Matilda at CPT

Both of my sisters, my brother-in-law, my nephew, and I went to see Matilda at CPT last night and we had so much fun. This production features some innovative staging and I am always really appreciative when a show that I have seen several times does something to surprise me. Matilda Wormwood (Charlotte Witt) is a precocious five year old with a penchant for reading, telling stories, and being just a little bit naughty. She is ignored by her mother (Jaycee Harris), an amateur Latin ballroom dancer, and father (Caydin Bell), an unscrupulous used car salesman, and is terrorized by Miss Agatha Trunchbull (J.R. Moore), the former champion in hammer throwing who is now the headmistress of her school. With the help of a sympathetic teacher named Miss Honey (Amanda Frisby) and a story about an Escapologist (James Duncan) and an Acrobat (Keely Parry), Matilda triumphs over the neglectful adults in her life. I was incredibly impressed with the elaborate set because it is very different from the ones I have seen before. It features a large multi-level school made of bricks with barbed wire at the top of the walls, loudspeakers on poles, and a large iron gate (it looks like a cross between a medieval castle and a prison). There is a turntable which is used to bring in set pieces for the Wormwood's house and Miss Honey's classroom with other pieces brought on from the wings. As I mentioned, I really liked the staging of many of the numbers in this production, particularly "Miracle," because it includes the addition of a gospel choir backing up the Doctor (Garret Frazier), "School Song," because it features the use of typography with projections on an interactive chalk board, and "When I Grow Up" (my favorite song in the show), because, in addition to the usual swings, the choreography includes a seesaw, a hopscotch, a jump rope, fishing poles, hula hoops, and bubble blowers which give it a very playful feel. I also really enjoyed "The Smell of Rebellion" and "Revolting Children" because the children in the ensemble are absolutely fantastic! Other crowd favorites were "Loud," because Mrs. Wormwood (Harris is my brother-in-law's niece and we all loved her performance because her facial expressions are hilarious) and her dance partner Rudolpho (Caleb Birth) are completely over the top, and "Chokey Chant," because there is a fun effect involving throwing a child into the chokey. Witt does a great job and her renditions of "Naughty" and "Quiet" are wonderful but I sometimes couldn't hear her during "Escapologist Story." Frisby has a beautiful voice and her version of "My House" is very powerful and moving. However, Moore steals the show as Miss Trunchbull because his performance is a cross between Miss Hannigan and an East German Olympic athlete! I laughed and laughed at all of his antics during "The Hammer" and "The Smell of Rebellion," especially all of his facial expressions and gestures. Miss Trunchbull's costume in this show is probably my favorite of those I've seen for the character and I was also impressed by the attention to detail on the school uniforms worn by the children. So many elements of this show stood out to me as new and exciting and I really enjoyed it!  This show runs on the Barlow Main Stage through April 15 (go here for tickets) and I highly recommend it!

Tuck Everlasting at the Terrace Plaza Playhouse

Last night I went to see Tuck Everlasting, a musical adaptation of the beloved novel by Natalie Babbitt, at the Terrace Plaza Playhouse and I really enjoyed it. Winnie Foster (Jenna Francis) feels trapped in a house where her mother Betsy (Tracie Davies) and her Nana (Juliene Snyder) are in mourning for her dead father and she longs for adventure. One day she sneaks into the woods and meets Jesse Tuck (Jace Fawcett) near a stream. He stops her from taking a drink from the stream and inadvertently reveals that the water has made his family immortal. Jesse is happy to have made a friend but the rest of the Tuck family, including Mae (Hailey Jasper), Angus (Sheldon Cheshire), and Miles (Max Fawcett), worry that their secret will be revealed. Little do they know that the Man in the Yellow Suit (David Hales) has overheard Jesse and has evil plans for the water. Eventually Jesse asks Winnie to drink the water when she turns seventeen but his family warns that being immortal is not as enchanting as it appears. Francis and Fawcett are incredibly endearing as Winnie and Jesse, respectively, and I especially enjoyed their renditions of "Top of the World" and "Seventeen." Some of the performances from the rest of the main cast are definitely better than others but they are all filled with tremendous heart. Throughout most of the show I was really confused as to why there were so many seemingly extraneous people on stage because they often pulled focus from the action. However, this staging made a lot more sense at the end of the show during "The Wheel," where Angus tells Winnie that she doesn't need to live forever she just needs to live, and "The Story of Winnie Foster," which shows the joys and sorrows as Winnie lives out the remainder of her mortal life, because these extra characters are actually revealed to be the people in Winnie's future life who have been shadowing her as she makes the decision of whether to drink the water or not. This is an interesting, but ultimately very effective, choice because it led to several major a-ha moments for me! I also really enjoyed the choreography, especially in "Partner in Crime" where Winnie and Jesse sneak away and go to the fair, the set, which includes a large tree with a stream in front of it in the middle of the stage, and the costumes, particularly the iconic yellow suit. This production is so charming and heartwarming that I couldn't help but love it and I highly recommend it, especially to families!  It runs through April 8 and tickets may be purchased here.

Note:  I saw this show on Broadway a few years ago and it closed two days later!

Emma at Parker Theatre

My friend Karen recommended the play Emma at Parker Theatre so, because I trust her and because I am a huge fan of Jane Austen, I decided to check it out last night. I am glad that I did because I was incredibly impressed with both the production and the theatre and I will definitely be back! After Emma Woodhouse (Ariana Bagley, a wealthy young woman who has no desire to get married herself, is successful in matching her former governess Miss Taylor (Eden Benson) with Mr. Weston (Michael Hohl), she decides to take Harriet Smith (Taylor McKay Barnes), a young woman of unknown parentage, under her wing. She encourages Harriet to reject the proposal of Robert Martin (Sam Schmuhl) because he is a farmer and not worthy of her and sets her sights on the vicar Mr. Elton (Seth Larson) as a suitor instead.  However, he mistakes Emma's interest in him and declares his love to her. Then she selects Frank Churchill (Ren Cottam), whom everyone tries to match with her, but he is secretly engaged to someone else. Finally Harriet falls in love with Mr. Knightley (John Hayes Nielsen), a Woodhouse family friend, but chaos ensues when Emma realizes that she has loved Mr. Knightley all along! There are some other delightfully eccentric characters in the village of Highbury, such as her hypochondriac father Mr. Woodhouse (David Glaittli), a chatty old maid named Miss Bates (Abbie Webb), the long-suffering Jane Fairfax (Liz Nielsen), and Mr. Elton's snotty wife Augusta (Madeline Thatcher), and I absolutely loved the amusing projections that introduce and describe the dramatis personae! This adaptation, much like the one I recently saw of Pride and Prejudice at HCTO, does not include everything but it captures the essence of the novel in a way that feels fresh without sacrificing any of my favorite lines ("If I loved you less, I might be able to talk about it more."). I am normally a purist when it comes to changing the source material but I really liked having Robert Martin propose to Harriet first before Knightley declares his feelings to Emma because this allows the play to end with a touching moment between the two main characters. Bagley is wonderful in the title role, especially when she breaks the fourth wall to address the audience because it seems like we are all in on her schemes, and so is Barnes as Harriet because she is so physically awkward (I loved a scene where she is described as graceful while she slaps a bug on her arm and then wipes the guts off her sleeve). I also enjoyed Glaittli as Mr. Woodhouse, because he is hilariously overwrought, and Cottam as Frank Churchill, because he is such a foppish rake. However, there isn't a lot of romantic chemistry between Bagley and Nielsen (I think there should be a spark between them from the beginning and not just at the end) but that is my only criticism of the performances. The impressive set features an elegant drawing room at Hartfield that moves forward when needed, a backdrop with board and batten paneling that, with the addition of a few Regency furniture pieces, is used for the other houses in Highbury, and arches that come in from the wings to represent outdoor locations. The period costumes are a lot of fun but, strangely, I preferred the ones for the men over the ones for the women because they are more embellished. I loved this thoroughly entertaining show and I highly recommend getting a ticket for one of the three remaining performances (go here).

The Pirate Queen at the Empress

I absolutely loved the musical The Pirate Queen when I saw a production at HCT several years ago so I was really excited to see it again at the Empress Theatre last night.  I think they did an outstanding job with a complicated show!  I love the story about two extraordinary women who are enemies but perfect foils to each other because they both face the same limitations as women and ultimately triumph.  Queen Elizabeth I (Kayla Barlow) has just assumed the throne of England and needs to prove herself by conquering the Irish barbarians.  Grace O'Malley (Beck Skeen) has just become the chieftain of the O'Malley clan after proving herself in battle on her father's ship The Pirate Queen but needs to unite the clans to fight against submission to the English Crown.  The music is magnificent (the composers are Claude-Michel Schonberg and Alain Boublil who are better known for a little show called Les Miserables).  Skeen has a beautiful voice and I loved how it blends with Shatan Duke's, as Tiernan, in the songs "Here On This Night" and "If I Said I Loved You" and with Barlow's in the songs "She Who Has All" and "Woman to Woman."  There are many powerful scenes in this show but my favorites are "Sail to the Stars" when Grace's father is given his final send-off to the sea (I loved the candles), the aforementioned "She Who Has All" between Elizabeth and Grace when a woman in the regalia of a monarch wants what a woman in chains and rags has in her life, and "I'll Be There" when Tiernan has to watch the woman he has loved since childhood marry someone else to unite the clans.  I was really impressed with the staging of "The Pirate Queen," especially when Grace climbs the rigging to free a sail during a storm, and "Boys'll Be Boys," because Hayden Porter, as Donal, gives a hilarious physical performance (I laughed at all of his facial expressions).  The choreography, particularly the Irish dancing in "The Wedding" and "The Christening" and the fight choreography in the battle sequences, is spectacular and a lot of fun to watch.  The Empress always does so much with their small and intimate space and this show is no exception.  The stage features a large backdrop of the prow of a ship in the middle of the ocean (with other set pieces such as a helm and hanging nets that are moved on and off) which is then cleverly draped with luxurious red fabric to become the court of Queen Elizabeth.  The costumes are fantastic, especially the over-the-top gowns worn by Elizabeth and her attendants.  I loved this show so much and I highly recommend it but, unfortunately, there are only two performances left (go here for tickets).

Clue at West Valley Arts

My very favorite show at the Utah Shakespeare Festival last summer was definitely Clue because it is such an incredibly funny slapstick comedy! I was, therefore, really excited when I found out that West Valley Arts was opening the 2023 season with it (and really curious about how they would stage it in the round). I had the chance to see it last night and it was so much fun! Six guests, including Colonel Mustard (Tyson Baker), Mrs. Peacock (Jayne Luke), Professor Plum (Anthony Lovato), Mrs. White (Sarah Shippobotham), Mr. Green (Colton Hattabaugh), and Miss Scarlet (Daysha Lassiter), are invited by Mr. Boddy (Joseph Kyle Rohan) to his manor on a dark and stormy night. Mr. Boddy has been blackmailing each of them and, after providing them with weapons, he tells them he will return the evidence he has against them...if they kill his butler Mr. Wadsworth (Benjamin "BJ" Whimpey). Murder and mayhem ensue! The staging is extremely clever because there are a series of moving doors that lead the characters to the lounge, the study, the billiards room, and the kitchen located on the main stage while stairs lead to the hall, the library, and the conservatory located in the areas above the wings. There is elaborate (and highly amusing) choreography as the characters move from room to room (which are seamlessly reconfigured by the ensemble). I loved the parquet floors and the mahogany wainscoting on the walls all around the theater as well as the velvet covered chaise lounges, the drinks cabinets (I loved the attention to detail), and the chandeliers. This show is filled with witty dialogue (the references to Republicans had my audience laughing out loud), funny sight gags (I loved it when the board game is used as a map of the manor), and hilarious physical comedy. My favorite scenes are when Mr. Wadsworth reenacts every single murder in detail and when he accuses a character of committing the murder and then the action rewinds in slow-motion as each character accuses someone else. The entire cast is wonderful and they all have great comedic timing but I especially enjoyed Hattabaugh's physicality in scenes where he is trapped under two different dead bodies and when a chandelier falls on him in slow-motion. The lighting is very dramatic and used to great effect to highlight the different areas of the manor and the costumes are completely over the top (especially Miss Scarlet's gown). I laughed and laughed at this production and I highly recommend it for a really fun night out (go here for tickets).

Seussical The Musical at the SCERA Center for the Performing Arts

It is no secret that I am not a big fan of Seussical the Musical (when I saw the Broadway touring production a few years ago I wanted to leave at intermission) but I have to admit that the more I see it the more it grows on me. I still think it is convoluted and loses steam in the second act but the production I saw last night at the SCERA Center for the Performing Arts featuring an insanely talented group of high school students known as Acting Up! just might be the best one I've seen yet because I think the fantastical story is served really well by a young and exuberant cast. JoJo (Casey Garner) is an imaginative boy who sometimes gets in trouble for the thinks that he thinks so the Cat in the Hat (Luke Elison), acting as a Master of Ceremonies with the help of Thing 1 (Al Sorenson) and Thing 2 (Averie Bartholomew), takes him on a magical adventure where he meets Horton the Elephant (Max Wright), Gertrude McFuzz (Juniper Gray), the Amayzing Mayzie (Elena Dutton) and her Bird Girls (Eloise Brown, Lily Martin, Racel Paz, Sophia Rush, Tanya Cespedes, and Vashti Coray), the Sour Kangaroo (Hannah Mildenstein), the Wickersham Brothers (Cairo McGee, Cyrus Beaumont, Dean Salvesen, and Eli Palmer), the Mayor of Who-Ville (Max Warren) and his wife (Gabriella Droubay), and General Genhis Khan Schmitz (Thayne Larson).  JoJo ultimately learns that anything is possible and that he can go anywhere he wants just by thinking his thinks. I was really impressed with the choreography and special effects used in all of the musical numbers, especially "Horton Hears a Who" (something drew my eye everywhere I looked), "It's Possible" (the fish puppets are very whimsical), "Monkey Around" (the acrobatics are quite impressive), "The Military" (the giant knives used as swords are a lot of fun), "The Circus McGurkus" (I loved the tap dancing), and "Havin' A Hunch" (the use of blacklight is dazzling). As I mentioned, the entire cast is unbelievably talented but I particularly enjoyed Elison because he oozes charisma, Wright because he is so enduring and sympathetic (his renditions of "Alone in the Universe" and "Solla Sollew" almost brought me to tears), and Mildenstein because she has an amazing voice! The costumes are bold, colorful, and fun and I especially loved the fanciful feathered dresses worn by Mayzie and the Bird Girls.  The pastel multi-level set comes straight from a Dr. Seuss book and I loved all of the little nooks and crannies from which cast members suddenly appear and the poles used to slide from the top level to the bottom one. Thing 1 and Thing 2 are cleverly used to move smaller set pieces and props on and off stage seamlessly. I know that many of you who have heard me complain about how nonsensical this show is will be surprised but I really enjoyed this version! It will never be my favorite but I had a smile on my face during the whole show because I was so impressed by these young actors! It runs at SCERA through February 11 (tickets may be purchased here) and I highly recommend it.

She Loves Me at CPT

I love the musical She Loves Me because it is just so charming! I've seen it countless times (including the Broadway revival starring Zachary Levi, Laura Benanti, and Jane Krakowski as well as at HCT and West Valley Arts) but I was still really looking forward to CPT's production. I took a little break from Sundance to see it last night with my sisters and my niece and we all really enjoyed it. The action takes place at Maraczek's Perfumery in Budapest during the 1930s and follows a group of eccentric clerks, including Georg Nowack (Ben Lowell), Ilona Ritter (Jordyn Tracy), Steven Kodaly (Ryan Bruckman), Ladoslav Sipos (Chad Wilkinson), and Arpad Laszlo (Drew Dunshee). When Mr. Maraczek (Darin Stite) hires Amalia Balash (Claire Glaittli) as a new clerk, Georg takes an immediate dislike to her and soon they are both bickering constantly.  However, both Georg and Amalia have unknown correspondents but neither one knows that they are writing to each other! Most of the songs are like every day conversations between co-workers (the clerks even break out into song whenever a customer leaves the shop) and I especially love "Tonight at Eight" and "Will He Like Me" because they each give the male and female perspective about going on a first date. There are a couple of big song and dance numbers, including "A Romantic Atmosphere" and "Twelve Days To Christmas," and the choreography in both is a lot of fun and well executed by the ensemble. Glaittli has an incredibly beautiful voice and she really shines in the song "Vanilla Ice Cream" while Lowell is energetic and endearing in "She Loves Me." The two of them have great comedic timing and wonderful chemistry which really elevates the enemies to lovers trope. I was also really impressed with Tracy because, even though the character is supposed to be a bit fast and loose with her affections, her performance is more playful than overtly sexy. The period costumes and wigs are beautiful and really convey the time and place but my favorite aspect of this production is the amazing set! I was just as impressed with the outside of Maraczek's Perfumery as I was with the inside because of the attention to detail. The shop actually looks like it could be found on a street in Europe with stone masonry, stained glass windows, wooden benches, and pots of flowers. When the shop opens up there are window displays that light up, moving display cases filled with colored bottles of perfume and monogrammed gift boxes, chandeliers, and gold leaf wallpaper. The Cafe Imperial is a simple but effective set piece that rises from the floor and also features lots of fun details such as more gold leaf wallpaper, sconces, and candles flickering on the tables. Everything about this show is delightful and I highly recommend it for a romantic night out. It runs on the Barlow Main Stage through February 18 (go here for tickets).

Note:  There were a lot of empty seats last night and I think the reason might be that not many people (other than theatre nerds like me) are familiar with this show.  Both of my sisters and my niece had never heard of it before. Hopefully people will give it a chance because it really is lovely.

The Marvelous Wonderettes at the Terrace Plaza Playhouse

My first live theatre production of 2023 was The Marvelous Wonderettes at the Terrace Plaza Playhouse last night. It is a really fun jukebox musical featuring songs from the 1950s and 60s and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The Springfield High School Class of 1958 is having their senior prom but the leader of the boys glee club originally scheduled to perform was suspended for smoking so the songleaders, known as the Marvelous Wonderettes, are asked to provide the entertainment at the last minute. In between the musical numbers, Betty Jean (Emily Richards), Cindy Lou (Jessica Andrus), Missy (Jenni Cooper), and Suzy (Katie Swainston) engage in witty banter about the rivalries within the group and their boy troubles as well as vie with each other to become prom queen (the audience gets to vote using a ballot distributed before the show). After the intermission, the Class of 1958 has their ten year reunion at Springfield High School and the Marvelous Wonderettes are, once again, asked to perform. They each have a chance to catch their classmates (the audience) up on what has been happening in their lives during the past ten years. The best part of this show is the amazing music (I grew up listening to all of these songs) and my favorites were "Mr. Sandman," "Lollipop," "All I Have To Do Is Dream," "Dream Lover," "Stupid Cupid," "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me," "You Don't Own Me," "It's In His Kiss," "I Only Want to Be With You," "It's My Party," "Son of a Preacher Man," "Leader of the Pack," "Rescue Me," and "Respect."  Richards, Andrus, Cooper, and Swainston have great four-part harmony and sound fantastic but they also do a good job with the choreography and the physical comedy. My favorite was Cooper (I voted for Missy to be prom queen) because her facial expressions are hilarious, especially when she confesses her crush on one of their teachers (Mr. Lee is played by someone picked out of the audience each night and our Mr. Lee got really into the choreography). The costumes are a lot of fun (each character has her own color) with elaborate tea length prom dresses made of tulle in the first act and sheath dresses and go-go boots in the second. The stage has been transformed into a high school gym decorated for the prom, complete with crepe paper streamers, posters advertising the candidates for prom queen (the posters correspond with each character's color), tables full of punch and cookies, and a bandstand with shimmering door curtains and standing microphones. The Terrace Plaza Playhouse is sometimes hit or miss with me but I feel like they really shine with smaller productions and this one is outstanding.  It is a delightful way to spend an evening and I highly recommend it (go here for tickets).

A Christmas Story at the SCERA Center for the Performing Arts

Last week I saw three different productions of A Christmas Carol and this weekend I have two different versions of A Christmas Story planned. I started with the one at the SCERA Center for the Performing Arts last night and it was so much fun! This musical is a pretty faithful adaptation of the movie of the same name (one of my favorite Christmas movies) and it is narrated by radio personality Jean Shepherd (Ed Eyestone) as he recounts a memorable Christmas from his youth. Ralphie Parker (Tate McBeth) desperately wants an official Red Ryder, carbine action, 200-shot, range model air rifle, with a compass in the stock and this thing that tells time for Christmas but his Mother (Celeste Harris), the Old Man (Mark Buffington), his teacher Miss Shields (Caitlyn Galvez), and even Santa Claus (Garrett Smit) tell him that he'll shoot his eye out. All of the well-known scenes from the movie are brought to life on stage including when Randy (Porter McCormick) eats like a piggy, when Schwartz (Mitt Harris) triple dog dares Flick (Isaac Hael) to stick his tongue to the flag pole, when the Old Man wins a major award, when Ralphie says the F-dash-dash-dash word while helping the Old Man change a tire, when Ralphie gets into a fight with Scut Farkus (Elias Kahler), when Ralphie gets a bunny costume from Aunt Clara, and when one of the Bumpus hounds eats the turkey forcing the Parkers to eat Christmas dinner at the Chop Suey Palace. I don't think that the songs in this musical are particularly memorable but I really enjoyed the staging, especially the numbers featuring the children such as "It All Comes Down to Christmas," "When You're a Wimp," "Ralphie to the Rescue," "Up on Santa's Lap," and "Somewhere Hovering Over Indiana."  The choreography in these songs is a lot of fun and McBeth and the children in the ensemble (over 20 of them) execute it very well. With the exception of "A Major Award" with Buffington and "You'll Shoot Your Eye Out" with Galvez, I think the songs featuring the adults, namely "The Genius on Cleveland Street," "What a Mother Does," and "Just Like That," are less compelling because they take the focus away from Ralphie. This is not a criticism of Harris or Buffington, who do an outstanding job, or this production but, rather, it is a weakness in the show itself. The humor works best when we see Ralphie's parents as he does not as they are. I loved McBeth's performance because not only is he incredibly endearing but he is also an excellent dancer, particularly in "Ralphie to the Rescue" and his dance off with Galvez in "You'll Shoot Your Eye Out." McCormick made me laugh quite a few times with all of his antics and I enjoyed it when Eyestone, as the narrator, gets involved in the action. I was really impressed with the elaborate sets, including the two-storey Parker house (I loved the smoke coming from a vent when the furnace acts up) and the impressive Santa display at Higbee's department store complete with a slide. This production also has the best Oldsmobile (with working lights) I've seen! I thoroughly enjoyed this show (it is on par with the Broadway touring production I saw several years ago) and I would highly recommend it but, unfortunately, there is only one more performance and it is completely sold out (with good reason). This seems to be a yearly tradition for SCERA so put it on your list for next year.

Scrooge: A Christmas Carol at the Terrace Plaza Playhouse

I will be attending three different versions of A Christmas Carol this week and I started last night with the musical Scrooge: A Christmas Carol at the Terrace Plaza Playhouse. I was really excited because I had never seen this version before. I saw the musical by Alan Menken at CPT several years ago and, while I definitely prefer that version, I thought this was very charming and it put a huge smile on my face. It tells the well-known story by Charles Dickens about the reclamation of a miser named Ebeneezer Scrooge (Kim Florence) by the Ghosts of Christmas Past (Jacci Florence), Present (Don Wilhelm), and Future (Jacob Taft) but it includes original music by Leslie Bricusse. The songs are not especially memorable, my favorites were "December the Twenty-Fifth" by Mr. Fezziwig (Duane Beesley), "The Beautiful Day" by Tiny Tim (Beckett Ronnow), and "Thank You Very Much" by Tommy Jones (Shane Alvey), but the cast is very enthusiastic and the choreography is a lot of fun (especially "Thank You Very Much" because it involves dancing on a coffin) so I enjoyed every number. I was really impressed with the number of performers on the stage, including lots of children! I really enjoyed Florence as Scrooge because, while he is still the curmudgeonly misanthrope we all know, he is more a figure of fun who is ridiculed by those who owe him money than a villain who is feared (at one point several characters stick their tongues out at him). Even though he is a bit of a buffoon, his character arc is still really moving to watch because he becomes more and more affected by every vignette shown from his past, present, and future. I also liked Jim Alvey as Bob Cratchit and Tracie Davies as Mrs. Cratchit because their interactions with each other and with Ronnow (who is absolutely adorable as Tiny Tim) are so tender and genuine. The way the intimate space at the Terrace Plaza Playhouse is used is always really clever and this production is no exception. Scrooge's Counting House is located on a platform to the right of the stage and the entrance to his house (the transformation of the knocker into Jacob Marley's face is a great effect) is located on another one to the left.  The Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future lead Scrooge all around the theatre, including behind the soundboard, to various locations.  A cobblestone street in 19th Century London is depicted on a backdrop and various sets are moved on and off the stage.  I was impressed with the attention to detail in Fezziwig's factory, Bob Cratchit's house, and Fred's house as well as the white silhouettes used to depict Scrooge's childhood with his sister Fan and the giant clock in Scrooge's bedroom. The period costumes are really beautiful, with the possible exception of the strange red tutu worn by the Ghost of Christmas Past (I thought she looked like a deranged Sugar Plum Fairy and her shtick went on far too long). This production is filled with so much heart that you can't help but be filled with a big dose of Christmas cheer and I highly recommend it.  There are nightly performances through December 23 with matinees December 10 and 17 (go here for tickets).

Note:  I have seen HCT's version of A Christmas Carol more times than I can count (I almost have the entire show memorized) so it was really fun to see a different interpretation.

Elf The Musical at CPT

Last night both of my sisters and I saw Elf The Musical at CPT and we all got a big dose of Christmas cheer! This musical is based on the popular movie starring Will Ferrell and it is so much fun! Santa Claus (Dave Hill), the narrator, reads from a book while sitting in an arm chair and he is the source of much amusement with lots of references to popular culture. He tells the story of Buddy (Addison Welch) who has been raised as an elf at the North Pole because he crawled into Santa's bag when he was a baby. After discovering that he is really a human instead of an elf, he decides to find his Dad, Walter Hobbs (Scott W. Butler), and he ends up bringing Christmas cheer to his new family, his girlfriend Jovie (Emily Woods Sparks), and all the people of New York City. I really enjoyed all of the fun choreography in this show, especially in "Happy All The Time" as the elves (played by some adorable children, including McGuire K. Bingham and Bridget Maxwell who got one of the biggest laughs of the night) make the toys for Santa, "Sparklejollytwinklejingley" as Buddy helps the Macy's employees decorate the store for Christmas, "Just Like Him" as Buddy wreaks havoc on Walter's office, "A Christmas Song" as Buddy and Jovie watch the ice skaters at Rockefeller Plaza (every production that I've seen of this show has had really innovative staging for this scene and this show is no exception), "Nobody Cares About Santa" as Buddy and all of the Santas commiserate about the lack of Christmas cheer (I loved the kick line), and "The Story of Buddy" as Buddy comes to Walter's rescue and pitches an idea for a story to his boss. Welch is a fabulous Buddy because not only is he exuberant in all of the musical numbers but he also has great comedic timing and facial expressions that show a wide-eyed wonder! His performance was the highlight of the show for me, especially when he plays the Salvation Army Santa's bells! I also liked John Nelson Wakley, the young actor who plays Michael Hobbs, because he has a great voice in the songs "I'll Believe In You" and "There Is a Santa Claus." The costumes for Santa, Buddy, the elves at the North Pole, and the employees at Macy's are incredibly elaborate and colorful and the set, which looks like a giant snow globe, is impressive. I even liked the use of projections, particularly for Rockefeller Plaza, but I was a bit disappointed that they were used for Santa's sleigh in Central Park because seeing Santa fly away is usually one of the highlights of the show. Other than that, all three of us thought the production was really cute! You would have to be a cotton-headed ninny-muggins to miss this show (go here for tickets) which runs on the Barlow Main Stage through December 17.

Note:  I have been really impressed with the shows at CPT this season.  My favorites have been The Play That Goes Wrong and Bright Star.  I am especially looking forward to Jekyll & Hyde and Something Rotten next season!

Cash on Delivery at the Empress

Last night I went to see the British farce Cash on Delivery at the Empress Theatre and it was so much fun!  Eric Swann (Alexander Richardson) has been defrauding the office of Social Services by accepting payments for nonexistent lodgers at his house ever since he lost his job at the Electric Company two years ago.  When Social Services becomes suspicious of so many payments being sent to the same residence, a Mr. Jenkins (Jeremy Jonsson) is sent to investigate.  Swann must enlist the help of his actual lodger Norman McDonald (Tanner Larsen) and his uncle George (Bob Skeen) in order to fool not only Jenkins but also his wife Linda (Cheryl Richardson), Norman's fiancee Brenda (Michelle Gardner), a grief counselor (Audrey Jones), an enthusiastic undertaker (Jennie Jonsson), a marriage counselor (Crystal Ahlemann), and Jenkins' uptight supervisor Ms. Cowper (Emily Jameson).  Chaos ensues as each of them are forced to tell one outrageous lie after another as well as impersonate fictional characters, including one who is supposed to have gout, one who is supposed to be deaf, and two who are supposed to be dead, until the whole thing unravels with hilarious consequences!  This show is so funny because eventually you can't remember who is impersonating whom and I, along with the entire audience, laughed and laughed at all of their antics!  Every member of the cast has brilliant comedic timing, but Richardson and Larsen are particularly fun to watch because they become more and more overwrought as their plans go awry. The fast-paced physical comedy is an absolute hoot, especially when one of the characters who is pretending to be dead is stuffed into a window seat and when all of the characters run around slamming doors.  I thoroughly enjoyed this show and I highly recommend it but it is a limited engagement so get your tickets (go here) soon.

A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder at the Empress

Over the past few years A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder has become one of my favorite musicals because it is absolutely hilarious!  I was really excited to see the Empress Theatre's version last night and I was certainly not disappointed!  This is an incredibly ambitious production and it is so well done that it might be the best show I've seen at the Empress!  After the death of his mother, Monty Navarro (Riley Grover) learns that she was once a member of the wealthy and aristocratic D'Ysquith family but was disinherited for marrying his father.  He is really Montague D'Ysquith Navarro and he is in line to inherit an earldom.  However, there are eight family members in line ahead of him!  When his vain and heartless girlfriend Sibela (Heather Shelley) marries the rich and handsome Lionel Holland, he decides to murder all eight family members ahead of him in the succession to become the Earl of Highhurst and win her back.  Standing in his way are the Reverend Lord Ezekiel D'Ysquith (who has an unfortunate fall from the bell tower of his cathedral), Asquith D'Ysquith, Jr. (who has a bizarre ice skating accident), Henry D'Ysquith (who is stung by bees from his own hive), Lady Hyacinth D'Ysquith (who disappears in deepest darkest Africa and is presumed dead), Major Lord Bartholomew D'Ysquith (who is decapitated while lifting weights), Lady Salome D'Ysquith Pumphrey (who is killed when a prop gun is mistakenly loaded with real bullets during her stage debut in Hedda Gabbler), Lord Asquith D'Ysquith, Sr. (who suffers a heart attack after hearing about all of the deaths in his family), and, finally, Lord Adalbert D'Ysquith, the Earl of Highhurst, (who is mysteriously poisoned).  Along the way, Monty falls in love with Phoebe D'Ysquith (Merci Hase) and marries her which makes Sibela jealous.  When Monty becomes the Earl of Highhurst he is arrested for the murder of Lord Adalbert, the only D'Ysquith death for which he is actually not responsible!  The charges are eventually dismissed when Phoebe and Sibela each give proof that the other committed the murder!  However, Monty might not live happily ever after because Chauncey D'Ysquith, the next in line to the earldom, is lurking!  The cast is absolutely stellar!  The entire D'Ysquith family is played by Chris Last and he is so hilarious with brilliant facial expressions and gestures (not to mention some quick wardrobe changes).  Every character has a distinct personality and I (along with everyone else in the audience) laughed out loud when each one made an appearance!  My favorites are the outrageously flamboyant Henry who thinks everything is "Better with a Man" and the over-the-top Lady Hyacinth who just wants to do some good in "Lady Hyacinth Abroad."  Grover is also outstanding with great comedic timing and both Shelley and Hase have beautiful voices, especially when they harmonize together in "That Horrible Woman."  The set, featuring an elaborate stage reminiscent of an old music hall, is one of the best I've seen at the Empress and I was very impressed with how seamlessly the ensemble move the many props on and off.  I especially enjoyed the clever staging of the singing portraits at Highhurst castle and Monty trying to keep Sibela and Phoebe apart in different rooms at his flat!  The beautiful period costumes are also some of the best I've seen at the Empress, particularly the women's gowns (but I have to admit I also loved all of the top hats worn by the men).  I loved everything about this show and I can't recommend it enough!  It runs through October 22 (go here for tickets).

The Addams Family at the Terrace Plaza Playhouse

Last night I went to the second production of The Addams Family in as many weeks. This time it was the Terrace Plaza Playhouse's version and, once again, I had a lot of fun watching it. The Addams family relies on their dead ancestors to help them through life and they need them now more than ever because Wednesday (Arianna Evans) has fallen in love with a boy from Ohio named Lucas Beineke (Trey Cornell). She wants his uptight parents, Mal (Josh Curtis) and Alice (Jana Plowman), to meet her family, including her father Gomez (Nathan Sachs), her mother Morticia (Natalie Petersen), her brother Pugsley (Amauree Mack), her uncle Fester (David Storm), her Grandma (Carla Zarate), and their butler Lurch (Drew Saddler), so she arranges a dinner and requests that they give her just one normal night. Chaos ensues when a mishap involving a poisonous potion occurs and it is up to Uncle Fester, with the help of the ancestors (Antonio Moya, Colby Majors, Ethan Page, Evelyn Bush, Ian Wellisch, Isabelle Page, Kade Saddler, Kayley Turner, Kelsey Turner, Kysa Ronnow, McKenna Plowman, McLain Reid, Mikelle Shupe, Nataly Hirano, Olivia Page, Savanna Hewitt, and Shane Alvey), to convince everyone that love is the answer. I really enjoyed the choreography in this production, especially all of the big song and dance numbers featuring the ancestors. This was the biggest group of ancestors I have seen used in this show and they are integrated into the choreography very well, particularly in "When You're An Addams," "Trapped," "One Normal Night," "Full Disclosure," "Just Around the Corner," and "Move Toward the Darkness." I also liked having the ancestors as part of the choreography for "Tango De Amor" because I have not seen that done before (I really like seeing subtle differences in productions since the same shows are often repeated by Utah theatres). Evans is one of the best Wednesdays I've seen and I loved her renditions of "Pulled" and "Crazier Than You" because she has a beautiful voice. I also enjoyed Cornell as Lucas (he is a Timothee Chalamet lookalike with all of his same awkward mannerisms), Mack as Pugsley (he is adorable), and Curtis as Mal (his facial expressions had me laughing out loud), but Saddler steals the show as Lurch (he is often in the background but you should watch everything he does because all of his actions are hilarious). The costumes are fantastic, especially those worn by the ancestors (my favorites were the World War I soldier, the Highland lass, and the conquistador) because they are so elaborate! The set is very minimal but suitably atmospheric with lots of spooky details (I loved the organ). My only disappointment was the with the moon.  During "Move Toward the Darkness," the entire cast gestured to the moon so we all turned our attention to it and nothing happened.  I'm not sure if there were technical difficulties but it was a bit anticlimactic. This is a minor criticism because the show is fantastic and I recommend it as a fun activity perfect for Halloween.  It runs through November 12 (go here for tickets).

Bright Star at CPT

I love the musical Bright Star so I am always happy for any opportunity to see it. Last night I saw a production at CPT and it is absolutely stellar! The story takes place in North Carolina during the 1920s and just after World War II and features incredible bluegrass music by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell. Alice Murphy (Anya Wilson) is a young and rebellious teenager in the small town of Zebulon where she regularly exasperates her mother (Jan Williams Smith) and father (Brent Sloan). She begins a romance with Jimmy Ray Dobbs (Jared Haddock) but his father, the Mayor (John Philpott), conspires to separate them. Twenty-two years later, just after the war, Billy Cane (Alex Young) returns to his hometown of Hayes Creek to visit his father (Chad Wilkinson) and his childhood friend Margo (Abigail Ford). However, he soon decides to try writing for a magazine in Ashville where he meets Alice, now an uptight editor who mentors him. The narrative alternates between both timelines as Alice learns to deal with love, loss, forgiveness, and redemption. Even though I have seen it multiple times (PTC, HCT, and HCTO) and know the big twist, I still find the story to be incredibly powerful and heartwarming. I love all of the songs, especially "If You Knew My Story," "Asheville," "I Can't Wait," "Sun's Gonna Shine,"and "I Had a Vision." Wilson (I saw her in the same role at HCTO) has a beautiful voice that is very well suited to the bluegrass genre and I had tears in my eyes during her emotional rendition of "Please Don't Take Him." I was also very impressed by her physical transformation, which happens right before our eyes, from the uptight editor to the rebellious teenager during "Way Back in the Day." Her wardrobe and hair change but it is her expression and physicality that really distinguishes the younger from the older character. The rest of the cast is really strong, one of the strongest I've seen at CPT, but the standouts for me are Haddock, especially the emotionally charged confrontation with his father in "Heartbreaker," and Ford, because she shows a lot of vulnerability in "Asheville." The set features the bare outline of a rustic cabin (I especially loved the rafters with lanterns hanging from them) with many items, such as barrels, crates, wooden doors, fence posts, chairs, and signs, used in multiple configurations to become a book shop, an office, the Mayor's house, a train, and other locations. The members of the ensemble move these items on and off stage seamlessly and it is extremely clever! The choreography really emphasizes the time and place, especially the square dancing during the town social and the swing dancing in "Another Round," as do the costumes. Finally, I really enjoyed the staging of the pivotal train sequence in the reprise of "A Man's Gotta Do" because it is very dramatic (make sure to look up at the top of the proscenium). My only disappointment is that there wasn't a live bluegrass band on stage because it adds so much to the overall feel of the show. Nevertheless, I was very impressed with this production and it is definitely one of my favorites at CPT!  It runs through October 22 (go here for tickets).

The Addams Family at the SCERA Center for the Performing Arts

Last night I had the chance to see The Addams Family at the SCERA Center for the Performing Arts. This is such a fun show and I thoroughly enjoyed this production! The Addams family is not like other families because they are all obsessed with the macabre and rely on their dead ancestors, including a conquistador (Daniel Cespedes), a saloon girl (Emily Thompson), a caveman (Kooper Throckmorton), a 1950s girl (Olivia Hymas), a Civil War soldier (Brennan Salazar), a flight attendant (Tiffany Gibbons), a Puritan (Austin Simcox), a flapper (Emma Rollins),a pirate (Scott Welty), a nurse (Samantha Osmond), an aristocrat (Brenner Finch), and a ballerina (Savannah Ogden), to help them through life. Things start to go wrong when Wednesday (Sydney Swalberg) falls in love with a normal Midwestern boy named Lucas Beineke (Danny Kenny). She wants to introduce his uptight parents, Mal (Joel Griffiths) and Alice (Lauren Slagowski), to her family which includes her father Gomez (Garrett Smit), her mother Morticia (Lauren Billings), her brother Pugsley (Iuli Peters), her uncle Fester (Samuel Benson), her Grandma (Alyssa Perez), and their undead butler Lurch (Merick Masters). She arranges a dinner party and begs her family for just one normal night.  Chaos ensues when a mishap happens involving one of Grandma's poisonous potions and a game of full disclosure goes awry! It is up to Uncle Fester, with the help of the ancestors, to convince everyone that love is the answer! My favorite part of this production is the choreography and I especially enjoyed all of the big song and dance numbers involving the ancestors, such as "When You're An Addams," "But Love," "Secrets," "The Moon and Me," and "Move Toward the Darkness." The entire cast is outstanding but Smit and Billings are absolutely perfect as Gomez and Morticia! I laughed out loud at just about everything they said and did! Smit is quite the Latin lover in "Trapped" and "Not Today," Billings is an absolute hoot in "Just Around the Corner," especially her interactions with the Grim Reaper and the fantastic kick-line with the ancestors, and the two of them are incredibly sultry together in "Tango De Amor." The costumes are a lot of fun, especially Morticia's slinky gown, Gomez's pinstripe suit, and Wednesday's black and purple houndstooth dress.  The costumes for all of the ancestors are quite elaborate with lots of quirky details to enhance the characterization for each of them (every production that I have seen of this show has had its own distinctive group of ancestors).  The set of the Addams home is fantastic with a central staircase, a fireplace, patterned wallpaper in greens and golds, portraits of the ancestors, and a panel that opens up to reveal a Medieval torture chamber. There is also a backdrop featuring a cemetery with gravestones and a wrought iron gate and this, along with the use of fog, creates a very spooky atmosphere. This is a perfect show for Halloween (my favorite holiday) and is particularly appropriate for the whole family because of the message about the importance of families!  It runs through Oct. 8 and tickets may be purchased here.

Little Shop of Horrors at West Valley Arts

I was very excited to see Little Shop of Horrors at the West Valley Performing Arts Center last night. It has been a really long time since I've seen this show and I had a blast getting reacquainted with it. Seymour (Zack Elzey) and Audrey (MacKenzie Pedersen) both work in a run-down flower shop in Skid Row owned by the persnickety Mr. Mushnik (Michael Hohl). Seymour thinks that an unusual plant, which he found during a total eclipse of the sun, will bring more business to the shop. He can't find it in any reference book so he names it Audrey II because he is secretly in love with his co-worker. The shop becomes wildly successful because of Audrey II but Mr. Mushnik worries that it isn't thriving. Seymour inadvertently discovers that Audrey II likes drinking his blood after he cuts himself on a thorn and, eventually, it grows to a giant size and asks him to feed him more! When Seymour can't feed it any more of his blood, his first victim is Audrey's boyfriend Orin Scrivello (Douglas Irey), a sadistic dentist, which wins him the love of Audrey but her namesake now wants more and more! Seymour enjoys the notoriety that Audrey II brings him but soon feels guilty about everything he has done to feed it! He wants to get rid of it but he soon realizes that Audrey II has an evil plan for world domination! The music, which is a combination of rock and roll, doo-wop, and Motown, is fantastic 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 (Nneka Barcelona), Chiffon (Anna Kaitlyn Burningham), and Ronnette (Daysha Lassiter) act as a chorus narrating the action and they sound amazing together! Elzey and Pedersen (who are both understudies) did a great job last night and I especially liked all of Elzey's nerdy and awkward mannerisms, particularly when Seymour tries to kiss Audrey. Irey is absolutely hilarious as Scrivello and I laughed out loud during his over the top rendition of "Dentist!" However, my favorite character was Audrey II (with Jared Lesa as its voice and Byerly Neilsen as puppeteer).  The elaborate puppet is a lot of fun and looks like a giant Venus flytrap with a mouth full of teeth that opens wide and roots that get bigger and bigger as the show goes on. Its song "Feed Me" is definitely a highlight of the show because Lesa has a smooth and seductive voice! The production design, including the set, lighting, and costumes, is outstanding and I was very impressed! I had a smile on my face through the whole show and I highly recommend it (go here for tickets and information).

Note:  I was so happy to see such a large crowd last night!

A Chorus Line at the Empress

Last night I went to see A Chorus Line at the Empress Theatre and I was beyond impressed with this production!  A large group of dancers are taking part in an audition for an upcoming Broadway show.  The director Zach (KC Cook) and his assistant Larry (Kayla Rydalch) take the group through the choreography and they all express their hope that they will be cast in the chorus.  Eventually, the group is narrowed down to Cassie (Taylor McKay Barnes), Kristine (Kayla McConkey), Richie (Tony Sao), Bebe (Gracie George), Diana (Michelle Garcia), Connie (Jenn George), Mark (Ezekiel Peterson), Greg (Shatan Duke), Al (Caden Terry), Paul (Darrin Burnett), Don (Jackson Ohey), Judy (Mariah Pitt), Maggie (Cassie Hurt-McLarty), Mike (Brady Neilsen), Val (Jenna Lynn), and Sheila (Larissa Pearson).  Zach wants to learn more than what is listed on their resumes so he asks them to talk about their experiences and what made each of them want to be a dancer and they do so with stirring musical numbers.  My favorite songs are "I Can Do That" where Mike talks about accompanying his sister to dance class, "At the Ballet" where Sheila, Bebe, and Maggie describe using ballet as an escape from their unhappy childhoods, and "Dance: Ten; Looks: Three" where Val describes getting more jobs after her plastic surgery.  As the group learns the choreography for a number from the show, Zach confronts Cassie and it is revealed that she was once the star of one of his shows, as well as his former lover, and he doesn't think she will fit in the chorus and he has a poignant moment with Paul who describes the difficulty he has had with his sexuality.  The group rehearses "One" and then the final eight dancers are selected.  This cast is one of the most talented I have seen at the Empress and there is not one weak link!  The standouts for me are Barnes who gives an amazing performance in "The Music and the Mirror," and Burnett who is absolutely spellbinding in his delivery of Paul's monologue (the crowd erupted in applause).  The cast also does an outstanding job of staying in character at all times, particularly Pearson who always has a jaded look on her face and Cook who is always evaluating each dancer as they perform.  The choreography is fantastic, especially in the opening number "I Hope I Get It" and "One" because the different groups learning the steps move seamlessly on and off the stage.  The set is very simple (the action takes place on a bare stage), with a curtain at one end and a mirrored wall at the other, as are the costumes with the exception of the sequined gold outfits worn during the bows.  I loved everything about this production and if you only see one show at the Empress this year it should definitely be this one!  There are three more performances next Thursday, Friday, and Saturday (go here for tickets).

Disenchanted at the Grand Theatre

Last night I went to the Grand Theatre to see a production, in partnership with On Pitch Performing Arts, of Disenchanted.  I was not at all familiar with this musical but it is absolutely hilarious!  Masters of Ceremonies, Snow White (Christy Rolfe), Cinderella (Cariel Goodwin), and Sleeping Beauty (Chelsea Morris), along with their accompanist (Jennifer Morgan), present a vaudeville show telling how it really went down with all of the princesses before Walt got a hold of their stories!  Belle (Amy Shaffer) describes how crazy it is to live with objects that talk to her all of the time in "Insane," Hua Mulan (Jason Sin) explains why she really dressed like a man (spoiler alert: she's a lesbian) in "Without The Guy," the Little Mermaid (Andrea Del Mar Santiago) regrets her decision to give up her tail in "Two Legs," Pocahontas (Erin Dawson) points out all of the historical inaccuracies in her portrayal in "Honestly," the Princess Who Kissed a Frog (Quesley Bunch) wonders why it took so long for her to become a storybook princess in "Finally," and Princess Badroulbador (Allegra-Bree Mooreno) laments the fact that her name was changed to Jasmine and that she was relegated to a mere love interest in "Secondary Princess."  The ensemble speaks out about the fact that they were all drawn by men in "Big Tits," that they did not receive any compensation for their life stories in "Not Von Red Cent" featuring Rapunzel (Jenn Tate), that they are forced to starve themselves to keep their figures in "All I Wanna Do Is Eat," and the fact that the princes get all of the credit in the expletive laden "A Happy Tune."  They end the show with the message that they are all good enough as they really are in "Perfect" and a request that you forget the princesses you know in "One More Happ'ly Ever After."  I laughed and laughed at this show and I loved all of the funny little details such as when a stage hand brings out a leaf blower during Pocahontas' song and when Cinderella exchanges her glass slippers for Mickey Mouse slippers because her feet hurt!  Some of the cast members are better singers than others (Bunch was my favorite) but all of their characterizations are brilliant.  Their sparkly costumes incorporate the iconic elements that the Disney Princesses are known for but they have been adapted to be more appropriate for a stage show at a nightclub and they are so much fun.  The audience is sitting right on the stage so it has the feel of an intimate cabaret show and even features audience participation (I was singled out because I was sitting away from everyone else).  I had so much fun watching this musical spoof and I highly recommend getting a ticket (go here).

Note:  This show features humor and language that some might find inappropriate.

The Drowsy Chaperone at Murray Park Amphitheater

Last night I saw my third production this year of The Drowsy Chaperone at Murray Park Amphitheater (go here for the production at the Empress Theatre and here for the one at HCTO).  I obviously love this show because, like Man in Chair, I believe in the power of musical theatre to take you away from your problems to a place where happy endings are possible for a few hours!  This show is a hilarious spoof of the genre and, as Man in Chair (JD Ramey) listens to his favorite Broadway cast recording of the popular 1920s musical The Drowsy Chaperone, he stops frequently to poke fun at all of the musical theatre tropes used in the show as the cast brings it to life in the middle of his apartment!  Mrs. Tottendale (Natalie Savage) and her Underling (Erik Christianson) are hosting the wedding of oil tycoon Robert Martin (Dallin Lewis) to the Broadway star Janet Van De Graaff (Emily Witte) who is giving up her glamorous career for love.  Robert is leaving the wedding details to George (Jenson Haws), his best friend and best man, while Janet's Chaperone (Macy Rhees), who gets drowsy when she drinks, is charged with keeping the couple apart to avoid bad luck.  Broadway producer Feldzieg (Kevin Elzey) is unhappy about losing his biggest star so he sets out to stop the wedding by hiring the famous Latin lover Adolpho (Damon Yauney) to seduce the bride.  An investor in the Feldzieg Follies is also worried about losing its star and hires two gangsters (Daniel Bearss and Alessandro Falabella), disguised as pastry chefs, to stop the wedding but a ditzy chorus girl named Kitty (Meagan Rudd) is hoping to take Janet's place.  Mayhem ensues but the happy ending comes eventually when Trix the Aviatrix (Ashley Gates) is enlisted to marry four couples on her plane while flying to Rio.  It is hilarious when the cast freezes in place every time the Man in Chair stops the record, when they perform the same movement over and over when the record has a scratch, and when they perform as different characters when the Main in Chair accidentally starts the wrong record at the beginning of Act 2.  I really enjoyed seeing Ramey once again as Man in Chair (he performed the role in the SCERA production last year) because he is really funny in his interactions with the audience but he also shows a lot of vulnerability when he compares this musical to real life in "Love Is Always Lovely in the End."  The rest of the cast also does a great job with Yauney and Rhees as standouts, especially in "I Am Adolpho."  The choreography is a lot of fun, particularly the tap dancing in "Cold Feets," and the rollerskating in "Accident Waiting to Happen," and the cast is fantastic in the big song and dance numbers "Toledo Surprise" and "I Do, I Do in the Sky."  Finally, I loved the set because the Man in Chair's elaborate apartment takes up the entire stage and the actors in the show enter from the refrigerator and from behind bookcases with minimal props (it reminded me of the set when I saw the Broadway touring production several years ago).  I had so much fun watching this show under the stars and I definitely recommend getting a ticket to one of the two remaining performances (go here).

Note:  As with The Sound of Music, I enjoyed all three productions of this show for different reasons and I can't pick a favorite!