The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster

I had never heard of The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster before I happened to catch the trailer.  It looked really interesting so I saw it last night at the Broadway and this contemporary retelling of Frankenstein with a bit of social commentary mixed in is really good.  Vicaria (Laya DeLeon Hayes) is a brilliant teenager with an affinity for science but she has been traumatized by the deaths caused by the gang violence and drug use that has become prevalent in the Black community where she lives.  After her brother Chris (Edem Atsu-Swanzy) is shot and killed while working for Kango (Denzel Whitaker), the local drug dealer, and her father Donald (Chad L. Coleman) begins abusing drugs as a way to deal with the tragedy, she hypothesizes that death is a disease that she can cure.  She builds a laboratory in an abandoned shed once used by the power company, collects bodies from the victims of violence around her, and eventually brings her brother back from the dead.  However, the creature that emerges from her experiment is not her brother but a monster that goes on a killing spree to exact revenge for his death.  This is a provocative take on Shelley's classic story because using the creature as a metaphor for systemic disenfranchisement is extremely effective but I wish that the narrative had explored the notion that the mad scientist is really the true monster a bit deeper than it does (the ending doesn't feel earned in my opinion).  Hayes give a riveting and multi-faceted performance as a young woman who will do anything to save her family but actually causes more harm and I also liked all of the supporting performances.  The visual effects look great, especially when the creature is brought to life, and the creature design as a shadowy hooded figure is menacing more for what we don't see than for what we do.  There are moments that are really scary with some intense body horror elements that are quite disturbing and the score, as well as the absence of sound, adds to the tension.  This is one of the better horror movies I've seen this year but, unfortunately, there has been very little promotion for it (I was the only person in the audience last night).  I definitely recommend seeking it out!

Singin' in the Rain at the Terrace Plaza Playhouse

I left the property early in the afternoon yesterday because I had a ticket to see Singin' in the Rain at the Terrace Plaza Playhouse last night. I thought I would have plenty of time but I heard that Parley's Canyon was at a standstill so I detoured to Provo Canyon which was a bit out of my way but was probably faster than sitting in traffic. I had Sean tuck and roll out of my car as I drove past his house (not really), I dropped all of my camping gear in the middle of my living room, and I took the world's fastest shower but I actually made it to the show with a few minutes to spare! I'm glad I made the effort because I loved this production! Don Lockwood (Jeff Erickson) and Lina Lamont (Whitney Cahoon) are silent film stars in the 1920s working on their latest collaboration. However, when the studio decides to transition to "talkies," Lina's obnoxious voice and terrible acting threatens to ruin the picture. Don decides to dub Lina's voice with that of Kathy Seldon (Stephanie Bruckman), an aspiring actress with whom he has fallen in love, and chaos ensues when Lina finds out! I really love all of the big song and dance numbers in this show and the choreography in "Fit as a Fiddle," "Make 'Em Laugh," "Moses Supposes," "Good Morning," and "Broadway Melody" is fantastic with lots of high energy tap dancing! The highlight is definitely the iconic number "Singin' in the Rain" because it actually rains on stage as Don dances around the lamp post. I was really impressed because this is a community theater that sometimes struggles with complicated technical effects. I also really liked "You Were Meant for Me" because it is incredibly romantic (I loved the stars) with tremendous chemistry between Erickson and Bruckman. The set is simple but effective with the logo for Monumental Pictures above a red velvet curtain and an Art Deco proscenium. This becomes a sound stage where the movies are filmed and a theater where they are screened with the addition of a few set pieces. Even though there were a few technical difficulties to begin with (which were handled in a highly amusing way), I loved seeing the movie footage projected on a large screen and I laughed and laughed when Lina struggles to use a microphone.  The 1920s costumes are a lot of fun and I especially liked all of the flapper dresses and headdresses. Erickson and Bruckman are wonderful singers and dancers and, as previously mentioned, have a lot of chemistry and Cahoon is a hoot but Nick Morris, as Don's sidekick Cosmo Brown, steals the show with his comedic timing and physicality. This is definitely among my favorites from the Terrace Plaza Playhouse and I highly recommend getting a ticket (go here). It runs through July 22.

Note:  When my nephew found out what play I was trying to get home to see, he started singing "Good Morning."

Quick Camping Trip

Sunday morning Kristine, Sean, and I joined Trent at the property for a quick camping trip.  It was only two days but it was so much fun!

Once we got there Sean and I took turns driving the side-by-side up several mountain trails.  It was beautiful because everything was so green from all of the recent rain and there were wildflowers everywhere.

In the evening Trent made burgers on the grill.  Everything tastes so much better outside!

We spent the rest of the evening sitting around the fire talking and laughing.  This is one of my favorite parts of camping.

After Trent made us one of his famous breakfasts yesterday morning, I found a great spot on the property to read and it was so relaxing.  The weather was absolutely perfect because it wasn't too hot and it got cool but not cold in the evening.  I am so glad I spontaneously decided to go on this little trip and I was a little sad to leave and come back home.

High School Musical at Murray Park Amphitheater

One of my favorite things to do in the summer is to attend outdoor performances and one of my favorite outdoor venues is the Murray Park Amphitheater.  Last night I went there to see a production of High School Musical and not only was the show a lot of fun but it was a perfect summer night (it was warm but not too hot and, when the sun went down, it got cool enough for a light jacket).  This musical follows the popular movie of the same name and most of the teens in the audience were singing along!  The status quo has been disrupted at East High School when Troy Bolton (covered by the understudy Chase Daynes), the captain of the basketball team, and Gabriella Montez (Brooklyn Tousley), the brainy new student, decide to try out for the winter musical after spending detention with the theater teacher Ms. Darbus (Amber Kacherian).  Troy's best friend Chad Danforth (Chris Bouck), a fellow teammate, and his Dad, Coach Bolton (Kevin Elzey), are worried that his focus won't be on the Championship game and Taylor McKessie (Caroline Drake) wants Gabrielle to participate in the Scholastic Decathlon instead.  Meanwhile, Sharpay Evans (Savana Lowe) and her brother Ryan (Zac Haney), who have starred in every theater production since kindergarten, do not want to be replaced as the leads.  They all conspire to keep Troy and Gabriella from call-backs but then all of the jocks, brainiacs, thespians, and skater dudes realize that they are all in this together!  The young and enthusiastic cast does a really great job and I especially enjoyed the performances in the big song and dance numbers "Get'cha Head in the Game" (the ball handling was great), "What I've Been Looking For" (I loved the jazz squares), "Stick to the Status Quo," "Counting on You," "Bop to the Top," and "We're All in This Together."  Daynes and Tousley have really nice voices and I loved their heartfelt renditions of "Start of Something New," "When There Was Me and You," and "Breaking Free." Kacherian is a hoot as Ms. Darbus and one of the funniest scenes in the show is when she has the students act like animals while in detention (the worm steals the show).  I was particularly impressed with the live band located on stage because they sounded fantastic.  The stage is configured to look like East High School with set pieces for classrooms, the cafeteria, the gym with bleachers, and hallways (Sharpay's locker is awesome) that are moved on and off stage underneath a large red and white "E" that is illuminated after the team wins the Championship game (spoiler alert!).  The red and white costumes, including East High cheerleader uniforms, basketball uniforms, and letterman jackets, are a lot of fun.  I thoroughly enjoyed this show but, unfortunately, last night was the final performance.  However, there are lots of fun shows on the schedule this summer, including Rogers & Hammerstein's Cinderella in July and Seussical the Musical in August as well as some great concerts (go here for tickets and information).

Note:  The Broadway touring production of High School Musical came to the Capitol Theatre many years ago and my friend with whom I had tickets did not want to see it so I got to take my niece Tashena.  She was about six years old and she was thrilled!

Elemental

I went to see Elemental yesterday afternoon and I absolutely loved it because not only is the story incredibly moving (I actually had a tear in my eye during one poignant scene) but the animation is gorgeous.  Bernie and Cinder Lumen (Ronnie del Carmen and Shila Omni, respectively) leave their home in Fire Land, despite great personal sacrifice, to emigrate to Element City for a better life for their daughter Ember (Leah Lewis).  They face xenophobia from the other elements of water, air, and earth so they settle in Fire Town and keep to their own element.  They establish a successful convenience store called The Fireplace and Bernie's greatest wish is that Ember take over when she is ready.  When a water pipe bursts in the store, Ember meets Wade Ripple (Mamoudou Athie) and they eventually work together to stop the flooding.  They also develop feelings for one another despite Bernie and Cinder's disapproval of him because he is a water element.  Wade discovers Ember's talent for glass blowing and he encourages her to follow her passion but she feels the weight of responsibility to run the family store because her parents worked so hard to build it as a legacy for her.  Will her duty to her parents and their prejudice against water elements keep her from following her dream and finding true love?  This is very obviously about the immigrant experience and what it is like for a second-generation immigrant to grow up with the pressures of keeping the traditions of one culture alive while living in another one and I loved the message that the differences between people can also bring them together.  I also enjoyed the message that love can conquer all, especially in a scene where Ember and Wade realize that love has altered their chemistry so they can touch each other without being vaporized or extinguished (the animation in this scene is so beautiful and it took my breath away).  The world building is incredibly clever (I was especially impressed by how much Fire Town looks like its own separate neighborhood within Element City) and so is the character design (I loved the clothing worn by the fire elements).  I wasn't as impressed with the music as I usually am with a Pixar release but I loved the animation so much it didn't really matter.  This has had a very disappointing opening weekend at the box office so I definitely encourage everyone to go out and see it because, in my opinion, it is one of the best Pixar movies in recent memory.