West Side Story at Draper Historic Theatre

Last night I went to see West Side Story at Draper Historic Theatre and, since this is a favorite show that I have seen many times, I really appreciated some of the bold choices made by the production team. The story revolves around the forbidden relationship between Tony (Tanner Perkins) and Maria (Michelle Pichardo) and the animosity it stirs up between the Jets and the Sharks, two rival street gangs who are vying for territory. I really enjoyed both of the leads because they have beautiful voices and tremendous chemistry with each other. Perkins has an irrepressible energy in "Something's Coming" and a wide-eyed wonder in "Maria" but it is his affecting performance of "Tonight" that gave me goosebumps. Pichardo is incredibly appealing in "I Feel Pretty," impossibly romantic in her rendition of "One Hand, One Heart" with Perkins, and so devastating in her performance of "I Have a Love" that I was reduced to tears! However, my favorites in the cast were Ashley Murillo Coombs as Anita and Zaden Gates as Riff. Coombs has a lot of sass and I loved all of her facial expressions during her interactions with Bernardo (Warren Tharp) and during her exuberant performance of "America" and I definitely felt her rage during "A Boy Like That" and her terror when the Jets attack her. My favorite numbers in this show have always been "Jet Song" and "Cool" and Gates certainly delivered with both his singing and dancing in these scenes (as did the ensemble). The choreography is absolutely exhilarating and, in addition to the two aforementioned numbers, I also loved the "Prologue" because the hostility between the Jets and the Sharks is immediately established through movement rather than dialogue, "The Dance at the Gym" because the moment that Tony and Maria first see each other is so dramatic, and "Gee, Officer Krupke" because it is incredibly dynamic and the use of a scarf is very clever. As I mentioned, I was especially struck by the choice to have Maria sing some of the verses of "I Feel Pretty" in Spanish because this makes her seem even more guileless, the choice to have Anybodys (Sarah Bobby Hinckley) sing "Somewhere" while bringing the two groups together because this character more than any other truly struggles to find their place and it is incredibly powerful, and the choice to have Anita sing "A Boy Like That" in Spanish while Maria sings "I Have a Love" in English because it shows the difference between them very emphatically. Finally, the minimal set, featuring brick walls, chain link fences, and fire escapes, is very effective as is the lighting design, which features warm reds for the Sharks and cool blues for the Jets and mimics the costumes. This is a compelling production of a story that is still incredibly relevant today and I highly recommend it (go here for tickets). Performances run on Mondays, Fridays, and Saturdays through September 12.

The Rivals of Amziah King

Last night I went to the Broadway to see The Rivals of Amziah King and I was completely charmed by this movie.  Amziah King (Matthew McConaughey) is a beekeeper, bluegrass musician, and born-again Christian in rural Oklahoma.  He is the undisputed leader of his tight-knit community and hosts impromptu jam-sessions with members of his band, employs wayward young men in his honey making operation, attends pot-luck dinners at his church, and frequently helps out with bee emergencies in town.  After he encounters his former foster daughter Kateri (Angelina LookingGlass) when she returns to the area, he integrates her into his circle of friends and instructs her in the characteristics of his bees.  When one of his rivals, Dob McCoy (Kurt Russell), steals all of Amziah's bee hives, Kateri rallies his friends to help her get them back and exact revenge.  The first act features several vignettes of Amziah interacting with his eccentric friends and these scenes are filled with joy, exuberance, and wonderful music (not to mention a lot of comedy which made me and the rest of the audience laugh out loud).  McConaughey gives one of his most charismatic performances to date and his scenes with LookingGlass are incredibly touching. The second and third acts then become a tension-filled revenge thriller with a brilliant breakout performance from LookingGlass.  So many of the sequences that seem totally random in the first act suddenly make sense as each of Amziah's friends use their unique skills to help Kateri in her quest.  I really loved the message about the importance of community and I also loved that Amziah's community mimics the structure of his bee hives (the line that bees know when to find a new queen really struck me).  I honestly did not know what to expect but this quirky and atmospheric movie pulled me in and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  I think it is definitely worth seeking out!

Ken Ludwig's Moriarty at HCT

I am a huge fan of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's popular character Sherlock Holmes so I was very intrigued by Ken Ludwig's new play Moriarty which is currently being produced by Hale Theatre. I had the chance to see it last night and I absolutely loved this clever take in which the characters are reimagined as actors in a melodrama. It is based on several of Conan Doyle's short stories, most notably "A Scandal in Bohemia," "The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plans," and "The Final Problem," and begins when the King of Bohemia visits Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson at 221B Baker Street. He asks them to retrieve some indelicate letters he once wrote to the American actress Irene Adler because they could threaten his forthcoming marriage. Their investigation leads them to Adler and Sherlock's brother Mycroft and they eventually discover that the letters include clues about an international spy ring. This leads them to Professor James Moriarty and an epic confrontation at the Reichenbach Falls. In my opinion, the weakest link is the story because it is very thin (the runtime is about 90 minutes including an intermission) and Ludwig takes many liberties with the source material. However, Ludwig absolutely nails the characterization and so do the actors. Adam Packard exaggerates Sherlock's eccentricity and powers of deduction, Morgan Gunter emphasizes Dr. Watson's steadfast loyalty (he also narrates the goings-on), and Amber Dodge portrays Irene Adler as a daring and capable foil to Sherlock. All of the other well-known characters (I loved seeing the Baker Street Irregulars) are played by a small ensemble, including Bryan Dayley, Claire Kenny, Danny Kenny, and Bryson Smellie, and the costume changes are lightning fast! Dayley is one of my favorite local actors (I've seen him in multiple productions at HCT and other Utah theaters) and he is absolutely hilarious at the King of Bohemia, Mycroft Holmes, Inspector Lestrade, and Professor Moriarty (he also plays a porter and a shopkeeper). Each character has its own distinct voice and physicality and I especially enjoyed Inspector Lestrade's blustering and Moriarty's over the top arrogance. The staging really leans into the melodramas popular during the nineteenth century (when Conan Doyle's stories take place) with elaborate backdrops, set pieces, and props that look like one dimensional drawings. My favorite is one that features a river boat on one side and a horse drawn carriage on the other and the crowds (which are operated by a member of the ensemble) made me laugh out loud but the set piece for the Reichenbach Falls is truly spectacular (the use of the turntable for the reveal is very dramatic). These pieces are all moved on and off the stage with precision and I am very impressed by the backstage crew responsible for the quick set changes and costume changes! This is unlike anything I have seen before and I highly recommend getting a ticket (go here). It runs on the Sorenson Legacy Jewel Box Stage through November 14.

Note:  Utah's favorite musical, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, is currently playing on the Young Living Centre Stage through October 24 (go here for tickets). I think it is kind of a mess but everyone else seems to love it!

Anything Goes at Hopebox Theatre

I was really excited to see Anything Goes at the Hopebox Theatre last night and I had so much fun with this delightful, delicious, and de-lovely production! A group of eccentric characters board the S.S. Jacobson for a voyage from New York to London, including Reno Sweeney (Samantha Wursten), a popular nightclub singer, her friend Billy Crocker (Daylen Bills), a Wall Street broker who stows away to stop the wedding of the woman he loves while eluding his boss Elisha J. Whitney, Hope Harcourt (Kayleigh Eagle), the object of Billy's affection who is engaged to the wealthy but hapless Sir Evelyn Oakleigh (Ethan Hoffmann) to please her mother Evangeline Harcourt (Amelia Tilley), "Moonface" Martin (Stefan Kurzius), a gangster who his proud of his status as Public Enemy #13, his moll Erma Latour (Kenna Ford), and Spit (Isaac Nelson) and Dippy (Eli Packer), two wayward boys who con most of the passengers. Hijinks, and many big song and dance numbers featuring the music of Cole Porter, ensue when Reno and Moonface try to break Hope's engagement so she can marry Billy. The story is silly and chaotic with a lot of subplots involving disguises, mistaken identities, and unlikely romances and the songs sometimes feel shoehorned in ("Blow, Gabriel, Blow" is included because Reno Sweeney is a former evangelist!) but the show is so much fun and it is perfect as a form of escapist entertainment. The musical numbers are absolutely phenomenal and I especially loved the energetic tap dancing, the clever use of props, and the way one of the biggest casts I've seen at this theatre is integrated into a small space. The lead performances are excellent, starting with Wursten who plays Reno Sweeney with a bit of sass that is really fun to watch. I particularly loved her comedic physicality and facial expressions in "I Get a Kick Out of You" and "You're the Top" and her powerful vocals and tap dancing blew me away in "Anything Goes" and "Blow, Gabriel, Blow." Eagle, who has a beautiful voice, is perfect as the romantic ingenue Hope and she has tremendous chemistry with Bills, who is very charming as Billy, in "Easy to Love" and "It’s De-Lovely." Kurzius and Hoffmann have smaller roles but they steal every scene they are in, especially during the songs "Be Like the Bluebird" and "The Gypsy in Me," respectively (the latter made me laugh out loud). This features some gorgeous period costumes with lots of sailor suits, tuxedos, and sparkly gowns. My favorites are the blue taffeta tea length dresses worn by the female ensemble in "It's De-Lovely" and "All Through the Night." Finally, I think this is one of the best sets I've seen at Hopebox because it is quite elaborate and includes the prow of a ship (complete with railings at the edge of the stage) and multiple doors upstage leading to cabins (there are a lot of hilarious comings and goings through these doors). As with every production at the Hopebox Theatre, the proceeds will go to someone battling cancer in the community (go here to meet the recipient for this show, Kirsten Jacobson). I loved this production and highly recommend getting a ticket (go here) because, not only will you be entertained, you will also be supporting a very worthwhile cause. It runs on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays through September 5.

The End of Oak Street

Last night I went to see The End of Oak Street with my nephew.  We have both been anticipating this all summer and we really enjoyed it.  Denise Platt (Anne Hathaway) and her husband Greg (Ewan McGregor) are at odds with each other and with their dull suburban life.  Their children Audrey (Maisy Stella) and Brian (Christian Convery), who have problems of their own, have begun to notice the strain between them.  One night there is a strange atmospheric anomaly that produces an unusually bright light and causes a power outage.  When the power is still off in the morning, they go out to investigate and discover that their entire neighborhood has been transported back in time to the Jurassic period by a wormhole and that dinosaurs are roaming the streets.  They barely escape from the ensuing carnage and barricade their house in order to stay safe.  However, Brian sneaks out hoping to rescue his dog Starbuck and soon Audrey and then Denise and Greg go out to look for him.  They eventually realize that they must work together if they are going to survive.  This is a campy homage to the action adventure movies that Steven Spielberg used to make in the 1980s and if you can view it through that lens you will definitely have a good time with it.  The dialogue is sometimes a bit clunky and the ending features some major plot holes (I suggest that you don't think too much about the time paradox) but it hardly matters.  I loved the nostalgia and the 1980s aesthetic used throughout, especially a needle drop that had me singing out loud, but my nephew thinks that the filmmakers should have used 35mm film stock from that era for more authenticity.  I also loved the poignant family dynamic in which the fear of losing each other brings them closer together (Hathaway and McGregor do a great job portraying this).  Finally, I especially loved the truly frightening (and at one point amusing) action sequences involving the dinosaurs.  Showing the impact of the dinosaurs before actually revealing them is very effective at building tension and seeing them wreak havoc in a suburban environment is unusual and therefore very unsettling.  This is a really fun summer blockbuster and I recommend that you suspend your disbelief and just go with it (Gen Xers who grew up with Steven Spielberg movies are sure to love it).