Love on the Brain

My September Book of the Month selection was Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood (the other options were The Attic Child by Lola Jaye, Other Birds by Sarah Addison Allen, Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn, and The Fortunes of Jaded Women by Carolyn Huynh). I am not a huge fan of the romance genre but I read The Love Hypothesis by Hazelwood for reasons and I absolutely loved it so, when I saw that her latest was a selection this month, I was really excited! Bee Konigswasser is offered the chance to be a co-leader for BLINK, a neuroengineering project at NASA, and it seems to be a dream come true until she discovers who her co-leader will be. The tall, dark, and handsome Levi Ward made it very clear that he doesn't like Bee when they were graduate students at Pitt and now she is going to have to work with him at NASA. When her equipment goes missing and she doesn't receive important emails from the team, she immediately blames her nemesis. However, when she overhears him defending her to their supervisor she wonders how he really feels about her and, even more importantly, she wonders how she really feels about him. Much like with The Love Hypothesis I loved the women in STEM aspect, particularly Bee's appreciation for Marie Curie, and it was very eye opening to learn that women in STEM are treated so disrespectfully by their male counterparts. I also enjoyed having the chapter titles named after parts of the brain and their corresponding emotions (I wasn't very knowledgeable about the science of the brain but it didn't detract from my enjoyment). I think the subplot involving Bee and Levi's friendly correspondence through their popular anonymous social media accounts while they have an antagonistic working relationship is a lot of fun and, even though the enemies-to-lovers trope is usually not my favorite, it really works. Finally, I loved the character of Levi because, like with Adam Carlsen, he is obviously modeled on the dark and brooding character played by my favorite actor and I enjoyed picturing him in my mind whenever Levi is described (sigh). My only complaint is that I didn't like the character of Bee as much as Olive Smith because she is a bit immature and her inane internal monologues are sometimes at odds with her portrayal as a brilliant neuroscientist. I didn't quite love it as much as The Love Hypothesis but I had a great time reading it and would definitely recommend it (especially to members of a certain fandom).

Lucky Stiff at HCT

Last night I saw the hilarious musical farce Lucky Stiff at Hale Theatre and I had so much fun!  Harry Witherspoon (Preston Taylor) is a mild mannered shoe salesman living in a dreary rented room when he unexpectedly receives a telegram informing him that an unknown uncle named Anthony Hendon (Zac Zumbrunnen) has died and bequeathed him six million dollars. However, to receive his inheritance he must take the corpse of his uncle on a final vacation to Monte Carlo and complete a number of activities detailed on a cassette tape around his neck. If he fails to complete any of these tasks, the six million dollars will go to Anthony's favorite charity, the Universal Dog Home of Brooklyn. Once he gets to Monte Carlo with the embalmed body in a wheelchair, Harry meets Anthony's legally blind mistress Rita La Porta (Claire Kenny) who believes that he embezzled the money from her husband and wants to get it back, Rita's optometrist brother Vinnie Di Ruzzio (Kelly DeHaan) who has been blamed for the theft and has a contract out on his life, a representative from the Universal Dog Home of Brooklyn named Annabel Glick (Bre Welch) who wants to stop Harry from completing the list so that the dogs will receive the money, and Luigi Gaudi (David Marsden) a mysterious and flashy Italian who seems to be following him. Chaos ensues! What makes this show so funny is not only the situation, which becomes more and more absurd as it goes on, but also the brilliant cast! In addition to the main cast, Bryan Dayley (one of my favorite comedic actors at HCT), Cameron Garner, Ali Bennett, and Beatriz Melo portray a variety of different characters, and every performance is completely over the top with perfect comedic timing. Their physicality and facial expressions had me laughing out loud through the whole show! I especially enjoyed the scene where Harry and Annabel lose the body and run in and out of the various hallways of the hotel looking for it (lots of slamming doors)! All of the musical numbers are a lot of fun but my favorite is "Speaking French" by the nightclub singer Dominique (Beatriz Melo) as she attempts to seduce Harry. The show is set in the 1970s which means that the costumes are absolutely fabulous with bright colors, bold patterns, and lots of polyester! The stage, which reminded me of a game show with all of the flashing lights and multiple levels, includes a rotating panel that turns to reveal various locations with projections and elaborate set pieces. This is the perfect show to see for a fun night out and it runs on the Sorenson Legacy Jewel Box Stage through November 19 (go here for tickets).

Note:  Don't forget the new adaptation of The Unsinkable Molly Brown on the Young Living Main Stage through October 18 (go here for tickets).

Barbarian

After avoiding all spoilers for several days, I finally had the chance to see Barbarian and it was not at all what I was expecting!  Tess Marshall (Georgina Campbell) is in town for a job interview and has booked an Airbnb in a remote and dilapidated neighborhood in Detroit but, when she arrives, she is dismayed to learn that it has also been booked by Keith Toshko (Bill Skarsgard) who is a little bit creepy.  Despite her misgivings she reluctantly decides to stay at the rental with Keith.  However, Keith might not be the only threat inside of the house.  That is really all you should know before you see this movie because there are twists and turns that you will never be able to predict!  I also suggest seeing this with the largest crowd possible because it is so bonkers that it makes for a really fun viewing experience with lots of other people.  It is very atmospheric and quite scary (one jump scare made me scream out loud and I was not the only one) but it is also highly amusing at times.  There is an unexpectedly powerful message about men who take advantage of women as well as some interesting commentary on how the real monsters are not always who we think they are.  Campbell is great in the role and I was pleasantly surprised to see a protagonist in a horror movie that doesn't spend the whole runtime screaming.  Skarsgard is incredibly unsettling, not for what he does, but because his motives are unclear.  I enjoyed this movie much more than I was expecting and I highly recommend it to fans of horror!

A Chorus Line at the Empress

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

Mozart's Horn Concerto No. 3

It is opening weekend for the Utah Symphony 2022-2023 season and I was absolutely thrilled to be back at Abravanel Hall!  If last night's concert is any indication this season is going to be spectacular!  It has been a tradition for as long as I have been attending Utah Symphony concerts for the orchestra to begin the season by performing The Star Spangled Banner.  For some reason, I always find it to be very exciting so I always try to attend the opening concert in order to hear it.  After the national anthem we heard "Ride of the Valkyries" from the opera Die Walkure by Richard Wagner.  This piece depicts a group of Valkyries flying over a battlefield in order to escort fallen heroes to Valhalla and it is incredibly stirring.  I especially enjoyed the iconic themes played by the horns and brass.  Next came Short Ride in a Fast Machine by John Adams and I really loved this piece.  Of course I enjoyed the thrilling fanfare by the horns and brass meant to mimic riding in a fast Italian sports car but I was quite impressed by the percussion section because every member played multiple instruments (I loved the woodblock) and it was so much fun to watch them.  For Mozart's Horn Concerto No. 3, the orchestra was joined by soloist Stefan Dohr.  I am a huge fan of Mozart because his music is light, airy, and beautiful and this piece is no exception.  Mozart wrote it for his good friend Joseph Leutgeb, an accomplished horn player, and Dohr performed it brilliantly.  I found the solo in first movement to be a bit whimsical and amusing and the one in the third to be very energetic.  Next Dohr was joined by Utah Symphony horn players Edmund Rollett, Jessica Danz, and Stephen Proser as soloists for Konzertstuck for Four Horns and Orchestra by Robert Schumann.  The opening notes played by the soloists are very dramatic and I loved the interplay between the horns and the woodwinds.  After the intermission, the concert concluded with Ein Heldenleben (A Hero's Life) by Richard Strauss.  This piece is incredibly lush and I loved hearing the violin solos performed by Concertmaster Madeline Adkins and the fanfare performed by the trumpets off stage.  This concert was an amazing way to start the season and I enjoyed it immensely!  The same program will be performed again tonight and tickets may be purchased here.

Note:  Last season I sat by the most adorable little ladies and I have the same seat again this season.  Last night they greeted me warmly, asked me about my summer, and informed me that they would not be attending the concert next weekend so that I won't worry.  I love them!

To Kill a Mockingbird at the Eccles

The final show in the Broadway at the Eccles 2021-2022 season is To Kill a Mockingbird and I had the opportunity to see it last night.  I love the book by Harper Lee and the movie starring Gregory Peck so I knew I would enjoy this new production!  Jem (Justin Mark) and Scout (Melanie Moore) learn that their father Atticus (Richard Thomas) is a hero when he defends an innocent Black man named Tom Robinson (Yaegel T. Welch) against a charge of rape, even though he knows he will lose, simply because it is the right thing to do.  They also learn not to judge people until they have seen things from their perspective through their interactions with the irascible Mrs. Dubose (Mary Badham) and the reclusive Boo Radley (Travis Johns).  These themes are very powerful and I was incredibly moved.  I was impressed, and a little bit star-struck, by Thomas (better known for his portrayal of John Boy in The Waltons) who gives a brilliant performance.  I was holding my breath during his closing speech at the end of the trial because he was speaking directly to the audience as if we were the jury about the kind of change that still needs to happen in society for true equality and it was so powerful!  Welch is heartbreaking as Tom and, once again, I kept hoping that the verdict would be different this time.  The young actors, including the aforementioned Mark and Moore as well as Steven Lee Johnson as Dill, are impressive because they act as narrators as well as a part of the narrative.  I particularly enjoyed Johnson because Dill provides a bit of comic relief which is needed in a play with such heavy themes.  I also enjoyed seeing Badham as Mrs. Dubose because she played Scout in the movie!  The set, including the Maycomb courthouse and jail, the porch and dining room of the Finch house, and various streets in Maycomb, is quite elaborate but pieces are moved on and off very efficiently by the cast and I was impressed with how seamless it was.  This is an important show and I highly recommend getting a ticket (go here).  It runs at the Eccles Theatre through Sept. 11.

Jagged Little Pill in Las Vegas

I have been a huge fan of Alanis Morissette ever since I heard the album Jagged Little Pill for the first time so the musical based on her music has been near the top of my must-see list for a really long time!  When I found out that it was part of the Broadway Las Vegas 2022-2023 season I immediately got a ticket and planned a little road trip.  People always think I'm crazy to drive such a long distance just to see a show but I had so much fun and I loved Jagged Little Pill!  The show includes most of the songs from Jagged Little Pill, including "All I Really Want," "You Oughta Know," "Perfect," "Hand in Pocket," "Forgiven," "You Learn," "Head Over Feet," "Mary Jane," "Ironic," "Not the Doctor," and "Wake Up," but it also includes songs from Morissette's other albums as well, including "So Unsexy," "So Pure," "That I Would Be Good," "Your House," "Unprodigal Daughter," "Uninvited," and snippets of "Hands Clean" and "Thank U."  Morissette also wrote the song "Smiling" especially for the show and it was one of the highlights for me!  I knew that I would love the music but I also found the story to be incredibly compelling!  The Healy family appears to be the perfect upper middle class suburban family but under the surface each of them are dealing with complicated issues.  Mary Jane (Heidi Blickenstaff) has become addicted to opioids after a car crash and an incident brings to light a past trauma that she has been repressing.  Her husband Steve (Chris Hoch) knows that something is wrong but he can't reach her so he retreats to his job more and more.  Her adopted daughter Frankie (Lauren Chanel), who is Black, is struggling to find her identity, her sexuality, and her voice about important causes she believes in while her son Nick (Dillon Klena) is buckling under the weight of his parents' high expectations.  Through their pain they learn that the most important thing is to love and accept each other.  There are many scenes that were so powerful and poignant that the audience spontaneously erupted in very enthusiastic cheering and applause and I was incredibly moved multiple times.  I especially loved the staging of "Smiling" as Mary Jane lives her day in reverse while trying to keep up appearances because the choreography is clever, particularly the soul cycle sequence, of "Forgiven" because Blickenstaff just about blows the roof off of the Smith Center as Mary Jane visits a church to deal with her trauma for the first time, of "You Oughta Know" when Jade McLeod, as Frankie's girlfriend Jo, accuses her of abandoning her for the new boy at school in a performance that generated a mid-show standing ovation, and finally of "Uninvited" (my favorite Morissette song) as Mary Jane literally wrestles with her younger self in order to continue repressing her trauma.  Also, the staging of "Ironic," when Frankie recites a poem in English class and is told by her classmates that she isn't using irony correctly, is proof that Morissette has a sense of humor!  I loved the performances, the dynamic choreography executed by the talented ensemble, the minimal sets and projections, and the message about healing so it was definitely worth the six hour drive!  If it ever comes to SLC I will probably see it multiple times!

Three Thousand Years of Longing

Yesterday was National Cinema Day, which meant that every movie in every format was only $3.00, so I decided to finally cross Three Thousand Years of Longing off my list.  I loved this visually stunning ode to storytelling!  Alithea Binnie (Tilda Swinton) is a solitary literary scholar who sometimes experiences hallucinations because of an overactive imagination.  On a trip to Istanbul she purchases an antique bottle and inadvertently releases the djinn (Idris Elba) trapped inside. He offers to grant three wishes, which will earn him his freedom, but she is wary because most stories involving wishes are cautionary tales.  He decides to tell her three stories detailing each time he came to be trapped in the bottle, including his interactions with the Queen of Sheba (Aamito Lagum), a concubine (Ece Yuksel) in the palace of Suleiman the Magnificent, and the wife (Burcu Golgedar) of a Turkish merchant.  She is enchanted by his stories and decides to use a wish to have him fall in love with her so that he will always be with her.  Back in London, however, she realizes that the only way for him to truly love her is to set him free.  I can certainly understand why Alithea falls in love with the djinn because Elba gives an incredibly appealing performance (he has such a great voice) and the stories he tells are compelling.  Just like Alithea, I was completely under his spell and my attention never wavered because of all of the beautiful images on the screen.  I feel like this movie could have gone on for at least another hour because I wanted to stay in this world a little bit longer.  I think that it loses a bit of steam when the action moves to London but I almost think this is intentional because Miller seems to be making a point that science and technology have taken away the wonder and magic of storytelling.  This won't be for everyone but I loved it and, if it sounds like something you would enjoy, definitely see it on the big screen!

The Unsinkable Molly Brown at HCT

Many years ago I had the opportunity to see the Broadway touring production of The Unsinkable Molly Brown with Debbie Reynolds in the title role. I don't really remember much about the show except for the fact that I was incredibly star-struck by Reynolds! Last night I saw a brand-new production at HCT that is more historically accurate than the original version and I enjoyed it even though it has a few issues.  This musical tells the story of Margaret "Molly" Tobin Brown (Kelly Coombs) and her life in the mining town of Leadville, Colorado, her marriage to the miner JJ Brown (Kaden Caldwell), her life in Denver after striking it rich with the discovery of gold in her husband's mine, her work as a social reformer, a champion of women's rights, and a labor organizer, and her ill-fated voyage on the Titanic. Brown's story is compelling and Coombs gives an energetic performance but I found the character to be incredibly static because she is the same irrepressible figure from the moment we meet her testifying before a Senate committee on the Titanic disaster to the final scene where she advocates for immigration reform after several Titanic survivors are refused entry into the United States. Her first big song and dance number is "I Ain't Down Yet" and absolutely nothing gets her down, even when Denver society rejects her and when her husband is unfaithful to her, for the entire duration of the show and I found it to be very one-note and exhausting to watch. The revised book by Dick Scanlan places all of the action during Act I in Leadville as Brown interacts with characters drawn from real life and I think it gets really bogged down (my mind sometimes wandered in between musical numbers). Conversely, I think events in Act II are rushed and I would have liked to see more about her time in Europe. Having said that, every aspect of the production itself is outstanding. As previously mentioned, Coombs is delightful and so is Caldwell, especially when he gets exasperated with Molly. My favorite songs are "I Ain't Down Yet," "Belly Up to the Bar, Boys," "Beautiful People of Denver," and "Share the Luck." The choreography in these songs is so much fun and the large ensemble execute it well. I was very impressed with how the sinking of the Titanic is staged because it features dramatic sound and light design. The costumes are wonderful, particularly all of Molly's highly embellished dresses in Act II. As is often the case with HCT, the set is amazing with elaborate pieces coming in from the wings, up from the pit, and down from the rafters. I especially enjoyed the mine and cabins in Leadville, the garden in Denver, the Brown mansion, and the lifeboat. Finally, the projections featuring historical photos and documents are fascinating and very well done. Having a postcard of the Titanic move from one LED screen to another to show the progress of the ship and then rip in half when it sinks is so clever! HCT does a great job with this show and, even though it has a few minor character development and pacing issues, I would definitely recommend it.  Go here for tickets but act quickly because many shows are already sold out.

Alice in Chains at USANA

I really love Alice in Chains (I listened to their album Dirt just about every time I got in my car for at least a year) and I have always wanted to see them in concert.  I finally had the chance to see them, in a triple bill with Bush and Breaking Benjamin, at USANA Amphitheatre last night and it was the perfect end of summer concert!  It was a lot of fun because everyone around me was there to see a different band (I think it is really funny that so many people around me initiated conversations with me for some reason) but cheered for all of them.  I was, of course, there for Alice in Chains but I enjoyed the other sets, as well.  I also used to be a big fan of Bush back in the day and I was happy to hear "Machinehead," "Everything Zen," "Glycerine," and "Comedown" which were favorites of mine.  They also played "Flowers On a Grave," a song from their latest album which I was not familiar with but really liked, while Gavin Rossdale ran through the crowd.  I didn't know very many Breaking Benjamin songs (the girls next to me were huge fans) but I really liked "Sooner or Later," "Breath," "Give Me a Sign," "Until the End," and "I Will Not Bow."  They also performed an amazing cover of Queen's "Who Wants to Live Forever" which I loved (and the girls next to me had never heard before).  Alice in Chains took the stage at about 9:30 and they played all of my favorites including "Them Bones," "Dam That River," "Angry Chair," "Man in the Box," "No Excuses," "Down in a Hole" (my very favorite AIC song), and "Would?"  I had wondered how the band would sound with William DuVall on lead vocals after the tragic death of Layne Staley but these songs sounded amazing!  DuVall sounds a lot like Staley but has his own distinct style and I think he is a great fit with the band.  They did play several songs from their last three albums with DuVall, but I have to admit that I loved the hits and sang every word (I amused the girls next to me to no end).  A really touching moment came when the band dedicated "Nutshell" to Staley because the audience lit up their phones and it looked so cool.  I was hoping that they would play "Rooster," another favorite of mine, and, luckily enough, they ended their set with it!  This was such a great concert and I am so glad that I got to cross Alice in Chains off my list of bands that I want to see (Pearl Jam is still at the top).

Note:  I think that USANA Amphitheatre is a great venue for concerts but it can be extremely difficult to get out of the parking lot after the show (unless you are my brother-in-law).  This time I decided to get VIP parking which is a bit expensive but worth every penny because I was out of the parking lot in less than ten minutes!

National Theatre Live: Henry V

Once again the Tanner Humanities Center at the University of Utah is joining with Salt Lake Film Society to bring National Theatre Live performances to the Broadway.  I was able to see my first production, William Shakespeare's Henry V starring Kit Harington filmed live from the Donmar Warehouse, yesterday and I loved it!  This play, where a once wayward prince earns his crown with blood, is incredibly compelling (it is one of my favorites) and this production has a contemporary setting making it even more powerful.  After succeeding to the throne of England, Henry (Harington) is informed that he has a tenuous claim to the French throne and, knowing that a foreign conquest will solidify his popularity with the people, he begins a war with France.  Outnumbered five to one, Henry rallies his troops for battle with the famous St. Crispin's Day speech (Harington's delivery gave me goosebumps) and, despite the overwhelming odds, achieves a decisive victory.  He wins the throne of France and the hand of the reluctant Katherine (Diany Samba-Bandza) thus beginning his reign as of one of England's most notable kings.  What I found intriguing about this production, aside from the contemporary setting, is that Henry is not portrayed as a patriotic hero as is usually the case.  Rather, he is incredibly ruthless and is as addicted to power as he used to be to alcohol.  There were so many memorable moments, including the opening scene when Henry enters a nightclub to meet Falstaff (Adam Maxey) and literally vomits on the floor, when Henry descends from above to inspect his troops ("Once more into the breach"), when Bardolph (Claire-Louise Cordwell), a former friend, is hanged for looting (this is unbelievably shocking), when the executed French prisoners (this is usually portrayed off stage) leave their boots on the stage and then exit while a requiem is sung, when Henry coerces a kiss from Katherine, and when the Chorus (Millicent Wong) accuses Henry in the final scene.  The staging of the Battle of Agincourt, which includes the sound of machine guns and helicopters as well as the use of smoke and strobe lights, is highly effective at portraying the brutality of war because it is almost overwhelming.  I liked having the courtiers of both England and France wear tailored suits (black for England and grey for France) and the soldiers wear camouflage fatigues with machine guns rather than swords and I absolutely loved the minimal set which features three large steps and a wall that opens to become an illuminated St. George's Cross.  Harington gives a phenomenal performance but I also enjoyed Olivier Hubbard as the cocky Dauphin as well as the women who portray many of the English and French Dukes.  I would have loved to have been a part of the actual audience for this brilliant production but this is the next best thing because the cameras captured the action so well.  I will definitely be attending more National Theatre Live performances in the future (go here for more information).

Imagine at Sandy Amphitheater

I had so much fun last night because I got to see Imagine, a fantastic Beatles cover band, at Sandy Amphitheater.  At this show they styled themselves as Imagine + because they performed with an orchestra and it was amazing!  I loved every minute of it!  Imagine consists of Tom Coburn as John Lennon, Bryan Hague as Paul McCartney, Brad Armstrong as George Harrison, and Mark Robinette as Ringo Starr and they look and sound a lot like the Fab Four complete with the mop-top haircuts and Liverpudlian accents.  During their first set they wore the black suits and Cuban-heeled boots the Beatles wore on the Ed Sullivan Show and performed "I Saw Her Standing There," "All My Loving," "Please Please Me," "I Want to Hold Your Hand," "I'll Follow The Sun," "A Hard Day's Night," "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away," "And I Love Her" (one of my favorite Beatles songs), "Help," "Yesterday," "Drive My Car," "Eleanor Rigby," "She Loves You," and "Something in the Way."  I loved all of the witty banter in between all of the songs!  After the intermission, they returned to the stage wearing the iconic Sgt. Pepper's uniforms and started this set, of course, with "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" and "With a Little Help From My Friends."  They continued with "Here Comes the Sun," "I Am the Walrus," "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds," "Yellow Submarine," "Penny Lane," "Come Together," "Get Back," "Day in the Life" (which was my favorite performance of the evening), and "Got to Get You Into My Life."  I was hoping that they would play "Hey Jude" and they did during the encore (including the requisite audience participation during the extended chorus which made me positively giddy) followed by a rousing rendition of "Lady Madonna."  I really love the Beatles and I would give anything to have been able to see them in concert (alas, I was born too late) but cover bands like Imagine let me at least pretend that I am at a Beatles concert.  It was a great show and the temperature was actually really pleasant (my last concert at Sandy Amphitheater was so hot) so I thoroughly enjoyed myself.  There are a few summer concerts at Sandy Amphitheater left (go here for tickets) and I recommend listening to some great music under the stars.

Note:  I have one more outdoor concert at Sandy Amphitheater and one at USANA left this summer!

Disenchanted at the Grand Theatre

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

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

Enchanted April at HCTO

Last night I went to see HCTO's delightful production of Enchanted April and I thoroughly enjoyed it!  In England after World War I Lotty Wilton (Stephanie Breinholt) is finding her life and her marriage to Mellersh (Marshall Lamm) to be unsatisfactory.  She sees an advertisement for a medieval castle in Italy to let for the month of April and begins to dream of the possibility of taking it.  The dream becomes a reality when she meets Rose Arnott (Christie Gardiner), a pious and uptight woman who is also struggling in her marriage to Frederick (Jon Liddiard), at her Ladies Club and convinces her to come along.  They decide that it would be more economical to have two more women join them and they create their own advertisement.  It is answered by the wealthy and aimless Lady Caroline Bramble (Kelly Cook) and the imperious widow Mrs. Graves (Karen Baird).  At first their interactions at the castle are tense but soon all four of these unhappy women, as well as their husbands, begin to bloom under the wisteria and sunshine of San Salvatore.  I really love this story because it is all about finding light when life seems at its darkest and I think this is a message we can all benefit from.  The four main women in the cast are all wonderful, especially Breinholt as the free-spirited Lotty, but I absolutely loved Celine Morton as the cook Costanza because, even though all of her dialogue is in Italian, her facial expressions and over the top gestures are hilarious and I also enjoyed Lamm, especially his attempts to speak Italian.  The rotating set is very simple and becomes a Ladies Club, the Wilton residence, the Arnott residence, the Bramble residence, the Graves residence, and a train compartment with the addition of just a few props in the first act and then it is miraculously transformed into the terrace of San Salvatore with a wisteria covered pergola in the second act.  The audience literally gasped when the transformation occurred (you have to see it to believe it).  I say this in every review but I am always so impressed with what HCTO is able to do on such a small stage and I was particularly struck by how the scene where Lotty and Rose tell their husbands that they are going to Italy is staged because it happens simultaneously in the same space (it is choreographed so well because both couples even use the same tea service).  This is a simple play but I walked out of the theatre with a huge smile on my face and I definitely recommend it (go here for tickets).

Fall

I had only the most desultory interest in Fall but I randomly decided to see it last night.  I enjoyed it but, let me tell you, do not go see this movie if you are the least bit scared of heights!  Trust me on this!  After a tragic climbing accident resulting in the death of her husband a year earlier, Becky (Grace Caroline Currey) is cajoled into climbing a 2,000 foot decommissioned TV tower in the middle of nowhere by her best friend Hunter (Virginia Gardner) in an attempt to help her move past her grief and fear.  The climb to the top is exhilarating and they celebrate their success by filming some amazing footage using a drone but, as they attempt to descend, complications ensue and they are trapped on a tiny platform.  There is no way down and no way to communicate with anyone for help.  Will they survive?  There are some incredibly nerve-wracking scenes filled with almost unbearable tension, especially when the girls climb the tower with glimpses of how structurally unsound it is interspersed throughout.  The visuals are also quite impressive in showing the scale of the tower and, even though I don't suffer from vertigo, I had to look away several times!  The narrative does start to lose steam in the third act with a subplot that feels shoehorned in just to add to the runtime and an ending that is a bit anticlimactic after the buildup.  Curry and Gardner give outstanding physical performances but their acting won't be winning any awards, although this could be because much of the dialogue is cringe-worthy (I'm not familiar with either of these actresses).  This reminded me so much of 47 Meters Down and, as with that movie, I think it is a lot of fun and should be seen on the big screen for maximum anxiety!

Beast

Last night I spontaneously decided to see Beast and I enjoyed it a lot more than I was expecting.  After his estranged wife dies from cancer, Dr. Nate Samuels (Idris Elba) takes his two teenage daughters Meredith (Iyana Halley) and Nora (Leah Sava Jeffries), who blame him for abandoning their mother during her illness, to her village in South Africa to try and repair his relationship with them.  They stay with Martin Battles (Sharlto Copley), a family friend who manages a game reserve, and the four of them eventually go out on a game drive together.  When they stop in another village, they discover that every inhabitant has been savagely killed by a lion which, as Martin explains, is unusual behavior.  It turns out that poachers have killed this lion's entire pride and he is fighting back.  This includes injuring Martin and trapping Nate and his daughters in their incapacitated jeep.  Nate must now fight for the survival of his family against a relentless predator.  Despite some incomprehensibly bad decisions made by most of the characters (the daughters are told to stay in the vehicle at least 812 times and, you guessed it, they don't stay in the vehicle) and a predictable outcome, there are some really tense action scenes that had me holding my breath.  These are definitely enhanced by long tracking shots that are almost more menacing for what they don't show than what they do because I was always on edge not knowing where the lion would come from.  Elba is really great as an action hero (the final confrontation between his character and the lion is fantastic if a bit improbable) but he also delivers in the poignant scenes between Nate and his daughters.  Copley, who always seems slightly unhinged to me, is also really believable as a naturalist and the young actresses have nice interactions with Elba.  This is a well-crafted thriller that is more entertaining than the usual late summer fare and I recommend it!

The Drowsy Chaperone at Murray Park Amphitheater

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

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

Daisy Darker

My August Book of the Month selection was Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney (the other options were Girl, Forgotten by Karin Slaughter, Small Angels by Lauren Owen, Bronze Drum by Phong Nguyen, When We Were Bright and Beautiful by Jillian Medoff, The Many Daughters of Afong Moy by Jamie Ford, and The Devil Takes You Home by Gabino Iglesias) and I loved this homage to Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None. Beatrice Darker, a well-known children's author, invites the members of her estranged family and close family friend Conor Kennedy to Seaglass, her house on a remote island off the Cornish coast that is only accessible during low tide, to celebrate her 80th birthday. She believes that this will be her last birthday because of a fortune teller's prediction so she takes this opportunity to inform her family, including son Frank, his ex-wife Nancy, her granddaughters Rose, Lily, and Daisy, and her great-granddaughter Trixie, about the contents of her will which angers them. At the stroke of midnight, as a storm rages outside, the family discovers the body of Beatrice and it appears that she has been murdered. They also find a poem written by Beatrice which details how the rest of the family will eventually be murdered. They are trapped on the island because it is high tide and they cannot get cell service to call for help. Soon more members of the family are killed in the manner described by Beatrice's poem as the dwindling number of survivors try frantically to figure out who the murderer is and, more importantly, who might be next! Daisy, who was born with a debilitating heart condition, is the first-person narrator who provides the backstory, and reveals the secrets, of each of the characters and I really enjoyed this device because these details relate directly to Beatrice's poem (just as the nursery rhyme "Ten Little Indians" counts down the deaths in And Then There Were None) and I kept going back to it to see who might be next! I loved the use of the crumbling Gothic mansion and the desolate and craggy island as the setting because the isolation enhances the tension and the suspense (I love locked room mysteries). There is a twist at the end that seems absolutely bonkers but it makes sense if you think about everything that has been revealed (you will definitely need to go back and read the editor's note at the beginning again). I really enjoyed this (I like Alice Feeney more and more with every one of her books I read) and I recommend it to fans of atmospheric murder mysteries.

Emily the Criminal

I missed Emily the Criminal at Sundance this year so I went to see it at the Broadway last night and I found it to be incredibly compelling and thought provoking.  Emily Benetto (Aubrey Plaza) has a menial job as a delivery person for a catering company because she is unable to get a better paying one due to a felony conviction on her record.  She can barely pay the interest on her exorbitant student loans so, when a colleague offers her an opportunity to make $200 for an hour of work, she is intrigued.  She discovers that this "opportunity" is a credit card fraud ring run by Youcef (Theo Rossi) and she is asked to buy a flat screen TV with a fake credit card and ID.  Her next job, which involves buying a car, turns violent when the scam is discovered.  However, in her desperation, she becomes more and more involved with the ring and Youcef with even higher stakes.  This is an interesting and timely exploration of how difficult it is for working class people to get ahead in a late capitalist society and Emily is a character that many, unfortunately, can relate to.  She is not really meant to be viewed as a hero because a lot of her actions are reprehensible but it isn't hard to sympathize with her, especially after the humiliation she experiences when trying to explain her criminal record during job interviews, asking for more hours at a job in which she has no rights or benefits, and serving catered lunches to her condescending peers.  Plaza, who is hit or miss with me, gives a fierce and powerful performance that is definitely one of the best of her career.  This movie is a bit under the radar but I think it is well worth seeking out and I recommend it.