Pretty Woman at the Eccles

I am not a fan of turning movies into musicals so, when Broadway at the Eccles announced the 2023-2024 season, Pretty Woman was the show that I was the least interested in.  I saw it last night and, while it will never be one of my favorites, I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. Edward Lewis (Chase Wolfe) is in Los Angeles for a week on business when he gets lost on Hollywood Boulevard.  Vivian Ward (Ellie Baker), a young woman down on her luck and working as a prostitute, offers to help him for a price and eventually spends the night with him at the Beverley Wilshire Hotel.  Since he has a number of social obligations while in L.A., he suggests that she be his escort for the week and they negotiate a price.  As they spend time together, they have a positive effect on each other because Edward decides to become a partner in the company he was going to dismantle and Vivian sees that she is worth more than a life of prostitution but will they realize that they love each other?  All of the iconic scenes from the movie are recreated on stage, such as Vivian's shopping trip on Rodeo Drive and when Edward snaps the lid of the jewelry case on her fingers, and they are fun (the subdued audience was the most engaged during these moments).  One of the reasons why I dislike turning movies into musicals is because most of the time the music feels very contrived and is instantly forgettable and, unfortunately, that is the case with this show.  The one exception for me was "You and I" when Edward and Vivian attend the opera.  Who knew that a mash-up of a power ballad by Bryan Adams and an aria from Verdi's La Traviata could work so well?  It gave me goosebumps.  Wolfe and Baker have beautiful voices but their performances are a bit bland, especially their dancing.  However, Adam du Plessis (as the narrator and the manager of the hotel) and Connor Kabat (as a bellhop) are unbelievably entertaining and steal the show, particularly in their interactions together.  Kabat is by far the best dancer in the company and appears in almost every dance sequence (whether a bellhop is needed or not).  The sets are serviceable (they are recognizable as Hollywood Blvd., Rodeo Dr., and the Beverly Wilshire Hotel because there are large signs proclaiming them as such) but I was a little disappointed in the costumes because they pale in comparison to the iconic originals from the movie, especially Vivian's red opera dress.  I never need to see this again but I definitely didn't hate it and I suspect that fans of the movie will love it.  There are five more performances through April 7 with lots of available tickets (go here).

The Lehman Trilogy at PTC

Last night I went to the new Meldrum Theatre (a really cool venue) for its inaugural production of The Lehman Trilogy and it was an incredible experience, both being in the intimate new space and watching this epic story. In 1844 Henry Lehman (Jeff Talbot) arrives in New York City from Bavaria with the hope of living the American dream. He ends up opening a small fabric and clothing shop in Montgomery, Alabama and is soon joined by his brothers Emanuel (William Connell) and Mayer (Seth Andrew Bridges). From these humble beginnings a vast financial institution known as the Lehman Brothers is established. The narrative spans 164 years and three generations of the Lehman family while chronicling the vicissitudes of capitalism in three acts. In Act I, the first generation of brothers eventually consolidate their shop into a go-between for cotton growers in the South and factory owners in the North until their business is derailed by the Civil War. In Act II, the next generation reinvents the business as an investment banking and commodities trading firm until it is almost destroyed by the stock market crash of 1929. In Act III, the third generation achieves spectacular successes but also devastating losses through speculation until they are forced to declare bankruptcy. What I loved most about this play is that the history of 19th and 20th century America is told through the filter of one family and, even though it sounds like it might be tough to sit through (it is over three hours long with two intermissions), it is fast-paced and exciting. I was never bored! In addition to the three Lehman brothers who emigrate to America, Talbot, Connell, and Bridges also portray their progeny and all of the other characters with whom they interact and the performances are absolutely remarkable (just the stamina involved alone is very impressive because the characters are constantly moving). The actors provide both dialogue and narrative descriptions and I really enjoyed this technique because it seemed like I was watching a book about the Lehmans being brought to life right in front of me. The actors also move the minimal props (suitcases, tables, chairs, bales of cotton, ledgers, etc.) around the stage themselves and I especially liked the evolution of their sign over the years. The costumes change to reflect the prevailing fashion of the time depicted in each act but they also include fun additions for the minor characters (my favorite was the fan used to portray Emanuel's wife). Finally, the intimate theatre, which features a thrust stage, is perfect for this production because it gives the audience a chance to get up close and personal with these characters who had such an impact on history (my seat was on the second row and there were moments when I could have touched the actors). I don't think I have ever seen anything like this on stage before and I cannot recommend it enough! In runs in the new Meldrum Theatre through April 13 (go here for tickets and here for more information about the theatre).

Note:  PTC recently announced the 2024-2025 season (Jersey Boys, Prayer for the French Republic, Souvenir, Dial M for Murder, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, A Case for the Existence of God, and Waitress) and I couldn't be more excited! Go here for more information.

Manti Temple Open House

One of the main reasons we chose to stay at Palisade State Park is so that we would be close to the Manti Temple.  It has been undergoing refurbishments and now that they are complete the temple is open for the public to tour (anyone can go in) before it is dedicated again.  My sisters and I (and our aunt Mary who lives in Manti) were able to go through it on Saturday.  The Salt Lake Temple is iconic but my favorite has always been Manti because my maternal grandparents lived in Sanpete County so I spent a lot of time there.  My grandfather did sealings in this temple and we always attended the pageant on the grounds in the summer.  This temple was built by the pioneers who settled in the Sanpete Valley and it opened in 1888.  I was most impressed with all of the 19th century furniture, art work, and chandeliers (which looked like they might have originally featured gas with hand blown glass shades).  The interior is very beautiful and is definitely worth seeing.

Note:  The open house was very disorganized.  We had reservations and we still had to wait close to two hours outside in the rain (the ushers informed us that our wait was nothing compared to other days).

Spring Camping Trip at Palisade State Park

Both of my sisters and I went on a quick camping trip last weekend (along with everyone else on spring break) at Palisade State Park.  We have stayed here before in my sister's trailer but this time we stayed in a cabin which was really nice.  It included sleeping for eight, a nice bathroom with a shower, a kitchen with a fridge and a microwave (no stove), and a seating area.  We had so much fun!  We got there Friday afternoon and found a great diner near us with the best burgers and fries for dinner.  We made a fire for s'mores (even though it was a bit cold) and we watched lots of movies late into the night.  We had plans on Saturday (including dinner with our aunt) and then made another fire and watched more movies.  We slept in late Sunday morning and then packed up to come home in the afternoon.  We liked staying in the cabin so much we are planning to come back this summer!

I am so happy that my sisters and I are close and that we enjoy spending time with each other!

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire

Last night I went to a Thursday preview of Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire and, as is the case with the other movies in the MonsterVerse (Kong: Skull Island, Godzilla: King of the Monsters, and Godzilla vs. Kong), the monsters are compelling and so much fun to watch and the humans exist only to provide convoluted exposition.  Kong has taken up residence in Hollow Earth but, because he is lonely, he ventures deeper and deeper into uncharted territory looking for other apes.  He finds a tribe, including a young ape named Suko and their brutal leader Skar King who controls the powerful ice titan Shimo.  The scientists working at a Monarch outpost, including Dr. Ilene Andrews (Rebecca Hall), pick up an unexplained signal which is especially distressing to Jia (Kaylee Hottle) and triggers Godzilla to go on the move.  Andrews, Jia, a daredevil veterinarian named Trapper (Dan Stevens), and the conspiracy theory podcaster Bernie Hayes (Brian Tyree Henry) travel to Hollow Earth and discover that the last remaining members of the Iwi tribe, from which Jia is descended, sent the signal requesting help against Shimo.  Kong fights Skar King and Shimo but is outmatched and wounded (prompting Trapper to give him a mechanized arm) so Jia awakens Mothra who convinces Godzilla to join forces with Kong.  An epic battle ensues.  The first two acts are kind of a slog to get through with a few fun moments, such as Henry providing comic relief and the touching relationship between Kong and his mini-me Suko, but the third act is amazing with exhilarating battle sequences both inside Hollow Earth and on Earth (the Iwi have technology that controls gravity because of course they do).  All of the visuals are absolutely incredible, especially the Iwi's civilization in Hollow Earth, Godzilla's dorsal plates when they light up, and Mothra's wings.  This is probably the most ridiculous and least interesting installment in the MonsterVerse but I would by lying if I said I didn't enjoy it!  I recommend it to fans of the franchise.