reviews

UTAH THEATRE LOG 12/4-12/23 (2 A CHRISTMAS STORY, PAGEANT MUSICAL, HERE’S LOVE, WHITE CHRISTMAS ) (RACHEL’S THEATRE LOG 81)

| Rachel's Reviews

Hi friends! Merry Christmas! I hope you are having a wonderful holiday season and been enjoying the best of live theatre in your area. Here’s some quick

thoughts on some holiday shows I’ve been able to see.

A CHRISTMAS STORY- SCERA, OREM

I saw 2 versions of A Christmas Story: The Musical this month and the first at Scera in Orem was my favorite. I’m a big fan of the 1983 classic film, but I think Benj Pasek and Justin Paul have done an excellent job with the music and lyrics for this show as has book writer Joseph Robinette. It captures all the childlike wonder of the movie with heart and a lot of catchy tunes. The folks at Scera have done this show multiple years in a row and they have it down to near-professional levels. It’s very impressive.

It starts with an excellent and large cast that is up for the choreography by Rebecca Boberg. My favorite acting of the group came from Cassidy Gunderson as Mother. Especially her song “What a Mother Does” is sung with empathy and tenderness. it will make most viewers want to call and thank their own mothers.

I also love bops like “When You’re a Wimp” and “A Major Award” all executed well. The 2-story set by Zippy Hellewell is very impressive and the amount of costumes by Kelse Seaver (due to Ralphie’s many fantasy sequences) is daunting to say the least.

Unfortunately A Christmas Story: The Musical finished up its run on 12/21 but keep an eye out for it next year. It’s definitely worth supporting. You can find out more about Scera and their shows here. This is definitely the highlight of the 5 shows logged in this post and one of my favorites of the holiday season.

A CHRISTMAS STORY: THE MUSICAL- HOPEBOX THEATRE, KAYSVILLE

I will only say a few words about A Christmas Story: The Musical at Hopebox. Their theater not only has a wonderful mission, helping an individual fighting cancer with each show (their Hopebox recipient), but they are one of the most consistently reliable community theaters in the state. Unfortunately this production was an off night for them and not up to their normal quality. Everything from the singing, to the sets, to the directing was much more amateur than they typically offer.

For example, when the big fight happens between Ralphie and Farcus they have Ralphie get himself up and then he is standing flailing his arms around swearing. This was such an odd choice as the whole point is he loses his cool and his Mom stops him from fighting. Him walking around and then she stops him is anti-climatic. There were just a lot of strange choices like that and like I said the performances were not on the caliber I expect from Hopebox.

That said, the only reason I have such expectations is they usually deliver on such a high level. Every company has their off night and weaker production. I still highly recommend Hopebox and they have a very fun season coming up. You can find out more here.

THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER: THE MUSICAL- LEHI ARTS COUNCIL, LEHI

I love all things The Best Christmas Pageant Ever from the book, to the play, to the 1983 TV movie, to the new feature film (I even interviewed the director Dallas Jenkins here.) When I heard there is a musical and it was being put on by one of my favorite art councils, Lehi Arts Council, I had to take the chance to see it. Overall it was cute but there were a few things that kept me from loving this version of the show.

The main problem was one of seating. It’s a very small space, which I normally find quite charming but this seat was so obfuscated by the wall it hurt my overall enjoyment of the story. They really should have some kind of warning on the site that you are purchasing an obfuscated seat. It’s common courtesy.

Other than that the show is cute although I think I would prefer to see the one act play over the musical. There was nothing that stood out about the songs that justified an additional hour to the stories. The cast is very talented with a wonderful community spirit and the message of inclusion and hope is moving. Lehi Arts Council has Little Women coming up next and that should be a wonderful production. You can find out more here.

HERE’S LOVE- SANCTUARY THEATRE COMPANY, MIDVALE

When I get a seat at Sanctuary Theatre Company I know I am seeing what I like to refer to as a ‘learning company.’ This is a theatre company with a lot of first time participants both performers and in the technical categories. Sometimes that leads to inspired work such as Evil Dead: The Musical and their Avenue Q. Other times it can be a rough sit. Such was the case with their production of The Miracle on 34th Street (or Here’s Love.) And it’s too bad because this musical isn’t performed often so I was really looking forward to seeing it.

I think Sanctuary may be better off doing edgier material like Evil Dead: the Musical. That seems to suit their performers and space better than something sincere and sweet like Here’s Love. My favorite aspect was their use of the projections to create the parade in the opening numbers. Most of the other aspects just didn’t work for me. This is a learning company and I know they were all doing their best, so I won’t be too hard on them. It just wasn’t for me.

WHITE CHRISTMAS, THE OLD BARN THEARE, FIELDING

It’s always fun for me to try out new to me theater companies. I love the Broadway adaptation of White Christmas and when I saw a company up in Northern Utah, The Old Barn Theatre, was putting it on I had to get a ticket. I

To my surprise, The Old Barn Theatre has been putting on shows for 25 years and it seems to be the main project of the Hull family with director Laura Lee Hull, assistant director Marvin Hull and choreographer MarleeAnn Hull all having multiple roles including being in the cast.

One can definitely sense the family and community spirit with this show and while it is an amateur production it has heart and effort to be enjoyable. I was particularly impressed with the tapping numbers in “Blue Skies” and “I Love a Piano.”

Some of the roles are double cast so I am not sure which actor for Phil Davis I had but he and MarleeAnn as Judy were the highlights of the cast and Marc Jensen had good comedic timing as Ezekiel Foster. I do think that Marvin Hull is too old for the role of Bob Wallace. I know he is supposed to be older than Phil but it was too much and hurt the chemistry.

If I go to another show at the Old Barn Theatre I’ll make sure to sit on the east or west side because a pole blocked my view on the north side. I wish they had more of the action staged in the middle of the stage as opposed to the corners because then any seat could adequately see what is happening. Still, this production of White Christmas was sweet and I’d see something else there if given the chance (I saw the last performance.) You can learn more 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 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.

‘KIMBERLY AKIMBO’ NATIONAL TOUR IS NOT THE GREAT ADVENTURE I HOPED FOR (REVIEW)

| Rachel's Reviews

One of the interesting experiences of being a film and theatre critic is occasionally having unpopular opinions. From time-to-time something that is widely praised will not work for me and I hope I have the ability to explain my difference of opinion as competently as possible. Some people, however, will always feel threatened by this difference of opinion and that’s just a reality every critic has to deal with. I say all this because I definitely had an unpopular opinion after seeing Tony Award winning musical Kimberly Akimbo and I hope I can explain why I left feeling underwhelmed rather than charmed and moved as I was hoping for.

Let’s start with some strengths. First of all the premise is endearing and heartfelt. We have the lead Kimberly who has progeria that makes her age rapidly so at 16 she has the appearance of a 60 year old woman. This causes her to not only grapple with her own mortality (she has already lived longer than doctors predicted) but have a different appearance than her peers. I also appreciate how raw and authentic the characters are with everyone who surrounds Kimberly being flawed human beings who make messy choices. This adds a degree of unpredictability to a story that could otherwise veer into maudlin sentimentality. The book by David Lindsay-Abaire can also be quite funny and insightful.

Unfortunately the problems with Kimberly Akimbo take away from the strengths making for an uneven viewing experience. My biggest issue was the songs with lyrics by Lindsay-Abaire and music by Jeanine Tesori. Before being released as a musical Lindsay-Abaire released this story as a play and I’d be very curious to see that if I ever got the chance. I bet I would enjoy it more. Almost across the board the songs felt generic and lifeless. Honestly this wasn’t completely surprising as I hadn’t been impressed by the original cast recording but with all the praise I assumed it’s one of those shows you just have to see live to get. Not so much. The only song that I would independently listen to is “Great Adventure” and this is a problem because its the last song of the show!

The other problem is the moral murkiness of the characters, while appealing in some ways it can create tonal whiplash especially when we consider most of the characters are teenagers. While I enjoyed Aunt Debra (Emily Koch) it does strain credulity that she would involve teenagers in her check cashing scheme. Teenagers who are both extremely unreliable and would receive little of the blame if the plan came to light, which it almost certainly would. I think the narrative wants us to root for Debra as an anti-hero but it’s pretty hard when she is being so thoughtless and unkind.

I am sure Victoria Clark (who I have seen on Broadway in The Light in the Piazza) was incredible as Kimberly but Carolee Carmelo didn’t quite do it for me in the role for the national tour. Even her voice and mannerisms felt like a caricature of a teenager rather than an authentic young person who happens to have an old body.

Everything else in the production was fine. The direction by Jessica Stone gets the job done and the scenic design by David Zinn feels appropriately midwest. The most impressive section of direction was the way the “Skater Planet” scenes felt like actual ice skating. I also enjoyed the video projections by Lucy Mackinnon particularly in the finale when we get to see the “Great Adventure” Kimberly and Seth (Miguel Gil) go on.

Perhaps if one can go into Kimberly Akimbo with more moderate expectations one can appreciate the risks it takes and the heartfelt message it is trying to convey but even with those good aspects I can’t recommend it. The lead performance didn’t work, the tone is all over the place and most importantly the songs are uninspired. I hope my readers enjoy it more than I did but it’s a definite ‘not for me.’

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.

‘IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE’ RADIO PLAY IS WONDERFUL AT PG PLAYERS (REVIEW)

| Rachel's Reviews

One of my favorite parts of embracing local theatre is discovering hidden gem theaters I never would have found otherwise. Nowhere is that more true than with the Pleasant Grove Players in Pleasant Grove. They are run out of the Pleasant Grove library and I’ve now seen many productions on the little stage and they’ve never missed. It is such a wonderful company. Speaking of wonderful they have a new unique offering for this holiday season with It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play. Adapted from the beloved film it’s a fresh and highly entertaining way to ring in Christmas.

Most of us know the story of It’s a Wonderful Life but this production is very special because it has our cast playing actors as if they were doing an old school live radio recording complete with commercials and a large foley table with 2 foley actors (Johanne Perry and Dennis Purdie.) As much as I love It’s a Wonderful Life I was a little nervous going in this might be a little boring simply watching people read the script. I thought it might be akin to a staged reading but it is really more than that. It is a full performance with actors taking on multiple voices and characters and the foley is a character unto it self (I love foley so much!)

Directors Howard and Kathryn Little have nailed it once again and the cast is uniformly charming. L.D Weller is the standout playing Freddie Fillmore who is the narrator, God talking to Clarence, Uncle Billy and Mr Potter. My favorite sequence is when he had to play both Potter and Billy having a conversation and had to flip between both. With the movie being so iconic I also I appreciate Jared Cloud didn’t try and copy Jimmy Stewart in the lead role of Jake Laurents or George Bailey in the play.

I do think the adaptation by Joe Landry is a bit too long. Ideally this type of performance makes more sense at around 90 minutes with no intermission but it’s such a classic story I wouldn’t complain. I just don’t think we needed nearly every scene from the film minus the swimming pool dance for obvious reasons.

If you are looking for something unique and heartwarming to see this holiday season the PG Players production is well worth your time. It’s emotional and touching and brings all the holiday feels you could want. There are a few more chances to see It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play and you can purchase tickets here.

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

‘ELF: THE MUSICAL’ WILL MAKE YOU HAPPY ALL THE TIME THIS HOLIDAY SEASON (REVIEW)

| Rachel's Reviews

One of the most enjoyable aspects of the holiday season on Broadway is the limited run festive productions we get to see to add some Christmas cheer to our theatre-going lives. This year’s entry (make sure you check out my thoughts on the annual Rockettes Spectacular here) is the revival of Elf: The Musical at the Marriott Marquis on Broadway. It’s a high energy comedy the whole family will enjoy and a great way to get some holiday cheer if you’re feeling a little blue.

Elf: The Musical is based on the popular 2003 film starring Will Farrell about a human who is raised as an elf who comes to New York City to find his long-lost (naughty listed) father Walter. I love fish-out-of-water comedies and Elf works as a film because the innocent and sweet antics of Buddy are in such contrast to the cynicism of New York and particular business world New York. Bob Martin and Thomas Meehan have captured this energy in their book adaptation and created something that makes it hard to not find endearing.

There are some mild changes from the film such as Buddy doesn’t have an elf father figure outside of Santa and the incredible author is talked about rather than seen (he’s played by Peter Dinklage in the movie.) However, most of the funny lines are kept from the film and certainly the overall tone and appeal of the character remain in tact.

At the Marquis revival Buddy is played by Grey Henson with the child-like energy you want for the character. Michael Hayden is appropriately gruff as his dad Walter and Ashley Brown and Kai Edgar steal the show as his new stepmom and stepbrother (one of my favorite musical moments is their song “There is a Santa Claus.) The big star performance comes with Sean Astin as Santa Claus and the boss Mr Greenway. Since Santa is off-stage for most of the production it makes sense to use the cast as much as possible and he is a lot of fun in both roles. One can easily see he’s having a great time with the production and that positive energy is what is needed for a show like this.

My favorite number of this production of Elf: the Musical is when the beleaguered mall Santas sing “Nobody Cares About Santa.” The choreography by Liam Steel in this song is charming and it’s a catchy tune by Matthew Sklar (music) and Chad Beguelin (lyrics.) This is also one of my favorite set designs of the night with the Santas eating at a Chinese restaurant, which is of course open on Christmas Eve.

Speaking of the songs most of the other songs by Sklar and Beguelin are fine but on the generic side. Like most Broadway shows it could definitely use a good trim as songs like “I’ll Believe in You” and “A Christmas Song” are pretty basic. Director Philip Wm. McKinley has also not done anything to make the production stand out as far as staging or setpieces. It’s all fine but I’ve seen local productions (one here at Hale Center Theatre Sandy last year) with more sumptuous sets and a more magical North Pole presence (when you think about it should the Chinese restaurant set be the most impressive part of this show?) It was, however, interesting to see what a difference the live orchestra makes as I’ve only seen it with a pre-recorded track.

Nevertheless, if a festive family offering is what you are looking for this holiday season Elf: The Musical at the Marriott Marquis will more than satisfy. It’s positive and hopeful with lots of good laughs for all to enjoy. If near Broadway this Christmas I say give “The Story of Buddy the Elf” a try. It is playing through January 4th and tickets can be purchased here.

Also if you’ve never seen it I recommend the stop motion film they made off the musical a few years ago. It’s very charming. You can purchase it here (ad)

PS. This is the first time I’ve ever reviewed a musical on Broadway as a critic. Very surreal and exciting for me. Thanks for the opportunity!

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

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

| Rachel's Reviews

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

UTAH THEATRE LOG 11/15-11/17 (CATS, HEATHERS) (RACHEL’S THEATRE LOG 73)

| Rachel's Reviews

Another weekend has come and gone with great musical theatre and this was a particularly special one for me because I got to check 2 popular musicals off of my bucket list. I always love when I get a chance to see something new to me and these 2 shows were no exception. Here are my quick thoughts:

CATS- KENSINGTON THEATRE, SOUTH JORDAN

When I was in high school I had the chance to see Cats or Les Miserables and I think we all know which one I chose. Still ever since then I’ve been curious about Cats but never had the chance to see it until the ABC group at Kensington put it on. It’s the kind of show that is best to think of as more of a concert and dance experience than a complex story. Creator Andrew Lloyd Webber loves this energy in a show- introduction musicals where instead of more plot we just meet a bunch of fun characters all going to the jellicle ball and see the choice of the eternal cat.

I’ve long said that Kensington is one of the most underrated theaters in Utah. They repeatedly make bold choices and execute them well and Cats is no exception. The set by art director Logan Bingham is so inventive with everything to scale for the cats and a large ledge with a climbing wall and a pit for the actors to fall into off of the wall. They also have a large professional sounding orchestra in the back of the theater.

Director Toni Butler has done a terrific job working with the cast to bring out the best in their performances making sure they are always cats even when the action isn’t focused on them. My favorite performance is probably Jack Sheehan as Skimbleshanks and his song “Skimbleshanks: the Railway Cat.” The tap dancing in that number is excellent and Sheehan gives the role a showmanship and confidence that is very entertaining. Brodie Ririe as Bustopher Jones is another favorite.

My only disappointment in a very strong production is the way “Memory” was staged felt a little like an afterthought. I wanted Grizabella to come to the top of the stage and really belt the heck out of that song but they went the understated route which made it oddly forgettable. Maybe I expected too much but it felt like a missed opportunity.

Cats is playing tomorrow night 11/18 at Kensington Theatre and I’d definitely recommend checking it out. You can purchase tickets here.

HEATHERS: THE MUSICAL- MAD KING PRODUCTIONS, SALT LAKE

Heathers: The Musical is one of those shows I’ve heard about but never had the chance to see beyond the proshot released in 2022. With it being a mature show it’s not the kind of thing often done in Utah so when I saw Mad King Productions at the Alliance Theatre was putting it on I jumped at the chance to see it. I was actually feeling really tired yesterday but it was my last opportunity so I went anyway and I’m so glad I did. What a wonderful night of musical theatre!

First of all director Carleigh-Jo Naylor did such an incredible job combing all the various elements of the show into the small black box space. This includes large choreography moments, sound effects, simulated violence and more. I was so impressed with how physically invested the performers were at times throwing themselves on the ground with fight choreography and staging that combined the right amounts of camp and realism. One of my favorite sequences is during “Fight for Me” and everything goes into slow motion with some of the actors holding their position for many minutes. It was very impressive!

The cast of Heathers was excellent. Far better than anything you’d ever expect at a little black box like that. The standout was Cooper Garrett as JD. He starts as brooding but charming but his mania grows over time until he is quite terrifying. Sydney Olson brings the right mixture of naivety and strength to Veronica and Annabelle McKinnon is a dominating mean girl as Heather. I particularly liked watching her when she’s a ghost and has more personality in act 2.

If you’ve seen the movie you know how dark the Heathers story is. It’s definitely not for the faint of heart but there is enough humor to make the experience enjoyable. If you ever get a chance to see it I recommend it. Unfortunately the production at Mad King and Alliance is done but I have them on my radar and will see more from them in the future. You can find out more about their upcoming productions here.

Heathers: The Musical features book music and lyrics by Laurence O’Keefe and Kevin Murphy.

These logged shows I pay for out of pocket and I’d love to do that as much as possible. If you have a show you’d like to take a look at and write a full review let me know. I also have my patreon which is a great way to support what I do and get some really fun perks. Find out more here.

RIVERTON HIGH SCHOOLERS STUN IN HADESTOWN: TEEN EDITION (REVIEW)

| Rachel's Reviews

When I first saw Hadestown in 2022 on Broadway I honestly walked away with mixed feelings. While most of my friends seemed ready to declare it the next musical masterpiece I felt it was more style over substance. Therefore, I was excited to give the material another chance- this time in the Teen Edition at Riverton High School. Now having seen it I still have some of the story issues but I was blown away by what the teens did and everyone involved should be commended.

Hadestown is the creation of (book, lyrics and music) Anais Mitchell based on the Greek myth Orpheus and Eurydice. It tells the story of Orpheus who goes into the underworld to try and save his love. Along the way we have all kinds of characters like Hades, Persephone and Hermes.

One of my friends who is a Hadestown superfan expressed concerns about it being appropriate for a teen edition but he needn’t be. The team have done an excellent job making it appropriate for older teens and it’s a perfect show for high schoolers to do because it has huge ensemble scenes which allow for many young people to get their first taste in theater. At Riverton director Erin McGuire has taken this strong adaptation and seemingly thought of everything to make a winning production.

On Broadway so much of the appeal of Hadestown is the incredible production values which made it interesting to see a more stripped down version at Riverton. The set is simple but the lights and steampunk elements (including industrial projections on the side walls) make for an immersive experience. Everything went off seemingly without a hitch from the trap doors to the lighting, to the fog elements. I especially loved when the large cast (over 80 kids) comes out into the aisles with their lights and movement. They also didn’t have any major sound issues which is usually a problem at high school productions.

The cast is also excellent with teens taking on these challenging roles loaded with exposition, dance, complex emotions and more. The highlight was Ethan Hull as Hades. His deep bass voice is incredible in songs like “Hey Little Shepherd. He should absolutely apply for the Jimmy Awards. I think he’d be a shoe-in. Emma Tyson was also strong as Persephone in songs like “Living it Up on Top” and “Why We Build the Wall.”

The music is also a standout of the show at Riverton with an on stage band of 7 musicians, some of them professional adults. Especially for a show like Hadestown we need the gritty grounded reality of live musicians as opposed to a prerecorded track. It makes all the difference in the world.

If you haven’t seen Hadestown I thoroughly recommend checking out Riverton High’s production. It may be a teen edition but it’s also an incredible edition! It is playing for one more day tomorrow and I highly recommend it. You can purchase tickets here.

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

UTAH THEATRE LOG 10/15-11/9 (EVIL DEAD, THE WOMAN IN BLACK, THE ADDAMS FAMILY) (RACHEL’S THEATRE LOG 70)

| Rachel's Reviews

It’s kind of crazy and exciting that my last theatre log was almost a month ago ending on 10/14. This is not because I’m seeing less theatre but because more companies are asking me to review their shows and do full detailed reviews. I technically have written 6 reviews in between my last log, which is what I want to see happening! If you are part of a company that would like longer reviews than these logs (which I pay for out of pocket) just let me know and I’d love to watch and review your show.

Anyway, this log is a special one because the 3 shows I’m reporting on were part of my friend Jacklyn Collier’s visit to Utah. She is my co-host for City Girls Pod on Hallmarkies Podcast and also for the OnStage Blog Theatre Podcast and my best friend. I just wish she lived closer but it was super fun to introduce her to Utah and the Utah theatre scene. Even though she was only here for 2 weekdays we still managed to squeeze in 3 shows and it was super fun (she was here on Halloween week so all 3 were horror-themed.)

EVIL DEAD: THE MUSICAL- SANCTUARY THEATRE COMPANY, WEST JORDAN

I am by no means an expert on the Evil Dead movie franchise. I think I’ve seen the original film once in college and never watched any of the other entries. Nevertheless, when I heard Evil Dead: The Musical was coming to Salt Lake and the Sanctuary Theatre I was very excited to see it. In a world where I see the same shows on repeat (which I’m fine with) this was something fresh and new (to me at least) and the fact I would get to see it with my best friend was extra exhilarating.

Even with this enthusiasm I was a little anxious because Sanctuary is what I refer to as a ‘learning company’ meaning many of their cast are trying out acting for the first time and it can be amateur to the extreme there. I try to be forgiving because there are so few places in Utah for people to experiment and try theatre for the first time but it can be a rough sit.

Fortunately I did not need to worry and this production of Evil Dead: The Musical was by far the best thing I’ve ever seen at Sanctuary and a blast from beginning to end. Directors Connie Beaty and Joshua Garretson brought out the best in their cast and used the incredibly small black box space to its full potential and integrated all kinds of effects and video clips into the production. We were not in the ‘splash zone’ but at only one row behind it we still got some stray ‘blood’ which was really fun.

Hunter Williams was stoic and commanding as Ash but my favorite performance of the night was Ariel Tegan as Annie. She has a terrific comic timing and sold all her songs like “All the Men in My Life…” I also really enjoyed Gwen Anderson as Cheryl who was also very funny.

Sanctuary has already announced Evil Dead: The Musical will be back in 2026 and I know I will be first in line for a ticket. We have a whole episode of the podcast coming on it which I will share when it posts. If you have a chance to see it in your area it’s a truly great time that I highly recommend. The run this year has finished but you can find out more at Sanctuary here.

THE ADDAMS FAMILY- HALE CENTER THEATRE, SANDY

Because we had such limited time the only company that produces an afternoon show on Friday is Hale Center Theatre and as Beauty and the Beast isn’t running yet we went to see The Addams Family which I already did a full review of here. I was hopeful we might get the other cast given I saw the T/Th cast previously but it was a combination of casts given it was the 4pm time. I’m actually not even sure who we saw as the program was a little unclear but it was fun to see Dallin Bradford again as Uncle Festor. He brings the sweetness and energy the role requires.

I don’t have much additional to say. The Addams Family has its flaws as a show (I hate “Full Disclosure” song and sequence to end Act 1) but in the end it’s about a family and has a nice heart to it. My favorite song is “Happy/Sad” sung by Gomez and Josh Richardson sang that it beautifully here. I do wish Hale would give a discount for the Jewel Box seats that are off to the sides because you really do miss a large portion of the performance, but we still had a good time. I honestly think this is the best show Hale has done this year. It was fun to introduce Jacks to Hale especially after seeing such a small production at Sanctuary (we really saw the full spectrum of the Utah scene.) The Addams Family plays until Nov 16th and you can purchase tickets here.

THE WOMAN IN BLACK- PARKER THEATRE, SALT LAKE

After seeing The Woman in Black at The Covey in September I was really looking forward to seeing what Parker Theatre would do with the same material and was excited to show this incredible company and theater to Jacks. (It was really funny because the Covey performers all happened to be there that night as well as my friend Heidi and Steve, so I think Jacks thought I knew everyone there LOL.)

To my delight Parker did not let me down with this production and Jacks is a really fun person to watch a thriller with. She gets really into it and vocally shrieks at the surprises, which made everything more fun. It also helped this time I knew what was coming with the structure of the play (it’s a play within a play) so that wasn’t as jarring as at the first time. Director Brinton Wilkins did an incredible job creating atmosphere and pulling off the big scares and surprises. The lighting is always incredible at Parker and lighting designer James Parker kept up that tradition creating spooky environments and the right amount of darkness to pull off the surprise. The sound design by Spencer Hohl was also very effective.

But the true praise goes to the 2 actors Michael Hohl and Lucas Charon. Particularly Charon gave an unforgettable performance because so much of what he must do as Kipps is imaginary. He has to make us believe he’s driving a trap or chasing after a dog and he did so with seeming ease. It was as an equity-worthy performance that I only wish more people could have seen. If you haven’t gotten season tickets to Parker I can’t recommend it more highly. They truly think of every detail down to the themed concessions to go along with every show. It was such a fun night. I highly recommend their A Christmas Carol which starts November 23rd and you can purchase tickets here.

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‘PETER PAN’ NATIONAL TOUR IS SURPRISINGLY MAGICAL (REVIEW)

| Rachel's Reviews

Of all the classic stories of childhood I have never been that drawn to the story of Peter Pan. Whether film or theatre I would way rather watch something on The Wizard of Oz or Alice in Wonderland and certainly Cinderella than Peter Pan. With this background when I saw the national tour of Peter Pan was coming to Eccles I wasn’t very excited. Nevertheless I always try and go into any play or musical with an open mind and it’s a good thing I did. To my surprise I thoroughly enjoyed this production and hope people will give it a chance as it comes to a city near you.

Peter Pan is of course based on the classic play by J.M Barrie (1904). Music was added in 1954 and it has had many film and television adaptations including the iconic 1953 animated Disney film. In general the songs in the animated film are better, although at times more problematic, than this musical but they both have their entertaining moments and capture the escapism of Neverland. My favorite version of Peter Pan is actually the 2003 version starring Jeremy Sumpter and Jason Isaacs but most of them have their fans.

The most successful aspects of this production land where it embraces both spectacle and tradition. Most companies are using a lot of video projections these days often with AI-inspired or created graphics. This can create a plasticy and cheap looking effects but this production used the projections beautifully. Particularly in the flying sequences the projection work by designer David Bengali took my breath away. I also appreciate the nearly gratuitous glitter usage to add to magic of the flying effects. The flying was just incredible (Did I mention I liked the flying?)

The direction by Lonny Price in general is super impressive. I couldn’t believe how quickly they made scene changes and maneuvered their large cast around. The cast is also wonderful in their roles especially Cody Garcia as Hook/Mr Darling (although his accent did wander throughout the night.) He nailed the comedy of the character and that’s what’s most important. I also enjoyed Nolan Almeida as Peter and find it refreshing they went with a young man over the traditional middle-aged female casting to the character. It was a little strange to have Hawa Kamara as Wendy when she is clearly an adult and John and Michael are  children but I got used to it fairly quickly and her singing is lovely.

My main quibble with the production is the needless attempts to modernize the script. It’s frankly lazy and groan-inducing when we hear references to viral videos and social media in our Peter Pan retelling. I also see no reason to get rid of Nanny the dog in favor of a gen-z babysitter. It’s also not more empowering for Wendy to be super into medicine and want to become a doctor as opposed to being a mother (the Disney version we get a whole song about her being a mother which I love.) Stuff like that takes me out of the moment and is distracting when stories like Peter Pan should be timeless.

That said, I still really enjoyed the national tour of Peter Pan. It is the perfect combination of magic and big-hearted storytelling. If it is coming to a city near you I’d definitely check it out. It would be a great way to introduce kids to their first Broadway musical. Peter Pan is playing at the Eccles until 11/10 and you can purchase tickets here.

Peter Pan has music by Jule Styne, Mark Charlap, and Trude Rittmann with lyrics by Betty Comden, Adolph Green and Carolyn Leigh. Based on the book by J.M. Barrie.

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.