Festival of Trees 2024

Yesterday I volunteered as a hostess at the Festival of Trees for the fourteenth year.  Various individuals and organizations decorate trees, usually to commemorate someone who has been a patient at Primary Children's Hospital, and then donate them.  These trees are put up for auction and then displayed at the Mountain America Expo Center for the public to view for the duration of the festival.  All of the proceeds go directly to Primary Children's Hospital so it is a really worthwhile cause.  In addition to the trees, there are centerpieces, wreaths, quilts, and and gingerbread houses with lots of crafts and treats for sale (I highly recommend the cinnamon rolls).  After I am finished I like to wander around and look at all of the trees.  Here are some of my favorites.

This American Red Cross tree was my favorite in my assigned area.

The festival continues at the Mountain America Expo Center through Saturday.  Go here for more information and tickets.

A Christmas Carol at HCTO 2024

Last night I went to HTCO for the fifth and final production of A Christmas Carol that I have scheduled this season (whew!).  This tells the well-known story of Ebenezer Scrooge's reclamation by the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future but it is a much simpler version.  Several of the extraneous scenes involving interactions between Scrooge and various townspeople have been omitted and other scenes feature voice-over narration rather than action.  The set is also very minimal with only a few pieces brought on and off the stage by the ensemble.  Even though the production is spartan, it is no less powerful and there were many moments that I found very impactful.  The scene between Scrooge (Mark Fossen) and Jacob Marley (Morgan Gunter) is incredibly eerie because we only hear Marley's disembodied voice for much of the time until he suddenly appears to Scrooge to prove that he is real.  There were lots of audible gasps from the audience during this scene!  I was also very struck by the scenes between Young Ebenezer (Lucas Morley) and Belle (Ondine Morgan-Garner) because he has a playful demeanor when he is wooing her but then he is incredibly cold and heartless when she leaves him.  Morley's portrayal of this transformation is very compelling because it mirrors that of Fossen before his reclamation.  Finally, the scene with Bob Cratchit (Bryson Smellie) and Mrs. Cratchit (Shani Harper) at Tiny Tim's grave moved me to tears because it is so heartbreaking.  As with the production at HCT, this one also uses music to tell the story.  I especially loved "Joy to the World," "Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella," "Coventry Carol," and "Christmas is Coming" by the Carolers (Delaney Johns, Eliza Stevenson, Ally Johnson, Elizabeth Thompson, Ben Driggs, Jake Oaklyn, Ryan Withers, and Steve Winters), "What Child is This?" by Bob Cratchit, and the original songs "I Was a Boy" by Young Ebenezer and Scrooge, "Hey Old Joe" by Old Joe (Chip Brown), the Undertaker (Morgan Gunter), the Laundress (Natalie Killpack-Daniel), and the Charwoman (Kelsea Kocherhans Smellie), and "Am I That Man?" by Scrooge (these songs really add to the narrative).  As with every production that I have seen at HCTO, I was so impressed by the costumes because they all feature beautiful fabrics with lots of elaborate embellishments.  I particularly loved a green and white houndstooth cloak worn by one of the carolers, a purple frock coat worn by Mr. Fezziwig (David Kocherhans), and a white fur coat and hat worn by Belle.  I thoroughly enjoyed this show and I highly recommend getting a ticket (go here) to one of the performances through December 28.

Note:  This is the final production at the theatre in Orem.  I am really looking forward to the inaugural season at The Ruth beginning with Ragtime in January.

A Christmas Carol at HCT 2024

Last night I went to Hale Centre Theatre for the fourth of five productions of A Christmas Carol that I have scheduled this holiday season. This is a very traditional version of Ebenezer Scrooge's reclamation by the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future and it is my sentimental favorite. I have been attending this show 25+ years and, since it isn't part of the season subscription, I sometimes try to convince myself that I don't need to see it every year but then I realize that I would really miss it and end up getting a ticket. I am so glad that I did this year because I enjoyed this production even more than usual. I wait with anticipation for every single scene (I think I have the whole show memorized) and I love seeing actors return year after year in the same role, particularly Stephen Kerr as Scrooge because his transformation is very powerful. I also really enjoy seeing new interpretations of characters and I especially loved John Rex Kocherhans because he brings a dignity to Bob Cratchit, Ben Parkes because he is so overwrought as Marley, and Taylor J. Smith because he is absolutely hilarious as the Ghost of Christmas Present (his facial expressions are so funny and I laughed out loud every time he threw confetti at Scrooge). One of the things I love best about HCT's production is the use of music to tell the story with an octet (Brett Myers, Zack Grob, Dan VanOrmer, Quinn Dietlein, Rachel Worthen Grob, Jennifer Riley, Luana Parkes, and Courtney McMullin) who sing in between the scenes and various characters who sing as part of the narrative. My favorites are "Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella" by Mr. Fezziwig (Mark Brocksmith) and his party guests, "Greensleeves" by Belle (Jordyn Aspyn Durfey), "Wassail, Wassail" by Fred (Josh Durfey) and his party guests, "Infant Holy, Infant Lowly" by the Poor Wife (Dawn Dietlein), and "Sussex Carol" by the Company. I also really love the elaborate sets, particularly the attention to detail in Scrooge's counting house (I love the ledgers and file boxes on the shelves), Scrooge's bed chamber (I love the opulent fabrics and wallpaper), Bob Cratchit's house (I love the fireplace), Fred's house (I love the Christmas tree), and the Rag and Bottle Shop (I love all of the items for sale displayed on the shelves). The only criticism I ever have of this show is that I think the scene at the Rag and Bottle Shop goes on a bit too long but last night I loved it because Taylor J. Smith made me laugh out loud as Old Joe. The holidays just wouldn't be the same without this show and I highly recommend getting a ticket (go here) but act quickly because many dates are sold out. It runs on the Sorenson Legacy Jewel Box Stage through December 28.

Scrooge: A Christmas Carol at the Terrace Plaza Playhouse 2024

Last night I went to the Terrace Plaza Playhouse for the third of five productions of A Christmas Carol that I have scheduled this season. This version, which is an adaptation by Beverly Olsen of the musical Scrooge with music and lyrics by Leslie Bricusse, tells the well-known story of the reclamation of Ebenezer Scrooge's soul by the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future but it is much more lighthearted and whimsical than other local productions. Scrooge (Kim Florence) is more a figure of fun who is ridiculed by everyone around him rather than feared and, even though Florence plays him as a doddering old buffoon, he does have a few poignant moments, especially his reactions when Isabelle (Lauren Bailey) leaves young Ebenezer (Jace Fawcett), when he learns the fate of Tiny Tim (Holden Cahoon), and when he realizes that everyone is celebrating his death. I really love the songs "Christmas Children" by Bob Cratchit (Brian Sears) and his children Tiny Tim and Kathy (Brooke Thompson), "December the Twenty-Fifth" by Mr. and Mrs. Fezziwig (Duane Beesley and Carla Zarate, respectively), "Happiness" by Young Ebenezer and Isabelle, and "The Beautiful Day" by Tiny Tim. I also enjoyed the spirited choreography in "Father Christmas" as the children make fun of Scrooge and "Thank You Very Much" as Tommy Jones (Brent Taft) and the rest of the debtors who owe Scrooge money dance around his coffin. I am always so impressed with how well the space on the small and intimate stage is used and this show is no exception, particularly in the opening number "Sing a Christmas Carol," because of the sheer number of townspeople involved, and as the Ghost of Christmas Present (Don Wilhelm) conducts Scrooge all around the theatre and through the audience to get to the Cratchit house and Fred's house. The sets are really impressive and bring Victorian London vividly to life with a backdrop of a cobblestone street, platforms on either side of the stage featuring Scrooge's counting house and the entrance to Scrooge's house (I love how Marley's head appears on the door knocker), and various set pieces that are moved on and off the stage (my favorites are Fezziwig's factory and the white silhouettes used to represent Scrooge's childhood). The costumes are beautiful, especially the ball gowns worn at Fred's party and the Ghost of Christmas Present's robe. However, there are several elements that deviate from the original musical and really detract from my enjoyment of this production. I do not like how Jacci Florence portrays the Ghost of Christmas Past because, to me, she seems like a deranged Sugar Plum Fairy and her shtick goes on way too long. I am also bewildered by the Ladies of the Late Afternoon (???) who dance a burlesque while stealing from Scrooge's house. This is my least favorite of all the local productions of this Christmas classic (I prefer a darker and more dramatic tone) but I love the community spirit of this theatre and I think this is perfect for families. It runs nightly (excluding Sundays) through December 23 and tickets may be purchased here.

Sean Is Twenty!

Yesterday my family celebrated Sean's twentieth birthday (his actual birthday is tomorrow).  We went to dinner at the Old Spaghetti Factory in Trolley Square (one of Sean's favorite restaurants) and then came back to my sister's house for cake and presents.  He didn't really know what he wanted for his birthday so Marilyn and I just gave him Amazon gift cards (which came in these cute holders).

We love getting ice cream cakes from Baskin-Robbins and, since he has picked a polar bear three different times, I thought it would be really funny for him to pick it again but he ended up getting this cute Santa Claus (it had white cake and bubblegum ice cream).  I can't believe that he is twenty because it seems like yesterday that he was cutest little boy!  I sure do love him (he is the best movie buddy) and I hope he had a really good day!

Gentri Christmas at the Eccles 2024

I love hearing Christmas music performed live so I was really excited to go to my first Christmas concert of the season with Gentri at the Eccles Theatre.  The Gentlemen Trio, or Gentri as they are more commonly known, was established when Casey Elliott, Bradley Quinn Lever, and Brad Robins were cast in a production of Les Miserables at HCT and then continued singing together when the run was over because their voices blend so well.  This was the third time I've seen their Christmas show and I think this one was my favorite because it was just them without any other guests.  They began the concert with an arrangement of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" with snippets from "The Carol of the Bells" and then performed a rousing rendition of "He Is Born The Heavenly Child" which I had never heard before but really loved.  They continued with "I Saw Three Ships" and then a beautiful version of "Still, Still, Still" which is one of my favorite Christmas songs because I sang it in choir when I was in college.  Next came their arrangement of "Noel" (which also contained snippets of "The Carol of the Bells") followed by a very moving version of "I Heard The Bells on Christmas Day."  I always hope that I will hear "O Holy Night" (it has been my favorite Christmas song ever since I was a little girl) and their version did not disappoint because, while most singers build to a powerful crescendo at the end, they sing it very softly and it is so beautiful.  They ended their first set with "The Little Drummer Boy" which is one of their most popular songs.  After the intermission they performed a mashup of "Coventry Carol" and "Poor Wayfaring Stranger" with dramatic themes by the cello (this was my favorite song at last year's concert) and then "Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella" which is another favorite from my college choir days.  Next they had their music director Stephen Nelson arrange a piece on the spot from an iconic movie score and a Christmas song suggested by the audience (they do this every year).  Our audience picked the theme form Raiders of the Lost Ark and "I Heard The Bells on Christmas Day" and it was actually amazing!  My favorite moment came next when they performed "Defying Gravity" from Wicked (I have now seen the movie three times) to the absolute delight of the crowd!  Their version was so good!  To conclude the concert they performed "Mary Did You Know," "Away in a Manger," "Love Is Alive" (with audience participation), and "O Come, All Ye Faithful" while narrating the Christmas story in between them.  I loved this concert and it was the perfect way to start the holiday season!

We Need a Little Christmas

I love it when my house is decorated for Christmas (it is really the only holiday that I decorate for) and I enjoy putting up my tree because all of the ornaments that I have collected over the years have a sentimental meaning.  I actually put my tree up earlier in the week (I usually wait until the day after Thanksgiving) because I was in desperate need of some Christmas cheer.  This year I am especially looking forward to celebrating Christmas, including three more productions of A Christmas Carol, five Christmas concerts (I love hearing Christmas music performed live and I always hope to hear "O Holy Night"), a performance of The Nutcracker, the movie White Christmas on the big screen, and all of the traditional activities that my nephew is planning for us (I am most looking forward to our night of Christmas baking and our gingerbread house party).  I will also be volunteering for the Festival of Trees once again.  Now, more than ever, I hope this holiday season can bring all of us some comfort and joy.

Thanksgiving 2024

I spent Thanksgiving with my family (we definitely missed Tashena and Tucker who live in Washington) and it was a really nice day.  We had a wonderful dinner with ham (instead of the traditional turkey), potatoes, stuffing, yams, pomegranate salad (a family favorite), rolls, and vegetables with dip.  My sisters are amazing cooks and I am so glad that I am always invited because I am definitely not (my contribution is to bring store-bought pies).  After dinner we all had a rest (my nephew and I watched a movie) and then we played this crazy card game called Shanghai rummy.  We haven't played for a long time and it was a lot of fun (I won).  We had lots of treats while we played and then ended the night with pie.  I enjoyed spending the day with my family and I am really looking forward to all of the fun things we have planned for the rest of the holidays.  I hope you had a happy Thanksgiving with the ones you love.

Maria

My nephew and I went to a matinee of Maria at the Broadway yesterday and, even though it is my least favorite of Pablo Larrain's portraits of enigmatic women, I absolutely loved Angelina Jolie's bravura performance.  Maria Callas (Jolie) spends the final days of her life in Paris reminiscing about her celebrated career on stage and her turbulent relationship with Aristotle Onassis (Haluk Bilginer), worrying her devoted butler (Pierfrancesco Favino) and housekeeper (Alba Rohrwacher) with her increasing dependence on prescription drugs, and rehearsing with a vocal coach (Stephen Ashfield) to improve her deteriorating voice in an attempt to become La Callas again.  She also has regular hallucinations in which a reporter named Mandrax (Kodi Smit-McPhee), the personification of the drug she has become addicted to, interviews her for a documentary about her life.  However, it is only when she is able to break free from the prison of her voice and sing for herself that she finally finds peace (this is incredibly fatalistic but I think there is an exultation in Maria's final scene).  The narrative sometimes feels crowded and disjointed but it looks absolutely gorgeous with warm and saturated colors evoking Paris during the 1970s along with dramatic black and white images used to represent moments from the past.  I loved the elaborate staging of operas both on stage in famous opera houses around the world and in various locations around Paris in Maria's hallucinations (my favorites were the mad scene from Anna Bolena at La Scala and a surrealistic interpretation of the "Humming Chorus" from Madame Butterfly on the steps of a historic building during a rainstorm).  I also loved the parallels between the operas used and the events depicted (and, as a fan of opera, I loved that extended excerpts are used rather than brief snippets).  The costumes and sets are incredibly lavish but it sometimes feels like there is more style than substance.  The highlight is Jolie's brilliant performance because she imbues Maria with an imperiousness (I laughed every time she made her butler move the piano for no reason) and a vulnerability that is absolutely captivating.  I think this is a role that Jolie was born to play because her own star status and troubled off-screen persona add credibility to the performance (just give her the Oscar now) even if the script leaves us wanting to know more about the character.  This will not be for everyone but it is a must-see for fans of Jolie and I recommend it when it comes to Netflix on December 11.

Moana 2

Last night I went with both of my sisters and my nephew to see Moana 2 at an early preview.  The original is my all-time favorite animated movie from Disney so I was both excited and nervous to see the sequel.  It is definitely not as good as the first one but I enjoyed it.  Moana (Auli'i Cravalho), who is now a Wayfinder, receives a vision from one of her ancestors asking her to break a curse placed by the storm god Nalo on the island Montufetu which once connected all of the people living in Oceania.  She sets sail with a crew of fellow islanders, including a master builder (Rose Matafeo), a grumpy farmer (David Fane), and a storyteller (Hualalai Chung), and eventually finds Maui (Dwayne Johnson), who has been captured by an underworld goddess named Matangi (Awhimai Fraser), while battling a giant clam for the Kakamora.  Maui joins the crew but they must survive Nalo's destructive storms in order to find Montufetu.  The story follows the original beat for beat and seems better suited for streaming but the gorgeous animation, particularly the dazzling storm sequences, makes it worth seeing on the big screen.  The message about needing to work together in order to solve a problem is not particularly subtle but I really loved the idea that you sometimes need to find a different way to do something.  The villains are not very memorable (Matangi had potential but she is abandoned after one epic scene) and many of the other new characters are one-dimensional but I really liked the dynamic between Moana and Maui (Cravalho and Johnson are great).  I think a lot of the humor is very crude (it involves a lot of slime being expelled from various orifices) but the children in the audience were laughing out loud the whole time.  Finally, the songs are definitely not as good as the ones by Lin-Manuel Miranda in the original (I absolutely love "How Far I'll Go" and "We Know The Way" so it was always going to be hard to top them) but I did like "Get Lost" in a fun sequence with Matangi and her back-up singing bats and "Can I Get A Chee Hoo" as Maui tries to boost Moana's confidence.  This is a fun movie to see with the family over the Thanksgiving holiday (the kids will love it) but it is good rather than great.