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.