Review)

| Rachel's Reviews

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.

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

| Rachel's Reviews

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

If you enjoy my writing and would like me to review your production I’d love to. I also have a patreon which is a great way to support my shorter logs for shows I don’t get to review. I have some really fun perks like bonus episodes, patron polls and monthly Q&As with actors, directors and writers. Please take a look here.

Enter the club, witness a legend at Lady Day… at The Grand (Review)

| Rachel's Reviews

I would never consider myself a jazz aficionado but I am familiar with the work of legendary singer Billie Holiday. She lived from 1915 to 1959 when she passed away at the age of 44. The musical Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill takes us into one of the singer’s last performances and the good folks at The Grand have fashioned this musical into a truly immersive night of theatre.

First of all, director Toni Byrd has taken the back of the stage at The Grand and made a small black box environment I’ve only seen one other time at The Grand when I saw Assassins there years ago. As the name would suggest usually The Grand is a large booming space so it was a refreshing surprise to have such an intimate environment, and I hope they do this type of space more often. With this production they try and make the Emerson Bar and Grill club Holiday is performing on down to the marque outside the entrance. There are also tables where some got drinks adding to the club atmosphere. Scenic designer is Keven Myhre.

Even though the material can be quite sad, as Holiday is inebriated and sharing some tragic experiences, I actually think Lady Day would make for a good date night show. It’s short and the songs are mostly sultry and romantic. Could easily see the musical and then go to a nice dinner after. It’d be fantastic!

Of course, the atmosphere can only get you so far. The performance has to work for a small basically one-singer show to be successful and fortunately The Grand has scored with one of the best performances in Utah of the year by Noelani Brown as Holiday. Myles Anthony Mann plays her accompanist Jimmy Powers and he is great on the piano but it is Brown that shines in this challenging role. At first I felt she was a little bit too stuck to the microphone. I still think someone like her would have played the crowd a little more. However, she’s also clearly intoxicated and knowing that she died not far after it starts to make sense. We certainly see her spiral as the musical commences (it’s easy to see why Audra McDonald won her 6th Tony Award for this role. I’m sure that was incredible to see but Brown holds her own at The Grand.)

There is no intermission to Lady Day which helps us stay in the moment as Holiday unravels throughout the night while still singing some of her classics. The highlights are “Strange Fruit,” “What a Little Moonlight Can Do” and “God Bless the Child.” It’s too bad we couldn’t have a had a little jazz trio along with the pianist but maybe that would have taken away from the intimate feeling they are going for.

Still Brown gives such an emotionally true portrayal of a jazz legend at the end of her ropes that it quicky becomes one of the highlights of the Utah theatre year. I also really appreciate that The Grand is always pushing audiences with a variety of shows, many including this one that I have never seen live before. It is playing at until Sept 26th and tickets can be purchased here.

Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill is written by Lanie Robertson. It is based on the experience of creators watching Billie Holiday performing at Emerson’s Ball and Grill in Philadelphia. It first premiered in Atlanta in 1986 and Off-Broadway also in 1986. It premiered on Broadway in 2014 winning Audra McDonald her 6th Tony Award. Even though it has lots of songs it was actually considered a play with music and so she won the Tony for Best Actress in a Play.

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.

Curtains brings the mystery and fun to Heritage (Review)

| Rachel's Reviews

Everyone knows I love a genre specific musical. For example, some of my favorite recent musicals have been in the horror genre such as Evil Dead: The Musical and Heathers. I also love comedies, mysteries and of course romances. However, I also enjoy musicals that can manage to be mashups of several genres. This keeps me guessing as an audience member and can be a lot of fun to watch. Such is the case with the musical Curtains, which I finally got a chance to see at Heritage Theater this weekend. I love Heritage, and this is another charming night of community theater from them.

The story of Curtains is ostensibly a murder mystery but it becomes more than that because all the crime and detective work occurs behind the scenes of a Broadway musical being put on in Boston. The musical in question is called Robbin’ Hood of the Old West and this gives an old fashioned quality to any of the songs that are part of the show within a show such as “Wide Open Spaces,” “Thataway,” and “In the Same Boat” (the latter which we hear 4 different times throughout the show.) Then we have the songs about the crimes and investigation like “He Did It,” and “The Man is Dead.” Finally we have the songs about the company members themselves such as “Show People” and “It’s a Business.” One of my favorites is “I Miss the Music” sung by the show composer Aaron who misses writing with his wife Georgia.

As you can see Curtains has a lot going on so director Lindy Combe wisely keeps the production as simple as possible. I love that Heritage still uses all handmade where so many companies their size are using projections and AI. I also like that they use the entire space into the audience to help tell the story. I could have used even more of that to be honest. My favorite setpiece (set designer Jess Tarbet) was probably the old west saloon backdrop for “Thataway.” This uniquely captures not just a saloon but a saloon in a Broadway musical like Annie Get Your Gun.

In some ways this musical is ideal for community theaters because it gives so much for both the ensemble and individual soloists to do. The cast at Heritage is led by Spot Beecher as Lt Frank Cioffi and he’s a lot of fun in the role. Other standouts are Ali Arbuckle as Carmen Bernstein and R Henry Bennett IV as the snooty British director Christopher Belling. The nice thing about a show like Curtains is most of the songs are within the grasp of an amateur company and they sing them well here.

I’m not sure what the folks at Heritage could have done because the transitions were pretty fast but the show did feel long. That said, I was also at the end of a 2 day, 5 show, marathon event with my friend Jacks in town, so fatigue in Act 2 may be more on me than them. There are times when the backtrack felt a little loud and overpowered the singers and like I said, they could have come out into the audience even more. In the end, however, I found Curtains to be a charming night of community theater. I’m grateful to Heritage for helping me check this show off of my bucket list. It is playing through September 12th and tickets can be purchased here.

Curtains is a musical with music by John Kander (who also wrote Chicago and Cabaret) and lyrics by Kander, Fred Ebb and Rupert Holmes. Holmes wrote the book based on the original book and concept by playwright Peter Stone. It first premiered on Broadway in 2007 and on the West End in 2019. David Hyde Pierce infamously won the Best Actor Tony for Curtains over Raul Esparza which I will never forgive the Tonys for…

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 might make a habit of seeing ‘Nunsense’ at Springville Playhouse (Review)

| Rachel's Reviews

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.

Hunchback officially takes Terrace Plaza to the next level of local theatre (Review)

| Rachel's Reviews

If you follow my theatre criticism you have heard me use the term “learning company.” This is the moniker I give to community theaters that are more places for education than anything else and they often wear their amateur status on their sleeve. I always say there has to be one place where people can try out the theater without needing an MFA here in Utah. For a long time I would have definitely included Beverley’s Terrace Plaza Playhouse in that learning company group. I’m not even saying there’s anything wrong with that. It’s just what it was for a long time. But this is why you always give companies new opportunities because over the last year I’ve seen a real change at Terrace Plaza. It started with Urinetown, then Freaky Friday was solid and this week their production of Disney’s Hunchback of Notre Dame is so good it may bump them out of the learning company group all together.

In fact, I have a friend who had not the best experience with one of Terrace Plaza’s shows, and I messaged her after seeing this and told her she’d like it. I wouldn’t have done that if I wasn’t confident she’d have a very different experience with this production.

Last year when West Valley Arts did Hunchback I discovered I am a bigger fan of this show in general than a lot of my friends. I admit I do give it a certain amount of credit because it is one of the only of these Disney shows that actually improves upon the animated film it is based on. Most of them are major downgrade especially Mary Poppins and The Little Mermaid. I love how they balanced the tone better than the animated film (getting rid of “A Guy Like You” and adding the Saint Aphrodisius element are such smart upgrades) but they also develop the character motivations much better particularly for Count Frollo.

At Terrace Plaza director and choreographer Aaron Ford has taken this strong material and gathered a group of actors and technicians capable of pulling off the moving story. Quasimodo played by Cameron Ropp is a little smaller than I sometimes see the character but he is very sweet and endearing. Olivia Lusk-Garibay is captivating as Esmeralda. I especially love the red outfit they give her so that when Frollo sings “Hellfire” she literally looks like fire as she dances. That was a brilliant choice by costume designer Jacci Olsen Florence. Speaking of Frollo he is played by Joshua Elden Egbert who is always excellent and he continues that streak here. He is so commanding in the role that the lady sitting next to me whispered “he’s such a creep!” Of course Josh is no creep in real life but that’s how immersive the performance is.

Sometimes Terrace Plaza can underuse the top parts of their stage (that was a critique for Freaky Friday) but for Hunchback they used those areas a lot. The bells looked very real and they used the trapdoor by the bells basically turning the right part of the stage and that platform into Quasimodo’s tower. I also really liked the stained glass lighting feature they had which changed colors for different scenes (lighting designer Melissa Trenery.) This is a nice break from the projections they have been using lately. I don’t mind a projection but will almost always prefer handmade sets if possible.

One of my favorite aspects of this production is the ensemble work- particularly the choral music throughout. The choreography is also very well executed with a massive cast with dozens of actors all dancing together on the stage for numbers like “Topsy Turvy.” I really enjoyed Dre Hay as Clopin, who can be a confusing character because he is joyous but also judgmental and even harsh but Hay finds the right energy to sell the character. Ricky Dowse has a nerdy energy that works quite well for Captain Phoebus and they all have excellent singing voices.

One point I have been critical of some Hunchback productions in the past is when they overplay the afterlife sequence at the end. While it makes sense for Quasimodo to lose his hunch in the after life it can be handled in a cringeworthy way. Not so here. I like that it is just a quick moment, almost like removing a coat, and the focus is quickly on his reunification with Esmeralda and his father. I also like how they handle the ending with the molten ore actually visualizing it with fabric coming out of the caldron. They really think of everything for this production.

There were a few problems particularly with the microphones and sound mix that can be worked on (I saw opening night) but nothing major. I enjoyed this so much I’d consider seeing the MWF cast if I can get up there (it’s an hour from my house.) Recently we had the unfortunate news of OPPA closing up in Layton so we need to support these Northern Utah theatre companies especially when they are putting out such high quality shows as this Hunchback at Terrace Plaza. It’s a must see in Weber County and is playing until 9/29 and tickets can be purchased here. (I had someone ask me about the seats and they are not the most comfortable but they do have cushions available for free which can help.)

The Hunchback of Notre Dame is based on the 1996 Disney animated film with music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz. The film is of course based on the novel by Victor Hugo. The book for the musical is from James Lapine and Peter Parnell. It has not been on Broadway but it did recently have a popular concert version in the West End in London. In my opinion it’s one of the only Disney Broadway musicals that actually improves upon the animated films.

If you enjoy my writing and would like me to review your production I’d love to. I also have a patreon which is a great way to support my shorter logs for shows I don’t get to review. I have some really fun perks like bonus episodes, patron polls and monthly Q&As with actors, directors and writers. Please take a look here.

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

| Rachel's Reviews

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I need your help!  If you enjoy my writing and would like me to review your production I’d love to. I also have a patreon which is a great way to support my shorter logs for shows I don’t get to review. I have some really fun perks like bonus episodes, patron polls and monthly Q&As with actors, directors and writers. Please take a look  here.

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

| Rachel's Reviews

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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