theatre-review

UTAH THEATRE LOG 5/29/25-6/3/25 (TOOTSIE, HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL, DREAMGIRLS) (RACHEL’S THEATRE LOG 141)

| Rachel's Reviews

Hi friends! I have a quick log to update with a few of the shows I have been seeing. It’s been a busy time for both theater and film so make sure you are following me on instagram and youtube to get all of the out of theater reactions and updates!

Just a reminder for those new to the site. These logs are quick thoughts of shows I am a patron at not a critic to do a full detailed review. I would love to review any and all of these shows. Just email me at rachelsreviews65@gmail.com. Thanks!

DREAMGIRLS- THE GRAND THEATRE, SALT LAKE

I have to admit if I am going to give a company a pass it is more than likely to be for when I feel they are pushing themselves as a company and when they are presenting me with new and exciting material. While the musical Dreamgirls could in no way be considered a new show it is not performed often in community theatre and so I admire The Grand Theatre for taking it on. Indeed I had never seen this musical previous to their performance and am grateful I had the chance to check it off my musical theatre bucket list. It is also impressive that they had a full live orchestra to back up their performers. One doesn’t expect such a production for under $40.

I do have to say now I have seen it I probably won’t be dying to see Dreamgirls again. The story is just so tired and formulaic that it’s hard to get super excited about it. It’s one of those shows that lives and dies by its lead casting and luckily at The Grand they have a terrific Effie in Quesley Soto. I wish Effie was written with more nuance and less like a soap opera character but she does what she can with the role. Darby Mest is also a standout as fellow Dreamette Lorrell. The rest of the cast is a little more mixed but they are all trying their hardest and there is a nice community spirit amongst the cast, which I appreciate.

Technically speaking Dreamgirls at The Grand is directed well by Latoya Cameron with the musical sequences having the cabaret feel needed for the numbers. However, the real standout is the incredible costumes by Shannon McCullock and her team. I wish I could have one of the sparkly dresses that Effie and the other girls are wearing!

Dreamgirls is playing at The Grand through June 14th and tickets can be purchased here.

HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL- BYU, PROVO

It’s hard to not be charmed by the catchy tunes and energetic nature of High School Musical whether on stage or in the film DCOM. The songs are so much fun and the production at BYU is a great time for the whole family.

What stands out the most is the production elements. The set by Marguerite Morgan looks like something you could find at Disneyland. So bright, colorful and professional. It’s also super cool that they had large screens shaped like cell phones on the side of the stage and had pre-filmed footage commenting on the events (like a Wildcat news update) filmed at the actual East High (advantage of being in Utah I suppose.) The production is directed by Geoffrey Reynolds and he seemingly thought of everything to make this a great show. The only downside is it was very warm in that theatre and some of the singing was weaker than usual for a BYU show.

Still if you are looking for an introductory show for the whole family High School Musical at BYU would be a great pick. I had a great time with it. It plays through June 14th and tickets can be purchased here.

TOOTSIE- EGYPTIAN THEATRE, PARK CITY

Like I said I really appreciate it when companies take chances with new and unique shows here in Utah. This is what got me to go up to Park City to see Tootsie at The Egyptian last week. I had heard mixed reviews of the show when it was on Broadway but I wanted to decide for myself and took the chance to go up there and see it. To my surprise I quite enjoyed the show. I’d even say it’s a little underrated amongst recent Broadway offerings (I liked it better than something highly praised like Kimberly Akimbo so go figure.)

What makes Tootsie work is it’s not afraid to have a genuinely unlikable lead character in Michael Dorsay (Jeremy Gross) and it’s not just a copy and paste from the movie like Mrs Doubtfire. I was surprised how funny I found it and a lot of that goes to the very likable cast including Gross, Caleb Parry as his roommate Jeff and Morgan Parry as Julie. This production is directed by Kyle Esposito and he trusts his talented cast to do their jobs and keeps the staging and choreography simple. I do think this show would have made more sense and been better if it was set in the 80s like the movie. So many of the elements including modern gender roles and communication (social media) do not make sense for 2025. Set it in 1982 it’s immediately funnier and more insightful.

That said, I did enjoy it more than I was expecting. Unfortunately Tootsie has finished its run but you can find out more about The Egyptian here.

Dreamgirls has book and lyrics by Tom Eyen and music by Henry Krieger. High School Musical is based on the DCOM written by Peter Barsocchini with book by David Simpatico, music adapted by Bryan Louiselle and songs by a variety of writers. Tootsie has music and lyrics by David Yazbek with a book by Robert Horn.

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.

‘STEEL MAGNOLIAS’ IS TRUE GIRL POWER AT MILLCREEK COMMUNITY (REVIEW)

| Rachel's Reviews

One of the best parts about community theatre is the element of surprise. When I go to see a Broadway show I expect the talent to be top-tier and the production to be incredible but with community theatre, especially a company I haven’t seen before, I never really know what I’m going to get. For example, on Saturday I was invited to see a small production of Steel Magnolias put on by Millcreek Community Theatre and it was a wonderful experience I won’t soon forget.

Believe it or not I actually had never seen Steel Magnolias. It is performed fairly regularly I just for whatever reason had never seen it. This production kind of reminded me of when I saw Enchanted April at Sugar Factory Playhouse last year. Both are women-centric plays with minimal sets that make them ideal for a community theatre to put on (both productions were also in city hall buildings!) Steel Magnolias is a play written by Robert Harling about the women in his town and how they rallied together after the death of his sister from diabetes. It of course was turned into the popular feature film with Dolly Parton and Julia Roberts in 1989.

With a play like this it really comes down to the casting and can the group of women create believable chemistry together on stage. Fortunately the cast at Millcreek achieve these criteria in spades. I can’t overstate how impressed I was with every performance and how easy it was to get emotionally invested in their friendships. Alexandrea Tara-Brett leads things off in the Parton-like role of Truvy in a performance Dolly would be proud of. Brittney Smith and Libby Mitchell make a believable mother/daughter combo playing Shelby and M’Lynn respectively and M’Lisa Bailey-Hansen is hilarious as crotchety Ousier. They are all also very good with their accents creating believable Southern characters.

This production of Steel Magnolias took place in an office room at Millcreek City Hall. The seats are just office chairs and the stage is an elevated platform where they create Truvy’s in-home beauty salon the women flock to for gossip and haircare. Nothing is fancy but I was impressed they got the sink to work for the hair shampooing. I’m not sure how they did that but it looked like M’Lynn got her hair wet in the sink.

As far as critique I might try to find a different gunshot sound effect. The one they used sounded like a light saber more than a gunshot. Other than that this was a wonderful afternoon of community theatre, and I’m so glad I got to take part in it.

This production of Steel Magnolias is directed by Traci Nelson and creative director Jim Nelson with stage manager Jax Jessup. All of these individuals have my attention. I will be curious what they do next because they accomplished so much with so little to work with here. The only sad part is (aside from what happens to poor Shelby) is the play only ran this weekend so only a handful of people got to experience it. (That’s always the sad part of live theatre. It’s so ephemeral unlike film that is archived for generations to watch.) Evidently next up for Millcreek is A Midsummer’s Night Dream which should be a ton of fun. Find out more on their facebook page.

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.

‘DIAL M FOR MURDER’ AT PTC IS HALF A GOOD MURDER MYSTERY (REVIEW)

| Rachel's Reviews

There’s no question that the mystery genre is incredibly popular. In fact, I read the other day that Agatha Christie, for example, has been outsold only by William Shakespeare and The Bible. If readers are looking for a murder mystery on the stage Frederick Knott’s Dial M for Murder is now playing at Pioneer Theatre Company. While uneven, particularly in the first act, it should be able to scratch that sleuthing itch for fans of the genre.

The biggest strength of Dial M for Murder lies in the detective Inspector Hubbard who comes in and starts to put the pieces together for the case. In a way he kind of reminds me of Columbo in his unassuming mannerisms. The biggest problem, however, is he doesn’t arrive until Act 2. This leaves us wading through tedious exposition with clues that the inspector ascertains with ease. I honestly think you could just see Act 2 of this play and be perfectly entertained without any of the build up to the murder.

At PTC the cast is all excellent in their roles with Peter Howard standing out as Hubbard. I just wish that we got him sooner because that first act is tough to sit through. I have no idea why Knott felt we needed long scenes of the conspirator Tony talking to the hitman Lesgate. Do we really need to know about their schooling and backstory? No, we just need to know that he’s the guy Tony hires to kill his wife Margot, and here’s where he hid the key. That’s it.

That said, once Hubbard arrives and the story starts going it’s pretty entertaining. At PTC, director Michael John Garces keeps his actors moving across the stage and uses light and shadow well to create mood and atmosphere (lighting by Tom Ontiveros.) The set by James Noone is interesting with a red and chrome feel to everything. I’m not really sure what era they are trying to evoke but it almost had a Tim Burton aesthetic to it at times.

They do make the choice to gender swap the person Margot has had an affair with, turning Mark into a Maxine. Margot is played by Awesta Zarif and Maxine by Lucy Lavely. Zarif and Lavely have believable chemistry and one can understand why Hubbard is initially suspicious of everyone’s stories involving the murder.

The problem is that first act. I know I’ve said it a few times but it really drags the play down. As far as a recommendation goes, it depends on how much you love mysteries. If you are a big fan, the good ingredients, once Hubbard arrives, may be enough to be entertaining. If you are lukewarm on the genre I’d probably pass on this one.

If you get to see it let me know what you think. You can read my first review of Dial M for Murder at the Covey here. The play is going through January 25th at PTC with special ‘pay what you can’ showings on Jan 21st. You can find more information 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.

‘4/20/99 A STORY OF COLUMBINE’ REMINDS US OF A CHILLING DAY IN RECENT AMERICAN HISTORY (REVIEW)

| Rachel's Reviews

Most of the time as a theatregoer and critic I look at a piece through a lens of entertainment. If I’m watching a musical I ask myself how engaged I was with the music and dance elements? If it’s a straight play how engrossed am I with the story and performances? However, there are times when an experience at a theatre takes on more of an educational role helping us to engage with historical events and social issues on a more visceral and artistic level. Such is the experience at the recent performance of 4/20/99: A Story of Columbine at the Regent Black Box at the Eccles Theater in Salt Lake. It is a grueling experience but powerful and worth experiencing and remembering a violent day of American history.

In this play writer and director Autumn Marie Cazier takes us to the days before the Columbine High School Massacre as perpetrated by teens Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris. Evidently these 2 made the Columbine Tapes before their decision to stage a mass shooting at their high school and which much of their dialogue in the play is based off of. These events are particularly poignant to me because I graduated from high school in 1999 (I was attending community college for my senior year) so I was the same age as the Klebold and Harris and vividly remember seeing the events play out on the news.

The most impressive aspect of 4/20/99 is the performances from the mostly young cast. Ryan Munsey and Andrew Myers are realistically chilling as Klebold and Harris. The way they talk about blowing up their classmates as some kind of dare in a movie (Natural Born Killers is a particular favorite) is chilling and unforgettable. Anell Gathercole is also excellent a Robyn Anderson who is making understandable decisions for a simple teenage girl not realizing they will have disastrous consequences. We as the audience know what horrible mistakes she’s naively making and can only watch in horror.

The actual events of the massacre play out in Act 2 and Cazier uses sound (sound technician Ian Bengyzen) to take you to the high school and that moment as well as making sure the emphasis is on the victims with photos and words in memoriam for each of them. For the most part these scenes are played out without much artistic license with one exception. In a portion of the tapes Dylan talks about a halcyon girl who will welcome him into the afterlife. At one point he dances with this girl and because everything else is so grounded and real I found it confusing and strange. It just didn’t fit tonally with the rest of the play in my opinion.

I also worry the play loses some of its efficacy when it becomes too much of a trauma dump. Perhaps such issue-oriented violent plays would be better as one acts or smaller skits? It’s a lot to take in such anger and hatred especially from teens. It would also be nice if such performances were more action-oriented. What I mean by that is we as the audience are put through a traumatic experience and surely the creators must have something specific they want us to do with that trauma? They present a bunch of statistics for violent crime but what’s their hopeful solution? A lot of things have been attempted to help with gun crime over the years but to no avail. A specific call to action could help transform the play from something upsetting to empowering.

That said, if you get a chance to see 4/20/99: A Story of Columbine I recommend it. It’s brutal but also a searing and extremely well acted reminder of what two bitter hearts can do to others if left unchecked. The human heart is truly capable of some horrible actions and that is terrifying and humbling. The play’s run has finished at the Regent but you can find out more about future productions 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 10/9-10/11 (MY FAIR LADY, PERSUASION, CLUE: THE MUSICAL) (RACHEL’S THEATRE LOG 61)

| Rachel's Reviews

I truly had a magical week of theatre this week and will be logging and reviewing more of the productions over the next few days. If you want to read my reviews of the movies I saw click here. Meanwhile here are some logs for 3 local shows:

MY FAIR LADY- HALE CENTER THEATRE OREM, OREM

Seeing My Fair Lady at Hale Center Theatre Orem was a bit of a bittersweet experience because even though it was highly entertaining it is probably the last show I will see at this location. They will have their A Christmas Carol which is not part of the season pass and then will be moving over to their new location in Pleasant Grove called The Ruth. I am very happy for them but I will miss the intimacy and unique nature of the theater in Orem.

Fortunately this production of My Fair Lady is an excellent one for them to go out on. I saw the MWF cast and on pretty much every level it delivers on a wonderful take on this classic material. What impressed me the most is how the humor in the script was highlighted and brought to the forefront. M. Chase Grant in particular as Henry Higgins gives the funniest take I’ve ever seen for the role and helped make the character more endearing and the romance more palatable (an element of this musical I typically don’t enjoy.)

Ashley Gardner Carlson is fantastic as Eliza Doolittle and again she brought out the humor in the role with songs like “Without You” and “Show Me.” This production is directed by Rodger Sorensen with beautiful costumes by Dennis Wright. I particularly loved the Ascot scene using grays and purples in contrast to the usual white and black. My only real critique would be they could have changed out the individual settings a little more. I understand the space makes set changes tough but keeping it the flowered street whether they are inside or outside for even the Embassy Ball was a little underwhelming. But other than that it is a great version of My Fair Lady I highly recommend. It is playing at HCTO until Nov 23rd and you can purchase tickets here.

My Fair Lady is of course the classic musical with lyrics and book by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe.

PERSUASION- SNOW COLLEGE THEATRE, EPHRAIM

As soon as I saw that Snow College was putting on Melissa Leilani Larson’s adaptation of Persuasion I knew I had to see it despite the college being a nearly 2 hour drive in Ephraim. Larson is my favorite local playwright and was one of the first interviews I ever did when I had just started out my channel back in 2016. Even as I was driving down in heavy traffic I began to think ‘is this going to be worth it.’ Well, once seated any doubts I had were put to the side by a wonderful production of one of my favorite Jane Austen novels (I saw a production of this adaptation via a live stream during the pandemic so it was meaningful to see it live on stage this time.)

The art direction of the piece (director Jenn Chandler) is simple with an abstract background that could become everything from Kellynch Hall to the beaches in Lyme. Persuasion is a particularly difficult novel to adapt because much of the action either happens off stage before we meet the lead couple or within their minds. What Larson has done to fix this is the brilliant choice of having 2 couples play Anne and Wentworth. This way we see the couple’s first and second chance at love.

The whole cast of students at Snow College are excellent with Chloe Hannah and Shayla Florence playing Anne, and Joshua Peterson and Landon Bulloch as Wentworth. It may help I am so well versed in the story that I wasn’t confused by two versions of the characters but it is so widely known that most who buy tickets are probably aware of the basic plot. Of all the performers, however, Ruby Bagley really stole the show as Mary Musgrove. She is probably the funniest character in the novel and Bagley has terrific comedic timing.

Some of the other performers could be a little too exuberant and big for the regency setting and relative stillness of the backdrop but Persuasion was still a very entertaining night of theater. It can still be seen until the 15th and tickets can be purchased here.

CLUE: THE MUSICAL- HERITAGE THEATRE, PERRY

When I saw Heritage Theatre in Perry was putting on Clue: The Musical I was intrigued. I have seen the play based on the game/movie but didn’t even know the musical was a thing. So despite the over an hour drive to get to Perry I made my way up to see the show and I’m so glad I did. Heritage Theatre is a community theater in the best sense of the word and this is an ambitious but well executed mystery experience.

What impressed me the most about Clue: The Musical is the interactive elements. I’m normally not the biggest fan of improv but you’d never know there are 216 different outcomes to this musical! It all feels very scripted. The songs aren’t especially memorable but they work as transitions from one scene and clue to the next. Directors Bree and Derek Hendricks have seemingly thought of everything with a game board projected on the wall and a live band to play the musical cues. I also loved the set design by Derek and Jess Tarbet. Each of the rooms of the iconic game are created on a turntable that moves from one setpiece to the next. They even have playing pieces for each character in each of the rooms which I thought was quite clever.

The performers are all having a ton of fun but Sam Bakker is probably my favorite as Mrs White. I think we really lucked out to have her as our murderer (not a spoiler since every performance will be different.) I’m actually not that big of a mystery person but this is just a fun experience. It’s not the polish you’ll find at something like HCTO but that’s part of the charm. If you are anywhere near Perry I’d highly recommend seeing Clue: The Musical. It is playing until Oct 26th and you can purchase tickets here.

Clue: The Musical has a book by Peter Depietro, lyrics by Tom Chiodo, and Music by Galen Blum, Waynde Barker and Vinnie Martucci.

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.

‘LITTLE WOMEN: THE MUSICAL’ AT IDEAL PLAYHOUSE ASTONISHES (REVIEW)

| Rachel's Reviews

The novel Little Women by Louisa May Alcott will always have a special place in my heart. It was the first big book I ever read. The first book I was proud of for finishing at around 8 or 9. I think as the oldest daughter in a family which would come to include 4 girls and having an independent streak like Jo I easily connected with it and have loved almost all adaptations of this material I’ve seen film or stage (we don’t talk about the modern version from 2018…) I’ve seen Little Women: The Musical many times over the years and really enjoyed it each time. The latest version is at the Ideal Playhouse in Heber and it’s a production worth your time and effort.

Little Women: The Musical came to Broadway in 2005 and helped Sutton Foster receive a Tony Award nomination for playing Jo. It has music by Jason Howland, lyrics by Mindi Dickstein, and book by Allan Knee. The production at Ideal is directed by Steve Anderson with music direction from Karyn Anderson.

One of the aspects that makes Ideal Playhouse so unique is the screens surrounding the viewer on all sides. I hope to see a concert or event film there soon because it adds a special element I’ve never seen before in a theatrical production. This was particularly neat in operatic tragedy numbers of this musical with the audience being surrounded by action and excitement. It is a cool way to differentiate the space from the many other local theatre companies.

They also have a terrific cast for this production with Ashley Bates as Jo, Lisa Blaser as Marmee and the great Michael McLean as Mr Lawrence. He mentioned on social media this is his first time playing a different character outside of his own material. I’ve seen McLean in The Forgotten Carols several times but it was super fun to see him stretch his acting wings here. I actually got to interview him during the pandemic and he is as friendly as you’d expect.

The highlights of Little Women: The Musical are the beautiful duet between Beth and Jo “Some Thing are Meant to Be.” It’s such a lovely song and performed with skill and chemistry at Ideal. I also love Marmee’s song “Days of Plenty.” The rest of the songs are fairly generic Broadway ballads and bops but certainly pleasant enough and well performed.

The costumes feel a little more Regency than mid-19th century but my favorite of the night was worn by Nicole Cable as Aunt March, and she is the costume designer for the production. All the other sets and transitions worked with the projections to create a warm and comforting atmosphere on stage.

There are times when the music overpowers the performers and there was a problem with the mics not being turned off when actors are off stage. You could hear little whispering off stage which can be distracting to what’s going on on stage.

Other than that, I really enjoyed Little Women: The Musical at Ideal Playhouse. If you are in and around Heber I recommend seeking it out. They also listened to my advise and lowered prices to under $30, which I appreciate. With children at just $14 this could be a great family activity especially young girls will love. Go out and watch something that’s astonishing! This show plays through Oct 12th 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.

AMERICAN IDIOT, CATCH ME IF YOU CAN, ROMEO & JULIET (RACHEL’S THEATRE LOG 21)

| Rachel's Reviews

This will just be a quick little post on 3 of the shows I was able to see over the last few weeks. 2 of them I reviewed for UTBA so the full review is there but I wanted to include them somewhere on this site as well so here goes.

AMERICAN IDIOT- SANCTUARY THEATRE, WEST JORDAN

As much as I love the classics I also always jump at the chance to see a show I’ve never seen before especially if it’s one that isn’t done often in Utah because of mature content or other aspects. Last year I got to see Avenue Q at Sanctuary Theatre and they continue to produce edgier shows this year with their latest production of American Idiot. This is the first time I’d seen this musical based on Green Day songs and it was an overall fun experience that will probably be most enjoyed by Green Day superfans. I would give a shoutout to the cast and crew but there was no program provided nor is there one on the website so well done to all involved. This is a blackbox small experience with maybe 50 seats in the “theater.” The performances are unpolished but that often quite suited the rock stylings to the songs. I also thought they did all they could to integrate video and props given the very small space and budget. My only real qualms come in the lack of a coherent story. The adapters didn’t do a good job weaving the songs together in a way that made much sense or that created compelling characters. Still, if you have been wanting to see this musical give it a shot. It’s a small company taking risks that’s worthy of your support. It plays through March 2nd and tickets can be purchased here.

ROMEO & JULIET- GRASSROOTS SHAKESPEARE, AMERICAN FORK

Even though Romeo & Juliet is probably my least favorite Shakespeare play of the ones that I’ve seen I jumped for the chance to see the delightful Grassroots Shakespeare Company’s production on Valentines Day. I reviewed it for UTBA and you can find my review here but needless to say I really enjoyed my experience. They have taken something quite dry and tired and infused energy and heart into it. They are a company that focuses on education and a raw, mostly unrehearsed approach to Shakespeare and I really appreciate what they are doing. This production is done but you can find out more here.

CATCH ME IF YOU CAN- MUSIC THEATRE WEST, LOGAN

There are certain Broadway shows that I seem to enjoy more than the average theatre fan or critic and Catch Me if You Can is one of them. Maybe it’s because I think the movie is just ok so my expectations were lower but I love the songs, story and overall energy to the piece. This is why I went out of my way to see Music Theatre West’s production way up in Logan and it was worth the drive. What a fun night of theatre with wonderful performances, choreography and everything else. Music Theatre West is almost always worth the drive and this was no exception. I reviewed it for UTBA and you can find my review here. Catch Me if You Can is playing at the Utah Theatre (my first time in this theatre which is around the corner from the Eccles where they normally have their productions) until March 9th and I highly recommend it. You can purchase tickets here.

So there you have it! If you’ve seen American Idiot or Catch Me if You Can I’d love to hear what you think of those shows and what’s the best version of Romeo & Juliet you’ve seen? Happy theatre going!

If you enjoy my writing please support me on patreon and you will get some great perks along the way! I could review more shows with more support and showcase more theatres. Check it out here.