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.

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 when 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.

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.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at the Eccles

I had so much fun seeing Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at the Eccles last night.  Even though I have seen it twice (the two-part version in San Francisco and the national tour in Los Angeles) I was still beyond excited to see it again because it is absolutely magical (pun intended). Nineteen years after the Battle of Hogwarts, Harry Potter (Nick Dillenburg) now works for the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, his wife Ginny Potter (Abbi Hawk) writes for The Daily Prophet, Hermione Granger (Rachel Leslie) is the Minister of Magic, and her husband Ron Weasley (Matt Harrington) manages Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. Their children Rose Granger-Weasley (Nadia Brown) and Albus Potter (Adam Grant Morrison) are on their way to Hogwarts for their first year when the story begins. Albus soon forms an unlikely friendship with Scorpius Malfoy (David Fine), the son of Harry's nemesis Draco (Ryan Hallahan), because they are both unpopular and bullied. Albus is bothered by his father's notoriety and feels that he is a disappointment while Scorpius is plagued by unfounded rumors that he is really the son of Lord Voldemort. Thinking that they have something to prove, they enlist the help of Delphi Diggory (Emily Schulheis) and steal a time-turner from the Ministry of Magic in order to go back in time to the Tri-Wizard Tournament to save Cedric Diggory (Josh Bates) from his fate.  This has unintended consequences and now Scorpius, Hermione, Ron, and Severus Snape (Larry Vando) must go back in time to change the future back. However, Delphi has her own reasons for wanting Cedric to return and compels Scorpius and Albus to use the time-turner once again to restore the alternate timeline which leads to an epic confrontation in Godric's Hollow. The story is really clever with lots of call-backs to the original series and I love the messages about friendship and father-son relationships. The performances are a lot of fun and I especially loved Fine (Scorpius is my favorite character), because he is even more overwrought than I have seen this character before, and Mackenzie Lesser-Roy as Moaning Myrtle, because she is hilarious and very acrobatic. Harry Potter fans will immediately recognize the sets and costumes, including the iconic robes, the Gothic arches with House Banners, the moving staircases, the Forbidden Forest, the Quidditch pitch, and the Owlery. However, what makes this show a must-see are the amazing special effects when the characters use magic! Seeing the students run through Platform 9 3/4 made the audience gasp out loud and seeing them drink polyjuice potion brought spontaneous applause! I also loved the staging whenever the characters use the time-turner, when Harry and Draco duel each other, when Albus and Scorpius jump off the Hogwarts Express, when the Dementors attack Hermione and Ron, and when Harry is Transfigured. Even the choreography as the ensemble bring set pieces on and off the stage is impressive because it is so dynamic. I love this show so much and I highly recommend getting a ticket (go here) during the run which continues through October 11.

Note: I represented House Ravenclaw in full regalia because I am a total nerd!

The Hunchback of Notre Dame at the Terrace Plaza Playhouse

I love the musical The Hunchback of Notre Dame and, even though I have seen it many times by now, I always look forward to a new production, especially one that has received rave reviews like the one currently playing at the Terrace Plaza Playhouse. I got to see it last night and it is now among my favorite productions at this theatre! Quasimodo (Jake Haywood) is a physically deformed orphan being raised in isolation in the bell tower of Notre Dame by his hypocritical guardian, Archdeacon Claude Frollo (Blaine Hickman). Desperate to see the outside world, Quasimodo defies Frollo and attends the Feast of Fools where he is attacked by the crowd before he is rescued by the gypsy Esmeralda (Olivia Lusk-Garibay). Frollo, Quasimodo, and Phoebus de Martin (Nicholas Balaich), the Captain of the Cathedral Guard, are all captivated by Esmeralda but Frollo becomes obsessed by his lust for her which eventually leads to a dramatic confrontation in the bell tower. I enjoyed everything about this show starting with the four amazing leads. My favorite song is "God Help the Outcasts" and Lusk-Garibay sings it beautifully with so much pathos. Hickman's version of "Hellfire" is incredibly powerful and dramatic (I also loved the staging). Haywood has an innocent childlike wonder in "Out There" and "Top of the World" but his version of "Heaven's Light" brought tears to my eyes and his palpable anger in "Made of Stone" gave me goosebumps. Balaich shows a bit of vulnerability in the middle of his spirited performance of "Rest and Recreation" and he is impossibly romantic during "Someday" with Lusk-Garibay. I was also very impressed by the sheer size of the ensemble and I loved all of the intricate patterns they create in the choreography for "Olim" (this also gave me goosebumps), "The Bells of Notre Dame," "Topsy Turvy," "The Tavern Song," "Esmeralda," "The Court of Miracles," and "Kyrie Eleison." I also loved the clever staging for some key moments, including having Esmeralda dance tantalizingly out of reach during the aforementioned "Hellfire," the use of a moving staircase when Quasimodo rescues Esmeralda from the pyre, and some ingenious choreography when Quasimodo stops the guard from advancing on the cathedral and when he finally confronts Frollo. The set is incredibly immersive with bricks of stone and a large illuminated rose window (which changes color to reflect the mood) dominating the main stage. Quasimodo's bell tower, complete with ringing bells and a trapdoor, and Frollo's chamber are on platforms located on either side of the stage with moving staircases that connect them (I loved the attention to detail because Gothic arches are used in all of the designs). Finally, the colorful costumes worn by the gypsies add to the spectacle but my favorites were the ones worn by the gargoyles because they are the most elaborate I've seen. I am always nervous when I walk into a theatre with high expectations (there has been a lot of hype for this show) but they were more than met and I highly recommend getting a ticket (go here). There are only three more performances left and tickets are going fast but I guarantee that it is well worth the effort!

Noises Off at the SCERA Center for the Performing Arts

Last night I had so much fun at SCERA's hilarious production of Noises Off (one of my favorite plays). Lloyd Dallas (Gregory Rampton) is a frazzled director trying to conduct a dress rehearsal along with his sleep deprived stage manager Tim Allgood (Kaden Renz) and his put-upon assistant stage manager Poppy Norton-Taylor (Kristin Young). The cast, including Dotty Otley (Dixie Mann), Garry Lejeune (Carson Davies), Brooke Ashton (Chloe Barrus), Freddie Fellows (Seven Harrison), Belinda Blair (Shannon Follette), and Selsdon Mowbray (Dane Allred), struggle with words, doors, boxes, bags, and sardines. Several months later, chaos erupts backstage at a matinee performance over relationship drama between two love triangles: Lloyd, Poppy, and Brooke and Dotty, Garry, and Freddie. By the end of the run, the performance completely disintegrates and the cast must get through it any way they can. The highlight of this show is the physical comedy and the cast executes it with split-second timing and precision while making it look effortless. I especially loved the frenetic energy of the second act because, once the play-within-a-play starts on stage (which we can see through a large window), we only hear the dialogue from that show while the actors are at each other's throats backstage in complete silence. I laughed out loud at an extended sequence involving an ax, one in which everyone tries to keep a bottle of whiskey from Selsdon, and another one in which Tim tries, unsuccessfully, to buy flowers for Lloyd to give to Brooke. It is absolute mayhem! I also laughed out loud every time Brooke loses a contact lens, Freddie has a bloody nose, Dotty forgets the sardines, and Garry is forced to improvise. As I mentioned, everyone in the ensemble cast is outstanding but my favorite performances are from Barrus, because Brooke (my favorite character) is hyper-focused on delivering her lines without regard to the other actors and she nails this with blank facial expressions and overly rigid poses, and Davies, because his dithering is highly amusing and his fall down the stairs is absolutely spectacular. Finally, I loved the set because it is as twee as a 1980s sitcom with lots fun little details. If you are looking for a fun night out this is definitely the show for you! I highly recommend getting a ticket (go here) to one of the performances on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays through October 10.

The Addams Family at The Ruth

I joke that The Addams Family is practically a requirement this time of year so I went to a production at The Ruth last night and it is by far the best version of this show I've seen!  The Addams family is not like other families because they are all obsessed with the macabre and rely on their dead ancestors to hep them through life.  Things start to go wrong when Wednesday (Beatriz Melo) falls in love with a normal Midwestern boy named Lucas Beineke (Ben Hansen) and decides to introduce his uptight parents, Mal (Josh Tenney) and Alice (Brandalee Bluth Streeter), to her family, including Gomez (Benjamin J. Henderson), Morticia (Ashley Gardner Carlson), Pugsley (Caleb Gordon), Uncle Fester (Joseph Paul Branca), Grandma (Annadee Morgan), and Lurch (Thomas Wood).  She arranges a dinner and begs her family for one normal night.  Of course, chaos ensues when a mishap involving a poisonous potion occurs so it is up to Uncle Fester, with the help of the ancestors, to convince everyone that love is the answer.  I loved everyone in the cast but I will highlight my three favorite performances (which happen to be by three of my favorite local actors).  Melo is one of the best Wednesdays I've seen because she has a beautiful voice but she also has a lot of sass so her renditions of "Pulled" and "Crazier Than You" are incredibly compelling and are the highlights of the show.  Carlson is literally the perfect Morticia because she looks very sultry in her long black dress and she has a flawless deadpan delivery.  She is also an amazing dancer and is very entertaining to watch in "Just Around the Corner" and "Tango de Amor."  Branca is so much fun as Fester (I love him in every role I've seen him play) because you can't take your eyes off him as he gleefully runs around the stage delivering one clever ad-lib after another (the line about coming out of the closet made me laugh out loud).  His rendition of "The Moon and Me" is hilarious, especially when he flies!  The ancestors (Bronwell Merrill, Emily West, McKenna Lorane Wright, Mandy Taylor, Garrett Manning, Brock Sorenson, Dallin Curtis, and Mason Lance) are used more in this production than any other I've seen and they have some really fun choreography, particularly the Pas de Quatre by the men in "Trapped" and an impressive kick-line in a pinwheel formation in "Just Around the Corner." I also loved the costumes for the ancestors (my favorite is a downed pilot with an unopened parachute).  The stage, which has been reconfigured to create two runways that extend into the audience, is absolutely spectacular and allows for some fun staging opportunities (definitely keep your eye on Thing).  The sets are all practical (my favorite is the crypt) but there are also several ingenious videos shown at various times.  Even if you have seen this show before, this version is not to be missed because it will blow you away!  It runs at the Smith Grand Theater through October 31 and tickets may be purchased here.

Note:  This was my third show in three days!  I enjoyed all of them.

John Proctor is the Villain at PTC

When I learned that John Proctor is the Villain would open the 2026-2027 season at PTC, I could hardly contain my excitement! It instantly became my most anticipated show this fall and I was so happy to see it last night. Beth (Skye Alyssa Friedman), Nell (Rocky Anicette), Ivy (Adri Cumming), Raelynn (Alex Humphreys), Mason (Gage Martinez), and Lee (Carson Stewart) are high school students in a small rural town in Georgia. Their English teacher, Mr. Smith (Colby Strong), assigns them The Crucible, Arthur Miller's classic play set during the Salem witch trials, and also volunteers to be the advisor for a new feminist club organized by Beth. As the year progresses, their friend Shelby (Allison Dorsey) returns to school after a mysterious absence which fuels gossip about where she has been, Beth is drawn into the #MeToo movement in the media, Raelynn wants to break up with her boyfriend Lee after he cheats on her with Shelby, and Ivy's father is accused of sexual harassment which causes a scandal in the small town. Life seems to be imitating art as they study The Crucible and, during one particularly heated class discussion, Shelby disagrees with Mr. Smith's view that John Proctor is a hero for choosing death over a lie and asserts that he is actually the villain because he had an inappropriate sexual relationship with the teenager Abigail Williams. She then makes an allegation against Mr. Smith which divides the group because he is their favorite teacher. Shelby and Raelynn, the only one who believes her, eventually present their final project on The Crucible which imagines a conversation between Elizabeth Proctor and Abigail Williams (and includes an interpretive dance) during which the characters break free from John Proctor prompting several to break free from Mr. Smith. I found this to be fascinating because Arthur Miller wrote The Crucible as a lens with which to view the McCarthy era in the 1950s and now it is being used as a lens with which to view the #MeToo era today. It is just so clever in the way it explores the abuse of power, the blaming of victims, and the silencing of young women from multiple perspectives. Despite its powerful themes, it is also quite funny and the audience laughed out loud multiple times (I laughed especially hard when Mr. Smith assigns parts from The Crucible for the students to read aloud and has to keep reminding Mason that it is his turn because I could definitely relate). I loved the use of pop songs by female artists, especially Beyonce, Lorde, and Taylor Swift (I also laughed out loud at a discussion of "Dear John" and a very well-timed quote from "We Are Never Getting Back Together") and the final scene involving the aforementioned interpretive dance to Lorde's "Green Light" had the audience cheering (the energy in the crowd was palpable). The scenes are very quick (I don't know how some of them changed costumes so fast) and take place a single location, a classroom with desks and chairs that are reconfigured by the actors, but so much happens in these scenes and the dialogue is razor sharp. Finally, everyone in the ensemble cast is fantastic but I was particularly struck by Friedman because her character's worldview is challenged the most and she portrays this uncertainty extremely well (she is also responsible for the most dramatic moment in the show in my opinion). I loved this on so many levels and I highly recommend getting a ticket (go here) but act quickly because, even though the run has been extended to October 3, there is limited availability due to the small size of the theater.

Note:  This production had to be moved to the Courage Theater on the campus of Westminster University because of a flood. I got both my undergraduate and graduate degrees there and I was even an adjunct instructor in the education department for many years so returning to campus brought back many wonderful memories.

Dear Evan Hansen at CPT

I was especially excited for Dear Evan Hansen at CPT last night because my sister was seeing it for the first time. I love this show so much and I was afraid that I had over-hyped it but she really enjoyed this production (she even had a tear in her eye). Evan Hansen (Josh Call) suffers from anxiety and feels insignificant and alone but his busy single mother, Heidi (Casey Matern), doesn't know how to help him. Jared (Andrew Walker), his only friend, is nice to him so his mom will pay his car insurance and he is too scared to talk to his crush Zoe (Anna Kocherhans). His therapist encourages him to write letters to himself to build his self-confidence but Connor (Ryan Munsey), a deeply troubled young man, intercepts one from the printer because it mentions his sister Zoe. When Connor takes his own life, his devastated parents, Cynthia (Natalie Haddock) and Larry (Thad Weiland), find the letter and, assuming that it is a suicide note left for Evan, they reach out to him. Evan pretends that they were friends in order to comfort Connor's parents and soon he asks Jared to create a history of emails between them to prove the lie. Larry and Zoe struggle to reconcile Evan's version of Connor with the difficult son and brother they knew and Zoe tells Evan that the only nice thing Connor ever said to her was in his suicide note which Evan wrote. Alana (Kenzie Buckway), another lonely girl at school, wants Evan to do more to keep Connor's memory alive so they create The Connor Project and Evan gives a heartfelt speech about loneliness at a memorial assembly that goes viral. He begins a relationship with Zoe and spends all of his time with her family to the exclusion of Jared, Alana, and Heidi.  Eventually the deception spirals out of control and, when the truth is finally revealed, Heidi helps him see that he has never been alone. The casting of this show is exceptional because everyone is very well suited to their role. Munsey is the first actor that I've seen who actually looks the part of a troubled teen and Buckway has the vibe of someone who could be overlooked in a crowd (I was particularly struck by how similar Alana is to both Evan and Connor as a result) but I was most impressed by Call because he is so convincing as a high school student that I was surprised to learn that he is not a teenager.  Call's performance is absolutely brilliant because he has a beautiful voice with an incredible range but he also nails the emotion in the songs "Waving Through a Window," "For Forever," "You Will Be Found," and "Words Fail" (this is especially powerful and it reduced me to tears). He also portrays Evan's social anxiety very well with a rapid-fire delivery and lots of idiosyncratic tics. Kocherhans also has a beautiful voice and I loved her version of "Requiem" and "Only Us" (her voice blends so well with Call's). I also really liked Matern because her anger is palpable in "Good for You" but she is so heart-wrenching in "So Big/ So Small." I really loved some of the choices in the staging, especially when the students circle around Evan during "Waving Through a Window" while looking at their phones and the inclusion of Connor on stage during "Requiem" (it seemed to me that Connor is a lot more involved in this production). This show has an important message about how technology connects people but leaves them feeling even more isolated so the use of social media in an important element. I loved the way that it is integrated into this production! The set features large movable panels which also surround the proscenium and they include three-dimensional geometric forms which give the projections a cracked screen effect. In my opinion, this is an incredibly powerful symbol of how broken teens can become in their online interactions. This absolutely rivals the national tours I have seen and I cannot recommend it enough, especially to teens who might be feeling alone (there were lots of teens in the audience who were very moved by the show). It runs on the Mountain America Main Stage through October 15 (go here for tickets).

To Kill a Mockingbird at Parker Theatre

Last night I went to a powerful production of To Kill a Mockingbird at Parker Theatre (it is the more traditional version rather than Aaron Sorkin's reinterpretation for Broadway). I love the book by Harper Lee and the movie starring Gregory Peck but there is just something so moving about seeing it performed live on stage and I was definitely very moved. Jem (Lincoln Oliphant) and Scout (Lizzie Kintz) are impressed when their father Atticus Finch (Brinton Wilkins) shoots a mad dog terrorizing their street in Maycomb, Alabama, but they learn what true heroism is when he defends a Black man named Tom Robinson (Kiirt Banks) against a false accusation of rape even though he knows he will lose because it is the right thing to do. They also learn not judge people until they have seen things from their perspective through their interactions with the irascible Mrs. Dubose (Kathryn Atwood) and the reclusive Boo Radley (James Duncan). The themes of prejudice, of all kinds, and having the moral courage to stand up to it are especially important right now and I loved the choice to have Atticus deliver his closing argument facing the audience as if we were the jury because it is a message that we all need to hear. Wilkins is brilliant in this scene because his delivery becomes more and more dramatic and I had goosebumps by the end of it. I also loved his interactions with the children because he has such a tender rapport with them (I had tears in my eyes during his final scene with Kintz). The three young actors, including Oliver Miramontes as Dill, do a wonderful job portraying loss of innocence and I was particularly struck by Oliphant's reaction to the verdict because it is almost visceral. I also loved Kintz's guileless delivery in the scene at the jail because it makes her interaction with Dave Bruce, as Mr. Cunningham, so emotional and, therefore, very effective. Banks is absolutely devastating in the courtroom scenes because, even though he is stoic, his fear is palpable and it made me so angry to see him mistreated and to see him become a victim of injustice (every time I see this I always hope that the verdict will somehow be different). The set is simple but effective with porches for the Finch house and the Radley house opposite each other and a raised platform up stage that is used to represent Mrs. Dubose's porch and other scenes in Maycomb. This platform then becomes the gallery and other set pieces for the courtroom are placed in the middle of the stage. I loved the attention to detail, especially the working porch and street lights, the tire swing, and the spittoon in the courthouse. The costumes are muted but do an excellent job of establishing the time period as well as the status of each character. I loved everything about this production and it should definitely not be missed! Tickets may be purchased here for performances on Fridays and Saturdays through October 17.

A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Empress Theatre

Last night I ventured out to the Empress, one of my favorite community theatres, for A Midsummer Night's Dream. I love this play (I taught it for many years) and I thoroughly enjoyed this wonderful production. The young lovers Hermia (Kami McDonough), Lysander (Tanner Larsen), Helena (Jezory Munoz), and Demetrius (Braxton Moore), escape into the forest to avoid a harsh Athenian law and a group of rustic craftsman, including Quince (Emma Porter), Bottom (Biz Sharp), Flute (Colby Nash), Snug (Adrian Young), Snout (Stacy Mayren), and Starveling (Liz Nash), also enter the forest to rehearse a play for the wedding of Theseus (James Hutchings) and Hippolyta (Stacee Hunsaker). They cross paths with Oberon (Torin Scoffield) and Titania (Stacey Hutchings), the king and queen of the fairies, who are fighting and mayhem ensues when Oberon has his mischievous servant, Puck (Koda Smith), use a magic potion to manipulate them. I think this is one of Shakespeare's most accessible plays (which is why I taught it for so many years) and the choice to change the setting to 1930s Appalachia works very well, especially the costumes, the use of original music (I loved hearing the banjo and the washboard), and the choreography (the opening sequence immediately establishes the time and place and each of the characters). The set is beautiful and features an enchanted forest filled with vines, colorful flowers, toadstools, and logs along with a painted backdrop of mountains and dramatic lighting (the effect when Puck uses the potion is magical). I think the staging is very effective, particularly the use of multiple levels accessed by ladders and the quick entrances and exits through a large curtain, because the transitions are smooth and the pacing kept me completely engaged (there is always something happening on stage).  Finally, I really loved this cast. I pretty much have the entire play memorized and the line deliveries by everyone are incredibly natural (I will quote my other favorite Shakespeare play and say that the actors speak their speeches "trippingly on the tongue"). McDonough, Larsen, Munoz, and Moore, especially, have brilliant comedic timing in their scenes together. My favorite is the one in which Lysander and Demetrius nearly come to blows and Hermia and Helena trade insults because their physical performances are hilarious (I particularly loved it when Munoz imitates Moore). I could say the same about the actors portraying the craftsmen and I don't know what made me laugh more: Sharp's over the top death scene in Pyramus and Thisbe, Young's tears whenever Snug must act the role of the Lion, Porter's exasperation when Bottom takes over the rehearsal and when Flute mispronounces Ninus, or Nash's facial expressions when he appears as Thisbe (Nash probably wins because I laughed so hard I think I disrupted the action!). I have to give a huge thank you to the Empress for graciously providing me with a ticket because I truly had so much fun watching this show! I highly recommend that everyone, especially all of my former students who studied this play with me, get a ticket (go here) to one of the three remaining performances next weekend.

Note: I loved teaching Hamlet to my seniors and A Midsummer Night's Dream to my sophomores so it is really special that I got to see both of them on back-to-back weekends!

Utah Shakespeare Festival 2026

I spent this last weekend with my sister Marilyn at the Utah Shakespeare Festival and we had so much fun!  We had been looking forward to this trip all year (we bought our tickets on Black Friday) and it was the perfect way to end the summer (we definitely enjoyed the cooler temperatures).

Our first show on Friday afternoon was She Loves Me in the Randall Jones Theatre.  This delightful musical features two bickering clerks in a Budapest perfumery during the 1930s who unknowingly fall in love with each other as anonymous pen pals.  I really loved the elaborate set!  The exterior of Maraczek's Parfumerie sits in front of a beautiful projection showing the city of Budapest and revolves to reveal the interior of the shop which is filled with large display cabinets.  Several backdrops are cleverly used to transform the shop into the Cafe Imperiale and Amalia's apartment.  The choreography for "Sounds While Selling," "A Romantic Atmosphere," and "Twelve Days to Christmas" is so fun and chaotic (Marilyn is very reserved and she laughed out loud during these scenes).  Finally, the entire cast is outstanding but I was especially impressed by the leads Ali Ewoldt and Matt Koenig because they both have beautiful voices and tremendous chemistry.  Her rendition of "Will He Like Me?" is a highlight for me because she is so vulnerable and his exuberant performance of "She Loves Me" brought the house down!

Friday night we saw Hamlet in the Englestad Theatre and it was incredible!  This is my favorite Shakespeare play (it was also my favorite piece of literature to teach) and it tells the tragic story of a Danish prince who is urged to avenge the death of his father.  I loved so many things about this particular interpretation.  The play begins with the ghost of Hamlet's father dramatically emerging from the grave and he is omnipresent throughout.  We also see the ghosts of Rosencrantz, Guildenstern, Polonius, and Ophelia at various times before they appear with the ghosts of Gertrude, Claudius, Leartes, and Hamlet to surround Horatio.  This is incredibly powerful because it makes the consequences of the King's murder very visible and I especially loved that they implore Horatio to swear to remember their story because it echoes the first scene between the ghost and Hamlet (I got goosebumps during this final moment).  I loved the choice to move Hamlet's soliloquy to after he kills Polonius because it gives more emotional weight to his words (he even cries afterwards).  I loved the way that Ophelia is portrayed because she is stronger than I've ever seen her, especially in an added encounter with Hamlet after her father's death, and Kathryn Tkel is brilliant in the role.  Walter Kmiec's performance is also amazing and I loved his interpretation of Hamlet as a young man overwhelmed by circumstances, particularly in a scene where the entire court circles around him.  Finally, I loved the dramatic set with large windows that are skewed and lose panes as the play progresses (it is intriguing to me that there is something rotten in Denmark before the action even begins).  I was blown away by the festival's production of Hamlet in 2019 and this one is very different but equally brilliant!

The next show on Saturday afternoon was Something Rotten in the Randall Jones Theatre.  This follows two struggling playwrights during the Renaissance who try to outshine William Shakespeare by writing the first musical.  I absolutely love all of the references to musical theatre in "A Musical" and "Make an Omelette" and I love that every production adds something new.  This version includes highly amusing visual references to Dear Evan Hansen and Newsies but I have to admit that I was a bit disappointed that these two numbers didn't feature more pizzazz with the choreography and costumes. I also have to admit that I didn't care for Brian Gonzales as Nostradamus or Jason Rexx as Nigel Bottom.  However, Pascal Pastrana is hilarious as the rock star Shakespeare (his codpiece is spectacular) and I loved his over the top performances of "Will Power" and "Hard to Be the Bard," especially his interactions with his groupies.  I also really enjoyed Matt Koenig as Nick Bottom because he has a beautiful voice and his versions of "Man, I Hate Shakespeare" and "Bottom's Gonna Be on Top" are a lot of fun.  Finally, I liked the clever but simple set because it features an Elizabethan theatre that is transformed into to other locations by rotating panels and flashing LED lights.  I enjoyed this but it was underwhelming compared to other productions I've seen (it didn't help that there were many students in the audience who screamed at the top of their lungs at the end of every number).

 Our final show was Twelfth Night in the Engelstad Theatre Saturday night.  When twins are separated during a shipwreck, chaos ensues when they become involved in a love triangle and are mistaken for each other.  I thoroughly enjoyed all of the physical comedy in this show, especially when Sir Toby Belch, Sir Andrew Aguecheek, and Maria hide to observe the officious steward Malvolio read a letter they have forged to get back at him for spoiling their fun, when Malvolio appears smiling with yellow stockings and cross garters (I laughed so hard I couldn't breathe during this scene), and when Sir Andrew challenges Cesario to a duel.  I also loved all of the scenes involving the jester Feste, especially when he improvises a song for a member of the audience.  The staging of the shipwreck is quite spectacular and I was very impressed with Caitlin Wise's aerial performance on silks.  I loved Kayland Jordan's performance as Olivia because her facial expressions are so funny, especially when Sebastian and Viola appear together for the first time, and, of course, I loved Rodney Lizcano because he really hams it up as Malvolio.  Finally, the period costumes are very beautiful as are the projections used for Illyria.

I always love coming to the Utah Shakespeare Festival, especially with my sister, and this trip was wonderful.  The festival continues with Hamlet, Twelfth Night, Troilus and Cressida, and See How They Run through September 5 and Something Rotten, She Loves Me, The Book Club Play, and Mary Shelley's Frankenstein though October 3 (go here for tickets).

Note:  The month of August began and ended with theatre road trips with my sisters!

Water for Elephants at the Eccles

Last night I went to the Broadway touring production of Water for Elephants at the Eccles (it was the last show of the 2025-2026 season). I loved the book by Sara Gruen and I liked the movie starring Robert Pattinson, Reese Witherspoon, and Christoph Waltz so I was eager to see where the stage adaptation would land. After losing his parents in a car accident and his childhood home to foreclosure, Jacob Jankowski (Zachary Keller) is forced to drop out of veterinary school and hops a train going anywhere in Depression-era America. It turns out that the train he randomly chooses belongs to the Benzini Brothers Circus and he is reluctantly put to work as a laborer. However, his knowledge of animals soon comes in handy and he is asked to care for an ailing horse named Silver Star, who he cannot save, and then a stubborn elephant named Rosie. August Rackinger (Connor Sullivan), the cruel and sadistic ringmaster, wants Rosie to become the new star attraction but Jacob falls in love with his wife Marlena (Helen Krushinski) as they train the elephant together. August eventually abuses both Rosie and Marlena but, before Jacob can intervene to save Marlena, Rosie uses the bullhook that August beat her with to kill him during a stampede (because an elephant never forgets). The narrative is told through flashbacks by an older Jacob (Robert Tully) who escapes from his assisted living home to join the circus again. I have to admit that when I first heard about this adaptation I wondered if the story was strong enough to warrant a musical treatment and, unfortunately, the answer is no in my opinion. The script is definitely the weakest link because the plot of the book (which is mostly internal dialogue) is simplified and Jacob is the only character that has any development or backstory.  There are also several subplots that are introduced and then quickly abandoned. In addition, the songs are not particularly memorable (I struggled to remember any of the titles while writing this). Having said that, everyone in the cast does an incredible job with all of the musical numbers. Keller and Krushinski, especially, have beautiful voices and their renditions of "Silver Stars" and "Easy," respectively, are highlights of the show. They both also give a moving performance of "Wild." Sullivan has an imposing stature and his powerful versions of "The Lion Has Got No Teeth" and "You've Got Nothing" are quite menacing and emphasize August's volatile nature. Shoutouts also go to Javier Garcia as Camel, Tyler West as Walter, Grant Huneycutt as Wade, and Ruby Gibbs as Barbara because they each take advantage of their moment to shine. However, the insanely talented acrobats, jugglers, contortionists, and aerialists (Nancy Luna, Yves Artieres, Fran Alvarez Jara, Ella Huestis, Serafina Walker, and John Neurohr) are absolutely spectacular and make this show worth the price of admission. All of the circus acts are visually stunning and I was especially impressed by a breathtaking aerial performance on white silks by Artieres, who portrays the horse Silver Star, in the number "Easy" (this actually brought tears to my eyes). The colorful costumes, lighting design, and projections create a circus-like atmosphere and the metal set pieces used to represent the train cars are very clever. Finally, the puppets used for the menagerie of animals are very striking. I was a bit disappointed with the puppet for Rosie in the first act because you can only see parts of her or just her shadow but then she is revealed in her entirety in a show-stopping moment (literally because it ends the first act) after Jacob and Marlena are able to communicate with her and I loved this choice once I realized what it meant! I also loved that the puppeteers are dressed in nondescript coveralls when Rosie is training but in sequins when she is performing. There are flaws but I highly recommend this for the performances and the spectacle. It runs at the Eccles Theatre through August 30 and tickets may be purchased here.

Newsies at West Valley Arts

Last night I went to see Newsies at the West Valley Performing Arts Center. I love this show so much and this production is fantastic! It tells the story of how Jack Kelly (Jerdyn Akeripa), along with his fellow "newsies" and a determined young reporter named Katherine (Ashtyn Roskelley), stand up to Joseph Pulitzer (Taylor Smith) by going on strike after he raises the cost of the papers. I love the songs because they are incredibly stirring and the choreography because it is exhilarating. The talented cast (which, I was happy to see, includes several girls as newsies) does an amazing job with the big production numbers "Carrying the Banner," "The World Will Know" (this is my favorite song in the show and it gave me goosebumps), "Seize the Day," "King of New York" (the tap dancing is incredible), and "Once and for All." These scenes feature the signature athletic leaps, jumps, and spins that this show is known for but they also incorporate lots of innovative and acrobatic steps which keep it fresh and vibrant. Both Akeripa and Roman Curiel, who plays Davey, are very charismatic and I enjoyed their interactions as their characters spar back and forth. The former delivers a rousing rendition of "Santa Fe" and that definitely got the crowd cheering. Roskelley is also very impressive and I loved her spirited performance of "Watch What Happens." Smith's Pulitzer is more ruthless than I have seen before (but I loved his voice in "The Bottom Line"), Nnuka Barcelona's Medda is a force to be reckoned with in "That's Rich," and Sebastian Long's Les is adorably precocious. The set is very minimal (much more so than any other production of this show that I have seen) but it is surprisingly effective. The platforms above the wings are used for Jack's fire escape, Katherine's desk, and Pulitzer's office and one of the wings features an iron gate as the entrance to the New York World building and a wooden platform where the newspapers are distributed to the newsies (it is very clever how the headlines are displayed). A simple wooden stage and an old-fashioned printing press are brought out by the ensemble for "That's Rich" and "Once and for All," respectively, and neighborhood signs are distributed throughout the audience for "Brooklyn's Here" (this is so fun). The costumes are very much informed by the Broadway production (there are lots of the famous newsie caps) but I especially liked Medda's velvet gown and the costumes worn by the Bowery Beauties. I had so much fun at this high-energy show and I cannot recommend it enough! There are only three more opportunities to see it next weekend (tickets may be purchased here) so act quickly.

Note: This was once at the top of my list of shows I most wanted to see. I wanted to see it so badly I chaperoned the HHS performing arts trip to Disneyland (my least favorite place on Earth) just so I could see the Broadway touring production at the Pantages Theatre with the group! It was worth it!

West Side Story at Draper Historic Theatre

Last night I went to see West Side Story at Draper Historic Theatre and, since this is a favorite show that I have seen many times, I really appreciated some of the bold choices made by the production team. The story revolves around the forbidden relationship between Tony (Tanner Perkins) and Maria (Michelle Pichardo) and the animosity it stirs up between the Jets and the Sharks, two rival street gangs who are vying for territory. I really enjoyed both of the leads because they have beautiful voices and tremendous chemistry with each other. Perkins has an irrepressible energy in "Something's Coming" and a wide-eyed wonder in "Maria" but it is his affecting performance of "Tonight" that gave me goosebumps. Pichardo is incredibly appealing in "I Feel Pretty," impossibly romantic in her rendition of "One Hand, One Heart" with Perkins, and so devastating in her performance of "I Have a Love" that I was reduced to tears! However, my favorites in the cast were Ashley Murillo Coombs as Anita and Zaden Gates as Riff. Coombs has a lot of sass and I loved all of her facial expressions during her interactions with Bernardo (Warren Tharp) and during her exuberant performance of "America" and I definitely felt her rage during "A Boy Like That" and her terror when the Jets attack her. My favorite numbers in this show have always been "Jet Song" and "Cool" and Gates certainly delivered with both his singing and dancing in these scenes (as did the ensemble). The choreography is absolutely exhilarating and, in addition to the two aforementioned numbers, I also loved the "Prologue" because the hostility between the Jets and the Sharks is immediately established through movement rather than dialogue, "The Dance at the Gym" because the moment that Tony and Maria first see each other is so dramatic, and "Gee, Officer Krupke" because it is incredibly dynamic and the use of a scarf is very clever. As I mentioned, I was especially struck by the choice to have Maria sing some of the verses of "I Feel Pretty" in Spanish because this makes her seem even more guileless, the choice to have Anybodys (Sarah Bobby Hinckley) sing "Somewhere" while bringing the two groups together because this character more than any other truly struggles to find their place and it is incredibly powerful, and the choice to have Anita sing "A Boy Like That" in Spanish while Maria sings "I Have a Love" in English because it shows the difference between them very emphatically. Finally, the minimal set, featuring brick walls, chain link fences, and fire escapes, is very effective as is the lighting design, which features warm reds for the Sharks and cool blues for the Jets and mimics the costumes. This is a compelling production of a story that is still incredibly relevant today and I highly recommend it (go here for tickets). Performances run on Mondays, Fridays, and Saturdays through September 12.

Ken Ludwig's Moriarty at HCT

I am a huge fan of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's popular character Sherlock Holmes so I was very intrigued by Ken Ludwig's new play Moriarty which is currently being produced by Hale Theatre. I had the chance to see it last night and I absolutely loved this clever take in which the characters are reimagined as actors in a melodrama. It is based on several of Conan Doyle's short stories, most notably "A Scandal in Bohemia," "The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plans," and "The Final Problem," and begins when the King of Bohemia visits Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson at 221B Baker Street. He asks them to retrieve some indelicate letters he once wrote to the American actress Irene Adler because they could threaten his forthcoming marriage. Their investigation leads them to Adler and Sherlock's brother Mycroft and they eventually discover that the letters include clues about an international spy ring. This leads them to Professor James Moriarty and an epic confrontation at the Reichenbach Falls. In my opinion, the weakest link is the story because it is very thin (the runtime is about 90 minutes including an intermission) and Ludwig takes many liberties with the source material. However, Ludwig absolutely nails the characterization and so do the actors. Adam Packard exaggerates Sherlock's eccentricity and powers of deduction, Morgan Gunter emphasizes Dr. Watson's steadfast loyalty (he also narrates the goings-on), and Amber Dodge portrays Irene Adler as a daring and capable foil to Sherlock. All of the other well-known characters (I loved seeing the Baker Street Irregulars) are played by a small ensemble, including Bryan Dayley, Claire Kenny, Danny Kenny, and Bryson Smellie, and the costume changes are lightning fast! Dayley is one of my favorite local actors (I've seen him in multiple productions at HCT and other Utah theaters) and he is absolutely hilarious at the King of Bohemia, Mycroft Holmes, Inspector Lestrade, and Professor Moriarty (he also plays a porter and a shopkeeper). Each character has its own distinct voice and physicality and I especially enjoyed Inspector Lestrade's blustering and Moriarty's over the top arrogance. The staging really leans into the melodramas popular during the nineteenth century (when Conan Doyle's stories take place) with elaborate backdrops, set pieces, and props that look like one dimensional drawings. My favorite is one that features a river boat on one side and a horse drawn carriage on the other and the crowds (which are operated by a member of the ensemble) made me laugh out loud but the set piece for the Reichenbach Falls is truly spectacular (the use of the turntable for the reveal is very dramatic). These pieces are all moved on and off the stage with precision and I am very impressed by the backstage crew responsible for the quick set changes and costume changes! This is unlike anything I have seen before and I highly recommend getting a ticket (go here). It runs on the Sorenson Legacy Jewel Box Stage through November 14.

Note:  Utah's favorite musical, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, is currently playing on the Young Living Centre Stage through October 24 (go here for tickets). I think it is kind of a mess but everyone else seems to love it!

Anything Goes at Hopebox Theatre

I was really excited to see Anything Goes at the Hopebox Theatre last night and I had so much fun with this delightful, delicious, and de-lovely production! A group of eccentric characters board the S.S. Jacobson for a voyage from New York to London, including Reno Sweeney (Samantha Wursten), a popular nightclub singer, her friend Billy Crocker (Daylen Bills), a Wall Street broker who stows away to stop the wedding of the woman he loves while eluding his boss Elisha J. Whitney, Hope Harcourt (Kayleigh Eagle), the object of Billy's affection who is engaged to the wealthy but hapless Sir Evelyn Oakleigh (Ethan Hoffmann) to please her mother Evangeline Harcourt (Amelia Tilley), "Moonface" Martin (Stefan Kurzius), a gangster who his proud of his status as Public Enemy #13, his moll Erma Latour (Kenna Ford), and Spit (Isaac Nelson) and Dippy (Eli Packer), two wayward boys who con most of the passengers. Hijinks, and many big song and dance numbers featuring the music of Cole Porter, ensue when Reno and Moonface try to break Hope's engagement so she can marry Billy. The story is silly and chaotic with a lot of subplots involving disguises, mistaken identities, and unlikely romances and the songs sometimes feel shoehorned in ("Blow, Gabriel, Blow" is included because Reno Sweeney is a former evangelist!) but the show is so much fun and it is perfect as a form of escapist entertainment. The musical numbers are absolutely phenomenal and I especially loved the energetic tap dancing, the clever use of props, and the way one of the biggest casts I've seen at this theatre is integrated into a small space. The lead performances are excellent, starting with Wursten who plays Reno Sweeney with a bit of sass that is really fun to watch. I particularly loved her comedic physicality and facial expressions in "I Get a Kick Out of You" and "You're the Top" and her powerful vocals and tap dancing blew me away in "Anything Goes" and "Blow, Gabriel, Blow." Eagle, who has a beautiful voice, is perfect as the romantic ingenue Hope and she has tremendous chemistry with Bills, who is very charming as Billy, in "Easy to Love" and "It’s De-Lovely." Kurzius and Hoffmann have smaller roles but they steal every scene they are in, especially during the songs "Be Like the Bluebird" and "The Gypsy in Me," respectively (the latter made me laugh out loud). This features some gorgeous period costumes with lots of sailor suits, tuxedos, and sparkly gowns. My favorites are the blue taffeta tea length dresses worn by the female ensemble in "It's De-Lovely" and "All Through the Night." Finally, I think this is one of the best sets I've seen at Hopebox because it is quite elaborate and includes the prow of a ship (complete with railings at the edge of the stage) and multiple doors upstage leading to cabins (there are a lot of hilarious comings and goings through these doors). As with every production at the Hopebox Theatre, the proceeds will go to someone battling cancer in the community (go here to meet the recipient for this show, Kirsten Jacobson). I loved this production and highly recommend getting a ticket (go here) because, not only will you be entertained, you will also be supporting a very worthwhile cause. It runs on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays through September 5.

The Pirates of Penzance at Murray Park Amphitheater

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

Cyrano de Bergerac at Parker Theatre

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