Emma at West Valley Arts

Last night I went with both of my sisters to see Emma at the West Valley Performing Arts Center. What could be better than spending Valentine's Day with the ultimate matchmaker? After Emma Woodhouse (Morgan Fenner) successfully matches her former governess Miss Taylor (April Fossen) to Mr. Weston (Alvaro Cortez), she decides to make a match for Harriet Smith (Sofia Paredes-Kenrick) next. Despite Harriet's budding relationship with the farmer Robert Martin (TJ Horton), Emma encourages her to pursue the vicar Mr. Elton (Garrett Rushforth) instead. When this plot fails, she selects Frank Churchill (Seth Johnson) as Harriet's next suitor but Mr. Weston is trying to match him with her even though he is more interested in Jane Fairfax (Emily Henwood). Finally, Harriet chooses Mr. Knightley (Clayton Barney) but this makes Emma realize that she has been in love with him all along! Chaos ensues until Mrs. Weston plays matchmaker! This is a very loose adaptation of Jane Austen's novel because there are changes to the narrative that give Emma a powerful pretext for her meddling, Harriet some agency independent of Emma, and Knightley a well-deserved comeuppance for his superiority (many of these scenes received spontaneous applause from the crowd). This adaptation also features a more contemporary sensibility and I particularly loved the use of music from the Bridgerton soundtrack because pop songs, such as "Material Girl" as Emma dresses Harriet for the ball and "Love Story" when Emma and Knightley realize their feelings for each other, are instantly recognizable but the orchestrations are still appropriate for the Regency period. Almost none of the original dialogue from the source material is retained in favor of more modern language. In fact, I think William Shakespeare is quoted (by Mr. Elton) more than Jane Austen (although the most romantic line is still included but it is said by Emma rather than Knightley). I am generally a purist when it comes to adaptations of classic literature but I think this particular version makes Austen's novel more accessible to audiences who may not be familiar with the text, especially when Emma breaks the fourth wall to give the audience her commentary on the goings-on. I also think this adaptation is absolutely hilarious because it is more like a farce than a romantic comedy and this is emphasized by the over the top performances. I loved Fenner in the title role because she has so much chemistry with Barney when they continually bicker and roughhouse (I laughed so hard when they started flicking tea at each other) and with Paredes-Kenrick when she tries to instruct Harriet (the repeated use of biscuits as a reward provide many other laugh out loud moments). I also loved Rushforth's physicality in his interactions with Emma and Mrs. Elton (Bryn Campbell) and Brooklyn Pulver Kohler's facial expressions as Miss Bates. The set, which features panels around the stage that are flipped by the cast to become different locations and doors to the various country houses located in the wings, as well as the period costumes, which are embellished by different pieces to change the look, are simple but effective. Finally, I was really impressed with the lighting design because it is so striking, especially the red lights that are used whenever Emma mentions her rival Jane Fairfax (my sister Kristine thought that there should have been a similar effect for whenever Knightley mentions Frank Churchill). I had so much fun seeing this show with both of my sisters (we are all big fans of Jane Austen) and I don't think we stopped laughing all night (even my sister Marilyn who is very reserved). This is perfect for date night or a girl's night out and I highly recommend it (go here for tickets). There are performances on Fridays and Saturdays through February 28.

Note: Local Jane Austen fans can also see Sense and Sensibility at Parker Theatre through March 7 (go here for tickets).

Clue at the Eccles

By now I have seen Clue many times (my favorite version was at the Utah Shakespeare Festival and my least favorite was at HCT) so I was really interested in how the staging for the Broadway touring production would compare. I went to the matinee yesterday and it was so much fun! Six guests using aliases arrive at an isolated manor on a dark and stormy night, including the blustering Colonel Mustard (Nate Curlott), the flustered Mrs. Peacock (Madeline Raube), the womanizing Professor Plum (Kyle Yampiro), the dramatic Mrs. White (Sarah Mackenzie Baron), the accident-prone Mr. Green (TJ Lamando), and the glamorous Miss Scarlet (Camille Capers), at the invitation of the mysterious Mr. Boddy (Joseph Dalfonso). It is soon revealed that he has been blackmailing each of them and, after providing them with weapons, he offers to return the evidence he has against them if they kill his butler Wadsworth (Adam Brett). However, Mr. Boddy, the Cook (AT Sanders), a Motorist (Kebron Woodfin), a Cop (Kebron Woodfin), Yvette the Maid (Zoie Tannous), and a Singing Telegram Girl (AT Sanders) are murdered instead and mayhem ensues as the guests try to determine the killer, the weapon, and the location of each murder. The set is one of the best I've seen for this show and includes a mahogany paneled main entry with backdrops for a hallway and dining room that come down from the rafters and doors that open from the wings and rotate on stage to reveal the lounge, the study, the library, the kitchen, the conservatory, and the billiards room. The elaborate choreography as the characters move from room to room while the set is reconfigured is both extremely clever and hilarious to watch, especially when the characters dance as they separate into pairs to search the entire manor. The lighting and sound cues also add to the hi-jinks. The dialogue is incredibly witty and delivered at lightning speed (the joke about the Republican party got lots of laughs and applause), the sight gags are amusing (my favorite was the use of the board game as a map to the manor), and the physical comedy is the highlight of the show (everyone in the cast has brilliant comedic timing). Mr. Green is my favorite character because he is always so hilariously overwrought and I loved Lamando's physicality as he is trapped under two different bodies and a chandelier but Brett steals the show as Mr. Boddy because he is completely over the top in the scene where he reenacts all of the murders (his imitations of all of the other characters are so spot-on that the audience was hooting with laughter). I probably didn’t need to see this again but I really enjoyed it. I recommend attending one of the two remaining performances (go here for tickets) if you are in need of a laugh.

Note: I still prefer the production at the Utah Shakespeare Festival but this is a close second!

Dumbed Down at Plan-B Theatre

During my last few years teaching at Hunter High School I was lucky enough to have Darryl Stamp in the classroom across the hall from mine. He was an exceptional teacher and a wonderful colleague (he talked me down from the roof on more than one occasion). We retired at about the same time and, while I channeled my energies into a rigorous schedule of reading and napping, Darryl used his experiences at Hunter and other schools to write the play Dumbed Down which is currently having its world premiere with the Plan-B Theatre Company. I had the opportunity to see this play last night with my friend Angela, another former colleague in the English department at Hunter, and we both could definitely relate to the material (we were often the only ones in the audience laughing out loud). Kevin Simon (Danor Gerald) is an English teacher in a tough urban high school who is about to retire. Even though he must deal with endless interruptions from the office and counseling center and students who fall asleep, are on their phones, and request the hall pass multiple times, his lessons are engaging and he is able to get the students thinking about the material because he makes it relevant to them, especially Malcolm Thomas (Jacob Barnes) and Craig Wilson (Alex Smith). Isaiah Rogers (Chad Brown), one of Mr. Simon's former students, doesn't see the point of school because he has been labeled as learning disabled (despite an encyclopedic knowledge of movies) and is always in trouble (as a Black male he often makes his current English teacher feel unsafe and is therefore punished for minor infractions which usually involves picking up trash after school). Mr. Simon eventually retires but finds it difficult to stay away so he takes a job teaching in the prison system where he encounters both Isaiah and Craig who are happy for the opportunity to learn from him again. This is the most realistic portrayal of the teaching profession that I have seen on stage or film and I was particularly struck by a scene where Mr. Simon is praised for being engaging but is also reminded to work harder to prepare the students for an upcoming standardized test during his evaluation by the administrator (Jacob Barnes). This perfectly represents how education as an institution fails so many students by refusing to see them as individuals. I also loved a powerful monologue in which Mr. Simon compares teaching to Tylenol because it is time-released. This is an incredible reminder of the impact that one good teacher can have on the future lives of their students if given the proper support. I loved Gerald's performance because he absolutely nails all of the highs (it is thrilling when a student makes a connection) and lows (it is absolutely exhausting to find ways to facilitate those connections) of teaching. I also loved Brown's performance because he reminded me of so many of my students. Finally, I found it ironic that the minimal set works for both a school and a prison because I often referred to Hunter High as a prison because it is so sterile! This is authentic and thought-provoking, especially if you are an educator or former educator, and I highly recommend getting a ticket (go here). It runs at the Studio Theatre at the Rose on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays through March 1.

Note:  The line that got the biggest laugh from both me and Angela was when Mr. Simon referred to teaching high school as teen daycare because that was a signature line from Mr. Stamp!

Crime 101

Yesterday my nephew and I were able to catch a matinee of Crime 101 and we both really liked it.  Mike Davis (Chris Hemsworth) is a jewel thief who uses inside information to plan heists along Highway 101 that involve stealing from couriers without the use of violence.  Det. Lou Lubesnick (Mark Ruffalo) suspects that all of these robberies are the work of one man but no one, including his exasperated partner Det. Tillman (Corey Hawkins), agrees with him.  When Mike refuses to do a job, his fence Money (Nick Nolte) gives it to an incredibly unstable and violent biker named Ormon (Barry Keoghan) and, when the job goes wrong, Mike is angry about the casualties.  He decides to do one final job on his own after beginning a romantic relationship with Maya (Monica Barbaro) and enlists the help of Sharon Combs (Halle Berry), a disgruntled insurance broker, to get information about one of her wealthy clients (Tate Donovan).  Money doesn't want to miss out on Mike's job so he has Ormon follow him to steal back what he steals.  Complications ensue when all of these characters become involved with the execution of the heist.  This is an incredibly stylish neo-noir crime thriller but it is also much more character-driven than I was expecting.  I especially enjoyed the arcs for Mike, Lou, and Sharon because all three of them are easy to root for despite their questionable behavior (the resolution is perfect).  I loved the requisite car chases with the equally requisite synth score as well as the dynamic camera angles and use of reflections (I've seen a lot of comparisons to Michael Mann's Heat but, in my opinion, this is not a negative).  Finally, the entire cast is great (Hemsworth is very well suited to his role and Keoghan adds another little freak to his collection) but Berry steals the show with her tough, yet vulnerable, performance as a woman who is fed up with broken promises.  This is highly entertaining and I definitely recommend it.

Up in Concert

I am a big fan of the movie Up so I was really excited to see it on the big screen last night while the Utah Symphony performed the Academy Award-winning score by Michael Giacchino live.  I loved this concert because the music made me laugh and cry during all of my favorite scenes!  Carl Fredricksen (voiced by Ed Asner) is a curmudgeonly widower who is filled with regret that he didn't fulfill the promise he made to his wife Ellie to take her on an adventure to Paradise Falls in South America before she died.  When he is on the verge of being evicted, he decides to keep his promise and attaches thousands of helium balloons to his house in order to fly it to South America.  However, he discovers midair that a Wilderness Explorer named Russell (voiced by Jordan Nagai) is on his porch attempting to earn his final merit badge for helping the elderly.  A storm blows them off course so Carl reluctantly enlists Russell's help to tow the house across a mesa to get it to Paradise Falls.  Along the way they encounter a large flightless bird that Russell names Kevin, a dog named Dug with a collar that allows it to talk, and the adventurer Charles Muntz (voiced by Christopher Plummer) who is not the hero Carl remembers from childhood.  Chaos ensues until Carl eventually learns that friendship is the true adventure.  I think the music really adds to the emotional impact of the story.  The theme "Married Life" during the opening montage showing Carl and Ellie's life together is absolutely brilliant because it uses changes in tempo and intensity with a solo trumpet, then a solo violin and harp, then the brass, and then just the piano to convey the mood without any dialogue (it always makes me cry) and then this same theme is repeated throughout the rest of the movie with different variations to show that everything is motivated by Carl's memories of Ellie.  The variation used in "Stuff We Did" as Carl looks through Ellie's scrapbook and realizes that their life together was adventure enough is especially poignant because the piano is so haunting.  I also love the more joyful and triumphant iteration used in "Carl Goes Up" when the piano is joined by the strings, woodwinds, and brass because it shows Carl's thrill at finally fulfilling his promise and the daring one in "Escape From Muntz Mountain" because the addition of percussion to the strings, piano, and brass emphasizes the excitement of the chase.  Because it is so immersive to have the orchestra playing live while watching the movie, I noticed every time I heard the theme repeated and I was really struck by how well each variation fit the action on the screen.  It is one of the best scores for not only a Disney-Pixar movie but for any movie and I highly recommend getting a ticket to one of the two remaining performances this weekend (go here).