MJ Live at Sandy Amphitheater

I love outdoor concerts at Sandy Amphitheater in the summer and my sister is a big fan of Michael Jackson so we were both really excited to see MJ Live last night.  This show, featuring Jalles Franca as the King of Pop, is one of the best Michael Jackson tribute concerts in the world (it is performed nightly at Harrah's in Las Vegas) and it was fantastic.  Franca looks and sounds like Jackson but, more importantly, he definitely has all of Jackson's iconic moves and they were a lot of fun to watch.  It was also fun to see all of the familiar costumes, especially the red leather jacket from the "Beat It" music video, the white pinstripe suit and fedora from the "Smooth Criminal" music video, and the black sequin jacket, black fedora, white sequin glove, and white sequin socks from the performance of "Billie Jean" at the Motown 25th Anniversary special.  In addition to the songs mentioned above, Franca performed "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'," "Bad," "Another Part of Me," "Dirty Diana," "She's Out of My Life," "I'll Be There" with lots of audience participation, "The Way You Make Me Feel," "Human Nature," and a medley of "I Want You Back," "ABC," and "The Love You Save" by the Jackson 5 with the backup dancers performing with Franca in some fabulous costumes and wigs.  After an epic performance of "Beat It" with backup dancers as rival gang members, Franca invited a group of kids on stage to show their best Michael Jackson choreography.  Some of them were really good!  Then Franca performed "Thriller" and this was a highlight because he replicated the choreography from the music video (I vividly remember when the video premiered on MTV because it was so groundbreaking) with the backup dancers as the undead!  He continued with "Jam," "Man in the Mirror," "Black or White," "Can You Feel It," and a rousing rendition of "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)" that got everybody up dancing!  This was such a fun concert and the weather was perfect!  I highly recommend checking out a show at Sandy Amphitheater (it is a great venue and my sister was very impressed with how fast the attendants got everyone out of the parking lot) this summer.  I have a ticket to another concert but I am thinking about two more!  Go here to see the lineup and to purchase tickets.

M3GAN 2.0

My nephew and I had a lot of fun with M3GAN so we were really excited to see the sequel, M3GAN 2.0, last night.  Unfortunately, I found the switch in genre from horror to action thriller to be disappointing.  Cady (Violet McGraw) is still traumatized by the events leading to the destruction of her AI robot M3GAN (Model 3 Generative Android) and her aunt Gemma (Allison Williams), inspired by her boyfriend Christian (Aristotle Athari), has become an advocate for the regulation of AI technology.  However, M3GAN's technology is surreptitiously used by a defense contractor to create a military-grade robot named AMELIA (Autonomous Military Engagement Logistics and Infiltration Android).  When AMELIA (Ivanna Sakhno) becomes self-aware and goes rogue, Gemma and her coworkers, Cole (Brian Jordan Alvarez) and Tess (Jen Van Epps), are persuaded to rebuild M3GAN to make her faster and stronger so she can stop AMELIA from attempting an AI takeover.  There are endless exposition dumps, convoluted plot twists (you may want to take notes to keep them all straight), derivative action sequences, and cringe-worthy dialogue before the long anticipated show-down between M3GAN and AMELIA culminates in a muddled message about working together with AI to solve the world's problems.  We get the requisite dance break and a song from M3GAN (this time she sings "This Woman's Work" by Kate Bush) but they are ridiculous and random rather than campy and my nephew and I gave each other several looks of incredulity.  M3GAN (portrayed by Amie Donald and voiced by Jenna Davis) is no longer scary and, as a result, she is no longer interesting but she is still better than the rest of the cast whose performances are surprisingly bland (except for a brief appearance by the always hilarious Jemaine Clement as a corrupt tech billionaire).  The premise is intriguing and I even enjoyed the initial setup with AMELIA going rogue but the execution is flat without the horror elements that made the first movie so iconic.  This is not the upgrade I was hoping for and I suggest waiting for it to stream.

F1

Last night my nephew and I went to an early access IMAX screening of F1 and it is an adrenaline rush from beginning to end!  Sonny Hayes (Brad Pitt) is a nomadic driver for hire after a promising career in Formula 1 racing was cut short by a near fatal crash.  Ruben Cervantes (Javier Bardem), a friend and former F1 driver who now owns APXGB, lures him out of retirement to mentor Joshua Pearce (Damson Idris), the hotshot prodigy who drives for him, in order to stave off calls from his board of directors to sell the team.  Without winning any points all season, APXGB has just nine races to improve their record but Sonny and Joshua immediately clash over training methods and racing strategy and get off to a disastrous start.  However, with help from Kate McKenna (Kerry Condon), an innovative technical director with something to prove, they eventually start to respect each other and work together to foil the plans of Peter Banning (Tobias Menzies), a duplicitous board member, during the final race of the year.  The story follows similar sports movie tropes (an experienced veteran looking for redemption and a cocky and arrogant rookie eager to make his mark join forces as underdogs who ultimately triumph) but it is also full of heart and the relationship that develops between Sonny and Joshua is very touching (I loved seeing Joshua slowly incorporate all of Sonny's training methods).  I do not know anything about F1 racing and, honestly, I have never really understood the appeal but I found the behind the scenes look at the sport to be fascinating, especially all of the strategy involved (although I suspect that some of the methods used by Sonny to disrupt the races in order to give himself an advantage are a bit far-fetched).  The racing sequences are exhilarating and incredibly immersive (seeing the track from the perspectives of the drivers is really intense).  It is also impressive that the actors actually drive the cars with footage from real races and that many current F1 drivers make cameos (the only driver I recognized was Lewis Hamilton but my nephew recognized a lot of them including the actual coach, or principal, of Scuderia Ferrari).  The propulsive score by Hans Zimmer adds tension to these thrilling scenes and the needle drops are fantastic (when a movie starts with "Whole Lotta Love" by Led Zeppelin you know it is going to be awesome).  Finally, Pitt brings his movie star charisma to the role and Idris is a movie star in the making.  This movie is the definition of a summer blockbuster and I had so much fun watching it with my nephew!  Go see it in IMAX!

Utah Shakespeare Festival 2025

This year I ended up taking a quick trip to the Utah Shakespeare Festival by myself on Monday and, even though I was only there for one day, I saw two shows had a great time!

My first show was a matinee of A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder in the Randall L. Jones Theatre.  I wasn't particularly interested in seeing this again because I've seen it so many times but I am glad that I ended up getting a ticket because this production is very different and I thoroughly enjoyed the innovative staging!  The set is configured as a music hall in the early 1900s complete with old fashioned footlights at the edge of the stage and a tattered curtain upstage.  There is even a piano player (Brad Carroll) on stage for the whole show!  The props include items that might be found backstage such as suitcases, large steamer trunks, canvas laundry carts on casters, moving staircases, scaffolding, screens, and racks of costumes.  These items are configured and reconfigured to become various locations by an ensemble dressed as vaudeville performers.  There are no projections so all of the members of the D'Ysquith Family (Graham Ward) who are ahead of Monty Navarro (Rob Riordan) in the succession to the earldom are killed using practical stagecraft that would have been available in the early 1900s (I especially loved the Reverend Lord Ezekiel D'Ysquith's fall from the cathedral tower and Asquith D'Ysquith Jr.'s skating accident because they are so clever).  The costumes are really fun and, as usual, I loved the gowns worn by Sibella Hallward (Katie Drinkard) and Phoebe D'Ysquith (Nicole Eve Goldstein) but I was more impressed by those worn by Lady Hyacinth D'Ysquith and Lady Salome D'Ysquith Pumphrey!  The D'Ysquith family crest worn by all of the members of the family is also very amusing, especially Lady Eugenia D'Ysquith's because it is so big.  I laughed out loud at Ward's distinct characterizations for each member of the family (especially his doddering Ezekiel) and I loved Riordan's over the top facial expressions.  Both Drinkard and Goldstein have beautiful voices and their renditions of "I Don't Know What I'd Do Without You" and "Inside Out," respectively, are highlights.  I'm not often surprised by a show I've seen so many times but this put a huge smile on my face and I would definitely recommend it.

The play I most wanted to see at the festival this year was Macbeth in the Engelstad Theatre because it is one of my favorites by William Shakespeare (second only to Hamlet).  This production is absolutely amazing and I loved how it really leans into the supernatural.  The set features a large stunted tree that dominates the stage and I think this is a perfect symbol for the theme of unnatural deeds leading to unnatural consequences (which is really emphasized in this production).  The Weird Sisters (Evelyn Carol Case, Kayland Jordan, and Kat Lee) appear as Druids, dressed in muted greens and browns with headdresses made of twigs, and they can manipulate nature with their powers (they are atmospheric and otherworldly as they haunt different areas of the stage).  Hecate (Caitlin Wise), the witch who rules the Weird Sisters, is often omitted from modern productions because the character is so intense and, in this one, she is terrifying because she appears to hover above the stage by using her large iridescent wings (each one is manipulated by two puppeteers and the effect is quite dramatic) and her voice is incredibly strident.  She appears in the usual scenes in which she chastises the Weird Sisters for acting without her permission (they cower before her as if they are in pain) and when she instructs them to create illusions for Macbeth (Walter Kmiec) but she also appears in several other scenes including the final confrontation between Macbeth and Macduff (Lavour Addison) which is incredibly unsettling.  The sound design, which features staccato drums and droning pulses, is ominous and the lighting design often mimics stormy weather (I wrote a paper about the weather in Macbeth in college).  Both Kmiec and Cassandra Bissell (as Lady Macbeth) give powerful performances because they visibly come undone from their guilt and paranoia.  The rest of the cast is outstanding with shoutouts going to Chauncy Thomas as Banquo (especially when his ghost haunts Macbeth) and Addison as Macduff because the scene where he reacts to the death of his children is heartbreaking.  Finally, the fight choreography is really cool because, other than the fight between Macbeth and Macduff, the soldiers seem to be battling invisible opponents.  I loved this production so much and I think it is one you do not want to miss!  These shows are performed in repertory along with Antony and Cleopatra, As You Like It, The Importance of Being Earnest, and Steel Magnolias through October 4 (go here for tickets).

Note:  Other highlights of this trip include eating *ahem* several tarts and running into my friend Joe (it was so fun to talk to him).

Elio

Last night I spontaneously decided to see Elio and I loved the dazzling animation and the touching message.  Elio Solis (Yonas Kibreab) is sent to live with his aunt Olga (Zoe Saldana), an Air Force Major, after the death of his parents but he feels like he has interrupted her dream of becoming an astronaut and that she would be better off without him.  He is also bullied by the other kids on the Air Force base because of his obsession with life in space and he feels very lonely.  Elio overhears an analyst named Gunther Melmac (Brendan Hunt) tell Olga that a message has been received in response to the Voyager 1 space probe and he contrives to answer it which results in his abduction by an alien ship.  He is thrilled when he is welcomed to the Communiverse, an intergalactic organization where aliens share information about their home planets, as a candidate to be the Earth's ambassador.  However, he must first prove himself so he volunteers to negotiate with Lord Grigon (Brad Garrett), a warlord who is threatening the Communiverse.  He tries various methods to appease Grigon but they fail so he decides to use his more peaceful son Glordon (Remy Edgerly) as a bargaining chip.  Eventually, Elio and Glordon bond with each other because they both feel alone and misunderstood but will they ever find where they really belong?  This is absolutely adorable and I loved the world-building for the Communiverse and the character design for all of the aliens because everything is so colorful and luminous.  I especially loved Glordon as a character because he is incredibly endearing.  My favorite moments are when clones are made of Elio and Glordon to take their places and both Olga and Grigon realize the switch and prefer the originals (I enjoyed Olga and Grigon's character arcs as parents who are overwhelmed and make mistakes but learn that the most important thing is to show acceptance and love for Elio and Glordon).  The message that you are never alone is a powerful one the comparison between searching for life in space and searching for connection on Earth really works.  I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would and highly recommend it.

28 Years Later

I took my nephew to 28 Years Later at the Broadway last night and, as a fan of the first two movies in the franchise, I was excited to see it.  Even though it is very different from what I was expecting, I really loved the exploration of how to live in the midst of death.  Twenty-eight years after the spread of the rage virus, the UK is still heavily quarantined and survivors have been left to fend for themselves.  A group of these survivors, including Jamie (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), his wife Isla (Jodie Comer), who suffers from a mysterious illness that causes hallucinations, and his 12-year-old son Spike (Alfie Williams), have found refuge on an isolated island separated from the mainland by a fortified causeway that is only accessible during low tide.  Jamie takes Spike to the mainland to initiate him in hunting the infected but they soon become overrun by a large group that has mutated to become stronger and faster and they are forced to take shelter in the attic of an abandoned cottage.  Spike sees a large bonfire in the distance and, when they return to the island, he learns that it was most likely lit by Dr. Kelson (Ralph Fiennes), an eccentric who burns the bodies of the dead in a ritual of remembrance.  Spike is disillusioned by Jamie's exaggeration of their exploits on the mainland and by his behavior towards Isla so he decides to take her in search of Kelson so he can cure her.  The main narrative is bookended by Jimmy (Rocco Haynes as a child and Jack O'Connell as an adult) who survives an attack by the infected and then reappears twenty-eight years later with his cult to help Spike fight another group that has mutated.  Jimmy provides the chaos I was expecting but I loved the more meditative (relatively speaking) hero's journey taken by Spike as he learns how to reconcile himself to death (and new life) and become what his father pretends to be.  I also really enjoyed a montage showing images of war throughout the years accompanied by Rudyard Kipling's poem "Boots" read by Taylor Holmes (which is used very effectively in the trailer) because it establishes the idea that people have always had to survive the consequences of savagery.  Fiennes gives an incredibly moving performance but I was most impressed by Williams and I am very much looking forward to the continuation of Spike's story in the sequel(s).  I recommend this to fans of the franchise who are willing to set aside their expectations because it is definitely more haunting than frightening but I think it is brilliant.

& Juliet at the Eccles

I have been looking forward to seeing & Juliet ever since the Broadway at the Eccles 2024 - 2025 season was announced and I finally had the chance last night.  I loved it and I had so much fun singing along to all of the pop songs and laughing at all of the Shakespeare references!  William Shakespeare (Corey Mach) is ready to present his latest play Romeo and Juliet when his wife Anne Hathaway (Teal Wicks) unexpectedly arrives to watch it.  She is immediately unhappy with the tragic ending and offers suggestions for an alternate one.  Shakespeare reluctantly listens to her ideas while her version is acted out in front of them.  Juliet (Rachel Simone Webb) wakes up in her tomb to find Romeo (Michael Canu) dead and impulsively decides that she shouldn't kill herself over a man she hardly knows.  She learns that her parents plan to send her to a convent to punish her for forbidden relationship with Romeo so her Nurse (Kathryn Allison), her best friend May (Nick Drake), and her new friend April (who is portrayed by Anne), encourage her to run away.  They travel to Paris and crash the Renaissance Ball, a party thrown by Lance Du Bois (Paul-Jordan Jansen) to encourage his son Francois (Mateus Leite Cardoso) to find a bride, and soon "Frankie" and Juliet are bonding over the control their parents have over them.  Frankie proposes when his father tells him that he must either get married or join the army and Juliet accepts him when her parents arrive to take her to the convent.  However, Shakespeare is unhappy that there isn't enough conflict in the play so he secretly brings Romeo back from the dead which angers Anne.  Will Juliet choose Frankie, Romeo, or herself?  Will Shakespeare ever understand why Anne wants Juliet to have a choice?  This show is so clever because it reimagines a classic to tell a very modern story about empowerment and the use of pop songs written by Max Martin for the Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears, Kelly Clarkson, Jessie J, Katy Perry, The Weeknd, and others is absolutely brilliant.  The songs fit the narrative really well and I especially loved "Larger than Life"  when Shakespeare is first introduced, "Overprotected" when Frankie and Juliet complain about their parents, "Oops!... I Did It Again" when Juliet realizes that she has started yet another relationship too quickly, "Since U Been Gone" when Romeo suddenly reappears in Juliet's life, "Stronger" when Juliet refuses to do what her parents want, and "Roar" when she takes control of her life.  I laughed so hard when Frankie sings "It's Gonna Be Me" as he confesses his feelings for May (iykyk) and I also laughed out loud at a hilarious reference to Macbeth.  I loved Webb's dynamic performance, the fun choreography, the modern take on the Renaissance silhouette in the costumes, and the vivid neon colored set pieces and projections (especially the use of signs featuring the names Juliet and Romeo).  I had such a great time at this show and I highly recommend getting a ticket to one of the five remaining performances at the Eccles Theatre (go here).

An American in Paris at The Ruth

I was so excited to see An American in Paris at The Ruth last night!  It is such a beautiful show and I think this version   rivals the Broadway touring production I saw several years ago.  Jerry Mulligan (Johnathan Tanner) is an American soldier who decides to stay in Paris after the war to pursue his dream of becoming a painter.  He sees Lise Dassin (Ella Bleu Bradford), a Parisian shopgirl with aspirations of becoming a ballerina, on the street and is instantly enchanted by her.  They meet every afternoon along the Seine and inevitably fall in love but complications arise.  Lise feels a duty to the Baurel family for hiding her from the Nazis and accepts a proposal of marriage from their son Henri (Thomas Wood).  Jerry is indebted to his patron Milo Davenport (Teaira Burge), an American heiress who promotes his art and falls in love with him.  It takes an incredibly romantic ballet sequence for Lise and Jerry to realize that they belong together.  The dancing in this show is absolutely exquisite and I loved both the choreography and the performances.  I especially enjoyed "Concerto in F" on the streets of Paris because it conveys the hardships experienced after the war very effectively, "I've Got Beginner's Luck" as Jerry wreaks havoc in the Galeries Lafayette where Lise works because it incorporates a lot of fun props such as umbrellas, mannequins, bolts of fabric, and display cabinets, and "Stairway to Paradise" at a Paris nightclub because it is dazzling.  Bradford is an incredible dancer and I was so impressed by her ability to dance on pointe during the ballet "An American in Paris" because it is at the end of the show and requires an enormous amount of stamina.  Tanner is very exuberant and I loved his energy in "I've Got Rhythm" and "Fidgety Feet" as well as his chemistry with Bradford in "Liza" (which is really lovely).  Of course hearing all of the amazing music by George and Ira Gershwin is a treat and I particularly loved the beautiful rendition of "They Can't Take That Away From Me" by Jerry, Henri, and Adam (Jordan Briggs) at the end of the show.  The set is simple but very dramatic with an arched screen upstage used for projections of Paris and flowing fabric covered by twinkling lights above the stage to represent the Seine while the moody lighting gives everything a dream-like quality.  Finally, the costumes are gorgeous, especially Milo's elaborate gowns, the bold black and white costumes and masks at the ball, and the pink sparkly showgirl costumes and headdresses in "Stairway to Paradise."  I loved everything about this beautiful production (Who could ask for anything more?) and I highly recommend getting a ticket (go here).  It runs in the Smith Grand Theater through July 19.

Materialists

I loved Past Lives so much I named it as my favorite movie of 2023 so I was very eager to see what writer/director Celine Song would do next.  My nephew and I saw her latest movie, Materialists, last night as part of our double feature at the Broadway and, while it doesn't quite have the same emotional impact as Past Lives, I really enjoyed it.  Lucy (Dakota Johnson) is a successful New York City matchmaker responsible for nine marriages using her own unique algorithm for compatibility.  At the wedding of one of her clients, she meets the groom's brother Harry (Pedro Pascal) and, because he is tall, handsome, charming, well educated, and incredibly wealthy, he fits the algorithm for her perfect match.  However, she also encounters her ex-boyfriend John (Chris Evans), a struggling actor working as a waiter for the company catering the wedding.  The two of them split five years earlier because of their incompatible attitudes towards money but they still clearly have feelings for each other.  Harry, who believes that Lucy is also the perfect match for him, pursues her with extravagant dates but she contrives to find ways to keep in contact with John.  Eventually, she must decide if she belongs with the one who is perfect for her based on what she thinks she wants or the one she loves in spite of his imperfections.  There is also a subplot involving one of Lucy's clients (Zoe Winters) who has a terrifying experience with a man who is matched to her using the surface-level specifications in Lucy's algorithm and this ultimately helps her make her decision.  As with Past Lives, Song explores what it means to find your soul mate but this time love miraculously overcomes all complications (which is certainly less heartbreaking but also feels a bit unearned).  Nevertheless, I loved the witty banter between the characters and the honest, if sometimes harsh, observations about dating and marriage.  I also loved the performances.  Johnson is hit or miss with me because I think she is the kind of actress who needs a good director to pull a good performance out of her and this is one of her best.  Pascal is incredibly charming and Evans is endearing (one of the things that makes this so compelling is that it is entirely plausible that she could end up with either of them).  This may not be as strong as Past Lives (how could it be?) but I definitely liked it and would recommend it.

The Life of Chuck

Last night my nephew and I had a double feature at the Broadway starting with The Life of Chuck.  I absolutely loved this and I find it even more meaningful the more I think about it!  In Act One, Charles "Chuck" Krantz (Cody Flanagan as a 7-year-old, Benjamin Pajak as an 11-year-old, and Jacob Tremblay as a 17-year-old) spends his formative years with his accountant grandfather (Mark Hamill) and free-spirited grandmother (Mia Sara) and becomes involved with an extracurricular dance club run by the gym teacher (Samantha Sloyan).  In Act Two, Chuck (Tom Hiddleston) demonstrates how the people in his life have influenced him during an encounter with a busker (Taylor Gordon) and a woman reeling from a recent breakup (Annalise Basso).  In Act Three, a high school teacher (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a nurse (Karen Gillan), and a mortician (Carl Lumbly) discover the influence Chuck has had on them at the end of his life.  This is told in reverse chronological order with narration from Nick Offerman and an elaborate conceit in Act Three that is both brilliant and thought-provoking (I haven't read the novella by Stephen King, upon which this is based, so I gasped out loud when I finally realized what was going on).  I loved all the recurring images that tie the three different acts together, especially the use of Walt Whitman's poem "Song of Myself" (which eventually provides a powerful message).  I also really loved Hiddleston's performance (he's got some serious moves) but I was really surprised by how little screen time he actually has.  In fact, I was surprised by the number of people who essentially have cameos (my favorites involve David Dastmalchian because his is very amusing and Matthew Lillard because his is incredibly profound) but this serves to emphasize the tremendous impact that one ordinary person can have in a lifetime.  This is a moving, and surprisingly optimistic, exploration of existence and I cannot recommend it enough!

School of Rock at the Terrace Plaza Playhouse

Last night I went to see School of Rock at the Terrace Plaza Playhouse. This is a fun high energy show and I loved seeing so many talented kids performing live on stage! Dewey (David Simon) is kicked out of his band No Vacancy right before the Battle of the Bands and his best friend Ned (Spencer Slade), with whom he has been living for several years, is under pressure from his girlfriend Patty (Crystl Naylor) to get him to pay rent. Desperate to earn some money, Dewey takes a substitute teaching job at Horace Green Prep School that is meant for Ned. As Dewey gets to know his students, he sees that they are being crushed by the weight of their parents' expectations so, after hearing them during their music class, he decides to form a band to give them some confidence. He puts Zack (Will Simon) on lead guitar, Katie (Lillian Logan) on bass, Lawrence (Luke Simon) on keyboard, Freddie (Charlotte Booth) on drums with Shonelle (Indie Magalei) and Marcy (Madi Child) on backing vocals. He recruits Billy (Andrew Slade) to be the band's stylist, Jamie (Nora Despain) as security, Mason (Luke Collier) on tech, and Summer (Grace Moore), the class know-it-all, as the band's manager. Tomika (Eva Teiter), a shy and insecure transfer student, eventually finds her voice and becomes the band's secondary singer. Dewey wants to enter them in the Battle of the Bands but, before he can, he must convince the uptight principal Ms. Mullins (Margaret Simon) to let him take them on a field trip (which he does in a hilarious scene involving the song "Edge of Seventeen" by Stevie Nicks). The parents eventually catch on to Dewey's deception but the kids win them over with their performance at the Battle of the Bands! As previously mentioned, the kids play their instruments live in the songs "You're in the Band," "Stick It to the Man," and "School of Rock" and they are amazing! David Simon is an irrepressible and energetic Dewey (I laughed out loud during his performance of "In the End of Time") but he also shows a lot of heart in his interactions with the kids (two of them are his real-life sons) and the bond he forms with them is palpable. Margaret Simon has a beautiful voice in "Here at Horace Green" but she also has a moment of vulnerability in "Where Did the Rock Go?" My favorite young actors are Moore, because is so funny as the boastful Summer (I always laugh when Dewey calls her Hermione) and does a great job in the song "Time to Play," and Teiter, because she is very hesitant as Tomika until she finally shows Dewey that she deserves to be lead singer and her solo in "School of Rock" is very powerful. All of the young actors do a wonderful job with "If Only You Would Listen" (my favorite song in the show) and I was really impressed with how well they perform the choreography in "Stick It to the Man" and "School of Rock." I loved the minimal set pieces used for Horace Green Prep School as well as the fun uniforms worn by the kids. I had so much fun watching this show (I couldn't help but cheer aloud during the Battle of the Bands) and I highly recommend it! It runs on Mondays, Fridays, and Saturdays through July 26 and tickets may be purchased here.

Note: Dewey's band No Vacancy played before the show started (they are really good) and I especially enjoyed hearing their cover of "Back in Black" by AC/DC.

Something Rotten at Hopebox Theatre

I love the musical Something Rotten so much I saw it again last night, this time at Hopebox Theatre. I really admire the mission of this theatre (go here to learn more about Rachel Milne, the Wall of Hope recipient for Something Rotten) and I thoroughly enjoyed this production. Nick Bottom (Ian Fife) and his brother Nigel (Ian Wellisch) are playwrights in London during the Renaissance. Nick will do anything it takes, even stealing the money he and his wife Bea (Brynn Thurston) are saving in order to consult the soothsayer Nostradamus (Andrew Stone), to become more popular than William Shakespeare (Austin Shipp) while Nigel just wants to be true to himself and use his poetry to woo Portia (Kira Dalby) despite the disapproval of her father Brother Jeremiah (Lee L. Perry). Nostradamus tells Nick that he should write a play with singing and dancing because that will be popular in the future so this is a really fun love letter to musical theatre. I always enjoy looking for all of the references because it seems like every production adds their own interpretation and in this show I noticed the fans made of blue feathers from White Christmas in "A Musical" and Maria from The Sound of Music, the Fiddler from The Fiddler on the Roof, and the chimney sweeps from Mary Poppins make an appearance in "Make an Omelette." I also love finding all of the allusions to Shakespeare and last night I noticed for the first time (because I actually read the program) that the actors in Nick's troupe are named Tom Snout, Robin, Peter Quince, Francis Flute, and Snug which are characters from A Midsummer Night's Dream. Too funny! The entire cast is great but shoutouts go to Stone for his energetic physical performance as Nostradamus, Wellisch for his hilarious facial expressions as Nigel (he portrays Nigel as overwrought which is very different from O'Boyle's characterization in the production at Murray Amphitheater the night before), and Shipp for all of his rock star poses (I laughed out loud every time he mimicked Elvis Presley) and all of his interactions with the audience as Shakespeare. I enjoyed the lively choreography for "Welcome to the Renaissance," "A Musical," "Bottom's Gonna Be on Top," "We See The Light," and "Make an Omelette" because it involves a large ensemble on a small thrust stage very effectively and I always appreciate tap dancing. I was really impressed with the elaborate set that is rotated to become a timbered cottage and an outdoor theatre. Finally, this production tones down the profanity and some of the more suggestive innuendos, especially in a scene when Nigel reads a sonnet to Portia, but I don't think this detracts from the humor. I recommend getting a ticket (go here) to this entertaining show for a fun night out and an opportunity to support a very worthwhile cause. It runs Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays (with matinees on Saturdays) through July 12.

Note: I will be seeing two more productions of Something Rotten later this year!

Something Rotten at Murray Park Amphitheater

I love attending outdoor performances during the summer so I had a lot of fun seeing Something Rotten at Murray Park Amphitheater last night.  This show is absolutely hilarious and I was very impressed with this production (it is definitely one of my favorites at this venue).  Nick Bottom (Nathan Holcomb) and his brother Nigel (Patrick O'Boyle) are playwrights in London during the Renaissance but they haven't been very successful.  Their patron, Lord Clapham (Jesse Rogers), is withdrawing his support, Shylock (Jeff Young) wants his loan repaid, Nick's wife Bea (Katherine Frandsen) is pregnant, and Nigel has fallen in love with Portia (Emma Roberts), the daughter of a Puritan named Brother Jeremiah (Dwight Western) who wants to shut down the theaters for debauchery, but, even worse, they are constantly overshadowed by the immensely popular William Shakespeare (Aidan Hughes)!  They need a big hit so Nick decides to consult the soothsayer Nostradamus (Alan LaFleur) to see what will be popular in the future.  Nostradamus suggests writing a play with singing and dancing!  When inspiration fails, he asks Nostradamus to look into the future again to see what Shakespeare's most popular play will be and, instead of Hamlet, he sees omelette (so close!).  As Nick tries to produce Omelette: The Musical, Shakespeare suffers from writer's block and attempts to steal his own play back!  Chaos ensues until Nigel convinces Nick to be true to himself.  What I love most about this show is all of the clever references to musical theatre, especially in the songs "A Musical" and "Make An Omelette," and all of the allusions to Shakespeare's plays in the song "Will Power."  Every time I see a new production I find even more of these references (this time I was able to catch a brief reference to Twelfth Night).  I really enjoyed the performances from everyone in the cast but my favorites are O'Boyle as Nigel because he is so sweet and endearing, especially in the song "To Thine Own Self," and Hughes as Shakespeare because he is really over the top and incredibly funny as he struts around the stage like a rock star with his entourage and groupies.  The choreography is very clever and I particularly loved seeing the iconic dance steps from popular musicals incorporated into "A Musical" (my favorites are from A Chorus Line and Chicago), all of the tap dancing (the dance off between Nick and Shakespeare in "Bottom's Gonna Be on Top" is hilarious), and Shakespeare's epic stage dive in "Will Power."  The Renaissance costumes are absolutely incredible, some of the best I've seen for this show, and the quick costume change during "We See The Light" elicited a lot of laughter from the audience.  I was also very impressed with the amazing painted backdrops featuring thatched and timbered cottages and an outdoor theatre (I laughed out loud at the red velvet ropes placed in front of the theatre for Shakespeare's appearances).  I had a blast at this show (I don't think I stopped laughing all night) and I highly recommend it for a fun evening under the stars.  Go here for tickets to this show (which runs June 13-14, 16, and 19-21) and to all of the fun shows playing at Murray Park Amphitheater this summer.

Hadestown: Teen Edition with the JAKS Theatre Company

Last night my sister Kristine and I were able to see another production of Hadestown: Teen Edition (we both love this musical so much), this time by the JAKS Theatre Company at the Regent Street Black Box at the Eccles Theatre (I had never been to this venue before and I was very impressed by the space). I think the theme of hope in the face of hardship explored in this show is especially appropriate for a young cast (this teen version is very popular in Utah at the moment). Eurydice (Jane Wuthrich) is a hungry girl who has experienced the world as it is so she is lured to the underworld by Hades (Caden Feller) in exchange for food. Orpheus (Xander Rohwer) is a poor boy with the gift of music who dreams of the world as it could be so he journeys to the underworld to rescue her when she is trapped in a cycle of endless work and desperation. He is aided by Persephone (Lauren Hunter), who is also trying to convince Hades to let her return to the living world, in his quest to save her but the Fates (Ava Nelson, Kimara Parcell, and Violet Rohwer) intervene and he is ultimately plagued by doubt. However, Hermes (Thom Fox) reminds us that, even though the song is a sad one, we must keep singing it if we want to change the outcome. Once again, I was absolutely blown away by the caliber of the talent in this young cast. Fox has a swagger as Hermes that is fun to watch in "Road to Hell" and "Way Down Hadestown," Rohwer does a great job emphasizing Orpheus's naivete in "Come Home With Me," "Wait For Me," and "If It's True," and Hunter is a very charismatic Persephone in "Livin' It Up on Top" and "Our Lady of the Underground."  Nelson, Parcell, and Rohwer have a lot of attitude as the Fates (I especially loved Parcell's facial expressions) and the way they harmonize in "When the Chips Are Down," "Nothing Changes," and "Word to the Wise" is a highlight of the show. Feller is incredibly compelling as Hades because he has dangerous charm in "Hey, Little Songbird," frightening intensity in "Why We Build the Wall" (this gave me goosebumps), and sizzling chemistry with Hunter in "How Long?" I especially loved Wuthrich's performance as Eurydice because she sings my favorite songs, "Any Way the Wind Blows" and "Flowers," with so much emotion and her impassioned plea in "Doubt Comes In" is so heartbreaking that I had tears in my eyes. The ensemble is also very strong and I was particularly impressed with their performance in "Chant" and its reprise, "Wait For Me" and its reprises, and "Why We Build the Wall" because it is extremely powerful. The live band on stage also features some unbelievably talented teens and I was blown away by Dylan Thomas on guitar. The set, costumes, and choreography are very reminiscent of the Broadway production and I loved all of it. I would highly recommend supporting these talented teens in this amazing production but, unfortunately, the remaining four performances are sold out (but you can go here to learn more about the JAKS Theatre Company).

Note: We were sitting by a really chatty young girl with lots of friends in the cast.  She told us that she will be in SIX: Teen Edition at the Ziegfeld Theatre in August and she convinced us to get tickets (we both love that show, too).

How to Train Your Dragon

Yesterday I went to a matinee of How to Train Your Dragon and, as a fan of the animated movie, I was a bit nervous about this live action remake but I really enjoyed it.  The Vikings on the island of Berk are regularly attacked by dragons but Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III (Mason Thames), the son of the chief Stoick the Vast (Gerard Butler), is deemed too weak to fight them.  He is apprenticed to the blacksmith Gobber the Belch (Nick Frost), instead, but he wants his father to be proud of him so he makes a mechanical device which he uses to shoot down the rare Night Fury dragon during an attack.  When he discovers that the dragon was only wounded, he can't bring himself to kill him and sets him free.  He eventually befriends the dragon, naming him Toothless because of his retractable teeth, and makes a prosthetic for his wounded tail fin so he can fly again.  Hiccup ultimately discovers that everything the Vikings know about the dragons is wrong and that they must join together to face an even bigger threat.  The visuals are absolutely gorgeous and I especially loved the breathtaking scenes where Hiccup rides Toothless through the clouds, in between rock formations, into the ocean waves, and then to the Northern Lights with Astrid Hofferson (Nico Parker), his rival turned ally. The cast is fantastic and I love that Thames and Parker as well as the dragon-fighting recruits, including Julian Dennison as Fishlegs Ingerman, Gabriel Howell as Snotlout Jorgenson, Bronwyn James as Ruffnut Thorston, and Harry Trevaldwyn as Tuffnut Thorston, embody the key traits of their characters, even if they don't look exactly like their animated counterparts, while adding a little spark to make them fresh.  The rendering of Toothless is extremely well done.  He is very obviously a reptile but he is still recognizable as the adorable character we know and he is able to show emotions, unlike the photorealistic versions of animals in other live action remakes (I am looking at you The Lion King).  The scene where Toothless begins to trust Hiccup is incredibly affecting and I admit that I had a few tears in my eyes when he is captured and restrained.  Finally, the score is epic (John Powell embellished the themes from his score of the original movie) and I loved all of the booming brass and percussion during the action sequences as well the strings and piano in the quieter moments.  My only complaint is that, because it is an almost shot-for-shot recreation of the original, it is not quite as compelling as it could be (since I knew everything that was going to happen my mind started to wander during the third act).  I do, however, think this is one of the best live action remakes I have seen and would definitely recommend it.

Alice By Heart at West Valley Arts

The show I was most excited about when West Valley Arts announced the 2025 season was Alice By Heart. I really love the music (I listen to the original cast recording all of the time) so it was *ahem* wonderful to finally get to see a live performance with sets, costumes, and choreography last night. It definitely exceeded my high expectations! In London during the Blitz, Alice Spencer (Ivy Dunbar Jones) and her childhood friend Alfred Hallam (Charlie Beytieh) are forced to take shelter in an underground tube station. Alfred is quarantined in another area because he is extremely ill with tuberculosis but Alice sneaks into that area to be with him. She decides that they should read their favorite book, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, in order to escape their circumstances but the Red Cross Nurse (Rachel Mardis) is angry that she has broken quarantine and rips up her book. Alice continues telling the story because she knows it by heart and takes Alfred down a rabbit hole into Wonderland. He becomes the White Rabbit while the inhabitants of the shelter slowly turn into the other characters from the book. They encounter two Caterpillars smoking a hookah (April Kerr and Olivia Lane), a Cheshire Cat (Makayla Palos Rodriguez), a Duchess (Sam Teuscher), and the Queen of Diamonds (Carly Haberman) and Queen of Hearts (Rachel Mardis) but the White Rabbit, who is late for a very important date, becomes angry when Alice refuses to turn the page to end the story. He is transformed into the March Hare and confronts her at a tea party with the Mad Hatter (Isaac Carrillo) and the Dormouse (Noah Lee) before returning to the shelter. She wants to follow him but the Jabberwock (Monte Garcia) stops her. She is eventually put on trial by the Queen of Hearts and is about to be beheaded when she realizes that she needs to turn the page and accept Alfred's death.  She escapes Wonderland and comes to terms with her grief by telling the inhabitants of the shelter about her curious dream. I think this is incredibly clever (although you probably need a familiarity with Alice's Adventures in Wonderland to understand what is happening) and I love the message about the power of a good book to heal. Jones and Beytieh give amazing performances as Alice and Alfred, respectively, and their renditions of "Another Room in Your Head" and "Afternoon" (my favorite songs in the show) are beautiful and heartbreaking. I also enjoyed "Some Things Fall Away" by Rodriguez and "Isn't It a Trial" by Mardis (I loved both of their voices). The choreography is brilliant, especially when the ensemble mimics the movement of a caterpillar in "Chillin' the Regrets," the militaristic formations in "Brillig Braelig," and when a young Alice (Rosie Darling) and young Alfred (Henry Marshall) mirror the actions of their older counterparts in "Afternoon." The stage is configured as an underground tube station with tracks leading into tunnels located in the wings and it is transformed into Wonderland with the addition of crates, trunks, moving platforms, and the clever use of lighting (the checkerboard pattern used in "Isn't It a Trial" is especially effective). The costumes are a lot of fun because the inhabitants of the tube station become the characters in the book with just the addition of a few pieces. I particularly loved the waistcoat Alfred dons to become the White Rabbit and the use of poppies by the ensemble to become the hookah smoking caterpillar. I have wanted to see this show for a long time and I am glad I finally had the chance with such a great production! It runs at the West Valley Performing Arts Center through June 28 with performances on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays (go here for tickets).

The Phoenician Scheme

I am a big fan of Wes Anderson (I think The Grand Budapest Hotel is a masterpiece) so I took my nephew to see The Phoenician Scheme at the Broadway last night.  Those who are not already fans of Anderson's quirky and idiosyncratic style will probably not enjoy this but I absolutely loved it!  Wealthy business tycoon Anatole "Zsa Zsa" Korda (Benicio del Toro) has a near death experience during the latest of several assassination attempts on his life in which he is forced to defend his worthiness to enter heaven.  Shaken, he decides to make contact with his estranged daughter Liesl (Mia Threapleton), a novitiate nun, and proceed with a plan to improve the infrastructure of Phoenicia.  However, Agent Excalibur (Rupert Friend) and a consortium of other government agents from around the world attempt to disrupt his plan by manipulating the cost of building supplies.  Korda enlists Liesl and Bjorn Lund (Michael Cera), a Norwegian etymologist acting as his tutor, to accompany him as he meets with all of his business partners in order to coerce them into covering the gap in funding.  These include Prince Farouk (Riz Ahmed), the crown prince of Phoenicia, Leland (Tom Hanks) and Reagan (Bryan Cranston), brothers from Sacramento, Marseilles Bob (Mathieu Amalric), a gangster and nightclub owner, Marty (Jeffrey Wright), a fast talking businessman from Newark, Hilda Sussman-Korda (Scarlett Johansson), his second cousin, and Nubar (Benedict Cumberbatch), his estranged half-brother.  Along the way, Korda survives an attack by a revolutionary guerrilla (Richard Ayoade), several more assassination attempts, and an attack by Nubar before deciding to fund the scheme himself, which will bankrupt him, in order to retire and live a simple life with Liesl.  I listed the usual characteristics of a Wes Anderson movie (a specific color palette to denote a mood, symmetrical shot composition, stylized production design, long tracking shots, elaborate title cards, deadpan delivery, an ensemble cast with recurring actors, and melancholy themes about dysfunctional families) for my nephew and he said he found all of them!  However, I found this to be one of Anderson's most philosophical movies with an incredibly touching redemption arc (I loved the black and white scenes in heaven with a hilarious cameo by Bill Murray as God).  I loved the relationship that develops between Korda and Liesl as he slowly realizes how amoral his business practices are and she comes to understand that he loves her the only way he knows how (Threapleton's performance is brilliant).  This is really funny but, as always, the humor is subtle and I was sometimes the only one in the audience laughing (a lot of the comedy comes from Cera's performance and I propose that he be in every future Wes Anderson movie).  I thoroughly enjoyed this (The Grand Budapest Hotel is still my favorite but this is one of his best) and recommend it to fans of the director.

Newsies at the SCERA Shell Outdoor Theatre

I love the musical Newsies so very much and I had a lot of fun watching a fantastic production at the SCERA Shell Outdoor Theatre under the stars last night. Jack Kelly (William Madsen) and his fellow "newsies" gather every morning to buy newspapers to sell to New Yorkers, but when Joseph Pultizer (Mike Handy) raises the price of the papers, the newsies decide to go on strike. With help from fledgling reporter Katherine Plummer (Mia Schoebinger), the newsies print their own newspaper about the plight of working children in New York which gets the attention of Governor Theodore Roosevelt (Chuck Archer). The music in this show is incredibly stirring and the large ensemble performs it with enthusiasm and energy. Their dazzling vocal performances in "Carrying the Banner," "Seize the Day," "King of New York," "Once and For All," and "The World Will Know" (which is my favorite song and gave me goosebumps because it was so powerful) are the highlight of this production. The choreography is also a lot of fun and, while there are lots of the iconic leaps, jumps, and spins, I think it is really fresh and innovative. I especially loved the tap dancing in "King of New York," the newsies running through the audience in "Brooklyn's Here," and the way the newspapers are distributed in "Once and For All." I was also very impressed by the leads in this show. Madsen is an incredibly appealing Jack. He gives a heartfelt rendition of "Santa Fe" (all of the young girls sitting around me were very appreciative of his performance) and a touching version of "Something to Believe In" with Schoebinger.  Another one of my favorite songs in this show is "Watch What Happens" and, even though Schoebinger (who has a beautiful voice) was not feeling well last night, she still gave it her all and delivered a plucky performance which I really liked because it fit the character. Gage Gillette, Porter McCormick, and Brayden Phillips are also very strong as Davey, Les, and Crutchie, respectively. The multi-level set featuring a New York neighborhood made of wood, brick, and metal is the biggest and most elaborate one I've seen for this show but the large ensemble use the space very well. The costumes are what you would expect (including the ubiquitous newsie caps) but one of the things I immediately noticed is that Davey and Les are dressed a bit better than the other newsies (denoting their more financially stable background) and I liked that attention to detail. Seeing an outdoor performance is one of my favorite summertime activities (the weather was absolutely perfect last night) and this crowd-pleasing show is one that you don't want to miss! It runs at the SCERA Shell Outdoor Theatre every day but Wednesday and Sunday through June 21 (go here for tickets).

Dangerous Animals

Last night I went to a late screening of Dangerous Animals and it is a very intense mash-up of the survival and serial killer genres.  Zephyr (Hassie Harrison) is a free spirited surfer in Australia on the run from a difficult past.  She hooks up with Moses (Josh Heuston) after helping him jump-start his car but leaves early the next morning without saying goodbye.  She plans to surf that morning but is abducted by Tucker (Jai Courtney), an eccentric boat captain who survived a shark attack as a child, and is taken aboard his boat.  She discovers another tourist (Ella Newton) being held captive and is horrified when Tucker lowers her into a group of circling sharks that have been lured to the boat by chum.  Tucker films her being devoured by the sharks and adds the VHS tape to a large collection of similar tapes.  Meanwhile, Moses attempts to find Zephyr so he can surf with her and becomes alarmed when he sees her van being towed.  Zephyr realizes that she will be next and takes extreme measures to escape while Moses continues to try to find her.  However, they both have more to fear from Tucker than the sharks.  The tension is almost unbearable and I was on the edge of my seat holding my breath every time Zephyr gets away only to be captured once again by Tucker (which happens so many times).  The action sequences are very dynamic because Zephyr is forced to use whatever is at hand, including the broken handle of a bucket, a grappling hook, and a harpoon, to fight with and the booming score adds to the frenzy.  The underwater cinematography featuring the sharks is equal parts terrifying and mesmerizing.  Courtney is incredibly unsettling (I knew immediately that the tourists who hire him for a cage dive were in danger before they even got on the boat) and I think he should play the villain more often while Harrison gives a ferocious performance that is easy to cheer for.  This is a lot better than I was expecting and I recommend it as a fun, but grisly, summer movie.

Noises Off at Parker Theatre

Last night I went to Noises Off at Parker Theatre and it is definitely one of the best productions of this play that I have seen! Act I involves a disastrous dress rehearsal for the play Nothing On starring Dotty Otley (Mary Parker Williams), an aging television star, as Mrs. Clackett, Gary Lejeune (Roger Dunbar), a scatterbrained actor who can't finish a sentence, as Roger Tramplemain, Brooke Ashton (Corinne Adair), a young and inexperienced actress involved with the director, as Vicki, Frederick Fellows (Thomas Hohl), an insecure and accident prone actor, as Philip Brent and the Sheikh, Belinda Blair (MacKenzie Pedersen), a reliable actress who knows all of the gossip about the cast, as Flavia Brent, and Selsdon Mowbray (Duane Stephens), an accomplished actor with a drinking problem and a tendency to miss his cues, as the Burglar. Lloyd Dallas (Michael Hohl), the exasperated director, Poppy Norton-Taylor (Nicole Holbrook), the put-upon assistant stage manager, and Tim Algood (Seth Larson), the overworked and sleep deprived stage manager tasked with fixing every problem, are dismayed by how unprepared the cast is for opening night. Act II takes place backstage while the show is on tour and features the deterioration of a relationship between Dotty and Gary causing them do everything they can to sabotage each other's performance as well as Lloyd's ill-fated attempts to keep Poppy and Brooke from finding out that he is having an affair with both of them (and multiple attempts to have Tim buy them flowers). Act III takes place at the end of the run and Dotty has a complete breakdown forcing the other actors to ad-lib the rest of the show while Brooke performs her lines and blocking as normal. The pace of this show is so fast that it is frenetic and the entire cast has brilliant comedic timing because they make the action look spontaneous and effortless. There is an extended sequence involving an axe in the second act that had me, and the entire audience, in hysterics and I have no idea how they were able to pull it off! In fact, I don't think I stopped laughing during the entire second act because the chaos is so well choreographed. I also really enjoyed all of the subtle bits of characterization created to distinguish this production from others, especially having Dunbar point his fingers whenever Gary makes a nonsensical comment, having Williams become emotional whenever Dotty forgets a prop, having Pederson speak all of Belinda's lines with a southern accent, and having Stephens recite all of Selsdon's lines as if he was in a Shakespearean tragedy. This features the largest and most elaborate set I have seen at this theatre and the attention to detail, especially in the backstage area, is impressive. The sixties aesthetic used in the set decoration and costumes works really well but I think that Vicki's babydoll nightgown looks too similar to the dress she wears at the beginning of the show because I didn't immediately notice the costume change. I thoroughly enjoyed this production and I highly recommend seeing this stellar cast forget their lines, miss their cues, and misplace their props (go here for tickets).  It runs on Fridays and Saturdays (with matinees on Saturday) through June 28.

Ballerina

I am a huge fan of the John Wick franchise so I have been looking forward to the latest installment, Ballerina, for what seems like a really long time.  I went to see it with my nephew last night and I think it is a great addition to the series.  A young Eve Macarro (Victoria Comte) witnesses the death of her father Javier (David Castaneda) by assassins bearing the mark of a cult led by the Chancellor (Gabriel Byrne).  He wants her back after her father fled the cult to give her a normal life but Winston Scott (Ian McShane) finds her and takes her to the Ruska Roma where the Director (Anjelica Huston) trains her as a ballerina and an assassin.  Twelve years later, while working as an assassin, Eve (Ana de Armas) recognizes the mark on her victim and wants revenge.  She asks the Director for information but she refuses to help her because the Ruska Roma has a truce with the cult.  She then turns to Winston and he leads her to an assassin named Daniel Pine (Norman Reedus) who is on the run from the cult and has claimed sanctuary at the Prague Continental.  When she confronts Pine, she finds an even greater motivation for finding the Chancellor.  She eventually tracks him to the village of Hallstatt in the mountains of Austria and, when she proves difficult to capture, the Chancellor threatens war with the Ruska Roma so the Director sends John Wick (Keanu Reeves) to stop her.  I really enjoyed Eve's character arc because, even though it seems to be her fate to become an assassin, she still has a choice about whether to destroy or protect (two sides of the same coin) and I think this is portrayed very well through Eve's interactions with Pine's daughter Ella (Ava McCarthy).  The narrative does take a while to get going because it includes Eve's backstory and training, which go on a bit too long in my opinion, but once Eve sets out on her quest for revenge it is so much fun to watch!  As you would expect from an entry in the John Wick franchise, there are some epic and innovative action sequences in which Eve must improvise in order to compensate for her small stature.  My favorites include the use of a pick axe in a nightclub made of ice, a fight involving dinner plates in a restaurant, and a duel between a flamethrower and a firehose in the village.  I think Ana de Armas does a great job with the fight choreography (I really liked her in No Time To Die) and I also liked her performance in the more emotional moments.  Reeves doesn't have much to do but it was fun to see him return as John Wick (it was also fun to see some of the other returning characters but it was bittersweet to see Lance Reddick play Charon for the final time).  This does not feature the same dynamic cinematography or dazzling locations as the other movies in the franchise but I enjoyed it and would definitely be interested in seeing a sequel.

The Play That Goes Wrong at The Ruth

My second theatre production yesterday was The Play That Goes Wrong at The Ruth and laughing out loud at this hilarious show was a great way to spend my birthday!  The titular play is the Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society's production of The Murder at Haversham Manor by Susie H. K. Bridewell and everything that can go wrong does go wrong!  The Stage Manager Annie (Darci Ramirez) is still making adjustments to the set, with the help of a few audience members, and the Sound Technician Trevor (Luke Logan) is searching for a missing dog before the Director, Chris (Samuel Wright), welcomes the audience to the Society's most ambitious production to date.  The cast, including Chris as Inspector Carter, Robert (Charlie Flint) as Thomas Colleymoore, Jonathan (Chad Brown) as Charles Haversham, Dennis (Adrian Alta) as Perkins the Butler, Max (Brett Jamison) as Cecil Haversham/ Arthur the Gardner, and Sandra (Heather Shelley) as Florence Colleymoore, must cope with a set that is slowly falling apart, props that are misplaced and malfunctioning, and sound cues that are replaced by the music of Duran Duran.  Jonathan is unable to stay still while playing a dead body, Max is overdramatic and milks the audience for attention, Dennis mispronounces his dialogue, Sandra is injured midway through the performance and must be replaced by the unprepared Annie, and Chris cannot hide his exasperation with the goings-on.  But the show must go on until the murderer is finally revealed!  I have seen this show many times so I really enjoyed seeing some subtle changes to make this production unique.  My favorites involved one character being unable to see during the last few scenes and another actor quitting mid-show and leaving the stage in street clothes.  The entire cast is outstanding and the physical comedy is so much fun to watch!  I especially loved seeing the elaborate way in which Robert and Max must answer a phone call because they are both trying to hold the set together, the long drawn out fight between Sandra and Annie because they both want to keep playing Florence (I loved when they would both speak the lines in unison), the duel between Robert and Max after they break their swords and continue with pretend light sabers (I laughed so hard when Max jumped on the couch and said he had the high ground), and the spectacular collapse of the second floor study as Robert and Chris struggle to continue the scene while holding on for dear life.  The set is so much fun (it is basically another character) and, in addition to collapse of the study, I loved the malfunctioning elevator complete with smoke!  If you are in need of a good laugh, get yourself a ticket (go here) to this thoroughly entertaining production.  It runs in the Lindsay Legacy Theater at The Ruth through August 16.

Hadestown: Teen Edition at CPT

Yesterday was my birthday and I got to celebrate it by going to two theatre productions! In the afternoon my sisters took me to see Hadestown: Teen Edition at CPT starring students from the CenterPoint Academy. I love this musical so much because I think it is incredibly clever how it uses the ancient Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice to provide commentary on what is wrong with the world, including climate change, poverty, exploitation of workers, diminishing resources, and extreme nationalism, along with the hope of how the world could be better through the power of music! I also love that the music is a fusion of folk, rock, and jazz with incredibly stirring musical numbers ("Why We Build the Wall" is one of the most powerful songs I've heard in musical theatre). In the teen version some of the more suggestive content is modified (although none of the songs are cut in this show) and the ensemble is expanded to allow for a larger chorus of workers. I was beyond impressed with this production and I especially loved all of the performances from the main cast (these teens are insanely talented). Ryker Thompson is an incredibly charismatic and entertaining Hermes and he absolutely owns the stage in "Road to Hell" and "Way Down Hadestown." I couldn't take my eyes off him whenever he was on stage! Jocelyn Weeks has a beautiful voice and she gives a heartbreaking performance as Eurydice, particularly in "Any Way the Wind Blows" and "Flowers" (which are my two favorite songs in the show). I think the role of Orpheus is a difficult one because it requires a tremendous vocal range as well as an emotional vulnerability and Xander Ferrin absolutely nails his earnestness and awkwardness, especially in "Come Home With Me." I was also really impressed with his guitar playing in "Epic I," "Epic II," and "Epic III." Tad Sharp, as Hades, has a rich baritone voice and his powerful rendition of "Why We Build the Wall" gave me goosebumps. I also found his performance of "Hey, Little Songbird" to be so compelling. Chloe Davis gives a powerhouse performance as Persephone in the numbers "Livin' it Up on Top" and "Our Lady of the Underground" (she can really sing the blues) but she is also very affecting in "How Long?" I love how the Fates are integrated into the story and Emmalee Larson, Rylee Hunt, and Xanti Cabrera harmonize beautifully in "When the Chips Are Down" and "Word to the Wise." The choreography for the workers, which includes an ensemble of twenty, is very clever and I particularly enjoyed when they utilized the aisles in "Chant" and its reprises and when they joined a circle around Orpheus one by one during "If It's True." I also loved the choreography for "Wait For Me (Reprise)" and "Doubt Comes In" because it is very dramatic (I was practically holding my breath through the whole sequence waiting for Orpheus to turn around). The live band on stage (which also features young performers) is incredible and a shout out goes to Gabe Winter on trombone. All of the other elements in this production (the set, costumes, and lighting) are outstanding but I cannot say enough about the amazing cast and I highly recommend getting a ticket (go here) to one of the five remaining performances.

Karate Kid: Legends

My sister and I are fans of the original movie (it was incredibly popular the summer after my sophomore year in high school) and my nephew is a big fan of the reboot so we obviously had to see the latest installment in the franchise, Karate Kid: Legends, together last night.  I think it is a lot of fun and all three of us really liked it.  Li Fong (Ben Wang) has been secretly studying kung fu with his great-uncle Mr. Han (Jackie Chan) in Beijing but his mother (Ming-Na Wen) forbids him to continue because her son and Li's older brother was killed by an opponent after a tournament.  She takes a job in New York to get Li away from kung fu and hires a tutor (Wyatt Oleff) to encourage him to focus on his studies, instead.  However, he soon befriends Mia Lipani (Sadie Stanley) and her father Victor (Joshua Jackson) and learns that he owes a great deal of money to a loan shark named O'Shea (Tim Rozon) who owns a dojo.  He also runs afoul of Mia's ex-boyfriend Conor Day (Aramis Knight), a karate prodigy who trains with O'Shea.  Li eventually decides to enter the Five Boroughs Tournament, an epic mixed martial arts competition, so he can give the prize money to Victor and so he can confront his demons over his brother's death.  Mr. Han comes to New York to help train him and he also enlists Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) to train him in karate.  Li makes it to the finals but he has to fight Conor, who has bested him in several skirmishes, and it all comes down to the "dragon," a flying kick that he learned from his brother.  The story follows the exact same formula beat for beat as the previous movies and the outcome of the tournament is a foregone conclusion but Wang is so appealing in the role that he is easy to cheer for.  There are some emotional themes but, for the most part, the tone is light and the action moves very quickly with dynamic and colorful titles and a bombastic score.  I loved all of the fight sequences, especially when Li becomes the mentor in Victor's attempt to make a boxing comeback, when Han and Daniel try to demonstrate who has the best moves with Li as their unwitting victim, and Li's final stand-up-and-cheer move in the tournament.  I also enjoyed all of the callbacks to the previous movies, especially a fun reference at the end.  Fans of the franchise will definitely have a great time with this (audiences seem to be enjoying it more than the critics).

Jane Austen Wrecked My Life

Last night I went back to the Broadway to see Jane Austen Wrecked My Life.  I am not a big fan of romantic comedies but if Jane Austen is in the title I will be seated and I really enjoyed this.  Agathe (Camille Rutherford) is a struggling writer in Paris who has put her life on hold after a traumatic car accident that took the lives of her parents several years ago.  Her best friend Felix (Pablo Pauly) wants to give her a spark so he sends some of her previous work to the Jane Austen Residency run by descendants of the author in England and she is accepted.  Felix convinces a reluctant Agathe to go and, because she is secretly in love with him, she spontaneously kisses him as she leaves and sends him a provocative text when she arrives which confuses him.  She soon meets Oliver (Charlie Anson), the arrogant son of the proprietors, and they take an immediate dislike to each other.  However, she is still unable to write so she spends most of her time with Oliver and develops feelings for him before Felix arrives to surprise her.  She eventually realizes that she needs to resolve the trauma in her life before she can write or decide which man is meant for her.  This is a slow burn but it is so charming that it will win you over.  The cinematography is gorgeous and I enjoyed all of the locations, especially Shakespeare and Company where Agathe works.  I loved the scene where Agathe compares herself to Anne Elliot in Persuasion because she is letting life pass her by and Felix to Henry Crawford in Mansfield Park because he is a cad who is unwilling to commit (I also loved that Oliver is obviously modeled on Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice).  There are lots of other moments that put a smile on my face but I definitely swooned during the Regency costume ball when Agathe dances with Felix and then with Oliver because it is so apparent who she belongs with (I wrote a paper in college about the importance of dancing in Jane Austen's works).  Rutherford and Anson are very appealing and have tremendous chemistry but I really appreciate that this focuses just as much on Agathe's journey to find herself as a writer as it does on finding a romantic partner.  This is a lot more subtle and thoughtful than Austenland and The Jane Austen Book Club but it is a lot of fun and I recommend it.

Bring Her Back

As a huge fan of Talk to Me, I was really eager to see what Danny and Michael Philippou would do next.  Their latest, Bring Her Back, is now playing at the Broadway so I went to see it last night and, like their first movie, it is incredibly gory and disturbing but it is also a powerful exploration of grief.  After their father dies, Andy (Billy Barratt) and his visually impaired step-sister Piper (Sora Wong) are temporarily placed with Laura (Sally Hawkins) and her other foster child Oliver (Jonah Wren Phillips).  Laura overtly favors Piper but Andy believes it is because she had a visually impaired twelve-year-old daughter named Cathy (Mischa Heywood) who accidentally drowned in the backyard pool so he tries to make the best of the situation.  However, Andy is soon disconcerted by strange goings-on, especially the erratic behavior exhibited by Oliver, who is frequently locked in his room and denied food, and the demonic ritual shown on a grainy VHS tape that Laura obsessively watches at night.  Laura turns Piper against Andy with the hope that she will stay with her permanently so he goes searching for answers and discovers Laura's plan to implement the strange ritual with Piper and Oliver in order to bring her daughter back to life.  The escalating dread is almost unbearable because the characters are unpredictable and keep each other (and the audience) off balance.  Laura is often sympathetic and almost debilitated by her grief over the death of her daughter but then she becomes increasingly unhinged as time goes on while Andy is volatile with unclear motivations until they are slowly revealed.  Hawkins gives a powerful and unsettling performance as she transitions from warm and caring to evil and manipulative and back again (she is so scary).  The young actors are also outstanding and I was particularly impressed with Phillips because he matches Hawkins in intensity.  The visuals add to the unease because the camera angles are disorienting and the focus is sometimes distorted to mimic what Piper is seeing inside the house.  Finally, this is not for the faint of heart because the scenes involving the ritual (which feature elaborate prosthetics worn by Phillips) are so grisly that I averted my eyes several times (and I have a strong tolerance for body horror).  This might be a brutal watch but fans of the genre are sure to find it as riveting as I did.