Ella McCay

I was intrigued by the trailer and impressed by the cast for Ella McCay so my nephew and I went to see it at a matinee yesterday.  I didn't hate it as much as most other people seem to but I really expected to like it a lot more than I did.  Ella McCay (Emma Mackey) is a young and idealistic lieutenant governor of an unnamed state.  She desperately wants to improve the lives of the people she serves but her earnest and no-nonsense style has made her very unpopular with lawmakers.  When the popular governor, Bill Moore (Albert Brooks), is offered a presidential cabinet position, he resigns and she succeeds him.  Her first priority is to pass a bill benefiting mothers and children but she is plagued by a scandal involving her duplicitous husband Ryan (Jack Lowdon), the sudden reappearance of her estranged father Eddie (Woody Harrelson) who repeatedly cheated on her mother Claire (Rebecca Hall), and concern for her neurodivergent brother Casey (Spike Fearn) after the end of his relationship with his girlfriend Susan (Aya Edebiri).  With the help of her aunt Helen (Jamie Lee Curtis), her driver Nash (Kumail Nanjiani), and her secretary Estelle (Julie Kavner), she ultimately finds a different way to do some good.  With such a stellar cast, I did really enjoy the performances.  Mackey, especially, is incredibly appealing and is very effective in her portrayal of a wide range of emotions (although she is less effective in portraying the 16-year-old version of her character in flashbacks).  I especially loved her interactions with Curtis (the highlight of the movie for me).  However, there are way too many underdeveloped characters to keep track of with lots of different subplots that happen very randomly (the pacing is incredibly chaotic).  It is very episodic with brief flashes of humor but it is definitely not as funny as I thought it would be (I only laughed a couple of times).  Finally, the resolutions to the main conflicts are rushed and not necessarily earned (especially the one involving Casey and Susan).  Unfortunately, this is a mess and I wouldn't recommend it.

Elf The Musical at Draper Historic Theatre

When my nephew was really young he absolutely loved the movie Elf so my sister and I decided to take him and our niece to see Elf The Musical at PTC. He was really fidgety before the show and we were prepared to leave if he got too disruptive but, once it started, he was completely enthralled. It was so much fun to watch him react to what was happening on stage and it is one of my favorite memories of him when he was little. He still really loves the movie so I thought it would be fun to take him to see the musical at the Draper Historic Theatre last night. I was really impressed with their version of The Addams Family so I thought we would both enjoy this. We did not. It seems harsh to be critical of a production at a community theatre because everyone involved is doing their best but I was really disappointed since I had talked it up to my nephew after my previous experience. I actually really loved the costumes, especially the ones worn by Santa and by the elves at the North Pole in the opening number, as well as the projections used for the backdrops, particularly those for Buddy's journey from the North Pole to NYC and for Santa's sleigh lifting off from Central Park. I also really liked Sebastian Long, as Michael, because he is the best actor in the whole show and his performances of "I'd Believe In You" and "There Is a Santa Claus" with Kellie Seiler, as Emily, were the highlights for me. My favorite numbers were "Happy All The Time" and "Sparklejollytwinklejingley" because the choreography is fun but many in the ensemble are either very expressionless and mechanical or so over the top that they pull focus from the scene (more on that later). My biggest issue was with the two leads, Gabriel Velez as Buddy and Sydney Trauba as Jovie. In every production I have seen of this musical, Buddy has always been portrayed with an innocent wide-eyed wonder and exuberance that is very heartwarming. Velez is obnoxious and I really disliked all of his screaming (so did my nephew who immediately commented on it during the drive home). He is supposed to be a naive fish out of water in NYC so the six-seven reference is out of character and used for a cheap laugh.  Trauba is extremely lifeless as Jovie (I found it difficult to distinguish her from the ensemble in many numbers) and she is not a strong singer (she struggled in "Never Fall in Love (With an Elf)"). Finally, a member of the ensemble had his fly down during "The Story of Buddy" and it was really noticeable (I heard lots of laughter from the audience). There were multiple opportunities for him to discreetly deal with this wardrobe malfunction as he was only a background character in the scene but he didn't and it is too bad because it distracted from the number. Sigh! I feel like a cotton-headed ninny muggins for my response to this production but I always try to be honest and would definitely not recommend it.

Note:  I have now seen a really good production and a bad one at this theatre. Clearly, I need to see one more for the tie-breaker!

Sense and Sensibility

I love Ang Lee's adaptation of Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen so I was really happy to see it last night during its limited run in theaters to mark its 30th anniversary (what?).  The Dashwood sisters, Elinor (Emma Thompson) and Marianne (Kate Winslet), experience a sudden change in fortune after their father dies and leaves his estate to their older half-brother John (James Fleet).  This impacts their marriage prospects when the sensible Elinor silently pines for Edward Ferrars (Hugh Grant), who is expected to marry well by his mother, and the passionate Marianne is swept up (literally) in a romance with the dashing John Willoughby (Greg Wise), who needs a wealthy wife after he is cut off by his family for his indiscretions.  They ultimately find happiness when they balance reason with emotion.  Elinor finally reveals her feelings to Edward when he is free to propose and Marianne finds the value in real love, rather than impetuous infatuation, with Colonel Brandon (Alan Rickman).  To be sure, I love the biting critique of the often transactional nature of marriage but I think this movie is hilarious.  I regularly heard the rest of the audience laughing along with me during my favorite scenes, including when Fanny Dashwood (Harriet Walter) subtly convinces her husband not to give his sisters any portion of their father's estate, when Marianne tries to get Edward to read with more feeling, when Sir John Middleton (Robert Hardy) and Mrs. Jennings (Elizabeth Spriggs) learn that Elinor loves someone whose name begins with F, when Mrs. Dashwood (Gemma Jones), Marianne, and Margaret (Emilie Francois) all end up crying in their rooms so Elinor sits on the stairs with a cup of tea, whenever Mr. Palmer (Hugh Laurie) shows disdain for his wife Charlotte (Imelda Staunton), when Fanny attacks Lucy Steele (Imogen Stubbs) after she learns of her engagement to Edward, and when Elinor starts crying when she learns that Edward has not married Lucy. I love the witty dialogue (the screenplay was written by Thompson), the beautiful locations, the evocative score (including the "sad songs" Marianne sings), the Regency costumes (I am a big fan of empire waists but I especially love how buttoned up Edward always appears because it shows his repression), and the performances from the entire cast (although Thompson gives my favorite one).  I watch my copy of this all of the time (it is definitely one of my comfort watches) but I am so glad that I got to see it on the big screen again!  There are two more opportunities to see it (December 16 and 17) and I highly recommend getting a ticket!

Note:  Last weekend I saw movie adaptations of novels by Stephen King and Jane Austen and I loved both of them.  That's how I roll.

Ballet West's The Nutcracker 2025

Yesterday I went to a matinee performance of The Nutcracker with Ballet West and I loved it!  It makes me so happy to anticipate all of my favorite scenes and the palpable excitement of the little girl sitting next to me made the experience even more magical!  I love how the backdrops are slowly raised, one after the other, to reveal the street outside Dr. Drosselmeyer's toy shop, the street outside the Stahlbaum home, the doors outside the ballroom, and then the ballroom itself because it heightens the excitement for the first look at the Christmas tree!  The party scene is so much fun and I loved seeing all of the children because they do a great job, especially Lauren Hildebrand, who dances the role of Clara, because her facial expressions are very emphatic.  I also loved the doddering grandparents (Jacob Hancock and Lillian Casscells) in this scene because they are a hoot.  I loved seeing the Land of Snow through the panes of a frosted window before the Snow Queen and King dance a pas de deux with their snowflakes.  Claire Spainhour and Robert Fowler, respectively, dance these roles beautifully and their lifts, especially, are incredibly graceful in the falling snow.  I loved all of the divertissements the Sugar Plum Fairy shows to Clara and her Nutcracker Prince in the Land of Sweets but, as always, my favorites were the Arabian dance because it is so exotic and the Russian dance because all of the athletic leaps and spins are so exhilarating!  I also loved seeing Mother Buffoon because her children are so adorable, particularly the little one who flips across the stage!  The Grand pas de deux between the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier is always the highlight for me and Rylee Ann Rogers and Tyler Gum, respectively, are dazzling in the roles.  I loved seeing her leap into his arms and then lean all the way forward, almost touching the stage, without any support from him because it is quite spectacular (I'm sure there is a proper ballet term for this).  I love all of Tchaikovsky's music but the score for this ballet is a particular favorite.  I especially loved the harp in the "Waltz of the Snowflakes" and the clarinet in the "Arabian Dance" but my favorite is the Adagio from the Grand pas de deux because I think it is one of the most romantic pieces in the classical canon.  I loved trying to find differences from other productions (since I see it every year) and, even though I can't confirm this anywhere, I think that there are new costumes for Dr. Drosselmeyer and his nephew, the snowflakes, the Sugar Plum Fairy's attendants, and the Mirlitons (who now play reed flutes during the dance).  I love attending this ballet every year and I would definitely recommend adding it to your holiday traditions (go here for tickets).  It runs at the Capitol Theatre through December 27 with multiple matinees.

White Christmas at Hopebox Theatre

Last night I went to see White Christmas at Hopebox Theatre and it was really nostalgic for me because the movie was one of my mom's favorites and we would always watch it this time of year! It is very heartwarming and I had a big smile on my face the whole time! Former soldiers Bob Wallace (Justin Lee) and Phil Davis (Jeff Erickson) have become popular Broadway stars after serving in World War II. When they meet the Haynes Sisters, Betty (Katherine Tietjen) and Judy (Sidney Brown), Phil tricks Bob into following them to Vermont, where they will be performing at the Columbia Inn over the Christmas holiday, because he and Judy want Bob and Betty to get together. When they arrive, they discover that their former commanding officer, General Waverly (Roland Tietjen), owns the Columbia Inn and that he is having financial difficulties due to the lack of snow. Wallace and Davis decide to bring their show to the Columbia Inn and invite the soldiers from their company to a performance on Christmas Eve. A busybody receptionist (Donna Bell) and a precocious granddaughter (Brooklyn Head) think they should be in show business, an overwrought stage manager (Scott Ostermiller) feuds with a taciturn employee (Daniel Pittam) of the inn, and misunderstandings cause love to go awry but the show and both couples eventually come together for a finale featuring the song "White Christmas." This is full of lots of big song and dance numbers and I was so impressed with the cast because they do a wonderful job! I especially loved the spectacular tap dancing in "Happy Holiday/ Let Yourself Go" and "I Love a Piano," the hilarious choreography in "Blue Skies" as the stage manager interrupts the rehearsal multiple times, and the lovely performance from Erickson and Brown in "The Best Things Happen While You're Dancing" (this was especially impressive because Brown had a major wardrobe malfunction and she didn't miss a beat even during the lifts). I also loved the number "Sisters," both when Tietjen and Brown perform it in Act I and when Lee and Erickson reprise it in Act II (they are hilarious), "Let Me Sing and I'm Happy," both when Bell belts it out in Act I and when Head steals the show with it in Act II, and "Love, You Didn't Do Right By Me/ How Deep Is the Ocean?" because it is such a tender moment between Tietjen and Lee (who sing it beautifully). Of course, the big moment comes when the cast (with help from the audience) sings a stirring rendition of "White Christmas" and the falling snow (on stage and in the audience) makes it absolutely magical! The set features a large curtain, used for scenes in various nightclubs, as well as backdrops for the barn, where the show is rehearsed and performed, and the lobby of the Columbia Inn. I was impressed with how quickly various set pieces are moved on and off stage by the ensemble and I loved the winter wonderland painted on the walls surrounding the theater. Finally, the costumes are fantastic! My favorites were the iconic blue dresses (and fans) and red velvet dresses worn by the Haynes sisters during "Sisters" and "White Christmas," respectively. This show is sure to put a smile on your face but it is also an incredibly worthwhile cause because, as part of the mission of the Hopebox Theatre,  all of the proceeds of every production go to support someone in the community who is battling cancer (go here to meet Julie Newton, the recipient for this show). I highly encourage everyone to get tickets (go here) for this touching show which continues through December 27.