The Smashing Pumpkins at the Delta Center

I love seeing The Smashing Pumpkins in concert (I've seen them multiple times including a rather memorable night at Saltair when my friends and I got stuck in the parking lot for over an hour after the show because the cars were packed in like sardines).  They always put on an epic show and last night was no exception!  They played for over three hours, with a very brief intermission between their two sets, and I loved every minute!  The first set was in honor of the 30th anniversary of Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness and featured 16 tracks from this seminal album.  I definitely enjoyed hearing the hits, including "1979," "Bullet With Butterfly Wings," "Tonight, Tonight," "Thirty-Three," and "Zero," but it was also fun to hear "Cupid de Locke," "Galopogos," and "By Starlight" because they are not played live as often.  The second set was billed as a career-spanning journey through four decades of hits, deep cuts, and newer material.  The hits included "Disarm," a funky version of "Ava Adore," "Mayonaise" (I had forgotten how much I love this song), "Today," and "Cherub Rock."  Some of the deep cuts were "Machina, Machina" and "Sojourner" and the new material included "Edin," "Pentagrams," and "War Dreams of Itself" from their most recent album Aghori Mhori Mei and "Black Stars" from the forthcoming The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping soundtrack (I hadn't heard this before and I really liked it).  The visuals were incredibly theatrical with graphics announcing each song title projected on large screens (the ones used in the first set mimicked the original artwork for Mellon Collie and the ones in the second set were inspired by their classic music videos) and the lighting design was very dramatic with dark purple, blue, and pink stage washes.  Frontman Billy Corgan was in rare form last night because he was much more animated than I have ever seen him before and he joked that half the crowd hadn't been born when Mellon Collie was released.  He is is such a weirdo (complimentary) because he came on stage wearing a long black leather tunic over a flowing skirt (he switched to white for the second set) but he sounded fantastic and his guitar solos were amazing (especially during "Porcelina of the Vast Oceans").  It seems like I have been anticipating this show for so long (I bought the ticket months ago) and it was even better than I was expecting!  I had the best time and, as with the other times I've seen them, I would rank this among my very favorite concert experiences.

Little Shop of Horrors at PTC

Last night I got to see another really fun production of Little Shop of Horrors, this time at PTC, and it is one of the best I've seen! A meek and awkward floral assistant named Seymour Krelborn (Andrew Faria) discovers a strange and interesting carnivorous plant, which he names Audrey II after his coworker crush, while working at a failing flower shop on Skid Row. As Audrey II grows larger and larger by feeding on his blood, it brings Seymour sudden fame, fortune, and the affections of Audrey (Alanna Saunders), but it soon demands more blood than he can spare. Driven by desperation and ambition, he feeds Audrey's abusive boyfriend, Oren Scrivelo (Brandon Espinoza), and their boss, Mr. Mushnik (David Benoit), to the plant only to realize too late that Audrey II's ultimate goal is world domination. The reason why this is one of my favorite musicals is because the music is a fabulous pastiche of popular rock and roll, doo-wop, and Motown songs from the 1960s (you will be humming them for days after seeing the show) and I especially love the use of a girl group to narrate the story. Lauren Wilmore, as Crystal, Maya J. Christian, as Chiffon, and Tyler Symone, as Ronnette, were highlights of the show for me because they harmonize beautifully in the songs "Little Shop of Horrors" and "Skid Row (Downtown)" and they are very lively whenever they suddenly appear on stage to serve as backup singers and dancers in other songs. The rest of the performances are equally outstanding. Saunders sings "Somewhere That's Green" with a voice full of yearning but then she belts out "Suddenly, Seymour" after gaining some confidence and just about blows the roof off the theater. Faria displays an earnestness that is fun to watch (although I wish he had leaned more into Seymour's physical awkwardness) and his versions of "Grow for Me," "You Never Know," and "Sudden Changes" are nuanced and vibrant. Benoit is very persnickety but he lets loose in "Mushnik and Son" to great comedic effect (I loved the way he uses a scarf throughout the song but especially when he imitates a matador with it). Espinoza is completely over the top in "Dentist!" and "Now (It's Just the Gas)" but he almost steals the show by portraying three completely different characters in "The Meek Shall Inherit" (he had the audience laughing out loud). I can't forget the R&B stylings and the diabolical laugh of Nicholas Ward, who voices Audrey II, because he gives the plant a lot of personality. I was also impressed with Joe Gallina, as Audrey II's puppeteer, because he seamlessly matches Ward's vocal performance with his physical one and I particularly loved seeing the plant dance in "Feed Me (Git It)." The stage is dominated by a large and elaborate set for the flower shop (I loved the attention to detail, especially the refrigerated display cases with glass doors) with only a small alley in front for other scenes (my one criticism would be that this doesn't allow for more dynamic choreography). Finally, the colorful period costumes and wigs are a lot of fun (especially those worn by the girl group). This is a really entertaining show that is perfect for Halloween and I definitely recommend getting a ticket (go here). It runs through November 7.

Wicker

Last night I had a lot of fun seeing Wicker at the Broadway with my sister.  The Fisherwoman (Olivia Colman) lives in a conservative and superstitious medieval village near the sea where the inhabitants are known by their occupations and women are treated as the property of their fathers and then their husbands.  She is mocked and harassed because of her unmarried status and independence (and also for her stench) so she decides to take matters into her own hands and asks the Basket Weaver (Peter Dinklage) to make her a husband.  Once the Wicker Husband (Alexander Skarsgard) is completed, he marries the Fisherwoman, treats her with love and respect, and satisfies her every want and *ahem* desire.  Soon all of the men in the village are disconcerted by the Wicker Husband's behavior towards his wife because their wives begin to expect the same treatment.  The Tailor's Wife (Elizabeth Debicki) is incredibly jealous and makes the Fisherwoman doubt that the Wicker Husband could actually love and be faithful to someone like her.  This leads her to question his loyalty but the Basket Weaver devises a plot to reconcile them and expose the villagers for their narrow-minded behavior.  This is a delightful fable with a lot to say about the dangers of conformity and gender inequality (the marriage ceremony involves having the groom place a collar on the bride) but it is also surprisingly romantic despite the absurd premise.  There are lots of really wild sex scenes (of the bed breaking variety) but the most sensual moment in the movie involves a dance at a wedding in which the Fisherwoman and the Wicker Husband act as if there is no one else around them.  There are also some really tender scenes in which she slowly falls in love with him (that made me and my sister swoon) and I absolutely loved the reason for his devotion to her.  Colman is brilliant in the way she portrays her character's physical and emotional transformation after experiencing love and her performance is quite funny (she has perfect comedic timing) but also extremely vulnerable.  Skarsgard is strangely compelling despite the fact that he is covered in wicker (the practical effects are amazing) because he fully commits to the physicality and his eyes convey so much emotion.  I also really enjoyed Dinklage, especially when he philosophizes about his creations.  Finally, the production design, costumes, score, and illustrated chapter titles create a fairy tale vibe that adds to the charm.  Even though I am a big fan of Skarsgard, I was still surprised by how much I loved this and I highly recommend checking it out.

Bright Star at the Terrace Plaza Playhouse

Last night I was so excited to see Bright Star at the Terrace Plaza Playhouse because it is one of my favorite musicals. I think the story about second chances is incredibly moving and I love the bluegrass music by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell. Billy Cane (Ryland Mahony) returns home to Hayes Creek, North Carolina after World War II and briefly reunites with his childhood friend Margo Crawford (Grace Jensen) but then decides to go to Asheville to try writing for The Asheville Southern Journal. He meets the uptight editor Alice Murphy (Teaira Burge) who then transforms into a wild and rebellious girl who loves Jimmy Ray Dobbs (Porter Beesley) in Zebuon, North Carolina during the 1920s. The narrative alternates between the two timelines as Alice learns to deal with heartache and loss and Billy learns the importance of home and the one who loves him. I was really impressed by Burge's performance because she does a great job portraying Alice at two different ages and her emotional renditions of "Please, Don't Take Him" and "I Had a Vision" are incredibly powerful and brought tears to my eyes. The rest of the cast is also really strong and I especially enjoyed Jensen's version of "Asheville" (it is my favorite song in the show and she adds a lot of vulnerability as a girl worried that the boy she loves will forget her), Mahony's version of "Bright Star," and Beesley's version of "Heartbreaker." Another shoutout goes to Ian Wellisch as Darryl Ames because he is hilariously overwrought (I've seen him in several shows at this theatre and he always makes me laugh because he is so over the top). The choreography is a lot of fun, especially for "If You Knew My Story," "Way Back in the Day," "What Could Be Better" (the way that lanterns are incorporated is really cool), and "Another Round" but I also liked the inclusion of the ensemble in "Whoa, Mama" and "Firmer Hand/ Do Right" (I don't remember seeing that before). The set features a large wooden barn with doors that open to reveal projections that enhance, but do not dominate, the scenes.  Various pieces are seamlessly brought on stage by the ensemble to become Margo's bookstore (I loved the ladder on the bookcase), Alice's office, the Mayor's office, the cabin in the woods, and other locations. The lighting design is used to great effect during a key scene on a train. The barn doors are closed so the flashing lights visible through the wooden slats give the impression of a train car that it is traveling at speed (I always look forward to seeing how this particular scene will be staged in every production I see and this one did not disappoint). I always prefer productions that have a live band on stage but the Terrace Plaza Playhouse does a great job with this show and I highly recommend getting a ticket (go here). It runs on Mondays, Fridays, and Saturdays through November 14 (except Halloween).

A Talent for Murder

The second movie in the double feature with my nephew yesterday was A Talent for Murder and we both loved it.  A young and inexperienced editor named Edward Ridgeway (Alden Ehrenreich) travels from New York to Switzerland to convince the reclusive and misanthropic novelist Patricia Highsmith (Helen Mirren) to write a sixth novel featuring the character Tom Ripley when another editor goes missing after attempting to do the same.  Ridgeway's job is contingent upon getting Highsmith to sign a new contract, so after she derisively refuses to revisit Ripley, he offers to collaborate with her because he is such a fan of the character.  They eventually begin writing together and create a narrative in which Tom Ripley pursues Clementine Balfour (Olivia Cooke), a young heiress who Rideway met on the train to Switzerland.  In the story Ripley contrives to marry Clementine and then murders her aunt Peggy (Juliet Stevenson) so she will inherit her fortune while Ridgeway slowly adopts the persona of Ripley in his interactions with the real Clementine and her aunt.  This is a sleek and stylish psychological thriller with glamorous European locations in which art imitates life and then life begins to imitate art.  Ehrenreich portrays both Ridgeway and Ripley so the lines are often blurred between what is real and what Highsmith is imagining and it is very fun to watch.  I also found the idea that everyone has a dormant capacity to commit murder to be very intriguing.  Mirren is having a blast as the diabolical author and Ehrenreich more than holds his own as they go toe to toe in a dangerous game.  I definitely recommend this entertaining riff on Highsmith and her most well-known character, especially to fans of both.

Klara and the Sun

I went to a fun double feature with my nephew yesterday starting with Klara and the Sun.  This has been savaged by the critics but I actually liked it.  In a dystopian future, Klara (Jenna Ortega) is an outdated AF (Artificial Friend) on the verge of being sent back to the factory to be melted for parts by the Store Manager (Natasha Lyonne).  She is placed in the store front window in a last-ditch effort to find a buyer and her quirky personality endears her to Josie (Mia Tharia) who convinces her uptight mother Chrissie (Amy Adams) to buy her.  Josie has been genetically engineered, or "lifted," to enhance her intelligence and abilities but this procedure has made her terminally ill and her grief-stricken mother is desperate to create a synthetic copy of Josie using Klara's processor.  The solar powered Klara reveres the sun as a deity and prays to it daily to help her fulfill her purpose as a companion to Josie.  She ultimately decides that Josie is irreplaceable and sacrifices herself so the sun will heal her.  There are a lot of themes to unpack (I have not read the novel by Kazuo Ishiguro upon which this is based) but I was really struck by the fact that it takes an artificial intelligence to reveal the true nature of humanity.  Even though she is not human, Klara exhibits an unusual amount of empathy, rejects the machinery that pollutes the air in favor of the life-giving sun, dismisses Josie's "lifted" friends as superficial in favor of her childhood friend Rick (Aran Murphy), and discovers what it means to truly love someone.  I've seen a lot of criticism about the tone (director Taika Waititi infuses his signature whimsy into a narrative about grief) but I think it really works because Klara acts as a ray of sunshine (pun intended) in the grim reality inhabited by Josie and her mother and I think the pixelated visuals whenever Klara recalibrates to her surrounding are effective in showing her perspective as she attempts to understand the world and the humans around her.  Finally, Ortega gives a wonderful performance and I really enjoyed her physicality, especially when she imitates Josie and Chrissie.  I recommend that you ignore the critics and give this a chance.

The Woman in Black at Parker Theatre 2026

Seeing The Woman in Black at Parker Theatre has become a really fun Halloween tradition and I was thrilled to be in the audience last night! It is so scary! Arthur Kipps (Michael Hohl) is still traumatized by an encounter many years ago with an apparition while settling the estate of Alice Drablow at Eel Marsh House on an isolated island that is only accessible by a causeway at low tide. He believes that he can stop the nightmares that plague him by recounting his experience publicly on stage so he hires an Actor (Ben Lowell) to help him. The Actor convinces him to act out the story instead of reading it from a manuscript so they begin rehearsing in a Victorian theatre using minimal props, realistic sound cues, and atmospheric lighting design. The Actor portrays a younger version of Kipps while he portrays all of the other characters and narrates the play. The action on stage depicts Kipps attending Drablow's funeral, traveling to her house in an old-fashioned pony and trap, working alone in the eerie house, and witnessing unsettling events while a strange figure dressed in black seems to follow him. They periodically stop the rehearsal to discuss their performances and, during one such break, Kipp promises a surprise. The Actor interprets this to mean that Kipp hired the actress who suddenly appeared on stage with them. The action concludes when young Kipps discovers the identity of the mysterious figure and when the Actor makes a startling realization about the actress portraying her. What makes this show so unsettling is the imaginative stagecraft used to tell the story, especially the brilliant use of light and shadow and the disconcerting sound design. I was particularly struck by the smoke effects used when Kipps is trapped in fog on the causeway, the light from a single torch when he gets lost in the pitch black darkness of the marsh, the shadows that appear on a scrim when he stumbles upon an overgrown cemetery, and the creaking of a rocking chair when he discovers a room that seems to be haunted. Light and shadow is also used very effectively whenever the woman in black appears because I was never really sure if she was there or not (I have now seen this production three times and I knew what was coming but I still jumped about a mile out of my seat when the woman in black appeared in the aisle next to me and so did a few other people). Finally, the acting is exceptional. Lowell really commits to the physicality of the role (he is often the only one on stage and he must react to things that are imaginary) and his terror is palpable. Hohl fully inhabits each of the characters he portrays with just the addition of an article of clothing or prop and it is impressive to watch. The Parker is the perfect venue for this play because it actually feels like it could be haunted and I loved everything about this production. If you are looking for something scary to do for Halloween I highly recommend getting a ticket for this spooky show (go here). It is a limited engagement through November 7.

Note: I happened to be sitting by Joanne Parker, the owner of the theatre, and she noticed my intense reaction to the appearance of the woman in black. We had a really fun conversation about this production, the theatre, and their past literary adaptations.

Wildwood

I was so excited to see Wildwood at a matinee yesterday and I was definitely not the only one because the theater was packed (even the front row).  I loved it and I highly encourage everyone to support this beautiful and heartfelt movie by seeing it on the big screen!  Prue McKeel (Peyton Elizabeth Lee) is a headstrong teenager living in Portland, Oregon with her free-spirited parents (Jake Johnson and Maya Erskine).  She mocks their fanciful tales of magic and defies their edict to keep her baby brother Mac (Arthur Knight) safe by taking him outside to play.  When Mac is abducted by a murder of crows, she and her nerdy classmate Curtis (Jacob Tremblay) are forced to pursue him into the Impassable Wilderness from her father's stories.  Once inside, they discover an enchanted forest and are soon pursued by an army of coyotes, led by Maxim (Tom Waits), who serve the exiled Dowager Governess Alexandra (Carey Mulligan). She was once a benevolent leader but her mind was poisoned by grief over the death of her son and she has now turned to dark magic to bring him back.  Alexandra needs Mac for her evil plan to work so Prue and Curtis enlist the help of a rat named Septima (Awkwafina) and a coyote discharged from the army named Dimitri (Charlie Day) to unite all of the different factions in the forest, including the North Wood farmers led by Iphigenia (Tantoo Cardinal), the Avian Principality led by Owl Rex (Richard E. Grant) and the General (Angela Bassett), and the Wildwood Bandits let by Brendan (Mahershala Ali) and Niamh (Amandla Stenberg), in order to stop her, save Mac, and overthrow the corrupt South Wood government led by Alexandra's nephew Lars Svik (Marc Evan Jackson) and his power hungry underling Roger Swindon (Jemaine Clement).  I really loved the themes of self-discovery (especially Curtis's character arc), finding belonging in a shared community, coming to terms with loss, overthrowing those who abuse power, and protecting the natural world.  The narrative may seem incredibly dense with a lot characters and affiliations to keep track of but each of them have an emotional moment of truth and I found it very compelling.  The entire voice cast is outstanding but the standouts for me were Mulligan, because she somehow makes a villain into an incredibly sympathetic character, and Lee, because her portrayal of a teenager trying to find her place in the world is very realistic.  The stop-motion animation is absolutely gorgeous and there were many scenes that took my breath away with all of the intricate details in the character design and the world-building (I especially loved all of the individual leaves).  I was also blown away by the dazzling action sequences, particularly a chase through the mansion, an epic battle involving medieval warfare (it is PG-13 for a reason), and a scene in which the ivy takes over the forest (this is truly spectacular).  I think this movie is a masterpiece and I highly recommend it!

Wait Until Dark at West Valley Arts

I think the play Wait Until Dark is the perfect show to stage in the round so I was very much looking forward to seeing it at the West Valley Performing Arts Center last night. Even though I have seen both the play and the movie starring Audrey Hepburn several times, I was still on the edge of my seat during this tension-filled production! Sam Hendrix (Armando Serrano Huerto) is given a strange doll by a woman on a train who is later murdered. He is unaware that it is filled with heroin and that Harry Roat (Joe Spear), a ruthless and psychotic criminal, will do anything to get it back so he brings it home to the Greenwich Village apartment he shares with his blind wife Susan (Collette Astle). Roat arranges for Sam to go out of town and stages an elaborate con in which his accomplices impersonate Mike Talman (Doug Kaufman), an old friend of Sam's, and Sgt. Carlino (Tyson Baker), a police officer, in order to to convince Susan to give them the doll. Susan eventually figures out that the three con men are not who they seem and, with the help of Gloria (Ruby Rose Kohler), her precocious young neighbor, she contrives to put out all of the lights and turns her blindness into an advantage during an epic showdown in the dark. I sometimes find the first act to be a bit tedious with a lot of convoluted exposition setting up the con but this production uses a flashback in the second act that is incredibly clever. At first I found it a bit confusing (especially the opening scene because the audience is dropped right in the middle of the action without knowing a lot of context) but, once I figured it out, I really liked this choice because it builds a lot more suspense. I also really liked the sound design for this particular production because the audience hears what is happening from Susan's perspective (this is especially true with footsteps, doors opening and closing, blinds opening and closing, and sounds outside on the street). The lighting design is also brilliant because it enhances the tension throughout the entire show, not just during the final sequence in the dark (which is riveting), by constantly manipulating what the audience can see and I have to admit that I practically jumped out of my seat during an especially fraught scene. The set design for the Hendrix apartment is very effective and the actors do a great job foreshadowing the areas that will become significant during the final sequence. Finally, Astle is very convincing as a blind woman (I was especially impressed when she crashed into pieces of furniture that had moved from their original spot) and Spear is incredibly menacing but my favorite performance was from Kohler because she is such a brat but you can see the vulnerability beneath her obnoxious behavior (this is a hard balance to strike, especially for such a young actor). I love it when I am surprised by a show I've seen several times before and I highly recommend this production (but act quickly because there are only two more performances). Go here for tickets.

Little Shop of Horrors at Draper Historic Theatre

Last night I went to see Little Shop of Horrors at Draper Historic Theatre and it was such a fun show to see this time of year (I will be seeing another production in a couple of weeks). Mild-mannered Seymour Krelborn (Spencer Nelson) works at a flower shop on Skid Row owned by the persnickety Mr. Mushnik (Robert Roake). It is on the verge of bankruptcy so, when he discovers an unusual plant during a total eclipse, he thinks that displaying it in the window will bring business to the shop. He names this new breed of plant after his coworker, and crush, Audrey (Sophie Manzanares) and business booms when customers flock to the shop to see Audrey II (Kason Seamans). Seymour inadvertently discovers that it thrives on blood when he cuts his finger on a thorn and he is dismayed when Audrey II asks him for more and more. As it grows to a giant size, he is forced to find other sources and Audrey's abusive boyfriend Orin Scrivello (Bryan Orr) and then Mr. Mushnik are the first victims. Seymour becomes a local celebrity and wins the love of Audrey but he soon feels guilty about what he has done to feed Audrey II and decides to get rid of it. However, he doesn't know that Audrey II has an evil plan for world domination! I really love the music in this show because it is a lively combination of rock and roll, doo-wop, and Motown and I especially enjoyed the songs "Little Shop of Horrors," "Skid Row (Downtown)," "Somewhere That's Green," and "Suddenly Seymour." A girl group comprised of Crystal (Kehaulani Ovalle-Freeman), Chiffon (Elena Quintero), and Ronette (Jenna Ostler) act as a chorus narrating the action and they sound great, both individually and when they harmonize together, and I laughed at all of their facial expressions as they react to the goings-on. Nelson is so much fun to watch because he is adorably awkward as Seymour and I especially enjoyed his physicality, especially in "Mushnik and Son" (I laughed out loud through the whole number but the highlight is his final pose), and his manic energy, particularly in his interactions with Audrey II. Roake is hilariously overwrought as Mushnik, Manzanares brings a lot of vulnerability to the role of Audrey, and Orr is completely over the top as Orin but my favorite performance was from Seamans as Audrey II (with Daniel Manivanh as puppeteer) because he has a smooth and seductive voice and "Feed Me (Git It)" is another highlight!  Speaking of Audrey II, the elaborate puppets are very impressive, especially the giant one that swallows its victims whole as well as the many smaller ones used in "Don't Feed the Plants." I was also very impressed by the set, featuring a street on Skid Row (I loved the fire escape) dominated by the exterior of the flower shop with large windows that pivot to reveal the interior (it is very clever), the period costumes and wigs, and the dramatic lighting (the glow in the dark effect on Audrey II is fantastic). I had a great time at this show and highly recommend getting a ticket (go here). It runs through October 24.

You Can See Everything

My nephew and I have been eagerly anticipating You Can See Everything ever since the trailer dropped after its surprise premiere at the Telluride Film Festival last month so we were both giddy with excitement when we attended a sold out early access screening at the Broadway last night (we are both weirdly fascinated by the Elizabeth Holmes scandal).  I had unreasonably high expectations and it did not disappoint!  In fact, it is one the best documentaries I have ever seen and watching it with a large and vocal crowd was one of the best theatrical experiences I have ever had!  Elizabeth Holmes, the disgraced former CEO of Theranos, invites Nathan Fielder to move in with her, her partner Billy Evans, and their two children to document her final 34 days before reporting to prison in May of 2023.  She gives him and his film crew unprecedented access in order to tell her side of the story after being vilified in articles, books, documentaries, and a limited series on Hulu starring Amanda Seyfried.  In her conversations with Fielder, she vehemently denies any wrongdoing (in a fascinating discussion about her word choice when describing the device she invented to test blood) and she details her plans for another medical testing startup with Evans.  The way Fielder interviews both Holmes and Evans is ingenious and I was most impressed by how the camera lingers on their faces during the silences.  After Holmes reports to prison, Fielder interrogates whether or not he has been manipulated in a twist that produced an audible gasp from my audience.  Without spoiling anything (you should go in as blind as possible), this twist is absolutely brilliant because there are so many layers and it recontextualizes everything that has gone before several different times (I still don't know who to believe because Holmes and Fielder match each other in intensity and it is mesmerizing to watch).  I was completely riveted (my nephew actually leaned forward in his seat multiple times because he was so locked in) and the three hour runtime flies by with scenes that I found equally moving (I hate to admit that I felt bad seeing her cry at the thought of leaving her small children), funny, intriguing, maddening, and horrifying.  Beyond all of that, the production value is outstanding, especially the lighting and the editing.  I will definitely be thinking about it for a long time and I highly recommend seeing it with a crowd!

Note:  This is practically a shoo-in for the Best Documentary Oscar and I predict that it will be nominated for Best Picture!

The Social Reckoning

Last night my nephew and I went to see The Social Reckoning at the Broadway and, while I didn't hate it, I found it to be very underwhelming.  Jeff Horowitz (Jeremy Allen White) is a reporter for The Wall Street Journal who transfers to the San Francisco Bureau in 2019 to investigate the role Facebook plays in influencing politics and culture.  When he reaches out to members of Facebook's Civic Integrity Team, data engineer Frances Haugen (Mikey Madison) is the only employee to respond.  She was motivated to examine the algorithms used by Facebook after her friend Kayleigh (Portia Doubleday) became radicalized by a white supremacy group on the site.  She discovers that the platform is prioritizing hateful and divisive content for engagement and revenue without regard for the consequences to the user and, while she is initially hesitant about revealing information that would harm Facebook or her job there, she eventually shares internal documents with Horowitz and then goes on the record which leads to testifying before the Senate.  This narrative is interrupted by repetitive scenes in which Mark Zuckerberg (Jeremy Strong) is prepped by a crisis management team led by Raya (Wunmi Mosaku) for his upcoming testimony before the Senate about content moderation in 2021.  The investigation is interesting, even if it does go on longer than necessary, but it is not very compelling.  I already knew about the manipulation of algorithms on platforms such as Facebook after watching the documentary The Social Dilemma so the conclusion was a bit anticlimactic for me.  Strong is brilliant as Zuckerberg (his voice and lack of expression are uncanny) but, in my opinion, his many scenes are more for effect than to advance the plot because all but one of them consist of him telling everyone that he is a free speech absolutist with no obligation to monitor content (these scenes stop the momentum of the investigation).  On a positive note, White and Madison do a good job of making Sorkin's dialogue sound believable and the verbal sparring between the two is entertaining (I loved the running gag about Horowitz's lack of tech knowledge).  However, while it is unfair to compare this to The Social Network (which is brilliant), it lacks the tension and visual flair of that movie and I can't help wondering what might have been if David Fincher had directed it.  This is definitely a movie you can wait to see when it streams.

Note:  This was my 100th new release in theaters this year.  I usually hit this milestone earlier but I only saw one movie at Sundance (instead of my usual 20-25) so I am a bit behind.

Utah Opera's Zorro

Last night I went to see Utah Opera's production of Zorro and I absolutely loved it!  The Spanish nobleman Diego de la Vega (César Delgado) trains in secret to become a master swordsman at the mountain fortress of the Order of Zazueta in Spain.  After he passes his final test, his master Zazueta (Stephen Pace) carves the letter "Z" into his upper arm and sends him home to fulfill his destiny.  He returns to Spanish California and discovers that the peasants and indigenous people are suffering under the cruel and corrupt mayor, General Octavio Rivera y Moncada (Octavio Moreno).  He also returns home to two women who love him, the noblewoman Carlota de Obragón (Stephanie Sánchez) and the peasant Ana Maria Soza (Zulimar Lopez-Hernandez).  He is forced to choose between his noble lineage and his duty to the poor and oppressed and ultimately declares his love for Ana Maria and dons a black mask, cape, and hat to become the vigilante Zorro.  He clashes with Moncada's soldiers to rescue those unjustly imprisoned and leaves his signature "Z" at the scene of his exploits.  When Ana Maria is targeted, Carlota warns her but is killed by Moncada as a result.  He captures Ana Maria, falsely accuses her of Carlota's murder, and sentences her to the firing squad.  Meanwhile, Moncada's ambitious soldier José Maria Gomez (Armando Contreras) has fallen in love with the peasant Luisa (Arianna Rodriguez) so he refuses Moncada's order to execute Ana Maria.  A group of peasants overwhelm the soldiers (one of them uses her shoe) and Zorro challenges Moncada to an epic duel to the death.  This features lots of exciting action and swashbuckling adventure with an important message about taking action against tyranny (which is all too relevant) but it is also a moving love story with a lush score incorporating Hispanic and Mexican musical elements (I especially loved the Spanish guitar).  My favorite moment came in the second act with the duet "Abrázame" as Diego and Ana Maria declare their love for each other because it is so romantic and Delgado and López-Hernández sing it beautifully with voices that match each other in tone perfectly (I had goosebumps).  Delgado does a great job differentiating the two characters (his first appearance as Zorro is spectacular) and López-Hernández is passionate as the firebrand revolutionary.  Sánchez has a poignant moment when Carlota tells Ana Maria that she is helping her because she still loves Diego and wants him to be happy while Moreno's deep baritone is incredibly menacing as Mancada pursues Carlota.  Another highlight is when the four of them sing a quartet at the end of the first act in which they express their desires.  Both Contreras and Rodriguez bring a lot of playful energy and the chorus is very moving in "Ahi Viene la Madrugada" as the peasants lament their oppression.  The fight choreography is thrilling and I was very impressed by the lively flamenco dancing by Katie Sheen-Abbott at the masquerade ball.  I loved the colorful costumes worn by the peasants, the rich fabrics used for the nobility, and the authentic colonial uniforms worn by the soldiers.  The set is very minimal, with adobe walls and rough-hewn timbers that become different locations with the addition of simple pieces, but it captures the time and place very effectively.  I also loved the dramatic projection of the "Z," one line at a time, during key moments.  I was not familiar with this opera but it is now one of my favorite Utah Opera productions!  I highly encourage everyone to get a ticket for one of the three remaining performances (go here).

Note:  The singing alternates between English and Spanish and the supertitles are in both languages.

Pumpkin Carving 2026

My nephew wanted to carve pumpkins a little bit earlier than usual this year so we did it last night (he arranged everything including dinner beforehand).  We had a lot of fun (it was the perfect thing to do on a cold, dark, and rainy evening) and I think they turned out great!  I used a stencil for my spider web but everyone else drew their designs freehand.  I especially love Marilyn's cat.

This is a fun Halloween tradition and I'm glad my nephew wanted to do it this year!

Pride and Prejudice at The Ruth

I spent a wonderful afternoon with both my sisters at The Ruth seeing Pride and Prejudice yesterday (we are big Jane Austen fans).  I really love this specific adaptation by Melissa Leilani Larson and I always try to see it whenever it is playing (this was my fifth production).  When Mr. Bingley (Braden Clement), a single man in possession of a fortune, lets Netherfield Hall, Mrs. Bennett (Anne Post Fife) immediately sets her sights on him as a possible husband for one of her five daughters.  Bingley falls in love with the beautiful Jane (Kylee Thurman) but her sister Elizabeth (Elena Belen Shill) takes an immediate dislike to his friend Mr. Darcy (James Carter) because he is so aloof and disdainful.  Elizabeth must overcome her prejudice and Mr. Darcy must overcome his pride for them to realize that they belong together.  The actress playing Mrs. Bennett is deaf and she signs all of her lines while her daughters translate for everyone in the scene and the audience.  I have to admit that when I first heard about this casting choice I thought it would be really distracting but including Fife really adds a deeper understanding of the family dynamic because her daughters translate for her in character.  This is especially true for Lydia (Sydney Claire Olson), because she is the one who is drunk, not her mother, while translating at the Netherfield ball (an intriguing distinction), and for Mary (Emma Lamm), because she becomes despondent when she translates her mother's praise for Elizabeth to Mr. Collins (Anthony Tibolla) while secretly pining for him.  There are also lots of comedic interactions with Fife, such as when Elizabeth signs very aggressively to tell her mother that she refuses to marry Mr. Collins and when Mr. Bennett (Marshall Lamm) shakes the clacker that she uses to get attention back at her.  However, my favorite moment was when Darcy signs to Mrs. Bennett because this is yet another way for him to show his respect for Elizabeth and her family (everyone sitting near me said "awe" in unison at this moment).  I thoroughly enjoyed Fife's performance and it was very moving to see the audience use the sign for applause during her bows.  I also enjoyed Shill and Carter, because they have tremendous chemistry when they spar back and forth, as well as Tibolla and Lamm, because they made me laugh out loud multiple times (both are absolutely hilarious during the scenes in which they dance).  One of the aspects of this adaptation that really works for me is the inclusion of letters between the characters and I loved the way that this is portrayed in this production, especially the unsent letters between Jane and Bingley (it is so clever and so romantic).  The set is minimal but effective (I liked the way different areas of the theater are used as set pieces are brought to the stage), the regency costumes are gorgeous (especially all of the embellished fabrics), and the lighting design does a brilliant job of highlighting vignettes within scenes. Finally, I loved the orchestral arrangements of pop songs used in between scenes.  My favorites were "Somebody That I Used to Know" by Gotye when Bingley leaves Netherfield and Jane leaves Longbourn, "Royals" by Lorde when Elizabeth visits Lady Catherine de Bourgh (Delayne Bluth Dayton), "Trouble" by Taylor Swift when Elizabeth learns that Darcy separated Bingley and Jane, and "Single Ladies" by Beyonce during the bows.  Both of my sisters and I loved this charming production (we agree that it is our favorite version of this show) and we highly recommend it!  Go here for tickets to one of the remaining performances in the Lindsay Legacy Theatre through November 7.

Note:  The Ruth's current production of The Addams Family is also my favorite version of that show (go here for tickets) so they are two for two!

Rogers & Hammerstein's Cinderella at Hopebox Theatre

Last night I went to see Rogers & Hammerstein's Cinderella at Hopebox Theatre. I don't particularly like this version of the classic fairy tale (Cinderella is a social reformer who rescues the prince from his advisors at court) but I thoroughly enjoyed what Hopebox did with it. The music is really beautiful and, because it is by Rogers and Hammerstein, it requires an impressive vocal range. This cast is definitely up for the challenge, especially Jennica Johnson as Ella and Brianna Skeen as Marie/ Fairy Godmother. I loved their performances of "In My Own Little Corner," "Impossible," "Glass Slipper/ It's Possible," and "There Is Music In You" because they imbue these songs with so much emotion. Johnson also has a lot of chemistry with with John Derington, as Prince Topher, and their songs together, "Ten Minutes Ago," "Loneliness Of Evening," and "Do I Love You Because You're Beautiful," are incredibly romantic. Other highlights from the cast include Hillary McChesney as Madame, because she is channeling her inner Christine Baranski with her haughty demeanor and over the top line deliveries (she made me laugh out loud multiple times), Alexa Thomas as Charlotte, because her version of "Stepsister's Lament" is hilarious and she just about steals the show with her accordion playing in "When You're Driving Through The Moonlight," and Josh Rogers as Lord Pinkerton, because is is so overwrought (I loved his handkerchief). The choreography is a lot of fun for "The Prince Is Giving a Ball/ Now Is The Time" and "Ten Minutes Ago (Reprise)" and I was especially impressed with the number of synchronized couples twirling on such a small stage during the latter song. I was also impressed by the staging "Glass Slipper/ It's Possible" and "The Pursuit" because the transformations of the Fox and Raccoon into the Coachman (Kira Wootton) and the Footman (McKenna Mills), respectively, and back again are magical (even without the technical wizardry of professional theaters). Speaking of transformations, Marie's change into the Fairy Godmother and Cinderella's change into her ball gown are dazzling (a little girl in the audience squealed with delight). I really loved the set, which features backdrops of Cinderella's cottage, the prince's castle, and the town square created with rotating panels, because they look like the illustrations found in books of fairy tales. This fairy tale aesthetic is continued in the set pieces brought on stage, particularly the spectacular coach and white horses that take Cinderella to the ball. Finally, the costumes are gorgeous, especially the ball gowns (although most of the hems are starting to show some wear and tear), and the puppets are really cute (be sure to watch them). 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, Alan Goodfellow) so you will have a delightful evening of entertainment and support a very good cause by buying a ticket (go here). It runs on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays through October 30.

Other Mommy

I was on the fence about Other Mommy but, when my nephew expressed an interest, I thought it would be fun to see it with him.  We went to a Thursday preview last night and we had more fun discussing how bad it is on the drive home than we did watching it. Bela (Arabella Olivia Clark) is a seven-year-old girl who lives with her disinterested mom Ursula (Jessica Chastain) and her distracted dad Russ (Jay Duplass).  She seeks out the supernatural entity hiding in her closet, which she calls "Other Mommy" because it takes the form of her mother, whenever she is left alone.  Other Mommy repeatedly asks Bela to let her into her heart so she can protect her from her dysfunctional family but in reality she just wants to possess her body in order to be reincarnated.  The secrets that have been festering between Ursula and Russ, including the affair she is having with Frank (Arian Moayed), make Other Mommy more and more powerful which ultimately leads to a showdown between her and Bela.  I enjoyed the theme that children often internalize the tension between their parents and there are some interesting visuals that show what is happening from Bela's distorted perspective.  However, this theme is not developed very well and the conclusion is incredibly underwhelming because nothing has changed in the family dynamic (I've heard that it differs from the source material).  The jump scares in this movie have been hyped a lot in the marketing but I did not find it scary at all.  In fact, the only unsettling scene is the one used in the first trailer.  To be fair, the trailer did freak out the audience the first time I saw it but it no longer evokes the same sense of dread after multiple viewings.  The tone is all over the place and the performances are strangely inert (Chastain is weird rather than menacing and I wondered more than once why an actress of her caliber agreed to appear in this B-movie).  This is definitely something you can wait to see when it streams but only if you have nothing better to do.

The Incomer

Last night my nephew and I went to the Broadway to see The Incomer and we both loved this weird, funny, and heartwarming movie.  Siblings Isla (Gayle Rankin) and Sandy (Grant O'Rourke) have spent their entire lives in isolation on a remote Scottish island being influenced by folktales about the mysterious finman (John Hannah) who demanded that their father sacrifice himself to the sea.  They defend their island fiercely against incomers from the mainland with odd rituals and, if need be, primitive weapons made of stone and bone.  Eventually, the Northeastern Scottish Council sends Daniel (Domhnall Gleeson), a meek and socially awkward land recovery agent, to the island to evict them.  They easily capture and restrain him but first Sandy and then Isla take a liking to him and soon they are sharing their folktales with each other (Daniel tells a folktale from the mainland about a hero named Frodo).  Hilarity ensues as Daniel tries to convince them to leave the island while Sandy and Isla try to get him to stay.  They ultimately discover that belonging comes from more than just a place.  My nephew and I are huge fans of quirky British humor and we were laughing out loud most of the time (as was the large crowd watching it with us).  I especially loved a sequence in which Isla and Sandy initiate Daniel with a "Way of the Gull" ritual (which is a long-standing tradition and not something they made up that morning).  Daniel is as lonely and as weird as the siblings and another amusing scene involves him using his phone, which the siblings have never seen before, to prove that he is a wizard.  In addition to the humor, this is also quite poignant because they find an unexpected kinship with each other and their interactions help them overcome their fears.  This is especially true when Isla realizes that the finman isn't real and that her upbringing and world view may have been skewed by her father's delusions.  The three actors give committed physical performances that are a lot of fun to watch and I loved their impersonations of birds (their bird costumes are fabulous).  Finally, the locations are spectacular (it was filmed in the Scottish Highlands) and the cinematography is beautiful, particularly a sequence on the edge of a cliff.  Some might find this tedious but if you have an offbeat sense of humor you will probably enjoy it as much as my nephew and I did.

Sense and Sensibility

I bought a ticket to last night's Screen Unseen very much hoping that it would be Sense and Sensibility and I was thrilled when it was revealed to be the title!  I really enjoyed this adaptation once I stopped comparing it to the 1995 movie.  The death of their father leaves the Dashwood sisters, Elinor (Daisy Edgar-Jones), Marianne (Esmé Creed-Miles), and Margaret (Bodhi Rae Breathnach), in reduced circumstances so Mrs. Dashwood (Caitriona Balfe) accepts the offer of a cottage in Devonshire from Mrs. Jennings (Fiona Shaw), a distant relation, in order to escape the reluctant charity offered by John Dashwood (Tom Brooke) and his odious wife Fanny (Stacy Martin).  Eventually, the sensible and reserved Elinor falls in love with the equally taciturn Edward Ferrars (George MacKay) while the impetuous and passionate Marianne is swept up in a romance with the obvious cad John Willoughby (Frank Dillane).  They both experience heartbreak in London but, when Elinor and Marianne help each other balance reason and emotion, they ultimately find happiness.  Elinor finally reveals her feelings to Edward when he is free from his engagement to Lucy Steele (Ceara Coveney) and Marianne finds real love, rather than infatuation, with Colonel Brandon (Herbert Nordrum).  I love that this version focuses more on the relationship between the two sisters than their relationships with their suitors but, having said that, I also think that it is incredibly romantic.  Both Edward and Brandon must earn the love of the sisters, Edward in an added scene in which he honors his obligation to Lucy when Elinor asks him to and Brandon in a restored scene (it was omitted from the 1995 movie) in which he confronts Willoughby for Marianne's honor, and both declare their love to the sisters in swoonworthy scenes.  The cinematography is absolutely gorgeous, with an emphasis on the natural environment (I especially loved the rugged moors, windswept beaches, and rain drenched trees) as well as interiors lit by the warm glow of candles, and the production design feels very organic.  The main cast is wonderful and I especially enjoyed Edgar-Jones, because her performance emphasizes how hard it is for Elinor to keep her emotions bottled inside, and Shaw, because she is an absolute hoot (she provides much of the comic relief in this more restrained version).  The supporting cast also have moments to shine, particularly Chloe Pirrie, as Lady Middleton (she is omitted from the 1995 movie), when she comments on the weather and Turlough Convery, as Sir John Middleton, when he provides game for the Dashwoods.  There are some anachronistic details that distract (I didn't mind the hairstyles as much as I minded the modern dancing) and I did start to feel the runtime but this is a worthy interpretation of the Jane Austen classic and I highly recommend it.

Note:  I love both the 1995 BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice and the 2005 version for different reasons.  I now feel the same way about the 1995 adaptation of Sense and Sensibility and this new version.

Jekyll and Hyde at the Empress Theatre

The musical Jekyll and Hyde is one of the first shows I saw on Broadway (the OBC with Linda Eder as Lucy) so it will always be a favorite of mine. I was, therefore, absolutely thrilled when the Empress Theatre very graciously provided me with a ticket to their production last night. I loved everything about it! Dr. Henry Jekyll (Danny Keetch) is a passionate man of science who wants to cure his father, who is suffering from madness, with a chemical formula he developed to separate good from evil. When his request to test his formula is denied by the hypocritical Board of Governors at St. Jude's hospital, he takes matters into his own hands. His alter-ego Mr. Edward Hyde, a terrifying madman, is created when Jekyll experiments on himself and all of his inner demons are unleashed. The two women who love him, his fiancee Emma Carew (Angela Warnock) and a prostitute named Lucy Harris (Joy Babcock Austin), and his friend John Utterson (Tyler Rasmussen) are unaware of his secret as Jekyll tries to control the monster within. However, he is unsuccessful and Hyde eventually kills all of the members of the Board of Governors and becomes a danger to the rest of the citizens of London, to Lucy and Emma, and to himself. Warnock and Austin are outstanding and I especially loved their touching renditions of "Once Upon a Dream" and "Someone Like You," respectively. Their performance of "In His Eyes" is one of the many highlights of the show because their voices blend together so beautifully and they both also have tremendous chemistry with Keetch, particularly a romantic version of "Take Me As I Am" featuring Warnock and an incredibly passionate performance of "Dangerous Game" featuring Austin. Speaking of Keetch, I loved his voice (it is very well suited to the pop-rock score) and he absolutely blew me away with his powerful performance of "This is the Moment," my favorite song in the show, but then he took it to another level in "Alive!" I was also impressed by the distinct changes in his physicality and his voice for the two characters (his first transition to Hyde is spectacular) and the entire audience was riveted when he transitioned back and forth between Jekyll and Hyde in "Confrontation" (it gave me goosebumps). The ensemble is one of the strongest I've seen at this theatre and, while the singing and dancing throughout the entire show is phenomenal, they do an exceptional job embodying the class divide found in Victorian London. This is especially true in the song "Facade" as the aristocracy and the members of the dance hall underworld circle each other.  I enjoyed the patterns created in the choreography for the engagement party (I liked seeing Stride, played by Coulter Thomsen, chase Emma through the rows of dancing couples) and the boisterous cabaret number "Bring on the Men" is another highlight. The staging for "Murder, Murder!" is incredibly dynamic (this number sometimes drags for me) because the pacing, energy, use of newspapers as props, and use of the different areas of the stage make it very engaging. The stage and surrounding areas of the theatre mimic the cobblestone streets of nineteenth century London and the set, which is minimal but very effective, features a small six-sided platform for Jekyll's laboratory, St. Jude's Hospital, the Red Rat, and other locations with the addition of a few pieces. The color red in the lighting design is very dramatic and is used to great effect during "Confrontation" to denote the two different characters. Finally, the period costumes are gorgeous and may be my favorite at this theatre. I had a really fun night watching a show I love performed brilliantly by one of my favorite community theatres and I cannot recommend it enough! There are performances every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday through October 17 with a newly added performance on Monday, October 5. Go here for tickets.