See How They Run at HCT

HCT likes to begin the new season with a comedy and this year they picked a great one! I love the play See How They Run because I played Miss Skillon in high school and I had a blast watching HCT's version last night! This hilarious British farce takes place in the vicarage of a village called Merton-Cum-Middlewick during World War II. Lance Corporal Clive Winton (Clayton Barney) comes to visit his old friend Penelope (Morgan Fenner) who is now married to the Rev. Lionel Toop (Ben Parkes). Ida (Elise Pearce), her love-struck cockney maid, is flustered by his arrival but Miss Skillon (Lori Rees), a meddling spinster who has come to the vicarage to complain to Rev. Toop, is convinced that Penelope is having an affair with him and imbibes too much cooking sherry. Penelope persuades Clive to wear Rev. Toop's second best suit and clerical collar so they can dodge army regulations and see the play they once performed together. When Penelope's sedate uncle the Bishop of Lax (Zac Zumbrunnen), a mild-mannered visiting clergyman named Rev. Arthur Humphrey (Sanford Porter), and an escaped German POW (Jason Hackney) all end up at the vicarage, you get mayhem, mistaken identity, and everyone chasing each other in clerical garb! The action is incredibly fast-paced with a lot of physical comedy and there were hoots of laughter at all of the preposterous goings-on, especially when Clive, Toop, the Bishop, and the German prisoner jump over the prostrate Miss Skillon as they chase each other through the drawing room (this was one of my favorite scenes in my high school production even though I always worried that they wouldn't jump in time). It is even funnier when they continue jumping even when she isn't there anymore! Another hilarious scene involves several characters, including Miss Skillon, hiding in the cupboard (in my production the Rev. Toop and I would always try to come up with funny poses to get the others to break character when they opened the door). The entire cast is outstanding but my favorites were Parkes, because he becomes more and more hysterical, Zumbrunnen, because he becomes more and more outraged, and Porter, because he becomes more and more flustered (all of their facial expressions are so much fun to watch) in response to the chaos. Of course I absolutely loved Rees as Skillon (she is such a fun character) because she gives an absolutely brilliant physical performance, especially when she is intoxicated and trying to stand up or walk! The set features an explosion of floral prints on the wall, on the furniture, and on the many throw pillow featured in the drawing room of the vicarage. I also really liked the timbered rafters, the glass doors leading out to the garden, and the aforementioned cupboard. The costumes are very flamboyant, especially the Bishop's purple and scarlet vestments and robe and Miss Skillon's mismatched plaid ensemble. This show is more fun than should be allowed on a Tuesday and I loved it! I highly suggest that you get a ticket (go here) before all of the shows sell out. It runs on the Sorenson Legacy Jewel Box Stage through April 22.

She Loves Me at CPT

I love the musical She Loves Me because it is just so charming! I've seen it countless times (including the Broadway revival starring Zachary Levi, Laura Benanti, and Jane Krakowski as well as at HCT and West Valley Arts) but I was still really looking forward to CPT's production. I took a little break from Sundance to see it last night with my sisters and my niece and we all really enjoyed it. The action takes place at Maraczek's Perfumery in Budapest during the 1930s and follows a group of eccentric clerks, including Georg Nowack (Ben Lowell), Ilona Ritter (Jordyn Tracy), Steven Kodaly (Ryan Bruckman), Ladoslav Sipos (Chad Wilkinson), and Arpad Laszlo (Drew Dunshee). When Mr. Maraczek (Darin Stite) hires Amalia Balash (Claire Glaittli) as a new clerk, Georg takes an immediate dislike to her and soon they are both bickering constantly.  However, both Georg and Amalia have unknown correspondents but neither one knows that they are writing to each other! Most of the songs are like every day conversations between co-workers (the clerks even break out into song whenever a customer leaves the shop) and I especially love "Tonight at Eight" and "Will He Like Me" because they each give the male and female perspective about going on a first date. There are a couple of big song and dance numbers, including "A Romantic Atmosphere" and "Twelve Days To Christmas," and the choreography in both is a lot of fun and well executed by the ensemble. Glaittli has an incredibly beautiful voice and she really shines in the song "Vanilla Ice Cream" while Lowell is energetic and endearing in "She Loves Me." The two of them have great comedic timing and wonderful chemistry which really elevates the enemies to lovers trope. I was also really impressed with Tracy because, even though the character is supposed to be a bit fast and loose with her affections, her performance is more playful than overtly sexy. The period costumes and wigs are beautiful and really convey the time and place but my favorite aspect of this production is the amazing set! I was just as impressed with the outside of Maraczek's Perfumery as I was with the inside because of the attention to detail. The shop actually looks like it could be found on a street in Europe with stone masonry, stained glass windows, wooden benches, and pots of flowers. When the shop opens up there are window displays that light up, moving display cases filled with colored bottles of perfume and monogrammed gift boxes, chandeliers, and gold leaf wallpaper. The Cafe Imperial is a simple but effective set piece that rises from the floor and also features lots of fun details such as more gold leaf wallpaper, sconces, and candles flickering on the tables. Everything about this show is delightful and I highly recommend it for a romantic night out. It runs on the Barlow Main Stage through February 18 (go here for tickets).

Note:  There were a lot of empty seats last night and I think the reason might be that not many people (other than theatre nerds like me) are familiar with this show.  Both of my sisters and my niece had never heard of it before. Hopefully people will give it a chance because it really is lovely.

What Lies in the Woods

My January Book of the Month selection was What Lies in the Woods by Kate Alice Marshall (the other options were Age of Vice by Deepti Kapoor, Lunar Love by Lauren Kung Jessen, Queen of Thieves by Beezy Marsh, Hell Bent by Leigh Bardugo, The Reunion by Kayla Olson, and Independence by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni). I already pre-ordered Hell Bent, the long-awaited sequel to Ninth House, months ago so I decided to go with the thriller and I'm glad that I did because I couldn't put it down! Twenty-two years ago in a small town in the Pacific Northwest, three eleven-year-old girls with vivid imaginations spend the summer in the woods role-playing their favorite stories from mythology in secret. Later that summer Naomi is brutally attacked by a serial killer and barely survives but, when he is caught, she and her friends Olivia and Cassidy provide the evidence that convicts Allan Michael Stahl. In the present, Naomi learns that Stahl has died in prison and, rather than providing a sense of relief, this bring up long repressed memories of the attack. She travels back to her hometown to reconnect with her friends and Olivia is distraught over the fact that the three of them have not been entirely honest and may have sent an innocent man to prison. Olivia wants to tell the truth but, when she disappears, it turns out that all three women have been keeping even more secrets about that day in the woods. This novel is incredibly suspenseful and the tension never lets up until the dramatic conclusion back in the woods. Even though I guessed one of the big reveals pretty early on, I was completely blindsided on several occasions with all of the twists and turns. I really enjoyed the structure because the narrative uses flashbacks to provide incremental details about the central mystery and this is very effective because I had to keep reading well into the night to find out what happened. I also really liked Naomi as the main protagonist and I think her character is very well-developed, particularly in regards to how the trauma she suffered as a child has informed the person she has become and the decisions, which are not always rational, she makes. My only complaint is that some of the secondary characters are not as well-developed and I sometimes lost track of them but that didn't detract from my enjoyment. Ultimately, this is a riveting psychological thriller and I recommend it to fans of the genre.

Note:  This is the first foray into adult fiction by this author but, as a fan of YA fiction, I might try to find some of her earlier works because I like her style.

Utah Opera's The Daughter of the Regiment

I had never seen The Daughter of the Regiment by Gaetano Donizetti before so I was really excited for Utah Opera's production last night.  I usually prefer the tragedies but I loved this delightful performance!  The Twenty-First Regiment of the French army is stationed in the Tyrolean region during the Napoleonic Wars.  Sergeant Sulpice (Matt Burns) is concerned because Marie (Madison Leonard), a canteen girl who has been raised by the regiment since they found her abandoned as a baby, has fallen in love with a Tyrolean named Tonio (Jack Swanson).  Since she has pledged to marry a member of the regiment, Tonio enlists but it is all for naught when Marie discovers that she is the long lost niece of the Marquise of Berkenfield (Elise Quagliata) who insists that she accompany her to learn to be a proper lady.  Tonio, distraught at losing Marie, puts himself in harm's way and is promoted for bravery.  He formally asks the Marquise for Marie's hand in marriage but complications ensue when he learns that she has been betrothed to a Duke.  Leonard is outstanding in the role because not only is her voice beautiful but she has really great comedic timing and wonderful chemistry with Swanson.  I loved the duet between Marie and Tonio, "Depuis l'instant où, dans mes bras," because it is both tender and really playful.  I also loved the hilarious scene where the Marquise has Marie practice being a lady by singing an aria but she breaks out into the regimental song instead (after singing very badly).  I was also really impressed with Swanson's brilliant vocal performance in "Ah! Mes amis," where he tells the regiment that he loves Marie, because he gave me goosebumps every time he hit those high notes!  There is a lot of comedy in this opera, especially a recurring bit whenever Sulpice tells the story of finding Marie (it is even funnier when Marie does it).  I also enjoyed Kevin Nakatni's performances as Hortensius, the Marquise's butler, because his facial expressions are hilarious and Anne Cullimore Decker steals every scene she is in as the venerable Duchess of Krackenthorp because she is so disapproving!  The costumes, which were all made by the Utah Opera costume department, are fabulous!  I loved the attention to detail on the uniforms worn by the regiment and on the gowns worn by Marie, the Marquise, and the Duchess.  The staging is very clever because Act I features a backdrop of forests and mountains and then when the action shifts to the Marquise's chateau in Act II there are windows placed in front of the same backdrop to show the view.  I had so much fun watching this production, often laughing out loud, and I think everyone, even those not familiar with opera, would enjoy it.  There are two more productions with lots of tickets available (go here).

Plane

After the heavy content from all of the independent films I have been watching lately, I was more than ready for the action thriller Plane yesterday.  It is the type of movie that my Dad would have absolutely loved and I enjoyed it in his memory.  Captain Brodie Torrance (Gerard Butler) is the pilot on Trailblazer Airlines Flight 119 from Singapore to Japan with 14 passengers, including a prisoner named Louis Gaspare (Mike Colter) who is being extradited to stand trial for murder.  Torrance is worried about the weather but is told not to deviate from the flight plan to conserve fuel.  As predicted, they encounter a dangerous storm and the plane is struck by lightning which damages the electrical system and forces an emergency landing.  Unfortunately, they land on a remote island in the Philippines ruled by a group of ruthless separatists who take most of the passengers and crew hostage.  When Torrance learns of Gaspare's military background, he unshackles him and they, along with a group of mercenaries hired by the airline to rescue them, fight the separatists, rescue the hostages, and somehow get the plane back in the air.  There is very little character development (the crew members, passengers, and separatists are indistinguishable) and you must suspend your disbelief on occasion (why is Gaspare on this particular flight when he is being extradited to the US?) but it is still a lot of fun.  Butler can always be relied upon in these kind of roles and the action sequences are intense and thrilling, especially some hand-to-hand combat involving the creative use of a sledgehammer and a suspenseful shoot-out in the final act.  This is actually better than what you might expect from a January release and I recommend seeing it with your Dad with a big tub of popcorn.