See How They Run at the Terrace Plaza Playhouse

I have been looking forward to the Terrace Plaza Playhouse's production of See How They Run for months because I played Miss Skillon in high school! It is such a funny play and I thoroughly enjoyed myself watching it last night! The action takes place in the vicarage of a village called Merton-Cum-Middlewick during World War II. An American soldier stationed in England named Clive (Andrew Heyward) visits his old friend Penelope (Amelia Joan Bowles) who is now married to the Rev. Lionel Toop (Josh Curtis). Ida (Kellie Chapman), her cockney maid who loves American movies, is flustered by his arrival but Miss Skillon (Jennifer Westfall), a meddling spinster who is sweet on Rev. Toop, is convinced that Penelope is having an affair with him and imbibes too much cooking sherry. Penelope proposes that Clive wear the Rev. Toop's second best suit and clerical collar so that they can dodge army regulations and see a play together. Add Penelope's sedate uncle the Bishop of Lax (Duane Beesley), the mild-mannered visiting clergyman Rev. Arthur Humphrey (Josh Astle), and an escaped Russian spy (Danny Hall) and mayhem ensues when all five men end up chasing each other in clerical garb! The action is incredibly fast-paced and you almost can't catch your breath in between fits of laughter! I especially loved when Clive, Toop, the Bishop, and the Russian spy jump over the prostrate Miss Skillon as they run in and out of the drawing room and then jump again even though she is no long there the second time they run through (this was my favorite scene in my high school production even though I always worried that they wouldn't jump in time!). I also loved all of the scenes with various characters hiding in the cupboard (my family and friends loved those scenes in my high school production because of all of my funny poses). The cast is outstanding and they handle all of the physical comedy so well! Curtis is particularly hilarious whenever he becomes exasperated (which is most of the time) and I loved Beesley's facial expressions as he becomes more and more outraged at the goings-on! Of course I spent most of my time watching Westfall (apparently I still remember all of my lines and blocking) and I couldn't help but smile from ear to ear at all of her antics! I was absolutely giddy during the entire show because I loved every aspect of the production, including the set, the costumes, and the performances!  Based on the audience's reactions, I was not alone! I highly recommend this show which runs through September 17 (go here for tickets). I may need to see it again!

Note:  As expected, this show made me incredibly nostalgic! I had so much fun playing Miss Skillon because it was the biggest role I had ever had and because I became very good friends with the entire cast!

Bodies Bodies Bodies

I kept hearing good things about Bodies Bodies Bodies so I decided to see it last night and I am so glad that I did because it is an incredibly entertaining dark comedy!  A wealthy recovering addict named Sophie (Amandla Stenberg) brings her new working-class girlfriend Bee (Maria Bakalova) to a house party thrown by her childhood friend David (Pete Davidson) at his family's mansion where they all plan to ride out a hurricane.  The party consists of their wealthy and vacuous twenty-something friends Emma (Chase Sui Wonders), Jordan (Myha'la Herrold), Alice (Rachel Sennott), and Alice's much older boyfriend Greg (Lee Pace).  Tensions are already running high with old resentments and recriminations when they decide to play "Bodies Bodies Bodies" which is a murder in the dark game.  When they find a body in the game they begin to argue over the identity of the murderer but then the lights go out because of the storm and they start turning on each other after discovering a real dead body.  This is an edge-of-your-seat whodunit that kept me guessing until the end with a twist that I definitely did not see coming (some people in my audience gasped during the reveal but most laughed out loud).  The dialogue is razor sharp with a satirical look at the inability of Gen Zers to relate to each other without social media.  One of my favorite moments is when Greg, who is older than everyone else at the party, attempts to explain the meaning of a popular expression that the rest of them do not understand.  I really enjoyed the characterization throughout because, even though they are all incredibly insufferable and unsympathetic people, they behave in a way that is consistent with how they are first introduced which makes watching what they do very interesting.  The ensemble cast is outstanding with Sennott as the standout (I laughed at just about everything her character says).  Finally, I loved all of the practical lighting effects (especially the glow sticks) because they really add to the tension.  Honestly, I enjoyed this a lot more than I was expecting because it is so much better than the trailer would suggest.

Legally Blonde at the Empress

Yesterday I went to a matinee performance of Legally Blonde at the Empress Theatre and it was a really fun way to spend a Saturday afternoon.  Elle Woods (Andey Samhain), a fashion merchandising student at UCLA, is sure that her boyfriend Warner Huntington III (KC Cook) is about to propose but he breaks up with her instead.  He is going to Harvard Law School and needs a more serious girl for the future he imagines.  She decides to prove him wrong and succeeds in getting into to Harvard Law School but no one there takes her seriously, especially the notoriously difficult Professor Callahan (Matthew Black) and Warner's new girlfriend Vivienne Kensington (Mackenzie Haslam).  A teaching assistant named Emmett Forrest (Jake Oaklyn) and a beautician named Paulette Bonafonte (Mya Sanchez) show her that she has what it takes to be a lawyer and she eventually gets an acquittal for her client, fitness guru Brooke Wyndham (Charity Jones).  The story is pretty faithful to the 2001 movie of the same name (except for a silly subplot involving Paulette's dream of meeting a handsome Irishman).  I am usually not a fan of turning a popular movie into a musical because I think they are very contrived but, despite the fact that the action gets bogged down a bit in the second act, I actually liked a lot of the songs.  My favorites were "What You Want," "Positive," "Blood in the Water," "Chip On My Shoulder," and "Whipped Into Shape."  I really liked the use of Elle's sorority sisters, Serena (Alayna Bria), Margot (Bridges Eatchel), and Pilar (Kimberly Webb-Zimmerman), as a Greek Chorus whenever she needs inspiration.  The choreography by Ashley Lynn Loewer is a lot of fun and the cast is very enthusiastic in executing it.  The stage has been transformed by Candice Jorgensen into a Harvard University courtyard with brick walls, the law school insignia, and photos of notable women in the legal profession (my favorite was Ruth Bader Ginsburg).  Pink metallic door curtains are located in the balcony where the Greek Chorus appears and set pieces for the classroom, court room, and beauty parlor are brought on and off stage as needed.  The preppy costumes worn by the law school students are a great contrast with the vibrant pink of Elle's wardrobe.  The best part of this show, in my opinion, is Samhain's performance because she is absolutely perfect as the irrepressible Elle.  I also want to give a shout-out to Chip who plays Bruiser because he is adorable (and so well-behaved!).  I had a great time watching this show and I recommend it to fans of the movie (go here for tickets).

Note:  I've noticed that the Empress often casts their shows without regard to race, gender, or body type.  I find it very refreshing!

Jurassic World in Concert

Watching a movie on the big screen while a symphony orchestra plays the score live is so much fun because it is such an immersive experience.  It is one of my favorite activities because it combines my love of film and my love of symphonic music!  Last night I was so happy to be back at Abravanel Hall for Jurassic World while the Utah Symphony played the score by Michael Giacchino (who is becoming one of my favorite movie composers).  This is my favorite movie in the Jurassic World trilogy and my second favorite in the franchise (after Jurassic Park) so I really enjoyed seeing it again.  Twenty years after the incident on Isla Nublar, the new and improved Jurassic World theme park is a success but profits are slowing down because the public is no longer awe-struck by the dinosaurs.  The owner of the park (Irrfan Khan) wants a dinosaur that is bigger, faster, and scarier to impress the public so Dr. Wu (BD Wong) genetically engineers the Indominus Rex.  Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard), the director of operations at the park, invites her nephews Zach (Nick Robinson) and Gray (Ty Simkins) for a weekend at the park but doesn't have time for them and they eventually take off on their own.  The owner of the park is concerned about the safety of the Indominus Rex enclosure and asks Owen Grady (Chris Pratt), a Velociraptor expert, to inspect it.  Grady is horrified because the genetically modified dinosaur is an unknown factor and its behavior cannot be predicted.  Eventually, the Indominus Rex escapes from its enclosure and threatens Zach and Gray.  The head of security (Vincent D'Onofrio), who wants to weaponize the Velociraptors, releases them into the park to attack the Indominus Rex and an epic battle ensues.  The themes played by the percussion (I loved the timpani and the gong) and the horns are ominous and menacing during the many chase scenes and there is a particularly affecting theme played by the piano and strings when Claire and Grady watch one of the dinosaurs die.  I also really enjoyed the callbacks to the original score by John Williams when Zach and Gray discover the abandoned remains of the visitor's center from the old Jurassic Park.  The entire score is incredibly thrilling and, as if often the case, I found myself watching the orchestra rather than the screen (especially all of the percussion).  I loved it!  This concert is being performed again tonight (go here for tickets) and I recommend it for the whole family (it is a great way to introduce kids to the symphony).

Note:  The Films in Concert for the 2022-2023 season are The Goonies, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1, The Nightmare Before Christmas, An American in Paris, and Star Wars: The Force Awakens (squeal).  They all sound like so much fun (go here for tickets).

Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real at Sandy Amphitheater

I was first introduced to Promise of the Real when they backed Neil Young several years ago.  I really love their rock-country sound so I try to see them whenever they make a stop in SLC.  Last night they were at Sandy Amphitheater and it was a fantastic concert (I've been looking forward to it all summer).  I love Lukas Nelson's voice (he sounds a lot like his dad Willie Nelson but a bit sultrier) and I think he is a great frontman because he is so energetic.  He wasn't as talkative as he usually is but I was sitting really close to the stage on the second row so it was really exciting to watch him play the guitar.  They played "Sticks and Stones," "Four Letter Word," "Every Time He Drinks He Thinks of Her" (a Willie Nelson song), "Fool Me Once," "Just Outside of Austin," "Leave 'em Behind," "(Forget About) Georgia," "Simple Life," "Carolina," "Die Alone," "Find Yourself" (which included some audience participation), "Turn Off the News (Build a Garden)," "More Than We Can Handle," and "I'm Giving You Away."  Then the band left the stage and Nelson performed an acoustic version of "Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground" which, as he told the crowd, is his favorite song by his dad.  Then he moved to the piano for a very heart-felt version of "Smile."  The band returned for "Start to Go" and then ended their set, just like they did last year at Red Butte Garden, with a rousing rendition of "Something Real."  One of my very favorite songs from Promise of the Real is "Set Me Down on a Cloud."  I really love it and listen to it all the time but I had never heard it performed live (I was quite disappointed not to hear it the first time I saw the band).  I was absolutely thrilled when I heard the opening notes during the encore (I may or may not have screamed during the guitar solo).  I love outdoor concerts and, even though it was so hot, I really enjoyed myself!

Note:  The Sandy Amphitheater is a great venue for concerts and there are still quite a few more on the schedule this summer (I have tickets to two more).  Go here for more information and tickets.

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at CPT

I have seen Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat more times than I can count (it is very popular in Utah) so I have become a bit disenchanted with it and it takes a really great production for me to enjoy it (go here for my favorite production in recent years). I had the chance to see CPT's version last night with both of my sisters and I am happy to report that it is, indeed, great and that I thoroughly enjoyed myself!  The set resembles an interactive museum with three large display cases containing exhibits from history which change for each of the big song and dance numbers (I loved the dinosaur skeleton and the planets hanging from the ceiling at the beginning of the show).  The exhibits feature a Western tableau for "One More Angel in Heaven," a factory for "Potiphar," a 1950s diner complete with a jukebox for "Song of the King," a Parisian cafe with the Eiffel Tower in the background for "Those Canaan Days," and a Caribbean scene complete with steel drums for "Benjamin's Calypso." The Narrator (McKenna Kay Jensen) acts as a docent (she even has a name tag) telling the Biblical story of Joseph (Matt Taylor) to a group of children (Soren Ray, Ross Clemens, Corbin Aaron, Eden Liljenquist, Olivia Larsen, Savannah Caldwell, and Ella Jensen). Joseph appears in a glass case and comes to life when one of the children hands him his coat of many colors. The story continues to unfold as the children interact with the characters and bring them to life. The children even tell their parents what they have learned from their visit during "Joseph Megamix" which is really clever! This concept provides cohesion to the story and I really enjoyed the bigger role performed by the children's choir (they are adorable). I also really enjoyed the costumes because they are fairly simple with just the addition of accessories for the various numbers (my favorite accessory was a pair of blue suede shoes for the Pharoah). I like productions that don't get too kitschy with the sets and costumes! Jensen has a beautiful voice as the Narrator and almost blows the roof off of the theatre several times and Taylor does a great job as Joseph, especially with "Any Dream Will Do" and "Close Every Door." The brothers (Doug Caldwell, Thad Weiland, Jeremy Botelho, Greg Larson, Taylor Smith, Paul Dixon, John Richards, Jacob Plaizier, Chris Kennedy, Landon LeBaron, and Tyler West) and wives (Angela LeBaron, Kirsi Jarvis, Mary Ann West, Amanda Derrick, Christine Smith, Natalie Clemens, and Allison Randall) have a lot of fun with the choreography in "Joseph's Coat," "One More Angel in Heaven," and "Go, Go, Go Joseph" and, of course, Jordon LeBaron steals the show as the Pharoah in "Song of the King." I had a smile on my face the whole time and this is a production that I can wholeheartedly recommend!  It runs on the Barlow Stage through Sept. 3 (go here for tickets).

Note:  This show was my 50th theatre production this year!

Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella at Sundance

One of my favorite summer traditions is to see a production, in conjunction with the UVU Theatre Department, at the Sundance Mountain Resort.  I love being up in the mountains, where it is so much cooler than in the valley, watching a performance under the stars!  This year the show is Cinderella and I was able to see it last night.  Even though I don't especially love the Rodgers & Hammerstein version, this production is absolutely magical!  In this more contemporary version of the classic fairy tale, Cinderella (Lizzy Jensen) becomes a social reformer who rescues Prince Topher (Dallin Suman) from the evil Lord Protector Sebastian (Bradley Moss) who is deceiving him about the conditions in his kingdom.  Her stepmother (Amanda Crabb) and stepsister Charlotte (Erica Schoebinger) treat her badly but her other stepsister Gabrielle (Emma Wadsworth) becomes a sympathetic co-conspirator in pursuit of her own romance with a revolutionary named Jean-Michel (Brendan Hanks).  An old beggar woman named Marie (Nikole York) 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 has the power to make her own dreams come true.  Everyone lives happily ever after in a constitutional monarchy!  This is one of the strongest casts that I have seen in a production at Sundance!  I was especially impressed with Jensen as Cinderella and York as the Fairy Godmother because they have beautiful voices and show impressive range in the songs "In My Own Little Corner," "Impossible," "Glass Slipper/ It's Possible," and "There Is Music In You."  Suman is incredibly charismatic (and is very easy on the eyes) as Prince Topher and also has a lovely voice.  He has great chemistry with Jensen and their rendition of "Ten Minutes Ago" is so romantic!  Crabb steals every scene she is in and the audience roared with laughter in response to all of her antics!  The same could be said of Schoebinger, especially in "Stepsister's Lament."  The ensemble is also quite impressive and they execute the dynamic choreography very well in "The Prince Is Giving A Ball/ Now Is The Time" and "Ten Minutes Ago."  I also really enjoyed how Topher's pursuit of Cinderella is staged because they run through moving arches of tree branches (the real pine trees surrounding the stage make this scene even more enchanting).  The costumes are also some of the best I've seen at Sundance, particularly the uniforms worn by Prince Topher and his footmen (I loved all of the gold frogging) and the beautiful ball gowns worn by Cinderella (the transformation scenes are a lot of fun).  The set consists of moving pieces that look like marble and are configured to become Cinderella's house, a large staircase in the palace, and the town square during various scenes.  Cinderella's gold coach, with horses made out of puppets, is quite spectacular!  I had the best time watching this delightful show and highly recommend getting a ticket to one of the four remaining performances (go here).

Bullet Train

Despite getting some negative reviews I thought Bullet Train looked like a lot of fun so I went to see it at the Broadway last night (whenever a big release is shown at the Broadway I always try to see it there instead of a multiplex because I like supporting Salt Lake Film Society).  It was exactly what I expected it to be and I thoroughly enjoyed myself.  A group of assassins, including Ladybug (Brad Pitt) and his handler Maria (Sandra Bullock), Lemon (Brian Tyree Henry) and Tangerine (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), The Prince (Joey King), The Father (Andrew Koji), The Wolf (Benito "Bad Bunny" Antonio Martinez Ocasio), The Hornet (Zazie Beetz), and the Elder (Hiroyuki Sanada), are all searching, unbeknownst to each other, for a briefcase containing $10 million on a high-speed train traveling from Tokyo to Kyoto.  Mayhem ensues!  The plot also involves a Russian leader of a crime syndicate named White Death (Michael Shannon) and his kidnapped son (Logan Lerman) which leads to a lot of twists and turns that kept me guessing until the explosive (literally) conclusion.  I loved the on-screen introductions and elaborate flashbacks for each of the assassins as well as the witty back and forth banter between them as they fight each other.  The action sequences are over the top, incredibly violent, and often implausible but they are certainly fun to watch, especially a long drawn out fight in the quiet car of the train.  Some of the accents are a bit suspect but I think the campy performances work really well and Pitt looks like he is having a ball.  This is nothing we haven't seen before (think Tarantino and Ritchie) and there is a cringe-worthy cameo at the end but I definitely found it to be wildly entertaining!  I recommend it to anyone looking for a fun night out and nothing more.

Hadestown at the Eccles

The Broadway musicals Hadestown, Jagged Little Pill, SIX, and Moulin Rouge have been at the top of my must-see list for years.  I get to see ALL OF THEM this year (I'm so excited) and I started with Hadestown last night at the Eccles Theatre.  It was even better than I was expecting!  With the name Phaedra I have always been fascinated by Greek mythology so I loved this retelling of the story of Orpheus and Eurydice (even though it is very tragic).  I also really loved how the story includes commentary on climate change, poverty, capitalism, exploitation of workers, nationalism (I think the song "Why We Build the Wall" perfectly encapsulates everything that is wrong in the world today and it is an incredibly powerful moment in the show), fatalism, and, ultimately, the power of music to show how the world ought to be rather than how it is!  The music, which is a mix of folk, jazz, and Cajun, is absolutely amazing and I loved every single song but my favorites were "Any Way the Wind Blows," "Livin' It Up On Top," "Way Down Hadestown," "When the Chips Are Down," "Wait For Me," "Flowers," and "Doubt Comes In."  The stage, which is reminiscent of an old New Orleans neighborhood, is really simple but the use of a turn table and atmospheric lighting is breathtaking, especially in the numbers "Chant," Wait For Me," and "Doubt Comes In."  The man cast, including Levi Kreis as Hermes, Kevyn Morrow as Hades, Kimberly Marable as Persephone, Chibueze Ihuoma as Orpheus, and Morgan Siobhan Green as Eurydice, is brilliant and I loved every performance.  I was particularly blown away by Morrow's rendition of "Hey, Little Songbird" because he is so sleazy and Green's version of "Flowers" (it brought a tear to my eye).  I also really liked how the Fates (Belen Moyano, Bex Odorisio, and Shea Renne) are integrated into the story and how the choreography of the Workers (Jordan Bollwerk, Lindsey Hailes, Courtney Lauster, Eddie Noel Rodriguez, and Marquis Wood) mimics an assembly line in a factory.  I loved this musical!  I loved it so much (it is second only to Hamilton in my affections and that is high praise if you know me) and I definitely recommend getting a ticket if you have the opportunity!  It runs at the Eccles through August 7 (go here for tickets).

Mozart's Violin Concerto No. 5 at St. Mary's Church

Last night I went back to St. Mary's Church in Park City for another wonderful Utah Symphony concert.  I always love hearing music performed in this church (it is an amazing venue) and last night was no exception because it was a lovely evening!  The orchestra began with Concerto Grosso by Ralph Vaughan Williams and I really enjoyed this piece.  Vaughan Williams composed it for students of various abilities and I thought it was very deep and sonorous in tone.  I especially loved the stirring beginning.  Next came Concerto No. 5 for Violin and Orchestra by my favorite composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart with Geneva Lewis, in her Utah Symphony debut, as the soloist.  As with much of Mozart's work, this piece is light and airy and very accessible to the listener.  I loved the violin solo in the second movement because Lewis performed it with such delicacy and I loved the percussive sound created by the cellos and basses striking the strings with the wood of their bows in the third movement because it was so dramatic.  After the intermission, the concert concluded with Symphony No. 1 by Felix Mendelssohn (composed when he was just fifteen years old).  This is very lively and energetic and I especially loved the melody played by the clarinets and bassoons in the third movement and the fiery ending complete with timpani!  I really enjoyed watching guest conductor Stephanie Childress because it was exciting to see a young woman on the podium and she was incredibly dynamic.  Unfortunately, last night was the final concert at St. Mary's this summer but there are two more concerts at Deer Valley (go here for tickets) this weekend before the orchestra returns to Abravanel Hall for the 2022-2023 season (for which I am so excited).

Vengeance

Last night I finally got myself to the Broadway to see Vengeance and I think it is incredibly thought-provoking.  Ben Manalowitz (B.J. Novak) is a writer for the New Yorker who aspires to have a podcast to use as a platform for expressing his opinion on the cultural divide in America.  One night he receives a phone call from Ty Shaw (Boyd Holbrook) informing him that his sister Abilene (Lio Tipton) has died of a drug overdose while at a wild party.  Ben only hooked up with Abilene a couple of times but Ty is under the impression that they were much closer and insists that he come to her funeral in West Texas.  He reluctantly agrees and meets Abilene's family, including her mother Sharon (J. Smith-Cameron), sisters Paris (Isabella Amara) and Kansas City (Dove Cameron), brother Mason (Elli Abrams Beckel), and grandmother Carole (Louanne Stephens), who all think he is Abilene's boyfriend.  Ty asks Ben to help him get vengeance against Sancholo (Zach Villa), the man he believes is responsible for Abilene's death, but Ben thinks that Ty is creating a conspiracy because the family can't bear to accept that Abilene turned to drugs because of the hopelessness of her life.  He thinks this might be a great subject for a podcast and his producer Eloise (Issa Rae) agrees.  He stays in West Texas investigating Abilene's death and recording content for the podcast but he ends up discovering more than he bargained for.  This is a compelling murder mystery, with a resolution that I did not see coming, but it is also a razor sharp bit of social commentary.  Writer and director Novak explores quite a few thought-provoking ideas, such as the cultural divide between the red and blue states, exploitation for the sake of content, and the opioid crisis, but sometimes these ideas become a bit unwieldy.  The dialogue is highly amusing, especially in an opening scene featuring a cameo by John Mayer (who is essentially playing himself), and I laughed out loud during an extended joke at a rodeo.  Novak is great, even if he doesn't quite sell the idea that he is a player, and Ashton Kutcher gives one of the best performances I've seen from him as a record producer.  This dark comedy is very entertaining and I definitely recommend it.

A Murder is Announced at CPT

I had never been to Leishman Hall (the black box theatre at CPT) before but I can't resist an Agatha Christie murder mystery so I went to a production of A Murder is Announced last night. I really enjoyed the intimate theatre space but this particular show was a bit disappointing. An advertisement in a newspaper announces that a murder will be committed at a boarding house owned by Letitia "Letty" Blacklock (Marina Maxfield) on October 13 at 6:30 pm. Her guests, including Dora "Bunny" Bunner (Hillary McChesney), Patrick Simmons (Blake London), Julia Simmons (Katie Plott), Phillipa Haymes (Laryn Welch), Mrs. Swettenham (Kiersten Honaker), and Edmund Swettenham (Trevor Elmer), conclude that it must be a joke but her Russian cook Mitzi (Kryslin McBride) believes that she will be the victim for political reasons. At the appointed time the lights go out and a mysterious man ends up dead. Inspector Craddock (James Boley) and Sergeant Mellors (Chad N. Wilburn) investigate and learn that everyone involved is hiding something but, after another murder, it takes Miss Marple (Wanda Copier) to find the killer. Even though I have read the book (I read all of Agatha Christie's books when I was a teenager), I found the story to be really complicated because most of the characters have alternate identities and many pertinent events have already happened and require a lot of exposition. In addition, there are a lot of pacing issues that make it hard to pay as much attention as you need to in order to pick up on all of the clues. The action gets really bogged down, especially during the interrogation of all of the suspects, and even the revelation of the murderer is a bit anticlimactic. The performances are fine but McBride was my favorite because she steals every scene she is in with her dramatic and over the top gestures. I laughed out loud every time she entered the room! I absolutely loved the set featuring heavy Victorian furniture and lots of the fussy details that you would find in an English drawing room and I was very impressed with the sheer number of period costumes (I loved Miss Marple's hats). I usually love seeing stage adaptations of Agatha Christie's books (go here and here) but this felt off to me. I will, however, be back to see another production at Leishman Hall!  This show runs until August 20 (go here for tickets).

The Sound of Music at the SCERA Shell Outdoor Theatre

I had never been to the SCERA Shell Outdoor Theatre before so I was really excited to see The Sound of Music last night (even though it was my third production of this musical this year). I ended up enjoying the show, and the venue, immensely! The story about an aspiring nun named Maria (Anya Wilson) who is sent to care for the children of Captain von Trapp (James Duncan) is one that I can see over and over again but I loved the addition of so many fun details in this particular version. Maria comes to the stage from the middle aisle during "The Sound of Music" (which is absolutely perfect because the audience is sitting on a hill). Sister Berthe (Tricia Christensen) and Sister Margaretta (Hannah Thomas) physically argue with each other during "Maria." Maria and the Mother Abbess (Sarah Neipp) are very playful in "My Favorite Things." The von Trapp children, Liesl (Savannah Carrasco), Friedrich (Cole Hixson), Louisa (Addie Armstrong), Kurt (Koen Greene), Brigitta (Hannah White), Marta (Gemma Sanders), and Gretl (Naomi Sharette), have a great rapport with Maria in "Do-Re-Mi" and "The Lonely Goatherd," especially when they imitate Maria's gestures. The choreography between Liesl and Rolf (Charles Price) is a lot of fun in "Sixteen Going on Seventeen" and involves interactions with a bench, a gazebo, and a fountain. Maria and Captain von Trapp have great chemistry while dancing at the party and during "Something Good" which is important because I sometimes think the romance between the two of them is rushed in the stage version. A word is changed in the reprise of "Sixteen Going on Seventeen" which makes the song so much more palatable for a contemporary audience (at least in my opinion because that song has always really bothered me).  Having Nazi guards patrolling the aisles during the festival and then searching the audience with flashlights when the von Trapps do not appear at the end of the concert is incredibly effective at portraying the terror felt by the family (this was also done during a production I saw at Tuacahn and several people in the audience screamed). The von Trapps start their journey to Switzerland by climbing up the hill through the middle aisle and it is so dramatic! Wilson, Neipp, and Emily Duncan (as Baroness Schraeder) have beautiful voices, the young actors playing the von Trapp children are very charismatic (especially White who really plays up Brigitta's sass), and Daniel Bradley (as Max Detweiller) oozes charm! The set is absolutely beautiful, and quite elaborate, with moving panels showing the mountains through arched windows at Nonnberg Abbey and a view of Salzburg (which is very realistic because I compared it to a photo I took on a trip there when I got home) at the von Trapp Villa. Large set pieces for the von Trapp Villa could be turned to show the interior for scenes inside (I loved the fire in the fireplace but I wish that the staircase had been more prominent) and the exterior for scenes on the terrace. The costumes are wonderful, especially the uniforms and the play clothes (made out of curtains!) for the children and Maria's wedding dress, but I felt that the costumes for the Baroness are a bit too contemporary. As I mentioned, this was my first visit to the SCERA Shell Outdoor Theatre (I've seen The Drowsy Chaperone and Catch Me If You Can at the indoor theatre) and I loved this venue! There are reserved seats and separate sections on the grass for people who bring their own chairs and for those who bring blankets. There are bathrooms and concessions available but you can bring your own snacks, as well. Every usher that I came in contact with was incredibly friendly and helpful (which is not always the case). I highly recommend both this show and this venue (I will be back next summer). The Sound of Music runs through August 13 (go here for tickets).

Note: I have enjoyed all three productions of this musical (including those at the Empress and the Utah Shakespeare Festival) for different reasons. I don't think I could pick a favorite!

Josh Groban at the Vivint Arena

I had a ticket to see Josh Groban the last time he was in town but I was sick and couldn't go.  I really wanted to see him and was incredibly sad that I had to miss the concert so, when a new tour was announced, I got a ticket immediately!  The show last night was absolutely amazing and I am so glad that I was able to go this time!  The opening acts were Eleri Ward, who sang beautiful arrangements of "Send in the Clouds" from A Little Night Music and "Children Will Listen" from Into the Woods, and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, who I really enjoyed despite the fact that I am not a big fan of jazz.  Groban performed many songs from Harmony, his latest album of covers, including "The World We Knew (Over and Over)," "Angels," "Celebrate Me Home," "Shape of My Heart,"  "She," and "Both Sides Now" with Ward.  I really love Frank Sinatra's version of "The World We Knew" but Groban absolutely blew me away with his arrangement and this set the tone for the whole concert.  He has such an amazing voice and his interpretations of these songs are beautiful and gave me goosebumps!  He also sang "Alla Luce Del Sole" while playing the drums, "Cinema Paradiso (Se)" with a violin solo by Lucia Micarelli, and "Alejate" with a fabulous Spanish guitar arrangement by his Music Director Tariqh Akoni.  He performed a beautiful rendition of "Not While I'm Around" from Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street with Micarelli, which I especially enjoyed because I just saw this musical at the Utah Shakespeare Festival, and his original songs "February Song," "Granted," and "The Fullest."  He ended his main set with my favorite Josh Groban song, "You Raise Me Up," and it was incredible because the entire audience was singing along!  For the encore, he performed "The Impossible Dream" from Man of La Mancha and it was such a great interpretation.  Groban was in full rock star mode with black jeans and a black leather jacket and he was quite the raconteur telling lots of amusing anecdotes and stories before every song.  I didn't really expect him to be so funny!  I loved every minute of this concert and I will definitely try to see him any chance I get!

Utah Shakespeare Festival 2022

I love going to the Utah Shakespeare Festival and I try to see at least one show every summer.  I especially enjoy it when my sister Marilyn is able to come with me and I was so happy that it worked out for her to come this year.  We were literally counting down the days because we were so excited!

We drove down Friday morning and got to Cedar City at noon.  We wandered around for a little while, attended a seminar, and then saw our first show in the Randall L. Jones Theatre.  I didn't really know what to expect from Clue but it was one of the funniest plays I have ever seen!  Even Marilyn (who is very reserved) was laughing out loud!  Six guests, including Colonel Mustard (Rex Young), Mrs. Peacock (Bree Murphy), Professor Plum (Michael Sharon), Mrs. White (Melinda Parrett), Mr. Green (Michael Doherty), and Miss Scarlet (Cherita Armstrong), are invited by Mr. Boddy (Andrew Fehrenbacher) to his manor on a dark and stormy evening.  Mr. Boddy has been blackmailing each of them and, after providing them with weapons, he tells them that he will return the evidence he has against them...if they kill his butler Mr. Wadsworth (Aaron Galligan-Stierle).  Murder and mayhem ensue!  I loved the staging!  There are two doors which open up to reveal the lounge, the study, the kitchen and the billiards room at various times with set pieces for the library and the conservatory coming from above.  There is very elaborate choreography as the characters move from room to room and it is hilarious.  The entire cast has outstanding comedic timing but Doherty's physicality, especially when a chandelier falls on him in slow motion, was my favorite part of the show.  We loved it!

Friday night we saw Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street in the Engelstad Theatre.  After being unjustly convicted and sent to a penal colony in Australia by the unscrupulous Judge Turpin (Tim Fullerton), a barber named Sweeney Todd (J. Michael Bailey) returns to London hoping to be reunited with his wife Lucy and daughter Johanna (Lucy Austin) but, when he learns their fate, he vows revenge against the judge.  He is aided by Mrs. Lovett (Bree Murphy), who has a pie shop below his former barbershop, but things take a sinister turn when he begins killing all of his customers and she begins using his victims in her meat pies.  This is an amazing production with a phenomenal cast.  Bailey and Murphy, especially, have beautiful voices that are well-suited to the operatic score but they also give sympathetic performances even though their characters become more and more depraved.  I really loved their rendition of "A Little Priest."  The set and costumes vividly bring Victorian London to life and the dramatic red lighting emphasizes the horror of what is happening.  I loved the staging of the murders with Sweeney's barber chair in the balcony and a large lever sending the victims down to the bake house through a chute.  It was a little bit too macabre for my sister but I loved it!

Saturday morning we saw The Sound of Music at the Randall L. Jones Theatre.  The story of a spirited nun named Maria (Daria Pilar Redus) who is sent to be the governess to the children of Captain von Trapp (Michael Sharon) never gets old for me and I loved this production.  Redus is wonderful as Maria!  She has a beautiful voice in "The Sound of Music" and "My Favorite Things" but she is also just a little bit sassy in her interactions with the von Trapp children, Liesl (Julia Kuzmich), Friedrich (Brooks Mellen), Louisa (Shelby Fawson) Kurt (Mack Lawrence), Brigitta (Liv Harter), Marta (Penny Hodson), and Gretl (Gwynn Christ), in "Do-Re-Mi" and "The Lonely Goatherd" and she has tremendous chemistry with Sharon in "Something Good."  I was also impressed with Lisa Strum as the Mother Abbess because she almost blows the roof off of the theatre with her rendition of "Climb Ev'ry Mountain."  I really enjoyed the choreography, especially for "Do-Re-Mi," "Sixteen Going on Seventeen," and "The Lonely Goatherd," because there are a lot of really fun and unexpected details. My only complaint is the set because a large curved staircase is on stage during the whole show and it is sometimes a bit confusing, particularly during "The Sound of Music" because it seems like Maria is inside the abbey rather than on the mountain and during "I Have Confidence" when Maria travels from the abbey to the von Trapp residence because there is very little difference between the two, but this didn't detract from my enjoyment.  This show is lovely and is sure to appeal to everyone as a nostalgic favorite (Marilyn and I had tears in our eyes because it reminded us so much of our Mom).

Our final play was King Lear in the Engelstad Theatre Saturday night.  It was my most anticipated show at the festival and it definitely did not disappoint!  King Lear (Anthony Heald) divides his kingdom between his daughters Goneril (Lisa Strum), Regan (Stephanie Lambourn), and Cordelia (Kendall Cafaro) with disastrous results while the Earl of Gloucester (Chris Mixon) is fooled by his illegitimate son Edmund (Philip Orazio) into denouncing his legitimate son Edgar (Freedom Martin) which leads to tragedy.  Heald is absolutely brilliant as Lear and I really loved his characterization because he is incredibly arrogant at the beginning of the play and imperious when he visits his daughters so his downfall and descent into madness is even more dramatic!  Orazio is an absolute hoot and I loved his knowing looks at the audience every time he is about to do something despicable.  I also loved Strum's performance because she is the perfect embodiment of exasperation and Aidan O'Reilly's performance as the Fool (he was brilliant in Richard III last year) because he has such a presence.  The costumes in this show are exquisite with lots of jewel tones, patterns, and embellishments and this provides a huge contrast to the tattered rags worn by Lear and Gloucester when they come undone.  The lighting and sound design is very effective at creating an oppressive atmosphere (I wrote a paper about the use of weather in this play in college) and the staging of certain scenes is incredibly dramatic, especially the blinding of Gloucester (the audience gasped).  This is the best production of King Lear I have seen and my sister, who struggles with the Shakespeare tragedies, really enjoyed it!

This was a great trip, despite the heat and my disappointment with the tarts this year, and I had so much fun!  I am already excited for the festival next year!

Nope

I have been looking forward to Nope since the first trailer and I finally had the chance to see it last night at a Thursday preview.  It is incredibly intense and thought-provoking and I loved it!  OJ and Emerald "Em" Haywood (Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer, respectively) are siblings who own Haywood Hollywood Horses, a ranch that trains horses for use in movies, but they are falling on hard times because most films now use CGI.  They have resorted to selling horses to a nearby Wild West attraction owned by Ricky "Jupe" Park (Steven Yeun), a former child star known for a tragic freak accident on a sitcom.  They all start to notice strange goings-on such as electricity cuts and objects that randomly fall from the sky but then OJ sees something mysterious.  They assume that it is a UFO and the Haywards want to capture it on film, first with surveillance cameras installed by Angel Torres (Brandon Perea) and then by a cinematographer (Michael Wincott) known for getting the impossible shot, while Park attempts to incorporate it into his live Wild West show.  There is a sense of unease, almost from the very first shot, that builds and builds until it is almost unbearable with brilliant sound design, atmospheric lighting, and stunning visual effects (I will never look at clouds the same way again).  I was completely captivated but also a bit uncomfortable in the very best way.  It is a spectacle that pays homage to other big blockbusters, such as Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Jaws, and Signs, but it is also an indictment of our need to capture every experience and turn it into a spectacle.  There are lots of other ideas, such as the exploitation of animals and the marginalization of early Black contributions to moviemaking, that will have as many interpretations as there are viewers (which makes Peele so intriguing as a writer and director).  Kaluuya and Palmer, especially, are fantastic and portray the sibling dynamic very well.  This is another great addition to Peele's filmography and I recommend seeing it in IMAX!

Note:  The trailer for Oppenheimer played before this and I am so excited for it!

Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante at St. Mary's Church

I always look forward to the Utah Symphony concerts at St. Mary's Church in Park City every summer because they always end up being absolutely wonderful.  St. Mary's is a beautiful church with amazing views of the mountains through a wall of plate glass windows and it is a fantastic venue for chamber music.  Last night's concert began with Mother Goose Suite by Maurice Ravel and I really enjoyed this whimsical piece.  I especially loved the second movement about Tom Thumb because I was transported to a magical forest (it helped that I could see trees all around me through the windows) with the sound of birdsong performed by the flutes and piccolo.  Next came Sinfonia Concertante for Violin, Viola, and Orchestra by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart with Kathryn Eberle and Yuan Qi as soloists.  I have always really loved Mozart and this piece is amazing.  I absolutely loved the second movement because the solo violin plays a moody and atmospheric theme meant to express grief and then the viola answers with a theme of consolation and this interplay between the two instruments is incredibly moving.  After the intermission the orchestra played Sinfonietta by Francis Poulenc.  This piece is light and breezy with really beautiful melodies but I really loved the dramatic ending, especially the timpani.  It was a lovely evening listening to the Utah Symphony in a beautiful setting and I highly recommend one of the remaining concerts at St. Mary's Church (go here for tickets).

Marcel the Shell With Shoes On

Last night I went to see Marcel the Shell With Shoes On and I was definitely surprised by how much I loved this heartwarming story about a one inch shell!  Marcel (Jenny Slate) lives with a close-knit community of shells in a large house until there is a mysterious incident after the owners, Mark (Thoas Mann) and Larissa (Rosa Salazar), have a fight and move out which leaves him alone with just his grandmother Connie (Isabella Rossellini).  The house becomes an Airbnb and a documentary filmmaker named Dean (Dean Fleischer Camp) moves in after a divorce.  He soon discovers Marcel and becomes enchanted with his charming existence.  He films him for his Youtube channel in order to try and find his family with both unexpected and joyful results.  Marcel is one of the most adorable and endearing characters I've seen in a long time and the way he views the world is so refreshing.  I loved all of the clever and innovative ways he uses everyday objects, especially the tennis ball he uses to get around the house and the stand mixer he rigs to shake fruit from the trees, and I was laughing out loud multiple times (and so was the large crowd at the Broadway).  I was also incredibly moved because there are some really powerful themes explored, which really resonated with me, involving being a caregiver for a family member and then being at loose ends when that role ends.  In fact, I actually had tears in my eyes during this subplot.  The portrayal of internet culture was really interesting and I found all of the people taking selfies in front of Marcel's house to be highly amusing.  I really enjoyed the mockumentary narrative device and the combination of live action and stop-motion animation is extremely well-done.  I didn't have a lot of interest in seeing this movie when I first heard about it but I'm so glad that I changed my mind because I loved it and I highly recommend it.

Sister Act at Murray Park Amphitheater

Last night I saw a production of Sister Act at the Murray Park Amphitheater.  I love seeing outdoor performances (I haven't seen very many this summer for some reason) and this show was so much fun!  A singer named Deloris Van Cartier (Kortney King-Lives) inadvertently witnesses her gangster boyfriend Curtis (Tyson Jensen) kill someone.  A love-struck cop named Eddie (Tommy Kay) places her in the Queen of Angels Convent to keep her safe until she can testify against him but she disrupts the orderly way of life at the convent until the Mother Superior (Cindy Swan) puts her in charge of the choir to keep her out of trouble.  The new and improved choir's unorthodox performances bring people back to the church but all of the attention puts the convent in danger after Curtis and his henchmen see Deloris on TV.   King-Lives is really understated as Deloris but she has an incredible voice and I enjoyed the pathos she brings to the role, especially in the reprise of "Fabulous, Baby."  Courtney Byrom is absolutely hilarious as Sister Mary Patrick because she is so flamboyant and over the top.  Chloe Cox, as T.J., Eric Lash, as Joey, and Jacob Crosby, as Pablo, almost steal the show in the songs "When I Find My Baby" and "Lady in the Long Black Dress" because they have some great disco moves!  The audience also laughed out loud during Kay's version of "I Could Be That Guy" because it features several costume changes and back-up dancers composed of homeless people from an alley.  The choreography is a lot of fun in the songs "Raise Your Voice," "Take Me To Heaven," "Sunday Morning Fever," and "Spread the Love Around," which are sung by the choir, and I especially enjoyed it whenever Sister Mary Theresa (Wendy Johnson Richhart), an older nun, incorporated her cane.  It is also really amusing when the Monsignor (Shan Lloyd) comes out into the audience with a collection basket during the nuns' performances (he made quite a bit of money!).  The costumes are absolutely fabulous and I loved how the Monsignor's vestments and the nuns' habits get more and more elaborate as the show goes on (I especially loved the purple sequins).  The set is very simple with a backdrop of stained glass windows with various pieces moved on and off as needed but it is effective.  I had a great time because the crowd for this show was really loud and animated (people were dancing in the aisles during the final number).  There are three more performances next weekend (go here for tickets) and I highly recommend it.

Note:  There were very ominous clouds in the sky as I was driving to the amphitheater and it actually rained a little bit before the show but, luckily, it cleared up just as it started!