Yesterday afternoon I went to see a matinee of Clue on the Sorenson Legacy Jewel Box Stage at HCT. At this point I have seen several productions of this play based on a movie based on a board game and, while I did enjoy some of the elements, this is probably my least favorite (the best one I've seen was at the Utah Shakespeare Festival). Six guests, including Colonel Mustard (Sanford Porter), Mrs. Peacock (Jayne Luke), Professor Plum (Taylor Seth Hall), Mrs. White (Stephanie Breinholt), Mr. Green (Jeffrey Whitlock), and Miss Scarlet (Kristi Curtis), are invited by Mr. Boddy (Jacob Thomason) to his manor under unusual circumstances on a dark and stormy evening. Mr. Boddy has been blackmailing each of them and, after providing them with weapons, he tells them that he will return the evidence he has against them if they kill his butler Wadsworth (Bryan Dayley). Murder and mayhem ensue! This show is one of the funniest that I have ever seen but this production felt really flat to me and I rarely heard the audience laughing. Dayley, who is one of my favorite comedic actors at HCT, gives an incredibly physical performance (which I loved) as Wadsworth that is completely over the top and at a fever pitch but all of the other actors play it straight as if they are appearing in a traditional murder mystery and I thought this sometimes caused some pacing issues (this performance featured a mix of actors from both the MWF and THS casts who are not used to performing together so that may have added to the low energy). In one particular scene, for example, Dayley reenacts every murder in great detail (so much so that he is completely out of breath at the end of it) while the rest of the cast stands inert around him (there are quite a few scenes where the cast just stands in a straight line). In most productions that I have seen, the guests use elaborate, and often hilarious, choreography to move from room to room but in this show Dayley is the only one who does this while the others just follow him around. Mr. Green is usually one of my favorite characters because he is so flamboyant but in this production Whitlock plays him as more of a nerd (so his final line really falls flat). Speaking of dialogue, it is incredibly witty and is usually performed at a rapid-fire speed. The delivery from this cast was almost sluggish (it involved a lot of empty silences) and many of the jokes didn't seem to land. I am not sure if these choices were made consciously by the production team to distinguish it from other versions but I found it a bit disappointing in comparison. I did not, however, find the elaborate two-story set to be disappointing! There are two doors on either side of the stage used by the actors to travel from room to room and a turntable that rotates to reveal the entry hall, the lounge, the study, the kitchen, and the billiards room at various times with set pieces for the library coming down from above and projections for the conservatory (located on the upper level). I also really enjoyed the dramatic lighting, especially the spotlight on each guest as he or she arrives at the manor, and the costumes which feature just a bit of each character's signature color are a lot of fun. Finally, an organist (Kevin Self) located on the upper level plays melodramatic music throughout the proceedings and this really adds to the murder-mystery atmosphere. Maybe I am being too hard on this production (or maybe I have seen this show too many times) but the tickets are really expensive so I can't in good conscience recommend this simply because the production design is good. Go see Fiddler on the Roof instead! It is fantastic and runs on the Young Living Centre Stage through March 30 (go here for tickets).
Saturday, March 2, 2024
Clue at HCT
Thursday, February 1, 2024
Fiddler on the Roof at HCT
Saturday, December 16, 2023
A Christmas Carol at HCT 2023
Last night I attended my fourth and final performance of A Christmas Carol this season at HCT. I have seen this production dozens of times (I always joke that I have seen it so many times I could probably stand in for any role if needed) but it is a sentimental favorite and it just wouldn't be Christmas without it. The portrayal of Ebeneezer Scrooge's redemption after visits from the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future in this show is so familiar to me by now but it is this familiarity that makes me love it so much! I eagerly anticipate all of my favorite scenes, especially when Marley's Ghost appears to Scrooge rattling his many chains, when the Ghost of Christmas Past appears to Scrooge from behind a scrim, when the guests dance during Mr. Fezziwig's party and Fred's party, when the Ghost of Christmas Future dramatically reveals Scrooge's name on the tombstone, when an ebullient Scrooge catches Bob Cratchit coming in late the day after Christmas, and when Tiny Tim exclaims, "God bless us, every one!" Many actors return year after year in the same roles (such as Stephen Kerr as Scrooge, Chase Peterson as Fred, Matt Kohler as Marley's Ghost, and Kaden Caldwell as young Ebeneezer) and I look forward to seeing them again. However, this year there were a few new actors (at least new to me because the show is double cast) and I really enjoyed seeing them make these familiar roles their own with a new interpretation, particularly Anthony LeRoy Lovato as Bob Cratchit, Taylor J. Smith as Christmas Present, and Koryn Sobel as Belle. Another element of this particular production that I especially love is the inclusion of Christmas carols in the narrative by an octet (Melinda DeBirk, Jennifer Riley, Keri Vance, April Kerr, Doug Wadley, Maxx Teuscher, Nathanael Abbott, and Alex DeBirk) and a violinist (Suzanne Chapman). My favorites are "Bring a Torch, Jeanette Isabella," "Silent Night" (the entire scene with the poor wife singing this song is incredibly affecting), "Wassail, Wassail," "What Child is This?," and "Sussex Carol." I also really love the sets (this production has the most elaborate sets of any I've seen) because the attention to detail with Scrooge's Counting House, Scrooge's Bed Chamber, Fezziwig's Factory, Bob Cratchit's House (two stories!), Fred's House (the giant Christmas tree!), the Rag and Bottle Shop, and the Graveyard is amazing! I loved it last night just as much as I did the first time I saw it and I'm sure it will always be one of my Christmas traditions. It runs on the Sorenson Legacy Jewell Box Stage through December 27 (go here for tickets) but act quickly because most shows are sold out (the best availability is for matinee performances).
Note: In light of the fact that I have now seen four different versions, some friends have asked me which was my favorite. I can honestly say that I liked all four of them for very different reasons. Parker Theatre's version is incredibly dramatic, Terrace Plaza Playhouse's version is fun and lighthearted, HCTO's version is the most authentic, and HCT's version is comforting and familiar.
Wednesday, November 29, 2023
Elf The Musical at HCT
Wednesday, September 20, 2023
Around the World in 80 Days at HCT
Wednesday, August 9, 2023
Catch Me If You Can at HCT
Wednesday, July 26, 2023
Newsies at HCT
Wednesday, May 17, 2023
Hans Christian Andersen in New York at HCT
Last night I went to the world premiere of the musical Hans Christian Andersen in New York at Hale Theatre. It is a reimagining of the 1952 movie musical Hans Christian Andersen and includes all of the songs by Frank Loesser but features a more contemporary story about the famous Danish storyteller's fictional ancestor who lives in New York City in 1962. Hans Christian Andersen (Alex King), a former dancer on Broadway, has inherited the lease of a bookstore from his aunt but she was behind on the payments so he faces eviction. He lets his best friend Bunny Bailey (Erin Royall Carlson) use the back of the store as a dance studio where she teaches her young students, including Tiffany (Lucy White), Rosalie (Elsa Parry), Carol (Hailey Burnham), Ashley (Libby Despain), and Darlene (Sophia Quinn), to make some extra money. She suggests putting on a show with her students to save the bookstore and, while he is initially against the idea, his great uncle Hans (Mark Pulham) appears periodically to encourage him. Add Bobbie Tone (Selena Quayle Proctor), a Broadway friend roped into the job of director and choreographer, a possible romance with Nancy Offenbach (Amy Shreeve Keeler), the mother of two children, Natalie and Ian (Olivia Dietlein and Mason Burnham, respectively), who try out for the show, and Harry Porter (Ben Henersen), a bumbling but helpful community theatre actor from Omaha who offers to play Santa Claus, and merriment ensues! This has the thinnest of plots (most of the scenes exist to set up the songs rather than tell a story) and it is not very compelling but, having said that, all of the musical numbers are fantastic! I especially enjoyed "I Hear Music," "Hoop-Dee-Doo," "Thumbelina," "Tallahassee," and "The King's New Clothes" because they feature really fun choreography with the children who are unbelievably talented and charismatic! Unfortunately, I didn’t care for King in the title role because every movement, gesture, and facial expression is very mechanical so I didn't really buy his performance. The rest of the cast is fine but I loved Proctor's turn as an over-the-top diva, particularly when she instructs the girls on how to bow, and Mason Burnham steals the show every time he is on stage (he received the loudest applause and cheers during the bows). There is an amazing live band, composed of Derek Crane, Reed Le Cheminant, Craig Moore, Alex Marshall, Eric Noyes, Emily Maddison, and Cris Stiles, and they sit in the windows of the buildings that surround the NYC set. Speaking of which, it is pretty spectacular with a two-storey bookstore on one side of the turntable and a dance studio on the other. The Christmas decorations at the store and the backdrops used for the show are a lot of fun and so are the 1960s era costumes. This show is a throw-back to the golden age of musicals and the big song and dance numbers are sure to put a smile on your face. It runs on the Sorenson Legacy Jewel Box Stage through July 15 (go here for tickets).
Note: Don't miss the delightful production of Hello, Dolly! now playing on the Young Living Centre Stage through June 10 (go here for tickets).
Wednesday, May 3, 2023
Hello, Dolly! at HCT
Wednesday, February 22, 2023
Titanic The Musical at HCT
Wednesday, January 25, 2023
See How They Run at HCT
Thursday, December 8, 2022
A Christmas Carol at HCT 2022
Wednesday, November 16, 2022
The Little Mermaid at HCT
I went to see Hale Theatre's production of The Little Mermaid last night and it is one of the most immersive and magical shows I've ever seen! I loved everything about it! This musical tells the well-known story of a mermaid named Ariel who just wants to be where the people are so she defies her father and trades her voice for a pair of legs to make a prince fall in love with her. What I loved most about this show is that you actually feel like you are under the sea during the first act because all of the characters, especially Ariel and her sisters, fly through the air with lots of really cool water effects. I also really loved the amazing costumes and puppets for all of the sea creatures because they are absolutely incredible! Ursula wears an elaborate gown of black sequins with dancers who manipulate her eight tentacles while Flotsam and Jetsam are in silver lamé with segmented puppets that twist and turn around each other! The song "Under the Sea" features neon colored fish carried by dancers with headdresses that look like coral reefs, stingrays that flutter above the audience, giant whales and groups of turtles that come in from the wings, and aerialists who spin around on globes that look like bubbles! It is quite the spectacle! Sebastian is covered from claw to claw in red sequins while Scuttle is covered in white features. Ariel and her sisters each have their own color with jewel encrusted gowns and mermaid tails made of organza and King Triton has regal robes of gold and turquoise. Also, I was impressed by the sheer number of sets and my favorites were Prince Eric's ship, Ariel's grotto filled with her collection, and the lagoon where Eric takes Ariel on a boat ride (the hanging vines and all of the lanterns are so beautiful). I also loved all of the clear glass bulbs, which resemble bubbles, around the perimeter of the stage and up in the rafters. The staging of several of the numbers is absolutely magical, especially when Ariel saves Eric after he falls overboard because they seem to float and the aforementioned "Under the Sea!" Finally, the cast is phenomenal! Sophia Marie Guerrero is the perfect Ariel because not only does she have a beautiful voice but she also has a look of wide-eyed wonder that makes the songs "Part of Your World" and "Beyond My Wildest Dreams" so much fun to watch! Eric was played by the understudy Scott Hendrickson last night and, honestly, I thought he was fantastic! He has great chemistry with Guerrero and is incredibly endearing in "Kiss the Girl." Luseane "Lucy" Pasa, as Ursula, just about blows the roof off HCT with her gospel rendition of "Poor Unfortunate Souls" with Jason Buonforte (Flotsam) and Gunnar (Jetsam) as her back up choir! The same could be said for Alec Powell, as Sebastian, because his rendition of "Kiss the Girl" also had a gospel feel that I really liked. I had so much fun at this show (it is definitely the best production of The Little Mermaid that I have ever seen) and the children sitting around me were mesmerized! You definitely do not want to miss this wonderful show which runs on the Young Living Centre Stage through January 28 (go here for tickets) but act quickly because many shows are sold out!
Wednesday, September 14, 2022
Lucky Stiff at HCT
Last night I saw the hilarious musical farce Lucky Stiff at Hale Theatre and I had so much fun! Harry Witherspoon (Preston Taylor) is a mild mannered shoe salesman living in a dreary rented room when he unexpectedly receives a telegram informing him that an unknown uncle named Anthony Hendon (Zac Zumbrunnen) has died and bequeathed him six million dollars. However, to receive his inheritance he must take the corpse of his uncle on a final vacation to Monte Carlo and complete a number of activities detailed on a cassette tape around his neck. If he fails to complete any of these tasks, the six million dollars will go to Anthony's favorite charity, the Universal Dog Home of Brooklyn. Once he gets to Monte Carlo with the embalmed body in a wheelchair, Harry meets Anthony's legally blind mistress Rita La Porta (Claire Kenny) who believes that he embezzled the money from her husband and wants to get it back, Rita's optometrist brother Vinnie Di Ruzzio (Kelly DeHaan) who has been blamed for the theft and has a contract out on his life, a representative from the Universal Dog Home of Brooklyn named Annabel Glick (Bre Welch) who wants to stop Harry from completing the list so that the dogs will receive the money, and Luigi Gaudi (David Marsden) a mysterious and flashy Italian who seems to be following him. Chaos ensues! What makes this show so funny is not only the situation, which becomes more and more absurd as it goes on, but also the brilliant cast! In addition to the main cast, Bryan Dayley (one of my favorite comedic actors at HCT), Cameron Garner, Ali Bennett, and Beatriz Melo portray a variety of different characters, and every performance is completely over the top with perfect comedic timing. Their physicality and facial expressions had me laughing out loud through the whole show! I especially enjoyed the scene where Harry and Annabel lose the body and run in and out of the various hallways of the hotel looking for it (lots of slamming doors)! All of the musical numbers are a lot of fun but my favorite is "Speaking French" by the nightclub singer Dominique (Beatriz Melo) as she attempts to seduce Harry. The show is set in the 1970s which means that the costumes are absolutely fabulous with bright colors, bold patterns, and lots of polyester! The stage, which reminded me of a game show with all of the flashing lights and multiple levels, includes a rotating panel that turns to reveal various locations with projections and elaborate set pieces. This is the perfect show to see for a fun night out and it runs on the Sorenson Legacy Jewel Box Stage through November 19 (go here for tickets).
Note: Don't forget the new adaptation of The Unsinkable Molly Brown on the Young Living Main Stage through October 18 (go here for tickets).
Wednesday, August 31, 2022
The Unsinkable Molly Brown at HCT
Many years ago I had the opportunity to see the Broadway touring production of The Unsinkable Molly Brown with Debbie Reynolds in the title role. I don't really remember much about the show except for the fact that I was incredibly star-struck by Reynolds! Last night I saw a brand-new production at HCT that is more historically accurate than the original version and I enjoyed it even though it has a few issues. This musical tells the story of Margaret "Molly" Tobin Brown (Kelly Coombs) and her life in the mining town of Leadville, Colorado, her marriage to the miner JJ Brown (Kaden Caldwell), her life in Denver after striking it rich with the discovery of gold in her husband's mine, her work as a social reformer, a champion of women's rights, and a labor organizer, and her ill-fated voyage on the Titanic. Brown's story is compelling and Coombs gives an energetic performance but I found the character to be incredibly static because she is the same irrepressible figure from the moment we meet her testifying before a Senate committee on the Titanic disaster to the final scene where she advocates for immigration reform after several Titanic survivors are refused entry into the United States. Her first big song and dance number is "I Ain't Down Yet" and absolutely nothing gets her down, even when Denver society rejects her and when her husband is unfaithful to her, for the entire duration of the show and I found it to be very one-note and exhausting to watch. The revised book by Dick Scanlan places all of the action during Act I in Leadville as Brown interacts with characters drawn from real life and I think it gets really bogged down (my mind sometimes wandered in between musical numbers). Conversely, I think events in Act II are rushed and I would have liked to see more about her time in Europe. Having said that, every aspect of the production itself is outstanding. As previously mentioned, Coombs is delightful and so is Caldwell, especially when he gets exasperated with Molly. My favorite songs are "I Ain't Down Yet," "Belly Up to the Bar, Boys," "Beautiful People of Denver," and "Share the Luck." The choreography in these songs is so much fun and the large ensemble execute it well. I was very impressed with how the sinking of the Titanic is staged because it features dramatic sound and light design. The costumes are wonderful, particularly all of Molly's highly embellished dresses in Act II. As is often the case with HCT, the set is amazing with elaborate pieces coming in from the wings, up from the pit, and down from the rafters. I especially enjoyed the mine and cabins in Leadville, the garden in Denver, the Brown mansion, and the lifeboat. Finally, the projections featuring historical photos and documents are fascinating and very well done. Having a postcard of the Titanic move from one LED screen to another to show the progress of the ship and then rip in half when it sinks is so clever! HCT does a great job with this show and, even though it has a few minor character development and pacing issues, I would definitely recommend it. Go here for tickets but act quickly because many shows are already sold out.
Wednesday, June 29, 2022
Silent Sky at HCT
Wednesday, June 22, 2022
Singin' in the Rain at HCT
Wednesday, April 20, 2022
The Light in the Piazza at HCT
Wednesday, April 6, 2022
School of Rock at HCT
Wednesday, February 2, 2022
Treasure Island at HCT
Last night I saw Treasure Island, a thrilling adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's classic tale of swashbuckling pirates and buried treasure, at Hale Theatre. I had heard that it was pretty spectacular, which made me very eager to see it, but I have to admit that all of the rumored special effects gave me pause because Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, the last show I saw on the Young Living Stage, had so many technical issues that it was stopped twice for long periods of time and I feared the same thing would happen last night. I needn't have worried because this show is, indeed, spectacular. Billy Bones (Rob Fernandez) suddenly appears at the Admiral Benbow Inn and meets the proprietor's son Jim Hawkins (Matthew Sanguine). He confesses to Jim that he has a map that once belonged to the pirate Flint (Bradley Moss), which leads to buried treasure, but that Flint's crew will soon be coming after it. Jim takes the map, eludes the pirates, enlists the help of Dr. Livesey (Roger Dunbar) and Squire Trelawney (Bradley Moss), and hires the Hispaniola to travel the sea in search of the treasure. Jim meets Long John Silver (BJ Whimpey), who befriends him and offers to find a crew for the Hispaniola, much to the displeasure of Captain Smollett (Mark Knowles). However, Jim learns that the crew is made up of pirates and that Long John Silver has more sinister plans just as the Hispaniola anchors off the coast of Skeleton Island. He is helped by Ben Gunn (Ben Parkes), a half-crazed man marooned on the island, to once again elude the pirates, find the treasure, and save the ship and his companions. Director Dave Tinney added a score by J Bateman (with musicians on stage, including Nathan Kremin on guitar, Caleb Hafen on drums, and Julie Beistline on fiddle) and several songs with vocal arrangements by Rob Moffat and this is very effective in enhancing the atmosphere of adventure. The sets by Kacey Udey are some of the best I have ever seen at HCT (and the bar is set really high), especially the set for the Hispaniola and the gallons of water (39,000 to be precise) that surround it and the island. As I previously mentioned, this is an incredibly complicated show, with large set pieces coming down from the rafters, characters being thrown overboard into the water, and special effects such as fog, rain, and fire! Everything was executed flawlessly! The fight choreography is epic, particularly the duel high up in the crow's nest of the ship during a rain storm, and I loved it when characters would climb the ropes on the ship. I was absolutely dazzled by everything that was happening on stage and I don't think I have ever seen a show that was so immersive (I was even splashed by water when a character was thrown overboard). The entire cast is fantastic but I especially enjoyed Sanguine's earnestness as Hawkins and Moss nearly steals the show as Trelawney (he is hilarious). This production is so much fun and I had a huge smile on my face from beginning to end. In my opinion, it is the must-see show of the season but you should definitely get tickets soon (go here) because they are going fast (with good reason). It runs on the Young Living Stage through March 19.
Note: Don't forget about the hilarious show, One for the Pot, now playing on the Sorenson Legacy Jewel Box Stage through April 2. Go here for tickets.