utah-theatre

‘DOGFIGHT’ IS A GOOD LOOKIN START TO SENTINEL THEATRE (REVIEW)

| Rachel's Reviews

It’s always an exciting event when a new theatre company enters the Utah theatre scene and it is even more exciting when they do so with a bold ambitious choice that I’ve never seen before. Such is the case with the debut production of Dogfight from Sentinel Theatre at the Valentine Theater in American Fork. The mature content of this show won’t be for everyone but if up for the challenging material the audience will be richly rewarded. What a triumphant start to a new company, and I can’t wait to see what they do next (which is Bright Star so of course I’m thrilled about that!)

I first heard about Dogfight from a friend of mine on my podcast and especially it being the first music of now EGOT winners Benji Pasek and Justin Paul I was intrigued (book by Peter Duchan.) It tells the story of 3 soldiers in 1963 that are heading to the Vietnam War with a stop-over in San Francisco after basic training. The trio decides to enter a ‘dogfight’ competition where they all try to bring the ugliest girl they can find to a party to be judged. This pushes Eddie Birdlace into the company of a girl named Rose who may not appreciate the cruel joke the soldiers are playing.

If that plot feels too dark and cynical it may not be your cup of tea but we are dealing with foolish young people and the harsh realities of war so dark and cynical is not inappropriate. There are enough moments of humanity within the material to give hope and keep me engaged throughout.

The cast at Sentinel are all outstanding with Adam Moore as Birdlace and Sam Bennett and Nathan Bowser as Bernstein and Boland. They have a believable chemistry and they are all complex characters that do a mixture of good and bad things (like most humans even without the threat of war looming over us.) Moore is a very gifted singer but he also is endearing enough for us to not completely hate him for what he is doing to Rose (she also slaps him in the face which is more than deserved.)

Rose is played by Alison Gordon and she is wonderful at playing shy and awkward teenager. I like that she is insecure but never a complete pushover. River Robinson is also terrific as Marcy and I particularly enjoyed a duet she does with Rose called “Dogfight.” She is very funny in the role but also captures the deeper cynicism needed to teach the boys a lesson.

The whole team at Sentinel deserves praise for the thrilling production. Director Andrew Jefferies has left no detail unattended. I love how the actors are constantly moving with the entire large stage being used. Caleb Wallengren does mesmerizing work with the lighting and sound design creating everything from a simple diner, to a party, to a war with explosions and gunfire. The costumes by Kristin Christensen are period accurate from everything I know (I’m not a military expert but they appeared correct.) Liz Whittaker continues her incredible work across this valley as the intimacy coordinator (I found it very impressive thanks to Moore and Gordon that the intimacy scenes worked as well as they did when things are so cruel at the party.)

As far as critique my main feedback would be for the leads to try and enunciate a little bit better. I know it’s hard when doing accents but there were times when I had a hard time understanding the dialogue and was a little confused. I didn’t even realize what the dogfight actually was until the dance contest started. I think I missed something in the earlier dialogue that should have given me a clue.

Like I said, I know Dogfight will not be for everyone but I hope enough people take a chance on something bold and new to encourage Sentinel to keep going and producing more theatre. As theatre patrons it’s exactly the kind of ambitious work we should be promoting and supporting and I hope all my readers see it. It is playing through April 12th 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 like bonus episodes, patron polls and monthly Q&As with actors, directors and writers. Please take a look here.

‘LIFE OF PI’ INCREDIBLE PUPPETRY AND VISUALS MAKE IT A HIGHLIGHT OF THE ECCLES SEASON (REVIEW)

| Rachel's Reviews

Typically I am not a style over substance girl when it comes to live theatre (or film for that matter.) If the story doesn’t impress me usually it doesn’t matter how visually impressive a production is. I say usually because there is an exception to every rule. Such is the case with the national tour of Life of Pi playing at Eccles until April 6th. The story is fine and has its thoughtful moments but the visuals including the puppetry are unforgettable.

At its core Life of Pi is a simple survival story. An Indian young man named Pi gets shipwrecked as his family is fleeing India with their zoo animals. Eventually he ends up (in one variation at least) on a boat with a bengal tiger named Richard Parker. This is based on the book by Yann Martel and was adapted to the stage by Lolita Chakrabarti. Readers may also be familiar with the Oscar winning film by director Ang Lee released in 2012. Chakrabarti tries to bring a lot of spirituality and existentialism into the script but a lot of that felt cloying and clunky where it was trying to be sincere.

The aspects of the script that worked better for me were the alternate realities and when things become practically a horror show with events getting very dark for poor Pi. These sections felt more fresh than the bland new age spirituality of the supposedly profound moments.

Anything lacking in the script is more than made up for in the mesmerizing visuals. It’s hard to throw something at me I’ve never seen (especially in a play!) but these animal puppets are jaw dropping. The puppeteers are unbelievable. They create the feeling of a real animal everything from the movements of the muscles to the sound of the animals breathing. They even have a giraffe for a small scene at the beginning that took my breath away.

Taha Mandviwala is also outstanding as Pi. He understands the physicality of the role and is up for the emotional range required to go through a 227 day marooned at sea struggle. The other elements brought together by director Max Webster are outstanding and one can hardly help but get caught up in the drama of what is happening. I loved the lighting by Tim Deiling and Tim Lutkin and the way projections were carefully used to further the story and make nature a real character in the piece beyond just the animals. There are some strobe lights used to create lightning and other effects that might be hard for some people but they totally helped me get engrossed in what was happening with poor Pi on this boat!

I almost didn’t need the callouts to God and religion with this story. Sheer survival and the test of the human spirit is enough to think about and ponder. How far would you go if tested and desperate? What kind of person do you want to be and what is the difference between human and animal natures. That’s enough without bringing in 3 faiths for Pi to juggle.

In the end, however, squabbles with the script didn’t keep me from having a great time at Life of Pi and giving it a strong recommendation. It’s a stunning work of theatrical art that one has to see to believe. It is playing through April 6th 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.

‘BRIGHT STAR’ AT DRAPER HISTORIC DOES RIGHT BY THIS FAN (REVIEW)

| Rachel's Reviews

It’s no big surprise to my readers that I am a huge fan of the musical Bright Star. I think after 2 recent viewings at Draper Historic Theatre I have seen it 15 times. That said, just because I love a piece doesn’t mean I’ll give a company a complete pass when I go to review a production. In fact, when I heard Draper Historic Theatre was putting the show on I was especially excited because they selected Mindi Eckroth to direct and I had previously seen her production at the Empress where just about everything that could go wrong went wrong. I was happy she could get some redemption and she did.

There are a lot of reasons I love Bright Star (with music by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell, lyrics by Brickell and book by Martin) but mostly it is completely entertaining while still having huge heart and soul. I absolutely love the music and it’s the all-around emotional experience- it will make you cry, laugh, smile, and want to sing along. It’s a perfectly calibrated musical when it comes to the emotions it drags out of the audience.

I saw both casts at DHT and while I enjoyed both the MThS cast has the slight edge. Alexa Thompson as Alice and Isaac Carrillo as Jimmy have terrific chemistry and Josiah Johnson has a youthful look about him that fits the character of Billy very well.

As good as the actors are it’s the transformation of the DHT stage that surprised me bringing down the 2 side columns of the stage creating a good 2 feet on each side that could be filled with a 2-story platform for the bluegrass band, which was another highlight (Marie Buhler band conductor.)

The choreography by Sam Stowell is another standout with ensemble members frequently pulling off lifts and other elaborate skills I couldn’t hope to achieve. Plus, to have so many actors dancing on such a small stage is an accomplishment.

If by some miracle you haven’t seen Bright Star yet I highly recommend heading out to Draper Historic Theatre to check out this wonderful musical well told by a fantastic community theatre group. I brought my friend Stanford who’d never seen it before and he loved it (how could you not?) It’s one of the great American musicals and a wonderful version of it to watch and enjoy. It never gets old! Bright Star is playing through April 19th 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. For the record I paid for one of these tickets and received one as a comp.

‘A CASE FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD’ IS ACTUALLY A CASE FOR FRIENDSHIP AT PTC (REVIEW)

| Rachel's Reviews

As someone who struggles with titles to draw people to my reviews and other content I recognize the temptation of a catchy title. However, one has to be careful not to set audiences up for something one can’t deliver on. Such is the problem facing playwright Samuel D Hunter and his bombastically titled play A Case for the Existence of God that just opened in the Meldrum theatre from Pioneer Theatre Company. That’s not to say this play is bad, it’s actually quite good but the title is frustrating.

A better title for this play would be ‘Toxic Masculinity’ or ‘Two Dudes in America’ or even ‘Mortgage Lending.’ I am sure Hunter has all kinds of reasons why he brings God into the title but it sets up audience for a religious themed show- something that is on the constant minds of Utah residents and then doesn’t deliver hardly at all. I suppose this subversion could be effective in surprising audiences but I just found it frustrating because I was disappointed for no reason.

Anyway, what we do get is a nice friendship story that is quite effective (hence my frustration.) The play is about 2 men Ryan played by Lee Osorio and Keith played by Jon Hudson Odom. Ryan is an alpha redneck male looking to buy a plot of land and Keith is a gay single foster dad who is a mortgage broker trying to help Ryan. We then see their relationship evolve as the lending process proves to be quite lengthy.

Osorio and Odom are excellent in their roles commanding the stage and having a believable chemistry together. The dialogue by Hunter feels authentic and genuine and I was engaged by their discussion. I am glad Hunter kept things as a friendship story as particularly with men I don’t think that relationship is explored enough especially 2 men supporting their roles as fathers.

The production itself is simple and it may have been more at home in a black box (I’m not sure why the Meldrum has only been used for 2-person small productions so far. It’s a great space. Let’s see it used to its potential! Also the chairs in the Meldrum are so comfortable.) Director Timothy Douglas keeps things simple and lets the 2 men do their jobs. The set is an office cubicle which for this remote worker can be nightmare fuel but it is highly relatable and a good choice. There are a few surprises with projections and lighting I won’t spoil towards the end but this is all about our two men (not God) and their friendship. Sometimes simple is best and that’s the case with this play.

In the end in spite of its convoluted title A Case for the Existence of God is a play any theatre lover will enjoy. The acting is excellent and it will make you want to call the Ryans and Keiths in your life to check in and make sure they are doing alright. We all need to take better care of our friends and this is a call to do so. I’d say definitely worth a ticket. A Case for the Existence of God plays through April 12th and tickets can be purchased here.

Today I give my thoughts on the poorly titled but excellent new play at Pioneer Theatre Company- A Case for the Existence of God

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 3/8-3/29 (MAN OF LA MANCHA, THE PAJAMA GAME, THE SOUND OF MUSIC, THE STING) (RACHEL’S THEATRE LOG 114)

| Rachel's Reviews

It’s always fun when I get to check off a few shows off of my bucket list, which is what I was able to do recently with 2 recent local shows. Plus, I was able to see a superb version of a classic so it’s been a fun March in Utah theatre.

MAN OF LA MANCHA- KENSINGTON THEATRE, SOUTH JORDAN

First up, we have Man of La Mancha at Kensington Theatre. I was really looking forward to this as it is a classic show I’d never seen and the team at Kensington did not disappoint.

Director Toni Butler has become a friend of mine and she always does a wonderful job at getting the best out of her community theatre cast and crew. I honestly think the team at Kensington is very underrated in the area. What’s especially impressive for their mainstage shows (not the black box like recent Shrek) is they have a full orchestra that’s actually in a pit in the ground of the stage. Obviously I’ve seen many orchestra pits in my day but never one that is actually in a pit. I always get a kick out of that and it’s just super impressive for a small company like Kensington to have live music for all their shows (orchestra director Michelle Willis)

The music is the big star of Man of La Mancha with many classic songs like “The Impossible Dream” “Dulcinea” and “I’m Only Thinking of Him.” The set at Kensington by art director Logan Bingham is stunning with 1600’s Spain created with adobe-looking buildings with multiple levels for actors to sit on. Gil Murdock is charismatic as Don Quixote/ Miguel de Cervantes and Karllen Johnson is a feisty Aldonza/Dulcinea.

My main critique of this production (aside from it being a little slow moving) is I wish they had worked in more choreography into the piece. There are a lot of scenes where the large ensemble is sitting where some movement might have livened things up a little. Unfortunately Man of La Mancha has finished its run but the teens are doing Little Shop of Horrors which you can find more information about here.

Man of La Mancha has music by Mitch Leigh, lyrics by Joe Darion and a book by Dale Wasserman

THE PAJAMA GAME- TERRACE PLAZA PLAYHOUSE, OGDEN

Next up we have a comedy I had never seen before. It’s The Pajama Game put on by Terrace Plaza Playhouse in Ogden. While there are outdated relationship aspects of this musical it does have some memorable tunes and a story about labor that many people will be able to connect with.

Terrace Plaza is an amateur community theatre so there are plenty of imperfections, but I commend them for picking such a unique choice. They are a company usually known for their family-friendly offerings but this piece has more of an edge to it along with some very catchy tunes. Director Melissa Trenery gets all she can out of her cast and Blaine Hickman was my favorite playing Sid. Jamila Lowe and Jim Tatton also did excellent work with the 50s inspired costumes. The Pajama Game is playing through April 5th and tickets can be purchased here.

The Pajama Game features music and lyrics by Richard Alder and Jerry Ross with a book by George Abbott and Richard Bissell

THE SOUND OF MUSIC- CENTERPOINT LEGACY, CENTERVILLE

Watching The Sound of Music at Centerpoint Legacy Theatre made me wish the company was more open to having critics at their shows so I could write a full detailed review and not just this log. I know it’s a risk for them, but I really do have so much I could say in a longer review. This production was remarkable and I highly recommend it to anyone in the area.

The cast is all excellent in this production with Emily Henwood and Clay Rockwood sporting incredible chemistry as Maria and the Captain. The true star, however, is the set design by Truxton Moulton. I love the choice to have a continual background of the mountains where it would have been much easier to have a projection screen. The characters are constantly surrounded by mountains which makes sense metaphorically and especially triumphant when they literally climb the mountain of the set at the end (brilliant.)

Director Kristin Pettingill Callor also makes the bold choice to show German 1940s film reels throughout including a speech by Adolph Hitler before the big concert sequence. What a ballsy choice for a company to make for a show usually seen as squeaky clean children’s fare. It is an astonishing moment and brings home the gravity of the concert I have never seen before (even the movie isn’t so tense.) Centerpoint once again proves itself to be an incredible company and I highly recommend seeing The Sound of Music while you have the chance. I guarantee this will be on my best of the year list for 2025. It is playing through April 24 and tickets can be purchased here.

The Sound of Music features music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II with a book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse.

THE STING- PARKER THEATRE, SALT LAKE

Going into The Sting at Parker Theatre I wasn’t sure what I was going to get. There is a musical by Bob Martin of Drowsy Chaperone fame but this a play (an original adaptation I believe but no adapter is credited in the playbill just the writer of the Oscar winning film David S Ward.) While crime stories aren’t my favorite this is a slick and very well made production at Parker one any fan of the genre will love.

The story of this production did feel a little scattered and all over the place director Joanne Parker keeps the energy from sagging with thrilling fight sequences and loud gunshots that are very exciting. The cast is across the board on a professional level with Spencer Hohl owning every scene he is in as Johnny Hooker (the Robert Redford role in the film.) It says something to the depth of talent in Utah that the Parker was able to get so many talented men for the show. Not a weak link in the bunch.

Hohl does the sound design at Parker and it is always a highlight. I hope for a rain scene in every show I see there because it is so immersive and it is here. The costumes by Rebecca Fenton are also outstanding. No detail in the 1930s aesthetic has been left out from the period accurate hats to the shoes (a small thing but I loved how Hooker put his hat on his foot whenever he was sitting down. It’s that attention to detail I so admire at Parker.)

Like I said this kind of story isn’t really my thing but it’s so well done I heartily recommend checking out The Sting at Parker Theatre. I saw it opening night so there’s still tons of time to see it through May 3rd. Tickets can be purchased here.

So there you have it. Logs for 4 recent shows here in Utah. If you get a chance to see any of them let me know what you think. Enjoy!

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.

‘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.

‘BETWEEN THE LINES’ SURPRISES AT THE EMPRESS (REVIEW)

| Rachel's Reviews

As much as I love seeing the classics of musical theatre it’s also exciting when I get the chance to see something new and fresh. Such was the opportunity I had this week at The Empress Theatre with their new production of Between the Lines. I had never heard of this musical but evidently it had an off-Broadway run back in 2022. While it doesn’t reinvent the wheel I found it to be a charming coming of age story the whole family will enjoy.

While watching Between the Lines I couldn’t help but think of a few other shows that try to do a similar thing. In particular I thought about Freaky Friday which I have also seen at The Empress (among other places.) Both shows are about a mother and daughter and both interweave fantastical elements into a modern story. The problem with Freaky Friday is some of the ideas feel more awkward than effective, and I genuinely think Between the Lines gets the balance of tones right with more effective songs.

The story for this musical revolves around a teen named Delilah who is frustrated at school and dealing with her parents divorce at home. Her escape from these problems is to dive into a novel and in particular fairytale stories with princesses and heroes. Her latest discovery is a book from the library called Between the Lines. As she reads the characters literally come alive for her and one day she even ends up inside the story of the book.

With there being a real and fantastical setting there allows to be a lot of different types of songs with the actors getting to play a variety of roles. For example, Dusti Mulder plays the mean girl Allie McAndrews in real life but then plays Princess Seraphima in the fantasy world. Director Austin Kimbell and his team make these changes come off with ease and the writers of the musical do a great job balancing the various tones. I’m particularly amazed how quickly the actors changed costume and hair for the different roles.

Ashley Bates and Alex Parkin lead the strong cast at the Empress as Delilah and Prince Oliver respectively. Parkin is particularly endearing as our frustrated prince who wants to be free from the confines of his book. The highlight for him singing-wise is “Something to Hold On to” and a nice duet with Delilah “In My Perfect World.” I also really enjoyed a number the librarian Ms Winx (Katelyn Johnson) sings called “Mr Darcy and Me.”

As much as I enjoyed Between the Lines at The Empress I do think it is a long sit and the creators would be smart to give it a good edit. There were also some microphone problems the night I attended but nothing that hurt my overall experience. Some of the actors could work on enunciating better- something particularly important as these are all unfamiliar songs for the audience. At the end of the day I’d say it’s one of the more entertaining shows I’ve seen at The Empress and definitely worth your time. It is playing through March 15th and tickets can be purchased here.

Between the Lines has music and lyrics by Elyssa Samsel & Kate Anderson with a book by Timothy Allen McDonald & Jodi Picoult based on the novel by Jodi Picoult & Samantha van Leer

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 BIG QUIET’ AT PYGMALION HITS CLOSE TO HOME (REVIEW)

| Rachel's Reviews

We all go into pieces of theatre for different reasons expecting different results. Sometimes it is to be entertained. Other times it is to be informed but sometimes it’s a chance to see our own life experience parroted back to us in the form of fictional characters. Such was my reaction to the new play, The Big Quiet, which premiered at the Rose Wagner Theatre Black Box this week. It was especially poignant because March marks the 20 year anniversary of my return from my mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and those challenging (and rewarding) experiences have been fresh on my mind. It’s hard to know what someone with no experience in the faith would think but if anyone does see it I’d love to hear what you think.

The Big Quiet is written by Morag Shepherd and is based on her own missionary experience set right around the same time I was on my mission. This setting is a smart choice because the missionaries were more isolated at that time not having access to cell phones or the ability to even call their loved ones more than twice a year. It is also smart of Shepherd to go with sister missionaries over elders because the companionship experience is more intense for sisters as is the isolation simply because there are less sisters than elders.

The two missionaries in question are Sister Garcia and Sister Roberts played by Juls Marino and Lily Hilden respectively. They are both excellent in their roles and deliver Shepherd’s biting dialogue in authentic way feeling completely believable even in the more bombastic moments. I also appreciated the attention to detail in the apartment by set designer Allen Smith. Everything from the books, to the pictures of Jesus felt right out of one of my missionary apartments.

The most effective aspect of the play is Shepherd’s writing for the strict sister Sister Roberts. Repeatedly she says “you’re not supposed to____” or “that’s against the rules.” Some might find a young person like Roberts to be hard to believe but she is light compared to what I was like on my mission. I remember agonizing over whether my Christmas phone call to my parents was going to be too long. In fact, my companion wrote her parents telling her she didn’t want to do the call because she was so worried she would go over time. Is that insane? Yes it is but it’s true. I would have literally had a nervous breakdown if I had a companion do any of the things Sister Garcia does.

That does bring me to a weakness of The Big Quiet. While I’m fine with Sister Garcia being a sceptic and facing a faith crisis, I could have used some emotion from her character- especially with the big reveal at the end. Her entire life is changing including losing something she at least at one time believed enough to serve a mission. I think it could have actually been more interesting if Sister Garcia had ended up pushing forward with a mixed testimony and teaching Sister Roberts that faith is complex and nuanced. However, I am also sure that is me bringing my own faith journey into the story. I just think more emotion from Sister Garcia either way would have been good. It would have been nice as well for Sister Roberts to have a couple introspective moments away from Sister Garcia (part of the struggle of a mission is you don’t get any moments away from your companion but still) So little of her obedience feels consensual. She never says “I chose to follow this rule.” It’s always the rule exists therefore we have to follow it.

Nevertheless, Shepherd’s work here is excellent and definitely worthy of your time. The show is directed by Tamera Howell and is playing through March 8th. Tickets can be purchased here.

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