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 "Scandal in Bohemia," "The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plans," and "The Final Solution," 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).

Six The Musical Live

I think the musical SIX is incredibly clever (it is framed as a pop concert and the queens are modeled on contemporary pop stars) and I love it so much I drove to Las Vegas to see the Broadway touring production at the Smith Center and then I saw it twice when it came to the Eccles Theatre in SLC.  I was, therefore, beyond excited when I learned that the original West End queens, Jarneia Richard-Noel as Catherine of Aragon, Millie O'Connell as Anne Boleyn, Natalie Paris as Jane Seymour, Alexia McIntosh as Anna of Cleeves, Aimie Atkinson as Katherine Howard, and Maiya Quansah-Breed as Catherine Parr, reunited in June and July of 2022 to film performances at the Vaudeville Theatre in London for a theatrical release.  I was able to see the proshot yesterday with a large crowd and it was so much fun!  The former wives of of King Henry VIII get together to determine who suffered the most and decide upon a singing competition to crown a winner.  Catherine of Aragon sings "No Way" and argues that she agreed to leave her homeland at 15, come to a country where she didn't speak the language, marry a man who died soon after, spend seven years in a nunnery, then marry the man's brother but she did not agree to be replaced.  Anne Boleyn sings "Don't Lose Ur Head" and argues that everyone overreacted when she just wanted to have a little fun (what was she meant to do?).  Jane Seymour sings "Heart of Stone" and argues that she suffered the most because she loved Henry the most but he only loved her because of her son.  Anna of Cleeves sings "Get Down" and argues that she was rejected by Henry because of her looks but concedes that she probably won't win the competition because she made the most of her situation.  Katherine Howard sings "All You Wanna Do" and argues that all of the men in her life, including Henry, used her for one thing without her consent.  Finally, Catherine Parr sings "I Don't Need Your Love" and argues that, even though she survived, she sacrificed true love for an arranged marriage with Henry.  They ultimately decide to abandon the competition because they do not want to be defined by Henry and rewrite their stories in "Six."  All six queens give powerful and electrifying performances in which they belt out their songs with enthusiasm, engage in banter with each other that is hilariously catty, and execute the stylized choreography with precision.  I especially enjoyed Paris's emotional rendition of "Heart of Stone" (my favorite song in the show) but the highlight for me was Atkinson's version of "All You Wanna Do" because her voice and facial expressions slowly change (I loved all of the close up shots) with each verse as she realizes that her beauty is more a curse than a blessing.  I loved having a front row seat for the sleek scenic design, the dramatic lighting, and the sassy costumes that feature both a Renaissance silhouette and enough bling to rival any pop princess.  My only complaint (and this is also my complaint about the stage show) is that it is over very quickly.  This reminded me of a concert film (complimentary) and I love that this entertaining show can now be experienced again and again!  It is in theaters for a short run so, whether you are a long-time member of the "Queendom" or have never seen it before, I highly recommend getting a ticket.

The Pirates of Penzance at Murray Park Amphitheater

When I got home from my camping trip, I had just enough time to dump all of my gear in the garage and get cleaned up before I went to see The Pirates of Penzance at Murray Park Amphitheater with my sister Marilyn last night.  We brought a picnic to eat in the park before the show and then we both really enjoyed this delightful production of Gilbert and Sullivan's comedic operetta.  When Frederic (AJ Klomp) reaches his 21st birthday, he decides to leave the band of pirates to whom he has been mistakenly apprenticed and soon meets Major-General Stanley (Aaron S. Williams) and his daughters, falls in love with his youngest daughter Mabel (Meg Steele), and enlists the Sergeant of Police (James Jenkins) and his men to arrest the pirates.  Chaos ensues when the Pirate King (Tyler Oliphant) and Ruth (Brandi Washburn), Frederic's former nursemaid, tell him that he was born during a leap year and, since he has only had five birthdays, he must continue to serve his apprenticeship.  It takes Queen Victoria to save the day and reunite Frederic and Mabel!  The staging is so much fun because it involves a lot of physical comedy and I frequently laughed out loud.  I especially loved the scene in which the Pirate King and Frederic argue about what to do with Ruth because a group of pirates roll her back and forth between them and the scene in which the pirates and the police try to escape from the Major-General in the courtyard because they hide in plain sight!  There are also some really fun interactions with the audience because the daughters approach the secluded beach where Frederic is hiding and the pirates advance on the Major-General's courtyard by walking through the crowd.  The choreography is also a highlight, particularly the tap dancing by the policemen in "When a felon's not engaged in his employment" and their other songs (I don't think I've ever seen the policemen tap before and it is such a great fit for the characters).  I loved all of the performances.  Klomp, Steele, and Oliphant (I've seen him in this role before) have beautiful voices but Williams is absolutely hilarious in "I am the very model of a modern Major-General" (he got singing so fast that he lost his way but he covered it up brilliantly) and Jenkins is completely over the top (I especially loved all of his high kicks).  The set features a rocky coastline along the sea and includes multiple levels that provide for some highly amusing moments (my favorite is when the pirates climb down from behind the rocks) and the colorful Victorian-era costumes are surprising but effective (the caped greatcoats worn by the policemen are very dramatic and I loved the use of light green for the Major-General's military uniform).  I love seeing outdoor performances in the summer and last night was perfect because it was cool without being too cold and the show is so much fun!  I highly recommend it but it is closing tonight so act quickly (go here for tickets).

A Week of Solo Camping 2026

I had such a great experience on a solo camping trip last year so I decided to do it again and spent the week at my favorite campground.  I love the Aspen campground because it is surrounded by pine trees, mountains, and the North Fork of the Duchesne River and I find it incredibly peaceful.  My campsite was quite isolated and I really enjoyed being on my own.

I was really happy to be in the mountains because it has been so unbearably hot in the valley lately and the temperatures were much cooler.  It was cold enough to wear a hoodie and make a fire and I loved it!

It rained most of the time but I didn't mind because I spent the time inside my tent reading and listening to the storm outside and it was very cozy.  I was still able to explore all of my favorite places along the river in between rain showers.

There is a rock formation known as "Old Stoneface" along the river and I am fascinated by it!  I probably have 812 photos of it but homage must be paid every time I visit.

The sun finally came out for most of the day on Thursday and it was so lovely to sit outside surrounded by pine trees (which smelled amazing after all of the rain).  There was an aggressive chipmunk and lots of birds (even a few blue jays) but it was so quiet and peaceful.  I especially loved listening to the river.

The sunsets every night were beautiful!

I had the best time on this camping trip and, once again, I learned so much and proved so much to myself!

Note:  I am happy to report that I did not blow out a tire off-roading this time!

Cyrano de Bergerac at Parker Theatre

I love Edmond Rostand's play Cyrano de Bergerac but it is not performed very often (I've only been able to see productions at PTC and the Utah Shakespeare Festival with Patrick Page and Brian Vaughn, respectively, in the title roles) so I have been anticipating a new adaptation at Parker Theatre ever since the 2026 season was announced. I was able to see it last night and I had goosebumps all night! Cyrano de Bergerac (Roger Dunbar) is a brilliant poet and swordsman who often makes enemies with his razor sharp wit. He is hopelessly in love with his cousin Roxane (Kristi Curtis) but he is afraid to tell her because he has an unusually large nose and doesn't think she could love someone who looks like him. She confesses to Cyrano that she loves a handsome soldier in his regiment named Baron Christian de Neuvillette (Russ Maxfield) and asks him to protect him in battle. Because he wants Roxane to be happy, he helps the simple Christian woo her by writing eloquent letters for him to give her. Roxane and Christian eventually marry but he is soon sent to war and Cyrano continues writing letters to her on Christian's behalf. She is so overcome by these letters that she comes to the battlefield to tell Christian that she fell in love with him because of his looks but now loves him for his soul. Christian wants her to love him for himself rather than for Cyrano's words but he is killed before he can confess the truth. Roxane is so brokenhearted that Cyrano writes her a farewell letter from Christian. She retires to a convent to grieve and Cyrano visits her every week for the next fifteen years to give her news of the world. One day he arrives late for his visit because he has been mortally wounded by one of his many enemies and asks Roxane if he can read Christian's final letter to her. As he reads aloud before succumbing to his wound, she realizes that he is the one who wrote it and that he has loved her all of these years. One of the things I really love about the Parker Theatre is how well they adapt classic pieces of literature to make them more accessible to modern audiences (if I was still teaching I would definitely try to arrange field trips for my students) and I loved what they did with this play. Audiences are sure to love it because there are scenes filled with adventure (Cyrano singlehandedly fights one hundred swordsmen), wit (Cyrano composes a poem about his nose while dueling with a rival who insulted its size), humor (Christian repeats Cyrano's words to Roxane in a hilariously stilted way) romance (Cyrano finally opens his heart to Roxane underneath her balcony because she cannot see him and it is incredibly swoonworthy), and tragedy (Roxane is heartbroken when she realizes that she loves Cyrano too late). The performances, in these scenes particularly, are brilliant and show the tremendous range of the actors. I also loved the dynamic fight choreography, the detailed set design (it reminded me of the sets used in the Englestad Theatre at the Utah Shakespeare Festival with its wooden balconies, arches, and doors), the gorgeous period costumes, and the makeup design for Cyrano's nose (it is truly spectacular). Finally, this is performed in five acts and I enjoyed the projections on the curtain during the set changes and I also liked the title descriptions projected on a scrim at the beginning of each act. This production is incredibly well-done and I highly recommend it. Tickets may be purchased here for performances on Fridays and Saturdays through August 29.

Wild Inside

I wasn't very interested in any of the new releases this weekend so I spent my Friday night at the Broadway watching a documentary about an owl (as one does).  I really enjoyed Wild Inside because it is both heartwarming and thought-provoking.  Flaco, a male Eurasian eagle-owl, was bred in captivity and spent 13 years in a small enclosure inside the Central Park Zoo before escaping.  When he is discovered in and around Central Park, he captures the attention and imagination of New Yorkers, especially a group of birdwatchers who document his actions and movements online (and provide many of the photos and video footage used in this documentary).  At first, the public is concerned that Flaco will not be able to survive in the wild and advocate for his immediate capture and return to the zoo.  However, Flaco's natural instincts kick in and he eventually improves his ability to fly with practice and develops the ability to hunt on his own.  The public then decides that he should remain free and the staff at the Central Park Zoo stop trying to capture him.  Sentiments shift once again when Flaco meets an untimely end after he is weakened by rodenticides used to control the city's rat population and many point out that he would have lived a much longer life inside the zoo.  Flaco is definitely anthropomorphized but, like many interviewed for this documentary, I also couldn't help but ascribe human characteristics to him, such as choice, resilience, and curiosity, and this made me root for him to succeed.  The photos and footage are adorable and I especially loved his big orange eyes and the way he looked into windows to watch people (much like he was watched in the zoo).  I also learned a lot about Eurasian eagle-owls and about owls in general (they are surprisingly fascinating).  Finally, I really appreciated the discussion about the best way for animals to interact with humans and urban environments even if there are no easy answers.  Penny Lane, the director, has an obvious opinion about zoos and keeping animals in captivity but she does interview people who advocate for their necessity in order to keep them safe and to stave off extinction of endangered species.  I think this is a documentary that will resonate with many people and I highly recommend it.

The Piano

I am so happy that The Piano is back in theaters because I think it is an atmospheric masterpiece and I have always wanted to experience it on the big screen (I missed it during its original theatrical run).  I went to see it yesterday at the Broadway and I was completely mesmerized.  Ada McGrath (Holly Hunter) is a Scottish woman in the mid-19th century who has been mute by choice since childhood.  She travels to New Zealand with her precocious daughter Flora (Anna Paquin) and her cherished piano for an arranged marriage to a colonial settler named Alisdair Stewart (Sam Neill).  When she arrives, Alisdair refuses to transport the piano from the beach to his settlement and this alienates her from him.  She asks Alisdair's neighbor, George Baines (Harvey Keitel), to take her back to the beach and he falls in love with her after he witnesses a passionate performance.  Baines has her piano taken to his house and then offers Alisdair a piece of property in exchange for lessons from Ada, which Alisdair compels her to give.  However, Baines tells Ada that he will trade the piano back to her, key by key, if he can listen to her play in various stages of undress during encounters that become more and more intimate.  He eventually gives the piano back to her before she fulfills their agreement and they begin an intense affair with tragic consequences after Alisdair learns the truth from Flora.  Many find the narrative to be problematic but I have a different interpretation. I think the piano represents Ada's voice because she communicates by playing it rather than by speaking.  Both Alisdair and Baines manipulate her with their control of the piano and getting it back represents that she is able to choose her destiny.  This is why she is able to leave it behind in the middle of the ocean and why she begins speaking after she is rid of it.  I love Hunter's performance because, even though she is incredibly stoic, you can still see everything she is feeling in her eyes and her piano playing is incredibly impressive.  I also love Paquin's performance because it is so nuanced and strikes a delicate balance between innocence and mischievousness.  The visuals are gorgeous (New Zealand is one of my very favorite trips) and I was blown away by many of the evocative shot compositions.  Finally, the score by Michael Nyman is hauntingly beautiful, particularly the main theme "The Heart Asks Pleasure First."  This is brilliant on so many levels and I highly recommend it (especially if you have a chance to see it on the big screen).

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at HCT

Utah audiences really love the musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (so it is performed a lot) but I am not a big fan because I find it very kitschy (or it could be because I have seen it too many times). I went to yet another production last night at Hale Theatre and, even though I didn't love it, the performances are outstanding. It tells the well-known Bible story of how Joseph rises to become the Pharaoh's second-in-command after his brothers betray him for being their father's favorite with songs that span every musical genre. It is de rigueur for every director to add their own touches but this is a messy mishmash of every version of the show that Jennifer Hohl has been involved with. Much of the staging, including the Ishmaelites riding motorcycles in "Journey to Egypt," the dancers emerging from a psychedelic VW bus in "Go, Go, Go Joseph," and Mrs. Potiphar spinning tunes in a nightclub with a multi-colored dance floor in "Megamix," is recycled from HCT's 2017 production which she also directed (I actually enjoyed the staging of "Potiphar" and "Song of the King" a lot more in that version). There are some strange choices with the costumes (the brothers all wear athletic socks and shoes, the Egyptians wear white mid-length pleated skirts, and the ensemble wears weird Heaven's Gate-inspired shrouds in "A Pharaoh's Story"), a few of the sets are underwhelming (particularly the one for "Potiphar") and the choreography is a bit chaotic because there are so many performers on stage that sight lines are often blocked (this is especially true in "Song of the King"). However, the brothers (including Rob Naylor as Reuben, Matt Baxter as Simeon, Ben Lowell as Levi, Brock Dalgleish as Naphtali, Addison Welch as Issachar, Brevan Ita as Asher, Matthew Tripp as Dan, Enzo Willis as Zebulon, Prince Ko as Gad, Eli Zemp as Benjamin, and Alec Powell as Judah) do a fantastic job singing and dancing and it is very clear that they are having a blast (they are really fun to watch). I really enjoyed Lowell's vocal performance of "One More Angel in Heaven" as well as Welch's rendition of "Those Canaan Days" (this song always makes me laugh) but Powell really blew me away during "Benjamin Calypso." Bailee Morris has a beautiful voice that is very well suited to the role of Narrator but I sometimes found her interactions with the rest of the cast and the audience to be very stilted. She is especially awkward with a group of children (who were presumably selected from the audience) in the Prologue because she is very over-the-top and they did not respond to her (maybe they need a better vetting process to find more animated children).  Finally, Ethan Kelso, as Joseph, is the reason to see this show because he has both the voice and the charisma required for the role. I loved his renditions of "Any Dream Will Do" and "Close Every Door" (the lighting effects used to create his jail cell are really cool) and his physicality in the scenes with Mrs. Potiphar and the Pharaoh's groupies is a lot of fun. I know that almost everyone will enjoy this more than I did (it needs to join Cats and Seussical as shows I never need to see again) so I recommend getting a ticket (go here). It runs on the Young Living Centre Stage through October 24.

Note: My attitude about this show could also stem from when I saw the Broadway touring production.  I was so excited to see Donny Osmond as Joseph but, on the night I went, his nephew David (who was the understudy) performed. He was very good but I am still bitter about missing Donny.

Pickleville Playhouse

One of the main reasons for our weekend trip to Bear Lake was to see Trent's niece Jaycee in two different productions at the Pickleville Playhouse.  Some of my friends have raved about this theatre for years so I have wanted to see a show there for quite a while now.  Having Jaycee in the cast was the perfect excuse to finally make the effort.  I was so impressed with the theatre (it reminded me of the Playmill Theatre in West Yellowstone) and with both shows!  Friday night we went to a cookout which is held each night before the evening show (it tasted wonderful) and then we saw The Ballad of Butch and Sundance, an original melodrama that is partially improvised.  Much of what we know about Butch Cassidy (Slater Ashenhurst) and the Sundance Kid (Nathan Kremin) is based on legend rather than fact so this portrays them as performers who become accidental outlaws on their way to Broadway.  Etta Earp (Jaycee Harris) convinces them to kidnap her when they attempt to rob a bank because she wants something exciting to happen to her and this gets the attention of her father Wyatt Earp (Oscar Erickson) who chases after them with his associates Joshua (Atticus Adair) and Jerusha (Mary Davis).  When Wyatt Earp tracks them down in Bolivia, Butch and Sundance convince him to stage their deaths so they can all use the story for a show on Broadway.  This features stock characters, songs modeled on musical theatre standards, and exaggerated acting but I particularly enjoyed the improvisational breaks.  The funniest of these is when Butch and Sundance act out possible causes of death, which have been suggested by the audience, for Wyatt to guess like charades.  Ours included falling into quick sand, being poisoned by a snail, and being bucked off a bronco into a cotton candy machine and it was hilarious because Wyatt could not guess what they were doing (Etta had to tell him that the horse might be from Denver and this made me laugh so hard).  Other funny interludes involved the use of jazz hands, writing a song about Dumbledore, and pretending to be dinosaurs (I loved the physicality of of both Ashenhurst and Kremin).  On Saturday we went to see the matinee of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.  The story is a bit problematic but I love it for the singing and dancing (apparently I am not alone because it received 90% of the votes in a survey sent to patrons) and I was definitely not disappointed by this production!  Adam Pontipee (Brayton Wilds) travels from his mountain home to the nearest town to get a wife and finds the perfect candidate in Milly (Reilly Jane Grace).  She agrees to the marriage but is dismayed to learn that she will also have to cook and clean for his six brothers (Oscar Erickson, Atticus Adair, Joey Thompson, Evan Alois, Hayden Stewart, and Will Haley).  Her solution is to get them married off and she teaches them how to go courting but Adam thinks they are becoming too soft and suggests they simply go get the women (Julianne Ferreira da Silva, Jaycee Harris, Emma Kate Leishman, Melissa Alotta, Mary Davis, and Morgan Horsburgh) they want to marry.  Chaos ensues!  The two leads, Wilds and Grace, are absolutely incredible and I loved their performances of "Bless Your Beautiful Hide" and "Wonderful, Wonderful Day," respectively.  Another highlight is the high-energy choreography, especially in "The Challenge Dance," because the small space is utilized very effectively.  Finally, the costumes are amazing and it was really fun to see the quilts used by the brothers become dresses worn by the brides later in the show.  My family and I thoroughly enjoyed both of these shows (we loved seeing Jaycee perform because she is amazing and appears to be having so much fun on stage) and highly recommend getting tickets (we will definitely be coming back for the fall production).  Go here for information about the theatre as well as tickets to all of the shows and the cookout.

Note:  Teresa and I were singing "Bless Your Beautiful Hide" for the rest of the trip!

Weekend at Bear Lake

I spent last weekend at an Airbnb near Bear Lake with Kristine, Trent, his sister Teresa, and his nephew Nate.  It was so much fun and I had the best time.  We had tons of great food and even better conversation (we definitely laughed a lot).  Our Airbnb was within easy walking distance to the beach and I spent quite a bit of time just hanging out with my camp chair on Saturday.  It eventually got really crowded but I enjoyed the nice weather (even though the water was freezing cold) and the sound of the waves for most of the morning before I went back for a nap.

I am so happy that I got to take this quick trip with my family because it was much needed!