Bright Star at the Empress

Another show (currently very popular with Utah theatre companies) that I don't think I will ever get tired of seeing no matter how many times it is produced is Bright Star.  I absolutely love it because it is a beautiful and moving story about love and redemption with incredible bluegrass music by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell.  I got to see the Empress Theatre's version last night and it is amazing!  The story takes place in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina during the 1920s and just after World War II.  After the war, Billy Cane (Bradley Barker) briefly returns to his hometown of Hayes Creek and reunites with his father (Kaleb Hunt) and childhood friend Margo Crawford (Stephanie Benson) before deciding to try writing for a magazine in Asheville where he meets the uptight editor Alice Murphy (Heather Shelley).  When the magazine staff, Lucy Grant (Makayla Porter) and Daryl Ames (Sam Phillips), tease her about her boring existence, we see Alice (literally) transform into the wild and rebellious girl she once was in the small town of Zebulon where she has a romance with and is cruelly parted from the Mayor's son Jimmy Ray Dobbs (Trevor Noble).  The narrative goes back and forth from one timeline to the other as Alice learns to deal with heartache and loss and Billy learns the importance of home and the one who really loves him.  The best part of this show is the music and this production includes an incredible live band on stage, featuring Ashley Joseph on cello, Isaiah Perez on bass, Spencer Kellogg on banjo and guitar, Natalie Cardon on violin and viola, Stacy Mayren on piano, Joe DeSisto on keyboard, Kim Brown on fiddle, JD Robison on drums, Christian Porter on mandolin, and Brandon Kerby on acoustic guitar.  I have seen this show many times and I am very familiar with all of the twists and turns in the plot but I was still reduced to tears by the emotional performances by Shelley and Noble in the songs "Please, Don't Take Him," "Heartbreaker," and "I Had a Vision."   I also really loved how Shelley is able to differentiate between her uptight persona in Asheville and her rebellious persona in Zebulon, especially during "Way Back in the Day" and "Firmer Hand/ Do Right."  One of my favorite songs is "Asheville" and Benson gives a beautiful performance of it and she has tremendous chemistry with Barker (who is very appealing as Billy) in "Always Will."  The choreography in "Picnic Dance" and "Another Round" is fun and spirited and the staging is very clever with a set that looks like an old and weathered barn with various pieces for Margo's bookstore, Alice's office, the Mayor's office, and various cabins moved on and off seamlessly by the ensemble.  I wondered how a key scene involving a train would be staged, because it is sometimes tricky to pull off and it needs to be an emotional turning point in the show, but I was extremely impressed with how it is done using a platform above the stage and projections.  I cannot recommend this show enough but, unfortunately, the remaining performances today are sold out (with good reason).  However, standby tickets are sometimes available at the door on a first come, first served basis!

Jekyll & Hyde at CPT

When my sister Kristine and I took a theatre trip to New York City in the summer of 1997 we were able to see the original cast of Jekyll & Hyde (featuring Linda Eder as Lucy and including the song "Good 'N' Evil" which was my favorite but is no longer in the show). We saw quite a few shows on that trip but Jekyll & Hyde was definitely our favorite so I was really excited to see it again with both my sisters (and my brother-in-law) last night at CPT. The three of us absolutely loved this production (my brother-in-law was definitely not a fan). This musical is loosely based on the novella by Robert Louis Stevenson and tells the story of Dr. Henry Jekyll (Christian Lackman), a passionate man of science who wants to save his ailing father by finding a chemical formula to separate good from evil in mankind, his alter-ego Mr. Edward Hyde, a terrifying madman created when Jekyll's experiments on himself unleash his inner demons, and the two women, his fiancee Emma Carew (Karllen Johnson) and a prostitute named Lucy Harris (Jessica Knowles Andrus), who love him but are unaware of his dark secret. As Jekyll struggles to control the monster within, he becomes a danger to the citizens of London, to Emma and Lucy, and to himself. I love the music in this show and the three leads do a fantastic job with the rock opera score. Johnson has a beautiful voice and I loved her rendition of "Once Upon a Dream" but the highlight for me was when she and Andrus sing "In His Eyes" because their voices blend together so well. Andrus has an incredibly powerful voice and she just about blows the roof off the theatre with "Bring on the Men" and "A New Life" (although I still think "Good 'N' Evil" makes more narrative sense than "Bring on the Men" because this is the turning point that convinces Jekyll to begin experimenting on himself) and her performance of "A Dangerous Game" with Lackman is incredibly passionate. I really enjoyed Lackman's unique interpretations of Jekyll in the song "This is the Moment" and of Hyde in "Alive" and "Streak of Madness" because each character has a distinct persona but "Confrontation," where both characters battle for control, isn't as dramatic as I've seen it done before. I also really enjoyed the ensemble in "Facade" (the use of mirrors as a motif for hiding who you really are, in this scene and throughout the show, is very well done) but the other big musical number, "Murder, Murder," drags a bit. The incredible set is one of the best aspects of this production and it really brings Victorian London to life. There is a dramatic backdrop featuring buildings with windows that light up and a multi-level area downstage used to create many different vignettes. Jekyll's laboratory comes down from the rafters and features bubbling potions and moving cogs and wheels (it's really cool). The lighting design is dark and atmospheric with spotlights on the aforementioned vignettes and the period costumes are very effective in revealing the ways in which the characters are hiding their true natures, particularly in "Facade." I love this show and this production is so good!  It runs on the Barlow Main Stage through October 21 (go here for tickets).

Note:  In case you couldn't tell, I'm sad that the show no longer includes "Good 'N' Evil"  but I did get to hear Linda Eder sing it again during a concert with the Utah Symphony!

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the Eccles

I have seen Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat so many times I've lost count so it takes something special to pique my interest in seeing yet another production.  When I found out that Casey Elliott (my sister has turned me into a huge fan) would be starring as Joseph in a concert version of the show with Lexi Walker as the Narrator and other well-known actors from the Utah theatre scene in the cast, I immediately bought a ticket!  The show was last night and Elliott is the best Joseph I have ever seen (I am still extremely bitter that I saw the understudy instead of Donny Osmond when the Broadway touring production was in town).  It tells the well-known Bible story of how Joseph rises to become the Pharaoh's second-in-command after his brothers betray him for being their father's favorite with songs that span every musical genre.  This is a concert rather than a full production but it features really fun costumes, exciting choreography, and a simple multi-level set.  The brothers, including Kyle Olsen (sigh) as Reuben, Abram Yarbro as Simeon, Zac Wilson as Levi, Matthew Sanguine as Naphtali, Corwin Belnap as Issachar, Keith Goodrich as Asher, Avery Ernsberger as Dan, Scotty Fletcher as Zebulon, McCade Matheson as Gad, Yahosh Bonner as Judah, and Joey Hokulani as Benjamin, each have a different color of athleisure wear with Joseph in white and the wives, including Abby Miller, Keyara Hebdon, Adrien Swenson, Maggie Christensen, Bailey Matheson, Eliza Lucero, and Emma Andreasen Moore, wear sparkly black outfits with shoes in a color that corresponds to a brother.  Accessories are added for various numbers and I especially loved the tinsel fringe coats (made famous by Taylor Swift) worn by the wives in "Go, Go, Go Joseph" and the berets worn by the brothers in "Those Canaan Days." The set looks a bit like a pyramid, which works especially well for "Song of a King," and has four different levels (Walker sometimes struggled to reach the different levels with her stiletto heels but her reactions to her wobbles were so funny) with lights on the edge of each one that flash and change colors (I loved the lighting effects for "Close Every Door" because they look like a prison). The fabulous live orchestra sits on stage on either side of the set and the One Voice Children's Choir is located behind it.  While the songs don't have the usual staging they do have some great choreography, especially "Jacob and Sons," "One More Angel in Heaven," "Go, Go, Go Joseph," "Song of a King," "Those Canaan Days," and "Mega Mix." The performances are outstanding and the audience responded the most to Elliott's powerful rendition of "Close Every Door" (he and the choir just about blew the roof off the Eccles Theatre), Walker's "A Pharaoh's Story," Shaun Johnson's hilarious "Song of a King," and Bonner's interpretation of "Benjamin Calypso."  This was so much fun and I recommend getting a ticket to one of the two remaining performances today (go here).

Around the World in 80 Days at HCT

If there is one thing that sets Hale Centre Theatre apart from all of the other local theatre companies it is their ability to create dazzling and awe-inspiring spectacles on their million dollar state of the art stage and that is exactly what they have done with their latest production, Around the World in 80 Days. I had the chance to see it last night and I loved it because it is so much fun! The story, based on the novel of the same name by Jules Verne, is simple and centers on a wager that a wealthy and eccentric Victorian gentleman named Phileas Fogg (Will Ingram) makes with the members of his club. He bets half of his fortune that he can circumnavigate the globe in 80 days and he and his hapless valet Passepartout (Ryan Simmons) set off that very night! Soon Inspector Fix (BJ Whimpey), who believes that Fogg robbed the Bank of England, and Mrs. Aouda (Niki Rahimi), a woman they rescue from a funeral pyre in India, join them to visit various exotic ports around the world as they race the clock to return to London in time. This adaptation by Laura Eason is highly theatrical and every port of call, including Suez, Bombay, Calcutta, Hong Kong, Yokohama, Chicago, and Liverpool, features wildly imaginative sequences with beautiful costumes (I loved all of Mrs. Aouda's elaborate dresses), dynamic projections (I loved the routes shown on various maps as they travel), clever sets (I loved the use of steamer trunks on all of the different modes of transportation), and energetic choreography with aerialists (Dave Hollerbach, Lance Nielsen, Mandi Johnson, Jessica Kehl, Alyssa Larson, and Samantha Nielsen) performing on various apparatuses (I loved the silks). My favorite sequences are an elephant ride in India, an encounter in an opium den in Hong Kong, a circus in Yokohama, a Wild West train robbery, and a storm at sea. This is not a musical per se but there is a stirring soundtrack that complements the action very well (I particularly loved the use of an aria from the opera I Pagliacci). The whole show is staged as a Victorian melodrama with red velvet curtains around the theater, vaudeville style footlights surrounding the stage, and chandeliers hanging from the rafters. Queen Victoria (Julie Silvestro) even watches the show from the audience! The actors also mimic vaudeville performers and I was especially impressed with Simmons because his physicality is brilliant and his facial expressions are hilarious and completely over the top. The aerialists are simply amazing (I do not know how they do what they do and I couldn't take my eyes off them) and the ensemble (who all play multiple roles and move set pieces seamlessly on and off stage) is also outstanding. This is a show that is not to be missed and I cannot recommend it enough! It runs on the Young Living Centre Stage through October 21 (go here for tickets).

Into the Woods at the SCERA Center for the Performing Arts

I sometimes get a little bit exasperated because all of the theatre companies near me seem to cycle through the same popular shows (Clue is the current darling) but one show that I don't think I will ever get tired of seeing no matter how often it is performed is Into the Woods. I love it so much because the story is clever, the music is beautiful, and the messages are both incredibly thought-provoking and poignant. I was able to see a production at the SCERA Center for the Performing Arts last night and I thoroughly enjoyed it! Several fairy tale characters must go into the woods to make their wishes come true: a Witch (Samantha Frisby) wishes to reverse a curse, a Baker (Marshall Lamm) and his Wife (Rian Gordon) wish to have a child, Cinderella (Lauren Pope) wishes to attend the festival and meet a prince, Jack (Cole Hixson) wishes to save his cow Milky White (Shannon Follette) from being sold at market, and Little Red Riding Hood (Eliza Johnson) wishes to visit her Grandmother (Shannon Follette). However, having a wish come true does not always result in a happily ever after and actions can have unintended consequences. The entire cast is outstanding, especially for a community theatre, and I was so impressed with the execution of every musical number! My favorite was, as always, "Agony" because Cameron Ward, as Cinderella's Prince, and Isaac Moss, as Rapunzel's Prince, are hilariously overwrought with facial expressions and gestures that are completely over the top! I also enjoyed "It Takes Two" because it is an important turning point for the Baker and his Wife and Lamm and Gordon, who have great chemistry, give very spirited performances, "The Last Midnight" because Frisby sings it so powerfully, and "No One Is Alone" because it is such a beautiful moment and Lamm, Pope, Hixson, and Johnson gave me goosebumps with their moving rendition. The staging is really innovative with lots of fun special effects and I particularly liked the use of books to represent the birds that help Cinderella and the flowers that lure Little Red Riding Hood from the path as well as a beanstalk that actually grows. The set is fantastic and looks like an abandoned house that has been overtaken by a forest (an interesting interpretation that I have never seen before) with ivy covered bookcases in the midst of the trees. The lighting design is dramatic, especially the lanterns, and the costumes are straight out of a fairy tale (my favorites were those worn by the Witch both before and after her transformation). I will always love seeing this show and this production put a smile on my face! It runs through October 7 on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays and I definitely recommend it (go here for tickets).

Utah Shakespeare Festival 2023

Marilyn and I spent Friday and Saturday at the Utah Shakespeare Festival in Cedar City.  We both look forward to this annual trip all year (we brought our tickets last November) and we had so much fun!

Our first show on Friday afternoon was The Play That Goes Wrong in the Randall Jones Theatre.  Marilyn had never seen it before and she was laughing out loud before it even started because the stage crew was looking in the audience for a missing dog!  The titular play that goes wrong is the Cornley Drama Society's production of The Murder at Haversham Manor by Susie H. K. Bridewell.  The cast includes Max (Jim Poulos) as Cecil Haversham/ Arthur the Gardner, Chris (Rhett Guter) as Inspector Carter, Jonathan (Jeffrey Marc Alkins) as Charles Haversham, Robert (Blake Henri) as Thomas Colleymore, Dennis (Chris Mixon) as Perkins the Butler, and Sandra (Nazlah Black) as Florence Colleymore with Annie (Melinda Parrett) as the put upon Stage Manager and Trevor (Cameron Vargas) as the Sound and Lighting Director.  The set is slowly falling apart, the props malfunction or go missing, Trevor accidentally plays Duran Duran instead of the sound cues, the aforementioned missing dog is never found, one actor cannot stay still while playing the murder victim, one actor cannot remember his lines, one actor continually breaks the fourth wall to milk the audience for applause, and the leading lady is injured halfway through the show and is replaced by Annie and then Trevor (with scripts in hand) but the show must go on!  My favorite aspect of this production is the physical comedy, especially when Cecil and Thomas have to answer the phone with their hands full, when Sandra and Annie have a long and drawn out fight to play Florence, and when Thomas and Inspector Carter are trapped in the second floor study.  The cast is superb and everyone has amazing comedic timing, particularly Henri and Poulos.  The set is fantastic because it falls apart so spectacularly!  Both Marilyn and I loved it!

On Friday night we saw Romeo and Juliet in the Engelstad Shakespeare Theatre.  As I've mentioned, this is my least favorite Shakespeare play but this rendition was more faithful to the text than the version I saw recently and I always appreciate that (even though I loved that production).  This play tells the well known story of woe about the star-crossed lovers from rival houses, Juliet (Naiya Vanessa McCalla) and her Romeo (Aamar-Malik Culbreth).  I really loved McCalla's interpretation of Juliet because she is really sassy in her interactions with Romeo (especially when she interrupts him during the balcony scene) and bossy towards her Nurse (Alex Keiper) in Act I and almost defiant in her interactions with Lord Capulet (Tim Fullerton) when forced to marry Paris (Marco Antonio Vega) in Act II.  I also really enjoyed Culbreth's performance because his Romeo is incredibly impulsive and I was quite shocked by a scene between him and Tybalt (Gilberto Saenz).  Speaking of which, the fight choreography is really dynamic and exciting to watch.  I loved the period costumes and, while the set is very minimal, the colorful ribbons hanging from the rafters during the ball make a very dramatic impression.  My biggest complaint, which kept me from loving this production, is the portrayal of Mercutio (Ryan Ruckman).  He is supposed to be Romeo's friend and contemporary (Ruckman is quite a bit older than Culbreth) and he is also meant to be witty with a way with words but Ruckman portrays him as a drunken and dissolute rogue which makes his rebuke of both the Montagues and Capulets as he is dying less powerful.  Both Marilyn and I enjoyed this performance but we didn't love it.

Saturday afternoon we went back to the Randall Jones Theatre for a production of Emma: The Musical and it was lovely.  Emma Woodhouse (Allie Babich) meets her match when she tries her matchmaking skills with her protegee Harriet Smith (Laura Brennan) and Mr. Elton (Jim Poulos), Mr. Churchill (Gilberto Saenz), then Mr. Knightley (Rhett Guter).  This is one of my favorite novels by Jane Austen and, even though the songs are not particularly memorable (they mainly consist of large chunks of exposition that are sung), I really loved this adaptation.  The cast is outstanding and I especially enjoyed Babich because she has a beautiful voice and her characterization of the conniving but likable Emma is hysterical (especially during "The Recital") but Brennan steals the show as Harriet (especially when she controls Emma like a marionette in the reprise of "Humiliation" which mimics how Emma treats her and Mr. Elton in "A Gentleman's Daughter").  Guter is an appealing Mr. Knightley (Marilyn really liked him) and I loved Saenz as the preening Mr. Churchill, particularly all of his poses during "Should We Ever Meet" (I also liked him as Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet the night before).  Melinda Parrett as Miss Bates and Chris Mixon as the hypochondriac Mr. Woodhouse are also standouts in the cast.  The set, featuring rose covered arches and wisteria laden columns, is absolutely gorgeous and the regency period costumes (I loved all of the empire waists) are beautiful.  Marilyn and I loved this!

Out final show on Saturday night was A Midsummer Night's Dream in the Engelstad Shakespeare Theatre.  This was my most anticipated show of the festival because I taught this play for so many years and it did not disappoint!  In fact, it was my favorite show!  The course of true love does not run smooth when Oberon (Corey Jones), the King of the Fairies, has Puck (Max Gallagher) play a trick on Titania (Cassandra Bissell), the Queen of the Fairies, which inadvertently involves four lovers from Athens, Hermia (Naiya Vanessa McCall), Lysander (Aamar-Malik Culbreth), Helena (Kayland Jordan), and Demetrius (Jimmy Nguyen), and Nick Bottom (Topher Embrey) the weaver.  I loved so many things about this production!  The set for Athens is very classical with large columns and fabric covered walls but, once the characters go into the woods, the columns become trees (which are moved around and light up) and the fabric is removed to reveal intricate panels of flowers and a moon made of twigs and lights.  It is really cool, especially when the columns are moved to show that the characters are lost in the woods.  Since the woods are in juxtaposition with Athens, I loved seeing the actors who play Oberon, Titania, and Puck also portray Theseus, Hippolyta, and Philostrate (they are all really good).  I loved the entire cast but my favorites are Jordan as Helena, because her interactions with the the other lovers are so over the top, and Embrey, because his antics had me laughing throughout the entire show (but especially during the performance of Pyramus and Thisbe for the Duke).  The costumes are some of the best I've seen at the festival (especially for all of the fairies) and I loved that the four lovers gradually come undressed as they come undone!  This was such a fun play to end our time at the festival with because we loved it so much!

I enjoyed all four plays this year and I am happy to report that the tarts are as delicious as in years past (I had several).  I am already looking forward to next year!

[title of show] at the Grand Theatre

Last night I went to see [title of show] at the Grand Theatre and, once again, I was really happy to have the chance to see a show with which I was unfamiliar!  This musical about the writing of a musical is clever and funny (especially if you are a fan of Broadway) and I really enjoyed it.  Jeff (Jacob Barnes) and Hunter (Brian Cota) are two struggling writers living and working temp jobs in New York.  They hear about a new musical theatre festival and, even though the deadline for submissions is only three weeks away, they decide to enter with the help of their friends Susan (Ashley Coombs) and Heidi (Michelle Lynn Thompson) and a pianist named Larry (Jonathan McDonald).  As they struggle to write material for an entirely original musical, they realize that their conversations about writing the musical are more interesting than what they are writing and that becomes the show.  Once it is accepted by the festival, the show's subject becomes the process of mounting a show Off-Broadway and then transferring it to Broadway (including videos on YouTube called The [title of show] Show that you can actually find on YouTube).  It is so meta because Jeff Bowen (music and lyrics) and Hunter Bell (book) really wrote the show about their experiences with their friends Susan Blackwell and Heidi Blickenstaff and the four of them actually starred in productions both on and off Broadway with Larry Pressgrove as musical director!  It is so fun!  My favorite songs are "An Original Musical," about how hard it is to come up with an original idea (I loved the lyric that makes fun of turning movies into musicals), "Die, Vampire, Die," about refusing to listen to the doubts inside your head about your art, "Change It/Don't Change It," about refusing to abandon your original idea to make it more commercial, and "Nine People's Favorite Thing," about being proud of your work no matter what.  The song "Secondary Characters" also made me laugh (this show explores a lot of the tropes found in Broadway musicals).  All of the actors do a great job with the material and give energetic performances but I was especially impressed with McDonald because he plays the piano on stage.  Speaking of which, the audience is also located on the stage (it is a so-called Backstage Production) so it really feels like you are observing the writing process inside Jeff's loft apartment.  I was very pleasantly surprised by this show and I would definitely recommend it, especially to fans of musical theatre.  It runs at the Grand Theatre through September 9 with shows Thursday - Saturday (go here for tickets).

Note:  This show does contain a lot of profanity (in fact, there is a running bit about the need to clean up the language for families, tourists, and the ladies who see matinees).

Clue at HCTO

The hilarious slapstick comedy Clue was my favorite show at the Utah Shakespeare Festival last year (my sister, who is very reserved, laughed out loud multiple times) so I was really excited to see it again at HCTO last night. I wondered how they would be able to manage all of the complicated hi-jinks in the their small and intimate space but what they did is so clever it just might be my favorite staging of this show!  Six guests, including Colonel Mustard (David Knight), Mrs. Peacock (Lizzy Bean), Professor Plum (Spencer Bean), Mrs. White (Bonnie Wilson Whitlock), Mr. Green (Bryson Smellie), and Miss Scarlet (Laurel Asay Lowe), are invited by Mr. Boddy (Langi Tuifua) to his manor on a dark and stormy night under unusual circumstances.  Mr. Boddy has been blackmailing each of them and, after providing them with weapons, he informs them that he will return the evidence he has against them if they kill his butler Mr. Wadsworth (Blake Barlow).  Murder and mayhem ensue!  As I mentioned, the staging of this show is so clever!  The entire space has been transformed into Boddy Manor with parquet floors, mahogany wainscoting, and gold leaf wallpaper all around and a large chandelier in the center.  The actors use elaborate (and highly amusing) choreography to move from room to room as minimal set pieces are seamlessly configured on stage to become the hall, the lounge, the dining room, the study, the kitchen, the billiards room, and the conservatory.  I particularly enjoyed the use of a set of moving doors as the characters search the manor and a revolving bookcase.  This show is so funny because it is filled with witty dialogue (although the joke about Republicans didn't get the same response in Utah county as it has in other productions I've seen), sight gags, and physical comedy and it all happens at lightning speed!  The entire cast is outstanding with brilliant comedic timing but the standouts for me are Whitlock (one of my favorites at HCT and HCTO), because her facial expressions are priceless, Smellie, because his physicality throughout the entire show is commendable (particularly when he is trapped under two different bodies), and Barlow, because his high energy performance (especially when Wadsworth reenacts every murder in detail) is definitely the highlight of the show.  The costumes are a lot of fun (I liked that each character's costume features just a bit of their signature color) and the lighting is very effective at creating a mood.  I loved this production so much and, if you are looking for some laughs, I highly recommend getting a ticket (go here).  It runs at HCTO through September 23 but tickets are going fast!

Romeo and Juliet at Parker Theatre

My least favorite Shakespeare play is Romeo and Juliet but I decided to see a production at Parker Theatre last night because my friend Karen highly recommended it and I have really come to love this theatre. They did some interesting things with it and I actually liked it! The Montagues and Capulets are two noble families of Verona who have an ancient grudge against one another that escalates when Tybalt (Zachary Ballard), a Capulet, and Benvolio (Brendan Hanks), a Montague, get into a fight on the street. They are warned by the Prince (Lucas Charon) to stop disrupting the peace with their feud or face severe consequences. Soon Romeo (Dallin Suman), a Montague, and Juliet (Isabelle Purdie), a Capulet, fall in love and secretly wed despite the fact that their families are enemies. However, they find themselves in a hopeless situation after Romeo kills Tybalt to avenge the death of his friend Mercutio (Spencer Hohl). Romeo is banished and Juliet's family forces her to marry Paris (Michael Kelly) so Friar Lawrence (Palmer Scott) devises a plan for them to be together but it ends in tragedy which ultimately leads to peace between Montague (Bryson Dumas) and Capulet (Joseph Kyle Rogan). Some creative liberties are taken with the original text and, while I am usually not a fan of doing that, I think the changes make the play more accessible. My audience responded with lots of laughter to many of the anachronistic ad-libs and to the updated character of the Nurse (Madeline Thatcher) who seems more like a sympathetic friend to Juliet rather than a caregiver. I also really liked the update to Tybalt's character because he seems incredibly volatile and irrationally angry at all of the Montagues and this serves to emphasize that the division between the two families is groundless and unreasonable. There is also an interesting twist involving Lady Montague (Missy Stebbing) that adds to the devastation in the final act. I was quite impressed with many members of the cast. Purdie, especially, gives a highly nuanced performance (a highlight of the show for me) that brilliantly showcases Juliet's arc. She is a young and naive girl when the audience first meets her but she visibly matures over the course of the play and her performance in the scenes where she mourns the death of Tybalt and discovers Romeo's dead body in the tomb is truly heartbreaking. As previously mentioned, Thatcher provides a lot of comic relief with her interactions with Juliet but her discovery of Juliet's lifeless body is incredibly affecting. I always think of Romeo as feckless (which is why I find the play to be so problematic) but Suman really leans into his immaturity, especially in the scene where the Nurse demands that a sniveling Romeo go to Juliet after the death of Tybalt (it is so powerful), and this interpretation worked for me. I also liked Hohl's Mercutio because he gives the character a swagger to match his wit. The beautiful set is another highlight of this production and I especially loved the symmetry of the balconies, arches, columns, and staircases on either side of the stage to represent the two houses. The fight choreography uses the various levels very effectively to add visual interest. Speaking of which, I was particularly struck by the lighting design in this show, which is unusual for me, because it creates so many beautiful vignettes (the wedding scene is gorgeous). Even if you are not a fan of this particular play I definitely recommend getting a ticket to this imaginative retelling (go here). It runs through September 2 with performances on Friday and Saturday evenings and Saturday matinees.

Beauty and the Beast at the Terrace Plaza Playhouse

I now have a new favorite production at the Terrace Plaza Playhouse! Last night I saw Beauty and the Beast and words cannot express how much I loved this show! I loved everything about it starting with the stellar cast. Everyone is very well suited to their particular role and I enjoyed every single performance. Olivia Lusk-Garibay is an absolutely beautiful Belle and she has a beautiful voice to match. Her versions of "Home" and "A Change In Me" are incredibly moving (the latter gave me goosebumps). Daniel Sessions is a gruff but sympathetic Beast and his rendition of "If I Can't Love Her" is a highlight of the show (I loved the staging of this because all of the enchanted objects comfort him throughout). Stefan Kurzius brings a lot of physicality to the role of Gaston and I laughed out loud every time he manhandled Belle in "Me." Quacee Dorby is hilarious as LeFou and I loved the energy he brings to "Gaston." David J. Madsen is so endearing as Maurice and the Silly Girls (Ginny Waldron, Janelle Wiser, and Maura Gardner) are a lot of fun to watch because of their facial expressions. The actors portraying the enchanted objects, including Cody Eisenbarth as Cogsworth, Jacob Draper as Lumiere, Kellie Chapman as Babette, Kim Tolman as Mrs. Potts, Parker Tolman as Chip, and Lorinda Griffiths as Madame de la Grande Bouche, each perfectly embody their object's characteristics. Another highlight of this production is the choreography because the big song and dance numbers are spectacular and integrate a large cast into the intimate space very effectively, particularly all of the townspeople in "Belle," "Gaston," and "The Mob Song," the dancing dishes in "Be Our Guest" (I loved the tap dancing plates), and all of the enchanted objects in "Human Again." The waltz during "Beauty and the Beast" is so romantic! All of the costumes are simply amazing, the best I've seen at the Terrace Plaza Playhouse! The attention to detail in the costumes for the enchanted objects is incredible and I loved that Lumiere's candles light up, Mrs. Pott's spout has steam coming out of it, and Madeame de la Grande Bouche's doors open. Belle's iconic yellow dress is lovely (I loved the roses sewn on the top skirt) and the cape worn by the Enchantress is dazzling. Finally, I was so impressed with the set! It features four large, beautifully painted, three-sided panels on casters that are turned to become the village, the castle, the hunting lodge, and the library and there are set pieces on either side of the stage for the west wing of the castle (watch the rose petals carefully) and Belle's chamber. I have seen much bigger and more elaborate versions of this musical (including the Broadway touring production and one at Tuacahn) but I was absolutely charmed by what the Terrace Plaza Playhouse did with it and I think everyone should go see it!  Go here for tickets.

Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella at the Empress

I was able to see the final performance of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella at the Empress last night and I was absolutely enchanted by it.  Not only is this one of my favorite productions at the Empress it is one of my favorite productions of this show (and I've seen quite a few of them, including one last month).  This is a more contemporary version of the classic fairy tale and, while I didn't like the first production I saw, it is definitely growing on me.  Cinderella (Joy Austin) rescues Prince Topher (Aaron Allred) from the Lord Protector Sebastian (Brandon Walton) who is deceiving him about the conditions of his kingdom.  Her Fairy Godmother is a crazy beggar woman named Marie (Cassie Hurt-McLarty) who shows her that she has the power to make her own dreams come true and her stepsister Gabrielle (Chelsea West) becomes a sympathetic co-conspirator against the machinations of her stepmother Madame (Jenn George) and her stepsister Charlotte (Bridges Eatchel) as she pursues her own romance with the revolutionary Jean-Michel (Robert Campbell).  She eventually brings about a happily ever after for everyone by convincing Topher to form a constitutional monarchy.  This features a really strong cast and I was particularly impressed with Austin and Allred because they have lovely voices and I loved their romantic renditions of "Ten Minutes Ago" and "Do I Love You Because You're Beautiful?"  I also loved George (a regular at the Empress and one of my favorites) because her Madame is so imperious and Eatchel because her rendition of "Stepsister's Lament" made me laugh out loud!  However, my favorite was Hurt-McLarty because I loved her vocal performances of "Impossible/ It's Possible" and "There Is Music In You" and her characterization is hilarious (she is always in character with crazy facial expressions and bits of business whenever she is on stage even when the focus is not on her).  The choreography is a lot of fun, especially in "The Prince Is Giving a Ball/ Now Is The Time" and "Ten Minutes Ago" (it is so magical).  I really liked the staging of "Me, Who Am I?" because it involves a child's rocking horse (every production I've seen has portrayed Prince Topher's horse Buttercup differently) and the "Transformation" because the mice who become the horses for Cinderella's coach are portrayed by four adorable little girls.  The costumes are beautiful, particularly the sparkling white gown Cinderella wears to the ball and the elaborate gold frogging on Prince Topher's many uniforms, and I loved the giant clock overlooking the stage and Cinderella's coach.  As I mentioned, last night was the final performance of the run but tickets are available for the upcoming shows Bright Star and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (go here) and you don't want to miss them.

Singin' in the Rain at the SCERA Shell Outdoor Theatre

Last night I had a great time at the SCERA Shell Outdoor Theatre watching a really fun production of Singin' in the Rain (my second one of the summer).  It tells the well-known story of how a silent film star of the 1920s dubs the voice of his obnoxious partner with that of an aspiring actress with whom he is in love after the studio transitions to talking movies. What I love most about this show is all of the big song and dance numbers and they are absolutely spectacular in SCERA's version.  I especially enjoyed the choreography in "Moses Supposes" and "Broadway Melody" because they feature fantastic tapping and that always impresses me. "Make 'Em Laugh" and "Good Mornin'" are also a lot of fun because they integrate set pieces and props into the dancing and I was enchanted by "You Were Meant for Me" because it is so romantic with some cool lighting and special effects. However, the highlight of the show is, of course, the iconic number "Singin' in the Rain" because it actually rains on stage! It was thrilling to watch all of the exuberant high energy dancing and splashing in the puddles! Both TJ Thomas, as Don Lockwood, and Heidi Hughes, as Kathy Seldon, are great singers and dancers and have tremendous chemistry, particularly in "You Were Meant for Me" and "You Are My Lucky Star."  Tia Trimble, as Lina Lamont, is an absolute hoot and I laughed out loud during her rendition of "What's Wrong With Me?"  I also really enjoyed Tanner Frederickson's brilliant comedic timing and physicality as Don's sidekick Cosmo Brown. The set is amazing (one of the major highlights of the show) with the logo for Monumental Pictures above a red curtain, that opens and closes to reveal a giant screen, and stairs that light up.  This becomes a sound stage where the movies are filmed and a theater where they are viewed (the movie footage is incredibly well done) with the addition of a few props (which are cleverly brought on and off stage by members of the ensemble acting as the crew for a large film production). On one side of the stage there is an elaborate entrance to the theater and on the other is a street corner including the famous lamp post! Finally, the 1920s period costumes are impressive with lots of sequined flapper dresses and argyle sweaters! This is the perfect show to see outside on a summer evening and I highly recommend it (go here for tickets). It runs through August 22 with performances every night but Wednesday and Sunday.

Beetlejuice at the Eccles

Believe it or not I have never seen the movie Beetlejuice (the people I sit by at the Eccles Theater were incredulous when I mentioned this) so I didn't really know what to expect when I saw the musical adaptation last night.  It ended up being a lot of fun and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  Beetlejuice (Andrew Kober) is a lonely demon who is tired of being invisible but in order to be seen he needs someone who is alive to say his name three times.  He enlists the help of Barbara and Adam Maitland (Britney Coleman and Will Burton, respectively), a recently deceased but very mild-mannered couple, and convinces them to haunt their former house which is now owned by Charles Deetz (Jesse Sharp) and his daughter Lydia (Isabella Esler).  She is obsessed with death because she is still mourning the loss of her mother and this enables her to see the Maitlands and Beetlejuice.  Chaos ensues as Lydia uses Beetlejuice and the Maitlands to stop her father from replacing her mother with her life coach Delia (Kate Marilly) and to find her mother in the Netherworld while Beetlejuice uses her to bring him to life.  As with many musicals that are adapted from popular movies, most of the songs (except for"Dead Mom" and "Home" which are my favorites from the show) are not particularly memorable but the performances more than make up for this.  Kober acts as a sort of Master of Ceremonies and breaks the fourth wall with lots of off-color but humorous asides to the audience.  His renditions of "The Whole 'Being Dead' Thing," and its many reprises, "Fright of Their Lives," "Say My Name," and "That Beautiful Sound" are incredibly frenetic and highly entertaining with an ensemble backing him up as a marching band and cheerleaders, a gospel choir, cloned versions of himself, and large skeleton puppets.  Marilly brings a lot of comedy and physicality to "No Reason" and both Coleman and Burton are the perfect foils to Kober's mania in "Fright of Their Lives" and "Say My Name."  However, the star of the show, in my opinion, is Esler.  Her version of "Dead Mom" is incredibly moving as Lydia asks her mother to help her through her grief.  I think this show loses a bit of focus and momentum in the second act but the song "Home" is such a beautiful turning point because Lydia realizes that her mother is dead but that there are people in her life who love her and Esler just about blows the roof off the Eccles Theater singing it.  I loved all of the special effects, especially how falling into the Netherworld is depicted, the amazing set featuring a house that is transformed multiple times, and the iconic Beetlejuice striped suit (which I saw many people in the audience wearing).  I enjoyed this so much more than I expected and I am sure fans of the movie will love it (although the people around me told me that it differed quite a bit from the source material but in a good way).  It runs at the Eccles Theater through Sunday August 13 (go here for tickets).

Catch Me If You Can at HCT

It is always really refreshing when I have the chance to see a play or musical with which I am not familiar (all of the theaters around me tend to cycle through the same popular shows) so I was excited for Catch Me If You Can at HCT last night. This is not the musical adaptation of the movie starring Tom Hanks and Leonardo DiCaprio but a cat and mouse mystery that kept me guessing until the very end! An advertising executive named Daniel Corban (Dallin Bradford) is honeymooning in the Catskills Mountains at a cabin owned by his boss. When his new wife Elizabeth goes missing after an argument, he coerces the bumbling local detective Inspector Levine (Jason Hackney), who is also investigating the theft of an expensive bracelet at a nearby hotel, into looking for her. Eventually the local priest, Father Kelleher (David Weekes), brings Elizabeth (Meg Flinders) back to the cabin but this woman is not his wife and this sets off a series of mysterious events, including murder, after Daniel is unable to convince Levine that she is an impostor. I really enjoyed this because it is filled with lots of twists and turns and red herrings but, when the mystery is finally solved, you realize that all of the clues have been there all along. It is so clever! Bradford gives an incredibly compelling performance because Daniel becomes more and more confused as the play goes on and you never really know if he is losing his mind or not and this provides a lot of tension. Hackney provides a bit of comic relief as a wise-cracking inspector who pits Daniel and Elizabeth against each other. Flinders also gives a brilliant performance because her portrayal of such an unlikable character is highly exaggerated and I loved the hostile interactions between her and Bradford as they attempt to outwit each other. The set, featuring a multi-level luxury cabin in the mountains, is really impressive with lots of 1960s period verisimilitude and I especially loved the wall of windows upstage through which projections of the woods are shown, the working fire pit, and the curved sofa. It was also fun to see the attention to detail with all of the props (so many ashtrays) and costumes. This is a well-crafted and entertaining murder mystery that might surprise you as much as it did me and I definitely recommend it (go here for tickets). It runs on the Sorenson Legacy Jewel Box Stage through November 11.

Note:  Do not miss the fantastic production of Newsies on the Young Living Stage through August 26 (go here for tickets).

Something Rotten at CPT

I love the musical Something Rotten!  Because I am a former high school English teacher and a self-professed theatre junkie I feel like this hilarious spoof of Shakespeare and musical theatre was written just for me! I was so excited when I saw that it was part of the 2023 season at CPT and I couldn't wait for my sisters to experience it (I may or may not have been hyping it up to them for months). Needless to say they now love it as much as I do after seeing a performance last night!  Nick and Nigel Bottom (J.R. Moore and Zach Watts, respectively) are playwrights in London during the Renaissance but, unfortunately, they have not been very successful. Their patron, Lord Clapham (Doug Caldwell), is withdrawing his support, Shylock (Doug Caldwell) wants his loan repaid, Nick's wife Bea (Annie Ferrin) is pregnant, and Nigel has fallen in love with Portia (Grace Liljenquist), the daughter of a Puritan (Dan Call) who wants to shut down the theaters for debauchery. To make matters worse, they are constantly overshadowed by the immensely popular William Shakespeare (Isaac Carillo). In desperation, Nick consults with the soothsayer Nostradamus (Scott W. Butler) to see what will be popular in the future. He suggests writing a play with singing and dancing in one of my favorite numbers in the show, "A Musical." When inspiration fails yet again, Nick asks Nostradamus to look into the future to see what Shakespeare's most popular play will be but, instead of Hamlet, he sees omelette (so close!).  As Nick tries to produce Omelette: The Musical, Shakespeare suffers from writer's block in another one of my favorite numbers, "Hard to Be the Bard," and tries to steal his own play back! Chaos ensues until Nigel teaches Nick an important lesson in "To Thine Own Self." This show is hysterically funny and I honestly don't think I stopped laughing from beginning to end! I had so much fun spotting all of the references to musical theatre (my favorite is RENT in "A Musical") and to Shakespeare's plays (my favorite is Richard III in "Will Power"). The entire cast is outstanding! My sisters really liked Butler because of his fully committed physical performance when predicting the future and I loved Carillo because he is so over the top and plays Shakespeare as if he was a rock star strutting across the stage while posing for his adoring fans (his facial expressions when he hears Nigel's play about a Danish prince had me laughing so hard I couldn't breathe). The ensemble is also incredible, especially with the high energy choreography in "A Musical" and "Make an Omelette." Speaking of which, it is absolutely brilliant because it mimics the instantly recognizable choreography of the musicals being parodied (I loved the homage to "Sisters" in White Christmas as well as all of the Fosse-style Jazz hands and the high-kicking chorus lines).  The elaborate set, featuring half-timbered thatched-roof buildings and a replica of the Globe Theatre, and the Renaissance costumes are a lot of fun (although I missed Shakespeare's giant cod piece from the Broadway touring production). This is an incredibly entertaining show that will have you laughing out loud and I highly recommend it!  It runs on the Barlow Main Stage through September 2 (go here for tickets). My sisters and I want to see it again!

West Side Story at West Valley Arts

I have always really loved the musical West Side Story so I was very happy to have the opportunity to see a production at West Valley Arts last night! It is fantastic! The story revolves around the forbidden romance between Tony (Maxx Teuscher) and Maria (Samantha Paredes) and the animosity it stirs up between the Jets and the Sharks, two rival street gangs who are vying for territory. My favorite aspect of this particular show is the dynamic choreography by Ben Roeling! I especially loved the Prologue because it immediately establishes the tension between the two gangs just by using stylized movement, the Dance at the Gym because the way in which the Jets, the Sharks, and their girls part when Tony and Maria first see each other is incredibly dramatic, "America" because Anita (Sophia Morrill Mancilla) and the girls are so athletic and exuberant, the dream sequence during "Somewhere" because it is unbelievably ethereal and heartbreaking, and "Gee, Officer Krupke" with Action (Byerly Nielson) and the rest of the Jets because the physical comedy is hilarious. The performances in this show are outstanding and I particularly loved Teuscher's renditions of "Something's Coming" and "Maria" as well as his versions of "Tonight" and "One Hand, One Heart" with Paredes. Speaking of Paredes, her performance in the final scene is so affecting that it brought tears to my eyes. However, I was most impressed with Mancilla because her rage during "A Boy Like That" and her terror during the scene at the drug store when the Jets attack her are palpable. The minimal set, featuring brick walls and chain link fences surrounding the main stage and fire escapes (where the famous balcony scenes take place) in the areas above the wings, is very effective and so is the lighting design which uses warm reds for the Sharks and cool blues for the Jets. Having said that, I wish the costume design had done more to distinguish between the two gangs (especially at the dance) but I loved all of the period dresses with all of the layers of tulle. This is a beautiful production of a show with a powerful message that it still very relevant today and I highly recommend getting a ticket (go here). It runs at the West Valley Performing Arts Center through August 26 with performances on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame at Tuacahn Amphitheatre

I always like to see at least one show at Tuacahn every year so I took a quick road trip to St. George for The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Tarzan and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory are the other shows being performed in repertory) last night.  I really love this musical and I knew it would be spectacular against the red rock!  Quasimodo (Justin Luciano) has been hidden by his master Frollo (Randal Keith) in the bell tower of Notre Dame Cathedral all of his life because he is deformed.  He wonders what it would be like to leave the cathedral and decides that he will be safe on the streets of Paris during the Feast of Fools.  He is eventually crowned the King of the Fools but when the crowd turns on him the gypsy Esmeralda (Sophia Marie Guerrero) rescues him.  She also catches the eye of the captain of the cathedral guard Phoebus de Martin (Sean Thompson) who falls in love with her and she bewitches Frollo who becomes obsessed with possessing her.  When Esmeralda rejects Frollo, he orders Phoebus to arrest her but when he refuses they both become fugitives who are given sanctuary in the cathedral by Quasimodo until the final confrontation in the bell tower.  The four main leads are amazing!  My favorite song in the show is "God Help the Outcasts" and Guerrero sings it beautifully; Keith's version of "Hellfire" is incredibly dramatic (it is also staged brilliantly with a projection of Esmeralda dancing in flames on the rose window of the cathedral); Luciano's rendition of "Heaven's Light" brought tears to my eyes; and Thompson is so romantic when he sings "Someday" with Guerrero.  The ensemble also does an excellent job narrating the story in "The Bells of Notre Dame" and its multiple reprises.  One of my favorite aspects of the show is the use of gargoyles as characters who help and inspire Quasimodo.  Most productions that I've seen use three actors who are costumed as actual gargoyles but this show features many of them who appear on the outside of the cathedral and the bell towers and then are brought to life as puppets by the ensemble.  This change is particularly effective in the song "Made of Stone" when they accuse Quasimodo.  The choreography is very energetic and engaging, especially in "Topsy Turvy" (I loved the ribbons) and "The Rhythm of the Tambourine."  As with most productions at Tuacahn, there are lots of fun details which set this apart from the other versions I have seen.  Phoebus appears in the cathedral square for the first time on horseback, King Louis XI visits Frollo in a carriage pulled by horses, real fire is used to burn the brothel down, Quasimodo really swings from a rope to save Esmeralda from the pyre, and he really throws Frollo from the bell tower (with some amazing special effects).  Finally, the set is absolutely spectacular!  The stage is dominated by a Gothic cathedral with two large bell towers on either side.  A large screen behind the cathedral features various projections (I especially loved the beautiful rose window when the inside of the cathedral is shown) and I think they are used very effectively.  The area in front of the cathedral becomes a square with the addition of a few set pieces and it becomes the inside of the cathedral when the doors open and pews and votive stands are added.  I was very impressed with this show and I highly recommend it (go here for tickets to this and the other shows this season).

Newsies at HCT

There was a time when Newsies was at the top of the list of shows that I wanted to see. I was so eager to see it that I went to Los Angeles because it was playing at the Pantages Theatre and then the Broadway touring production came to SLC the following year so I got to see it again! I have since seen it multiple times (it is very popular in Utah) but I really love it and was so excited to see HCT's version last night! It is a fun production and I thoroughly enjoyed it! A group of newspaper delivery boys (and girls in this production) led by Jack Kelly (Matthew Sanguine) decide to go on strike when Joseph Pulitzer (Douglas Irey) raises the price of newspapers. With a little help from a fledgling reporter named Katherine Plumber (Rachel Martorana), the so-called newsies get the attention of Governor Theodore Roosevelt (Ryland Despain) and score a victory for all of the working children in New York. I love all of the music in this show but my favorite song has always been "The World Will Know." Sanguine and the ensemble performed it with so much passion that I had goosebumps! I also really enjoyed Martorana's rendition of "Watch What Happens" because she infuses it with both vulnerability and determination to succeed and Gunnar Russell (as Crutchie) gave the best performance I’ve seen of "Letter from the Refuge" because it is incredibly poignant! The highlight of this show has always been its high-energy choreography and HCT did not disappoint! Everyone in the ensemble is an amazing performer and the big production numbers "Carrying the Banner," "The World Will Know," "Seize the Day," "King of New York," and "Once and for All" are outstanding. The choreography features a few of the iconic leaps and spins from the original Broadway production but it is also innovative enough to keep it fresh and exciting. At first I felt that Sanguine was too old for the role of Jack (who is supposed to be a teenager) but he eventually won me over and I enjoyed his charisma and bravado. The other standouts in the cast for me were Hyrum Smith as Davey and Flynn Mitchell (who steals every scene he is in) as Les because they play off of Sanguine so well. The set also maintains the spirit of the original Broadway production but, because it is Hale, it is even more dramatic with one large multi-level metal tower in the middle of the stage which splits apart and is reconfigured multiple times. It is quite thrilling to see the actors climbing and swinging on all of the different levels and configurations. I did find the use of an actual chalkboard for the newspaper headlines, while clever, to be a bit underwhelming and it was hard to see Jack's drawings. The previous production of Newsies at HCT utilized the LED screens that surround the theatre for the headlines and drawings and I think that was more effective. Other than that minor complaint, I had a great time with this show and I highly recommend seeing it with your kids (the children and teens in my audience absolutely loved it).  It runs on the Young Living Centre Stage through August 26 (go here for tickets).

Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella at Murray Park Amphitheater

Last night I had so much fun at another summer outdoor performance.  This time I saw a production of Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella at Murray Amphitheater and it is enchanting!  In this more contemporary version of the classic fairy tale, Cinderella (Kennady Call) is a social reformer who must rescue Prince Topher (Mark Carter Williams) from the evil Lord Protector Sebastian (Alan Lafleur) who is deceiving him about the conditions in his kingdom.  Her stepmother Madame (Wendy Richhart) and stepsister Charlotte (Emma Thomas) treat her badly but her other stepsister Gabrielle (Katie Revels) becomes a sympathetic co-conspirator in pursuit of her own romance with a revolutionary named Jean-Michel (Remick F. Lafleur).  An old beggar woman named Marie (Katie Hill) becomes her Fairy Godmother after Cinderella shows her some kindness and, while she does help her get to the ball, she tells her that she herself has the power to make her dreams come true.  After falling in love with Cinderella at the ball, Topher takes her advice and turns his kingdom into a constitutional monarchy where everyone can live happily ever after.  I really liked the entire cast but Call and Hill are standouts for me because their roles require an impressive vocal range and they definitely deliver in the songs "In My Own Little Corner," "Impossible," "Glass Slipper/ It's Possible," and "There Is Music In You."  Williams also has a lovely voice and he has great chemistry with Call in the songs "Ten Minutes Ago" and "Do I Love You Because You're Beautiful."  Richhart and Thomas steal the show with all of their antics and I especially loved Richhart's evil laugh and Thomas' hilariously awkward rendition of "Stepsister's Lament."  The choreography is really clever, especially when the dancers mimic the hands of a clock in "Ten Minutes Ago."  I also enjoyed the staging of "Me, Who Am I" because Prince Topher rides his horse out into the audience and "The Pursuit" because members of the ensemble look for Cinderella in the audience with lanterns (the children were giving them lots of directions) and the transformation of the Fox, the Raccoon, and the Owl is ingenious (be sure to watch these puppets during the whole show).  Speaking of transformations, Marie's Fairy Godmother dress and Cinderella's sparkling ball gown are beautiful and the rest of the ball gowns are a lot of fun.  Finally, the set is one of the best I've seen at the Murray Park Amphitheater!  There is an elaborate palace with marble columns and a grand staircase leading to a balcony, a forest area, and the exterior of Cinderella's stone cottage.  Various set pieces are also brought in and my favorites were a water fountain used in "The Prince Is Giving a Ball" and Cinderella's golden carriage.  This is a wonderful show for families to enjoy in an outdoor setting and I highly recommend it!  There are performances on July 10, 13, 14, and 15 (go here for tickets).

Les Miserables at the Eccles

When I was in high school I wanted to see the musical Les Miserables more than anything I have ever wanted.  I finally had the chance on a study abroad trip to London in college and hearing those opening notes played live for the first time was an experience I will never forget!  I have now seen it at least 30 times (a conservative estimate) and I still get goosebumps when I hear those opening notes.  I had the opportunity to see it again last night since the Broadway touring production is currently at the Eccles Theatre and I loved it as much as I did the first time I saw it.  The story of Jean Valjean's redemption is so inspiring and the music is glorious (I really have to stop myself from singing every single word).  I always anticipate my favorite moments and this cast definitely did not disappoint me!  Haley Dortch (the best Fantine I have ever seen) was so beautiful and heartbreaking in "I Dreamed a Dream" that I had tears running down my face, Preston Truman Boyd (Javert) was incredibly powerful in "Stars," Devin Archer (Enjolras) made me want to stand up and cheer in "Do You Hear the People Sing," Nick Cartell (Valjean) gave a highly emotional performance of "Bring Him Home" which elicited the biggest response from the crowd all night, and Gregory Lee Rodriguez (Marius) reduced me to tears once again in "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables."  My favorite moment in the show is when Eponine sings "On My Own" and I always sit impatiently through the intermission waiting for it!  Christine Heesun Hwang gave a highly nuanced performance full of so many different emotions and I was very moved by it.  I also really enjoyed Christina Rose Hall (Madame Thenardier) because her characterization was a little different than what I have seen before.  This production features the new staging without the turntable and I actually prefer it because the sets and are much more elaborate and true to the events in the novel by Victor Hugo, especially the Prologue and "At the End of the Day."  I only miss the turntable in the scene where the barricade slowly turns after the battle to reveal Enjolras upside down holding the flag because that was so dramatic.  The projections in this newer production are also very effective and I particularly liked the different perspectives when Valjean carries Marius through the sewers and the visual effects used in Javert's "Soliloquy."  Even after seeing this show so many times I had an incredible experience last night (I will be on a high for days) and highly recommend getting one of the very few tickets available for the remaining shows (go here).  I would see it again if I could!