The Lightning Thief at West Valley Arts

I haven't read the book by Rick Riordan but, as a big fan of Greek mythology, I was really excited to see the musical adaptation of The Lightning Thief at the West Valley Performing Arts Center last night. I had so much fun with high energy show! Perseus "Percy" Jackson (Ren Cottam) is expelled from his fifth school in as many years after he kills a Fury masquerading as a substitute math teacher named Mrs. Dodds (Matthew Tripp) on a field trip. His mother Sally (MacKenzie Skye Pedersen) takes him to the beach to explain why he has powers that he can't control but, before she can reveal anything, they are attacked by a Minotaur (Grayson Kamel) who kills her before Percy is able to kill it. Soon after, his Latin teacher Mr. Brunner (David Weekes) reveals that he is really Chiron, a centaur, and that his best friend Grover Underwood (Kile Allen) is really a satyr, a goat-like creature, before taking Percy to Camp Half-Blood, a refuge for the children of humans and gods. The camp counselor Dionysus (Kelly Griffiths) introduces him to Luke Castellan (Zack Grob), the son of Hermes, Annabeth Chase (Hanna Schneck), the daughter of Athena, Silena Beauregard (Olivia Simmons), the daughter of Aphrodite, Katie Gardner (Sibley Snowden), the daughter of Demeter, and Clarisse La Rue (Natalie Wren), the daughter of Ares. He also discovers that he is the son of Poseidon.  However, he is accused of stealing Zeus' lightning bolt and must go on a quest to retrieve it from the real thief, Hades, to prevent a war between the gods. The Underworld is in Los Angeles so Percy, Grover, and Annabeth set out on this quest but complications ensue when they encounter three Furies, Medusa, and the Chimera. They eventually reach the Underworld but Hades informs them that they have been manipulated by Ares (Kelly Griffiths) which culminates in an epic battle in which Percy is helped by Poseidon (Wesley Valdez). They return to Camp Half-Blood as heroes but learn that they must face an even bigger threat. This is an incredibly funny and clever take on Greek mythology (I, along with the entire audience, laughed out loud multiple times) but, at its heart, it is a poignant story about the struggle to fit in and feel good enough. The three leads perfectly embody this struggle and I especially loved Cottam's performance of "Good Kid," Schneck's performance of "My Grand Plan," and Allen's performance of "The Tree on the Hill." All three gave me goosebumps! The rest of the cast, most of whom play multiple roles, is also outstanding because each character is distinct. The staging is incredibly imaginative because the set is very minimal, with just a few movable platforms and stairs, so everything is portrayed through costumes, props, and the physical performance of the actors. I particularly loved how Percy uses the ocean in the battle with Ares. The choreography is dynamic and energetic (I would expect nothing less from Izzy Arrieta) and I was blown away many times by the athleticism of the actors, especially Allen. The costumes for the Furies, the Oracle, and Chiron (who becomes a centaur with the use of an elaborate prosthetic) are so much fun. I thoroughly enjoyed this show and I highly recommend it to families. It runs at the West Valley Performing Arts Center  on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays through June 29 (go here for tickets).

Songs of Earth

Taking a cruise to see the fjords while on a trip to Norway is one of my very favorite travel experiences so as soon as I saw the trailer for the documentary Songs of Earth (it was Norway's entry for the Best International Film at the Academy Awards this year) I immediately wanted to see it.  I had the opportunity last night at the Broadway and it is stunning!  Filmmaker Margreth Olin returns to her childhood home in Oldendalen in Western Norway, where generations of her family have lived dating back to the 1600s, to spend a year with her father Jørgen Mykløen in order to experience all four seasons with him and to explore his deep connection to nature.  This features absolutely gorgeous aerial shots of the Oldeeva river valley, the Nordfjorden fjord, the steep mountains surrounding the Jostedalsbreen glacier at one end and the Myklebustbreen glacier at the other end, and the Oldevatnet lake as well as close-up shots of the wildlife (the owls were my favorite).  I especially loved an extended shot that follows the progression of a stream as it becomes a river, a lake, a waterfall, a glacier, and then, finally, the top of a mountain peak.  The camera also follows Jørgen as he walks through the valley, hikes the mountain, canoes on the lake, skates on the ice, and ruminates on the importance of being present as one experiences nature.  He speaks about the lessons one can learn from nature when he finds a small flower that has survived by growing from the rock at the top of a mountain peak and he describes the connection he feels to his ancestors when he sees a spruce tree planted by his grandfather in 1900 (there is a lovely scene in the epilogue where he plants a spruce tree to continue his connection with future generations).  This is very slow and meditative but that is the point because, as Jørgen tells us, we need to slow down and really look at nature in order to learn the lessons it has to teach us.  I highly recommend this beautiful documentary!

The Little Mermaid at the SCERA Shell Outdoor Theatre

Last night I saw the second of three productions of The Little Mermaid that I have scheduled this month! This show was at the SCERA Shell Outdoor Theatre, which is one of my favorite summer venues, and I was blown away by the talented cast because every single performance is incredible! Elena Shill shines as Ariel because, not only does she have a beautiful voice during a lovely interpretation of "Part of Your World," she portrays Ariel's wide-eyed wonder and naivete very well with every facial expression. I especially loved her physical performance in "Positoovity," as she learns how to walk on two legs for the first time, and in "One Step Closer," as she conveys her feelings for Prince Eric without saying a word. Jeff Sundwall is brilliant as Prince Eric, one of the best I've seen, and his performance is filled with so much longing and emotion, particularly in "Fathoms Below" (I had goosebumps when the male ensemble joined him in this song), "Her Voice," and "One Step Closer." It is fortunate that this production is outside because Tannah O'Banion, as Ursula, would have blown the roof off a traditional theatre with her powerful rendition of "Poor Unfortunate Souls." AJ Nielsen is incredibly charismatic and energetic as Sebastian (his versions of "Under the Sea" and "Kiss the Girl" are a lot of fun) and Porter McCormick is absolutely adorable as Flounder (he definitely holds his own with the Mersisters in "She's in Love"). My favorite performance, however, was that of Shannon Follette as Scuttle because she is fully committed to the eccentricity of the character with a voice and a physicality that is hilarious. I laughed out loud at just about everything Scuttle said and did (I noticed Foulette interacting with the crowd as Scuttle during the intermission). The main cast is outstanding but I was also very impressed with the ensemble because the vocals in every big production number are amazing, especially the sailors in the aforementioned "Fathoms Below," the Mersisters in "Daughters of Triton" and "She's in Love," and the sea creatures in "Under the Sea" and "Kiss the Girl." As usual, the costumes for the sea creatures are clever (I loved the shark and the schools of fish) but my favorites were those worn by Ursula, Flotsam (Braden Clement), and Jetsam (Eliza Dunn) because they light up! The main set is also really clever because it features a castle representing both of the worlds above and below the water with set pieces that rotate to become specific locations in Prince Eric's kingdom and King Triton's kingdom. I loved that Eric's ship, where he tries to escape his life on land, rotates to become Ariel's grotto, where she tries to escape her life under the sea. Ursula's lair is also a lot of fun because it provides many of the show's special effects. I had so much fun watching this show (I may or may not have giggled when the audience filled with bubbles during "Under the Sea") and I highly recommend this for families. It runs Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays through June 22 at the SCERA Shell Outdoor Theatre (go here for tickets).

The Watchers

I really enjoyed the novel by A. M. Shine and I am a big fan of M. Night Shyamalan so I was very excited for the movie adaptation of The Watchers by his daughter Ishana Night Shyamalan in her directorial debut.  I saw it last night and I liked it but I didn't love it.  Mina (Dakota Fanning) is a troubled American expat living in Ireland and working in a pet shop.  Her boss asks her to deliver a rare bird to a customer but her car breaks down in the middle of a large and menacing forest.  She decides to search for help and gets lost as night falls but, when she hears strange noises, a woman named Madeline (Olwen Fouéré) appears and she follows her into a concrete bunker also occupied by Ciara (Georgina Campbell) and Daniel (Oliver Finnegan).  The bunker has a large window which becomes a mirror at night and, as Madeline explains, the four of them must face it so the mysterious watchers outside can observe them.  Mina learns that the watchers retreat underground in burrows during the day so they are free to explore the forest as long as it is light but they must lock themselves in the bunker once night falls or risk an attack.  The forest is too large to leave during daylight hours and the one person who attempted it, Ciara's husband John (Alistair Brammer), hasn't returned for days.  However, Mina begins to doubt the existence of the watchers but, when she sees them and learns what they really are, she leads them in a desperate attempt to leave.  I loved the use of Irish folklore in the story but I think the screenplay suffers from too much exposition in the third act (there is a lot more in the movie than in the book and I don't think it is necessary).  I loved the depiction of the creatures and the visuals in the forest are very sinister, especially when the creatures are revealed, but I didn't feel a lot of tension when they attack or when the group escapes.  Fanning is great as a detached observer and Fouéré has tremendous screen presence but their performances, and those of the rest of the cast, are marred by clunky dialogue.  I didn't hate this but it was a bit of a mixed bag for me and I recommend waiting for it to stream.

Note:  I do think Ishana shows a lot of potential as a director but she should probably use a different screenwriter for her next project.

Sarah McLachlan at Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre

During my mid-twenties I had a very dark period in which I had a serious bout with depression.  I used to lay on the floor of my living room in my tiny apartment in the dark and listen to music for hours instead of doing anything productive.  One of my favorite albums during this time was Fumbling Towards Ecstasy by Sarah McLachlan.  I bought it because I was obsessed with the song "Possession" but there were many other songs that resonated with me, especially "Fear," "Good Enough," and "Hold On."  I listened to it over and over and I really think it helped me find my way out of that hole I was in.  I can't believe that it was released 30 years ago (now you can work out how old I am)!  Sarah McLalchlan is touring in honor of this milestone so I definitely had to get a ticket to hear her perform it in its entirety at the Utah First Credit Union Ampthitheatre last night!  It was an incredible show and it made me feel quite emotional to hear these songs again track by track in order.  She began with a Greatest Hits set, including "Sweet Surrender," "Building a Mystery," "I Will Remember You," "Drifting," "Song For My Father," a sultry version of "World on Fire," "Adia," and "Beautiful Girl."  She performed "Answer" on piano with all of the members of her band singing backup around her and it was quite dramatic!  She finished this set with "Witness" and, while the band played an extended outro, she left the stage to change outfits for the Fumbling Towards Ecstasy set (her daughter insisted that she change outfits and she did even though she told her that she wasn't Taylor Swift).  I have seen U2 and Alanis Morissette perform albums in their entirety to commemorate their anniversaries (The Joshua Tree and Jagged Little Pill, respectively) and I really like this concept because you get to hear songs that are rarely, or even never, performed live!  I especially loved hearing "Wait," "Mary," "Elsewhere," "Circle," and "Ice" because, even though I have seen her in concert several times, I had never heard them live before.  Of course "Possession," my favorite Sarah McLachlan song, was a highlight but her performance of "Fear" gave me goosebumps because she sounded amazing hitting all of those high notes!  For the encore, she performed a new song from a forthcoming album called "Gravity," which she wrote for her daughter, and then a beautiful interpretation of "Angel."  She sounded better than I have ever heard her and she was full of stories about her songs (I loved her explanation of how "Adia" came to be written).  I really loved this show because, even though it reminded me of a difficult time in my life, I am glad that I am still around to hear these songs!