reviews

‘NEXT TO NORMAL’ IS ANYTHING BUT NORMAL AT HART (REVIEW)

| Rachel's Reviews

There are some musicals that are entertaining and there are others that are enriching. What I mean by that is some are a fun escape from your problems but others are a grueling look into those problems. Next to Normal is definitely the latter. It’s deep dive into mental illness and the effects it has on a family are brutal but not without value. Suffice it to say it’s not a musical I can watch every day but I’m glad when I get the chance to see it (I’ve seen it 3 times in recent years.) The most recent production I saw was at Hart Theatre Company at the Regent Street Black Box and it was an outstanding show. Unfortunately I saw it closing night but it cemented Hart as one of the top 3 theatre companies working in Utah today and an amazing bang for your buck.

If you haven’t seen it Next to Normal tells the story of Diana, a woman with severe bipolar disorder and how that illness impacts her husband Dan and daughter Natalie. At Hart Diana is played with great passion and skill by Natalia Noble. Sam Torres is Natalie but the performance I most appreciated is Benjamin Henderson as Dan. Some other interpretations I’ve seen have been rather one-note on Dan. Painting him as some kind of patriarchal beast but I felt director Chase Ramsey and Henderson’s performance brought as much humanity to Dan as they could. After all, he is trying to keep his vows and love a rather unlovable person. He is dishonest with her and completely out of his depths in dealing with her condition but it is a character I feel a lot of sympathy for in spite of his flaws (would most of us do much better? That’s the power in the play to make you ask these questions.)

Being in a small black box it’s remarkable how much Hart was able to do in the space including having a full live band (conductor/piano Nicholas Maughan). They also have the 2-story set with rope lighting that is traditional with Next to Normal. My favorite visual moment of the show was “Wish I Were Here” to open act 2. The lighting and dance (lighting design Michael Gray) used to portray both shock therapy and drug addiction was arresting to say the least and very well executed by Torres and Noble.

Joseph Paul Branca plays the son Gabe and he has a terrific singing voice for some of the best songs like “I’m Alive” and “I’ve Been” (which Henderson was also mesmerizing in.) I don’t think there is any relation but Branca and Noble actually looked a lot like which helped make things feel all the more real. The interesting thing about Noble’s performance is I started to resent her as the story goes on. Resent her for what she’s doing to her family and marriage and I haven’t really felt that when seeing Next to Normal before. I think this is intentional and something that made me think about how we judge people who are suffering. Can we only feel compassion for likable people? When she makes her choice at the end of the piece you feel relieved for Natalie and Dan (and even Diana) and I don’t know that I’ve had quite that response to the end of this show before. It left me pondering long after I left the theater.

The other question that’s interesting in Next to Normal is if our pain is debilitating is it better we forget it? There’s no easy answers to such questions but I appreciated Hart Company for helping me ask them with their arresting production. It’s too bad this run has completed but as I said earlier keep Hart on your radar as next up is another compelling show about marriage- The Last Five Years. More information can be found here.

Next to Normal premiered on broadway in 2009 and has music by Tom Kitt, book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey,

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

UTAH THEATRE LOG 2/21-3/7 (PERSUASION, JC SUPERSTAR, GUYS AND DOLLS) (RACHEL’S THEATRE LOG 110)

| Rachel's Reviews

Hi theatre friends! I am about to set off to Austin Texas this week for SXSW film festival but before I do so I want to give my quick thoughts on 3 live productions I was able to see as a patron. Please let me know what you have been watching:

PERSUASION- PARKER THEATRE, SALT LAKE CITY

I feel very fortunate to be able to enjoy The Parker Theatre and their special brand of period-themed productions they offer my community. I have enjoyed almost everything they have put on including their annual Jane Austen entry (they’ve done Emma, Pride and Prejudice and now Persuasion.) This Persuasion is probably my least favorite of their Austen adaptations but I still enjoyed it.

What impressed me the most about this adaptation by Kaitlyn & Jennifer Hohl (Jennifer is the director) is how much humor they were able to get out of this story. Aside from Mary, it’s not an Austen novel I associate with a lot of humor but I think that was entertaining and kept enough in the spirit of the novel to not be a problem (I know other audience members that found it more jarring which I can understand.) Speaking of Mary she is the highlight of the cast with a hilarious performance from McKelle Shaw.

Madeline Thatcher and Daniel Frederickson have nice chemistry as Anne and Wentworth but one of the challenges of Persuasion is the two lovers aren’t together very much in the story. The version I saw of this at Snow College gets around this problem by having 2 couples cast as a young and old Anne and Wentworth but as this is already a mammoth cast I know that isn’t always possible. Still does present a challenge the adaptation wasn’t fully able to overcome.

There was also a problem the night I attended of a very overheated theatre that made the nearly 3 hour production tough to sit through. I’m not sure what happened but I felt bad for the actors sweating and everyone was getting very antsy. The things we do for theatre! This production of Persuasion finishes it’s run tomorrow 3/8 but I highly recommend getting tickets to the Parker. It is a gem of Utah theatre and even their weaker entries are worth seeing. Their next production is The Sting and you can find more information here. (I say mixed bag just because of the heat and it is my least favorite of the Austen plays they’ve done.)

JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR- THE GRAND THEATRE, SALT LAKE CITY

Over the last few years I’ve had the chance to see a number of religious themed musicals including Godspell, Children of Eden and more. One I had never seen, however, is Jesus Christ Superstar but I had the opportunity to see it at The Grand Theatre at SLCC this week, and I found it to be a very intriguing experience.

Obviously this rock opera version of the Christ story is not going to fit into what we see in most traditional church services but hopefully a different setting will help viewers to see the story in a new way. It certainly did so for me. I was very impressed with the live band The Grand had and how director Anne Stewart Mark used the large stage to its fully capacity- even creating layers of choreography with multi-tiered scaffolding for the performers (Jessica Pace choreographer.)

The musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber (music) and Tim Rice (lyrics) clips along at a brisk pace which was a pleasant surprise and helps the proceedings from feeling heavy-handed. Michael Scott Johnson is outstanding as Jesus with a beautiful tenor voice and the ensemble is very strong. Some of the other leads I didn’t think were as strong vocally but not enough to derail the production.

Act II with “Gethsemane” and “Trial By Pilate/Thirty-Nine Lashes” pull no punches and were quite brutal to get through (appropriately so.) It’s no accident they have a Blood Consultant listed in the program (Arika Shockmel) because each lashing and punch felt very real. It might be too much for some viewers but I found it to be quite moving and left me thinking for days after the experience. Jesus Christ Superstar is playing at The Grand until March 22nd and I think it is definitely worth your time. Tickets can be purchased here.

GUYS AND DOLLS- IDEAL PLAYHOUSE, HEBER

I will only say a few words about Guys and Dolls at Ideal Playhouse in Heber because I have already done a full review here. The first time I saw it was at a preview night, which they were kind enough to let me view (I had planned on seeing it opening night but a family commitment came up, and they were kind enough to let me sit in the dress rehearsal.) However, since I didn’t get to see it in a finished form I wanted to see it again, and I had the chance tonight.

This production is what I love to see from community theatre. It’s energetic with mostly young performers doing their best with lively choreography and charismatic leads. I saw Brittany Smith again as Adelaide and she’s fantastic with Eddie Ryan as a young but charming Sky Masterson. I also really enjoyed all the gangsters again with Nathaniel Gay doing a wonderful “Sit Down You’re Rocking the Boat”

Guys and Dolls is such a fun show and the full-theatre projections add a special touch to the production at Ideal. This is a new company and I just love what they are doing there. The musical is playing through March 15th and tickets can be purchased here.

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.

‘LES MISERABLES’ NATIONAL TOUR IS FINE BUT NO MASTER OF THE HOUSE…(REVIEW)

| Rachel's Reviews

Anyone who has followed my content for any amount of time knows how much I love and adore the musical Les Miserables. I realize it is beloved by many and I am by no means unique in this love but there it is. Les Miserables was the first musical I ever loved and it’s just one of those shows that even a bad rendition is still Les Miserables (I’m talking to you Hollywood movie…) Anyway, I certainly wouldn’t say the current national tour playing at Eccles through March 15th is bad. It has many positive attributes. I do, however, find many of its choices to be misguided and I’ve seen local productions that are significantly better.

The biggest standout of this production of Les Miserables is in the projections by Finn Ross and Fifty-Nine Productions. I know some roll their eyes when they hear projections but this is a case of it being used to enhance the storytelling not detract. The most effective example is when Jean Valjean is saving Marius through the sewer and it really helps transform us to that setting. I also enjoyed most of the performers with Christian Mark Gibbs as Enjolras and Victoria Huston-Elem as Madame Thénardier being the best of the cast.

Because I found Enjolras to be so strong the highlight of the night was “Do You Hear the People Sing?” which is every bit the rousing anthem one wants it to be as is “One Day More” which send us into the intermission inspired and excited. Everything one loves about Les Miserables is here and that will always provide great enjoyment for the viewer.

Now I admit some of my critiques of the night are on the nitpicky side but when you’ve seen a show as many times as I’ve seen Les Miserables that’s to be expected. At the end of the day it’s still Les Miserables, and I still love it flaws and all.

Unfortunately director Laurence Connor and James Powell make some strange choices. The biggest amongst these being having no tables and chairs in “Empty Chairs at Empty Tables.” It would be one thing if it was an experimental production with lots of abstract imagery but it’s not so for the emotional heart of the musical to all the sudden become minimalist is bizarre and distracting.

Other odd choices is having Javert (played by a very good Nick Rehberger) have long flowing hair which looked like out of a 80’s hair band. Also Cosette’s dresses were all too short making it feel like it was the understudy stepping in last minute and not Delaney Guyer in the role. Speaking of Guyer I found her baby-voiced performance for Cosette to be strange and off-putting.

Nick Cartell is good as Jean Valjean particularly in Act II but early on he seemed too young to have been a prisoner for 19 years. He’s too clean shaven and fresh faced to be our weary and bitter parolee. His wig in act II was also a little sloppy and could be better. Another weird performance choice is Matt Crowle as Thénardier. He sounds like he’s Thénardier by way of New Jersey. There were times when it seemed like he was doing a Nathan Lane impression which is very odd for a French innkeeper.

Some of the lighting was also strangely done like in the battle at the barricade that felt more like a rock concert than Les Miserables (although I did like that the gun powder pyrotechnics produced actual smells of real flames.) That is an immersive touch. I also think if you are going to have projections why not have rain projected in “A Little Fall of Rain?” That seems like a missed opportunity!

In the end, Les Miserables is a musical masterpiece and there is much to enjoy in this national tour. If you head over to Eccles you’ll probably have a good time. It’s just got some flaws that kept me from gushing over it. It’s playing through March 15th and tickets can be purchased here.

Les Miserables contains music by Claude-Michel Schönberg, lyrics by Herubet Kretzmer with original text by Alain Boubil and Jean-Marc Natel based on the Victor Hugo novel.

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.

‘ANYTHING GOES’ AT SGMT IS DELIGHTFUL (REVIEW)

| Rachel's Reviews

The second show that I saw on my quick St George trip was Anything Goes at St George Musical Theatre. They were kind enough to let me review the show on closing night and to bring both my aunt and uncle to the show. I wish I could have gotten down there sooner because what a fun piece of community theatre. I will definitely be back and see more of their quality performances.

The truth is I don’t know why more community theaters don’t do Anything Goes. This screwball comedy with music and lyrics by Cole Porter is funny and romantic with lots of ensemble numbers, spaces for choreography and enough leads to give lots of actors experience they might not otherwise get.

The cast at SGMT is led by Brennan Walters as Moonface Martin. He is a real scene stealer and it is obvious the whole cast is feeding off of his energy. I saw the Porter cast so Shellie Thomas was my Reno, Pierce Robison was Billy and Averi Jackson is Hope. They were all excellent but the real standout was Paige Kennedy as Erma with “Buddie, Beware” being one of the best numbers of the evening.

Nobody sees to Anything Goes for the plot. It’s all about the singing and dancing. At SGMT director Cristin Mortenson Tillinghast and choreographer Nicole Hadley get all they can out of the small space they have to work with. The 2 best numbers of the night are “Anything Goes” and “Blow, Gabriel Blow” where the audience is surrounded by singing and dancing and one can’t help but smile.

Especially for a small community theater the costumes by Staci Martin are a real standout. Whether it is the red dresses for “Blow, Gabriel Blow” or the white sailor inspired looks throughout the amount of time and care that went into each look including headpieces and period appropriate shoes did not go unnoticed. It adds to the immersion when such an attention to detail is paid in a musical like Anything Goes.

One of my favorite parts of Anything Goes at SGMT was the terrific comic timing of the whole cast. I especially loved David Leishman’s broad over-the-top take on Evelyn Oakley and “The Gypsy in Me” was a highlight even if the lyrics are a bit outdated. Other standout numbers include “I Get a Kick Out of You,” “It’s De-Lovely” and “You’re the Top.”

Like I said, I saw Anything Goes on closing night so there isn’t any more opportunities to see it but they have Man of La Mancha coming up so if you’re in the St George area definitely get yourself a ticket to SGMT. As with any piece of community theatre there were flaws with this production of Anything Goes but what they get right they really get right making for a delightful night of entertainment. I really enjoyed myself and can hopefully get down to St George to see more from them again soon. Tickets and more information can be found here.

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

‘WAIT UNTIL DARK’ DELIVERS THE THRILLS AT STAGE DOOR IN ST GEORGE (REVIEW)

| Rachel's Reviews

In the last few years I have tried to push myself when it comes to horror/thriller theatre. Recently I have seen such productions in the genre as Heathers: The Musical, Evil Dead: The Musical and Misery. All of these were outstanding experiences but the thriller I keep coming back to as my favorite is Wait Until Dark. This play written by Frederick Knott in 1966 may just be a perfect piece of theater. Perfectly paced, perfect characterization, perfect thrills (you get the idea.) So I was thrilled when I found out Stage Door Theater in St George (a company I’ve been wanting to check out for some time) was putting on Wait Until Dark while I was going to be in town for a quick trip. To my delight this is such a great production that anyone open for some thrilling entertainment will love.

The biggest aspect that makes this show work is the incredible cast. All are at the top of their game with Coy Andrew Shinn Jr standing out in a big and over-the-top take on the sinister Roat. Rebecca Wright is terrific as the blind lead protagonist Susan Hendrix and Aria Williams is very good as the young Gloria.

The strong cast is carefully directed by Trey Paterson with all the elements coming together to create peak suspense. He and scenic designer Joshua Scott have created a gritty-looking apartment with a window that allows for shadows of the people passing it to become an integral part of the story. We also get the set sufficiently dark when it needs to be and the bedroom doors are situated just right to allow for our big jump scare to give maximum impact.

Granted Wait Until Dark is almost always an easy win for me. I really do think it is a perfectly crafted play from Frederick Knott but if you are in the St George area I highly recommend this production from The Stage Door. It’s a real treat for the performances alone. Don’t miss it! It is playing through March 8th and tickets can be purchased here.

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

‘TALE OF TWO CITIES: LIVE IN CONCERT’ IS SPECTACULAR IN OGDEN (REVIEW)

| Rachel's Reviews

There are times when I think the non-Utah readers of my site think I am being hyperbolic with the quality of the productions in my state but I just wish they could all experience how good so many of them are and they’d see the truth in my praise. Such an example of an outstanding production is A Tale of Two Cities: Live in Concert that is currently running at the Egyptian Theater in Ogden by Ogden Musical Theatre. This is the second production I have seen from them with Aida being good but not great but this one truly blew me away.

Unlike Aida this is a musical I have never seen before and am largely unfamiliar with. I’d actually heard disparaging things about it and that it’s a ‘copy of Les Miserables‘ but I’d just never had the chance to see it. When I found out this was a concert experience I was concerned I’d struggle to follow along but I have read the book by Charles Dickens and they still acted out most of the scenes just didn’t have sets and costumes like a traditional play (all the actors are in black.) They do have projections in the background to set tone which I liked when it was real paintings better than when it was AI drawings but it was effective.

This production is directed by Maddie Tarbox and the large orchestra is directed by Michael Palumbo, and it’s an amazing experience to be a part of. The orchestra is outstanding and the cast is as good as anything you’d see in New York. The whole night I kept thinking this entire production could be done at Lincoln Center and I wouldn’t find it out of place one bit. You’d never expect to find something on that level in Ogden.

Kyle Olsen leads the cast as Sydney Carton with Jessica Knowles Andrus being the other standout as Madame Defarge but honestly they are all great. Not only do they have professional quality voices but they sold the scenes for someone like myself that is unfamiliar with the work.

While this is my first time seeing this show I didn’t feel like it is Les Miserables-light. I can see some similarities in their revolutionary stories but it’s much more of a romantic love triangle than Les Miserables which really only has that for the secondary characters Marius/Cossette/Eponine. If anything Jill Santoriello in her book, music and lyrics have improved on some characters from the novel like Lucie is less of a damsel in distress and has more of a narrative arc through the musical.

The musical does feel a little bloated but all the performances are so captivating and the music so outstanding that I was entertained throughout. A Tale of Two Cities: Live in Concert is playing in Ogden through March 1st and I can’t recommend it more highly. Tickets can be purchased here.

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

‘HADESTOWN: TEEN EDITION’ IS WAY UP FOR THE TEENS AT SKYRIDGE (REVIEW)

| Rachel's Reviews

I don’t know if I have seen anything quite like the phenomenon that has become the Hadestown: Teen Edition. At least here in Utah it is being performed everywhere. This is my 3rd review in just a few months and there are multiple productions I have not seen. The interesting thing is when I saw Hadestown on Broadway I was in the liked it but didn’t love it camp. I never expected I would become a mini-expert on the teen edition! That said, I am here for it because this show gives so much opportunity for the students to grow and provides ample space for lots of teens to become involved whether it is the large ensemble scenes or the technical and music elements that are a part of the show. Yesterday I had the chance to see the production at Skyridge High School and it was another outstanding trip to the underworld.

Of the 3 teen productions I’ve seen this one at Skyridge is the most simple with minimal props and simple sets but I was fine with that. Director John Brown has clearly worked hard with his team to involve as many students as possible with nearly 50 members of the two-part ensemble alone. The set is also simple but it looked homemade by the students and that’s what I like to see. The electric aspect of Hadestown was featured in stadium lights behind the actors and some of the Workers wearing miner headlights. The ‘tech theatre class’ is credited in the set design and construction and that is awesome and they should all be commended for their hard work. I also really appreciate the live band and the sound work microphoning almost everyone in the ensemble is no small task.

The cast of teens is excellent with AnnaBelle Taylor and Alexander Hsiao standing out as Persephone and Hades respectively. Taylor brings a hopeful spirit to Persephone one doesn’t always see and Hsiao nails all those low notes and the wicked charm needed for Hades. Claire Allen and Daxter Jones are also outstanding as Eurydice and Orpheus respectively. All the Chants and Epic numbers are so well sung and the choreography by Kirsten Richards keeps the action moving, even through some of the slower sections.

I’m not sure what else anyone could ask for from these teens. They did an incredible job and I highly recommend seeing Hadestown: Teen Edition at Skyridge while you have the chance. It is playing through 2/25 and tickets can be purchased here.

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

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

| Rachel's Reviews

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

UTAH THEATRE LOG 2/14-2/20 (XANADU, SHE LOVES ME, CINDERELLA) (RACHEL’S THEATRE LOG 100)

| Rachel's Reviews

Hi everyone! I can’t believe we are at my 100th theatre log! Where does the time go? Today I have 3 shows to give my quick reports on as most companies are asking for me to do full reviews these days. I am certainly being kept very busy watching theatre (happy problem to have seeing too many plays!)

XANADU- UNIVERSITY OF UTAH THEATRE PROGRAM, SALT LAKE

Last year I was a big fan of Starlight Express put on by the Liahona Academy. It was fresh and exciting and full of movement and fun. It is for this reason that when I saw the advertising for Xanadu at the U of U I made sure to squeeze it into my busy February schedule. I realize the plots are different but the roller skating featured in the marketing made think Xanadu would also be a fun and energetic musical. After seeing it there is fun to be had it’s just not very much with the roller skating so that was disappointing.

In fact, there is really only one character that wears roller skates for most of the show. It’s Kira played by Alexa Shaheen. She is very good and is very skilled at several accents including an Australian one. All the students are excellent in this and it was interesting to see another take on the Greek myths since I have seen Hadestown so much recently (I’m actually seeing it again tonight!)

That said I was underwhelmed by the story and found it quite plodding and dull. I have never seen the 1980 film so maybe that is part of it. If I had nostalgia for the movie maybe I would be more charmed by the experience. I never regret supporting student performers but Xanadu as a show just wasn’t for me. Xanadu is playing through 2/23 and tickets can be purchased here.

This production of Xanadu is directed by David Eggers. Music & lyrics by Jeff Lynne & John Ferrar with a book by Douglas Carter Beane based on the 1980 feature film.

CINDERELLA- THE RUTH THEATRE, PLEASANT GROVE

Anyone who knows me knows I’m a big fan of Cinderella. I just love the story of hope and magic so I was very excited when I heard Cinderella is going to be one of The Ruth’s premiere shows in their new theater. This is the “Topher” version of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical and they did not disappoint. What an enchanting beautiful night of theatre.

I was able to attend the T/Th/Sat cast and I hope to be able to see the other cast before the run ends. Cinderella or Ella is played by Teaira Burge and she is absolutely luminous as our lead. She is warm and kind and everything you could want in a Cinderella. The whole cast is great with Dan Van Ormer as Prince Topher and Bonnie Wilson Whitlock as a deliciously evil stepmother Madame.

Even if you don’t like Cinderella as much as I do this show is worth seeing for the production details alone. Director Rodger Sorensen and his team have seemingly thought of everything. The puppetry throughout is charming, the choreography by Sayoko Knode is dynamic and fun and the costumes are next level outstanding. Costume designer Elizabeth Banks Wertz belongs on Broadway not in Pleasant Grove! I particularly loved a gold dress for the banquet and the wedding dress is unforgettable.

Fortunately there is lots of time to see Cinderella at The Ruth. It is playing until May 3rd and I highly recommend checking this one out. Tickets can be purchased here.

This version of Cinderella is based on the classic story with music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and a book by Hammerstein and Douglas Carter Beane.

SHE LOVES ME- OPPA THEATRE, LAYTON

Like Cinderella I also love the musical She Loves Me and will go to whomever is putting it on. This includes driving up to Layton to see it at OPPA (On Pitch Performing Arts) this last Monday, and I’m glad I did. What a charming and well performed piece of romantic comedy theatre that I highly recommend.

This production stars Caitlin Olsen as Amalia Balash who secures a job in the opening scenes at a perfumery in Budapest (the original play Perfumerie is Hungarian so must versions are set in Budapest.) Unfortunately for Amalia she doesn’t get along with her boss Georg Nowak played by Cormac Romine but the catch is the 2 enemies are actually writing each other as part of a Lonely Hearts Club. I think someone would have to be pretty cynical to not be charmed by this premise. 2 people falling in love over their words is just an appealing concept and the musical is so well crafted with wonderful songs throughout.

The stage at OPPA is small but I was impressed with how director Mira Jorgensen and set designer Brandon Stauffer created the world of the store and used moveable blocks to create everything from a store counter to a bed depending on the scene. Olsen and Romine have excellent chemistry as our leads but the real standout in the cast is Amanda Murray as Ilona Ritter. She has a lovely singing voice and brought a lot of personality to role with her dynamic acting. The highlight of the night is the “Ice Cream” and “She Loves Me” songs when both of our leads realize they love the person they thought they hated. I also loved hearing Olsen sing “Dear Friend.” OPPA should feel very blessed they have a singer as talented as Olsen in their productions. She elevates everything she is a part of.

OPPA is what I refer to as a learning company so it doesn’t have the polish of something like The Ruth but that’s all part of the charm of a night of community theater. She Loves Me is playing through March 1st and tickets can be purchased here.

She Loves Me has music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick and a book by Joe Masteroff.

So there you have it! What have you been watching and have you seen any of these shows? Happy theatre going!

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.