Scrooge: A Christmas Carol at the Terrace Plaza Playhouse

I will be attending three different versions of A Christmas Carol this week and I started last night with the musical Scrooge: A Christmas Carol at the Terrace Plaza Playhouse. I was really excited because I had never seen this version before. I saw the musical by Alan Menken at CPT several years ago and, while I definitely prefer that version, I thought this was very charming and it put a huge smile on my face. It tells the well-known story by Charles Dickens about the reclamation of a miser named Ebenezer Scrooge (Kim Florence) by the Ghosts of Christmas Past (Jacci Florence), Present (Don Wilhelm), and Future (Jacob Taft) but it includes original music by Leslie Bricusse. The songs are not especially memorable, my favorites were "December the Twenty-Fifth" by Mr. Fezziwig (Duane Beesley), "The Beautiful Day" by Tiny Tim (Beckett Ronnow), and "Thank You Very Much" by Tommy Jones (Shane Alvey), but the cast is very enthusiastic and the choreography is a lot of fun (especially "Thank You Very Much" because it involves dancing on a coffin) so I enjoyed every number. I was really impressed with the number of performers on the stage, including lots of children! I really enjoyed Florence as Scrooge because, while he is still the curmudgeonly misanthrope we all know, he is more a figure of fun who is ridiculed by those who owe him money than a villain who is feared (at one point several characters stick their tongues out at him). Even though he is a bit of a buffoon, his character arc is still really moving to watch because he becomes more and more affected by every vignette shown from his past, present, and future. I also liked Jim Alvey as Bob Cratchit and Tracie Davies as Mrs. Cratchit because their interactions with each other and with Ronnow (who is absolutely adorable as Tiny Tim) are so tender and genuine. The way the intimate space at the Terrace Plaza Playhouse is used is always really clever and this production is no exception. Scrooge's Counting House is located on a platform to the right of the stage and the entrance to his house (the transformation of the knocker into Jacob Marley's face is a great effect) is located on another one to the left.  The Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future lead Scrooge all around the theatre, including behind the soundboard, to various locations.  A cobblestone street in 19th Century London is depicted on a backdrop and various sets are moved on and off the stage.  I was impressed with the attention to detail in Fezziwig's factory, Bob Cratchit's house, and Fred's house as well as the white silhouettes used to depict Scrooge's childhood with his sister Fan and the giant clock in Scrooge's bedroom. The period costumes are really beautiful, with the possible exception of the strange red tutu worn by the Ghost of Christmas Past (I thought she looked like a deranged Sugar Plum Fairy and her shtick went on far too long). This production is filled with so much heart that you can't help but be filled with a big dose of Christmas cheer and I highly recommend it.  There are nightly performances through December 23 with matinees December 10 and 17 (go here for tickets).

Note:  I have seen HCT's version of A Christmas Carol more times than I can count (I almost have the entire show memorized) so it was really fun to see a different interpretation.

Happy 18th Birthday Sean!

Yesterday my family celebrated Sean's birthday (it was actually on Saturday) with dinner, presents, and cake.  I can't believe that he is 18!

He asked for Amazon gift cards and accessories for his computers!  I don't like giving gift cards but he was so happy to receive them!

We have a tradition of having an ice cream cake from Baskin-Robbins for birthdays and Sean has picked this same polar bear cake three times (go here and here).  We had so much fun celebrating with Sean and I hope that he had a very happy birthday!

Ballet West's The Nutcracker 2022

One of my favorite holiday traditions is attending Ballet West's annual production of The Nutcracker and I am so happy that I had the opportunity to see it last night!  I love everything about this ballet and I await every scene with great anticipation, especially the party where the Christmas tree is revealed to all of the children and Clara (Olivia Humeniuk) is given a nutcracker by Dr. Drosselmeyer (Tyler Gum), when everything is magically transformed to an enormous size and the nutcracker defeats the Mouse King (Jake Preece) with Clara's help, when the nutcracker becomes a handsome prince (Noel Jensen) and takes Clara to the land of the Snow Queen (Jenna Rae Herrera) and the land of the Sugar Plum Fairy (Amy Potter), and when all of the divertissements arranged for Clara's entertainment are performed.  I always really love the Arabian dance because it is so exotic and the Russian dance because the leaps and spins are so athletic but last night I was also really impressed with the Waltz of the Flowers because Emily Adams and Hadriel Diniz danced the Pas de Deux so beautifully.  As always, my favorite moment in the entire ballet is the Grand Pas de Deux between the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier (Brian Waldrep) because the music by Tchaikovsky used for this dance is one of the most romantic pieces in the classical cannon and William Christensen's original choreography really complements it.  This is the first time that I have seen Potter dance the role of the Sugar Plum Fairy and I thought her performance was so beautiful because she seemed to glide across the stage and whirl effortlessly through the air!  I also really enjoyed the young dancers in the cast, particularly Bean Shane because he was the naughtiest Fritz I've ever seen and all of dancers hiding in Mother Buffoon's skirt because they were adorable!  The sets and costumes were updated a few years ago and I love the jewel tones used in the party scene and the pastels used in the land of the Sugar Plum Fairy.  All of the special effects are magical, particularly when the Christmas tree grows in size, when the snow falls in the land of the Snow Queen, and when Clara flies away with her prince in a sleigh.  No matter how many times I see this ballet it always puts a smile on my face and I highly recommend getting a ticket.  There are evening and matinee performances at the Capitol Theater through December 24 (go here for tickets).

Bones and All

The next movie in my Saturday double feature was Bones and All and I have to admit that, while I was really looking forward to seeing it because of all the buzz from the fall film festivals, I was also a bit nervous because a movie about cannibalism did not sound appealing.  It is definitely incredibly thought-provoking (and not as graphic as I feared).  Maren (Taylor Russell) is a young woman with a secret craving for human flesh but it is becoming harder and harder for her to control her urges.  After an incident with a fellow student, her father Frank (Andre Holland) is forced to relocate with her once again but he soon abandons her once she reaches her 18th birthday.  He leaves her a small sum of money and a tape with information about the mother she never knew so, without many options, she decides to go in search of her.  Along the way, she meets Sully (Mark Rylance), another "eater" who takes a proprietary interest in her and tries to introduce her to the lifestyle, but she is unnerved by him and soon flees.  Then she meets a drifter named Lee (Timothee Chalamet) who shares her same proclivities and they begin a relationship as they travel to find Maren's mother.  She is horrified by the lengths to which Lee will go in order to feed but she ultimately participates until she finds her mother (Chloe Sevigny) and learns that she is also a cannibal and that she voluntarily admitted herself to a psychiatric hospital to control her urges.  Maren vows that she will never be like her mother and leaves Lee but, because she loves him, she seeks him out again and convinces him to live a conventional life with her.  But can they overcome the odds?  I really enjoyed the effective blending of the romance and horror genres (I think Guadagnino gets the tone exactly right) and the performances are all outstanding (Russell and Rylance are amazing and this is Chalamet's best work, in my opinion, because he is understated but still incredibly powerful).  The social commentary about people who are relegated to the fringes of society for being different is brilliant and I think cannibalism could be a metaphor for many things (I'm leaning towards addiction but it could also just as easily be queerness, generational trauma, or poverty) that are difficult to outrun.  I will certainly be thinking about its themes for some time to come.  There are some brutal and grisly scenes but the aftermath is often shown rather than the violence itself (characters are covered in blood after feeding).  Honestly, the worst scene for me was more shocking for what was heard rather than what was shown.  This might be too disturbing for some but I definitely recommend it.

Devotion

In an attempt to get caught up on a few movies that I missed last weekend, I opted for another double feature yesterday.  I started with Devotion and I loved this inspirational true story about the friendship between two navy fighter pilots during the Korean War.  When Lieutenant Tim Hudner (Glen Powell) is transferred to Fighter Squadron 32 at the Quonset Point Naval Air Station in 1950, he immediately tries to befriend Ensign Jesse Brown (Jonathan Majors), the first Black airman to complete the Navy's flight training program.  Brown has had a difficult time in the Navy, only able to achieve his position by being strong (he keeps a notebook of every racial slur used against him and repeats them to himself to psych himself up to fly) and occasionally by breaking the rules, so he keeps himself at a distance and initially rebuffs Hudner's attempts at friendship.  Brown eventually relents and invites him home to meet his wife Daisy (Christina Jackson) and daughter Pam.  However, as they are drawn into the conflict in Korea, Brown is angry when Hudner intervenes on his behalf after he disobeys orders in battle saying that he doesn't want Hudner to save him but to be his wingman when it really counts.  I really enjoyed the portrayal of friendship because it is incredibly poignant and Powell and Majors have great chemistry together so the emotion at the resolution feels very earned.  Both leads, as well as the rest of the cast, give great performances but Majors is especially powerful in several scenes which brought me to tears.  The action sequences, most of which involve practical effects with actual F4U Corsair planes, are absolutely thrilling!  I actually felt like I was in the middle of an aerial dogfight with anti-aircraft guns firing all around the planes (I found it comparable to the action sequences in Top Gun: Maverick).  Finally, it was really interesting to learn more about the Korean War because it definitely is America's forgotten war.  This movie got a bit lost in the shuffle over the long Thanksgiving weekend but I definitely think it is worth seeking out because it is really good!

Beethoven's Fifth

There was a huge crowd at Abravanel Hall last night because the Utah Symphony performed one of the world's most famous symphonies and it was amazing!  The orchestra began, however, with a piece called Fires by a young Lithuanian composer named Raminta Serksnyte.  It was moody and atmospheric (it sounded like the score of a movie set in space) and kept building and building in intensity.  I loved the chimes, the brass, and the dramatic timpani!  Next, the orchestra was joined by soloist Maximilian Hornung for Cello Concerto No. 1 by Dmitri Shostakovich.  I always think of music for the cello as mournful but the first movement of this piece was very lively and energetic.  The second movement was a bit more subdued, with beautiful themes played by the solo cello and the woodwinds, but the third and fourth movements returned to a more vibrant pace and the concerto definitely ended with a flourish!  Hornung was so much fun to watch and I loved it whenever he would bob his head in time with his bow!  As an encore, he performed a beautiful version of Cello Suite No. 1- Prelude by Johann Sebastian Bach (I was very proud of myself for recognizing it).  After the intermission the orchestra played the piece everyone was waiting for, Symphony No. 5 by Ludwig van Beethoven, and the performance was brilliant, especially since guest conductor Markus Poschner did not use a score!  Those iconic and instantly recognizable opening notes are incredibly dramatic (I have heard them referred to as fate knocking on the door) and I enjoyed listening to all of the variations of this theme throughout the first movement (and the rest of the symphony).  I also enjoyed the stately themes played by the whole orchestra, but especially the horns and the woodwinds, during the second movement.  Whenever I hear the third and fourth movements I always imagine goblins because there is a scene from the movie Howards End where one of the main characters goes to a lecture on music and meaning and the conductor describes goblins during this section (clearly I have seen this movie too many times).  Whether it is about goblins or not the symphony ends triumphantly and I loved hearing it!  I highly recommend getting a ticket for tonight's performance of the same program (go here for tickets).

Note:  I've said it before but the current Utah Symphony season has been absolutely spectacular!

Moulin Rouge at the Eccles

After seeing Hadestown, Jagged Little Pill, and SIX, the only show left on my must-see list was Moulin Rouge and I had the chance to see it last night at the Eccles Theater.  I was really excited for this because I love the movie (I have seen it an embarrassing number of times) and it certainly did not disappoint!  The musical is loosely based on the movie and tells the story of a courtesan named Satine (Courtney Reed) who is torn between the wealthy Duke of Monroth (David Harris), who can save the Moulin Rouge cabaret club where she performs, and the penniless songwriter Christian (Conor Ryan), who she loves, but many of the songs featured in the movie have been updated to more recent ones.  It was really fun to pick out all of the snippets of songs used in the musical numbers and my favorites were "Truth, Beauty, Freedom, Love" which includes "Royals," "Children of the Revolution," and "We Are Young;" "The Sparkling Diamond" which includes "Diamonds Are Forever," "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend," "Material Girl," "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)," "Brick House," "Jungle Boogie," and "Diamonds;" "Sympathy For The Duke" which includes "Sympathy For The Devil," "You Can't Always Get What You Want," and "Gimme Shelter;" "Elephant Love Medley" which includes "All You Need is Love," "Just One Night," "Pride (In the Name of Love," "Can't Help Falling in Love With You," "Don't Speak," "I Love You Always Forever," "It Ain't Me Babe," "Love Hurts," "Love is a Battlefield," "Play The Game," "Such Great Heights," "Torn," "Take On Me," "Fidelity," "What's Love Got to Do With It," "Everlasting Love," "Up Where We Belong," "Heroes," "Your Song," and "I Will Always Love You;" "Backstage Romance" which includes "Bad Romance," "Tainted Love," "Seven Nation Army," "Toxic," and "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This);" and "Crazy Rolling" which includes "Crazy" and "Rolling in the Deep."  I also really loved the original song "Come What May" because Reed and Ryan (who are amazing) perform it with so much passion.  The choreography in this show is spectacular, especially in "Welcome to the Moulin Rouge" (I loved the Can-Can) and "Backstage Romance" (I loved the tango during "Bad Romance") and the ensemble is incredibly talented, particularly Nicci Claspell as Arabia, Libby Lloyd as Nini, Andres Quintero as Baby Doll, and Harper Miles as La Chocolat in "Lady Marmalade."  The costumes, which range from corsets and fishnets to top hats and tails, and the sets, including a cabaret with nesting filigreed hearts, a dressing room inside a papier-mache elephant, and a garret apartment in Montmartre, are fantastic.  The lighting, which bathes the stage in reds, pinks, and purples, is incredibly dramatic and I loved the neon green used to represent absinthe in "Chandelier."  This high energy spectacle is wildly entertaining and I loved it!  It runs at the Eccles Theater through December 11 (go here for tickets).

Note:  Now that I have seen everything on my must-see list, what new musicals should be added to it?  Nothing is really catching my eye at the moment except for maybe Beetlejuice.

Let's Go Jazz!

Last night I went to my first Utah Jazz game of the season with my friend Angela and I could not have been more excited!  When the two best players, Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell, were traded during the off-season I didn't really have a lot of hope for the team.  However, against all odds, the team had an outstanding start!  Jordan Clarkson has taken on a leadership role and some of the new team members, such as Lauri Markkanen, are playing very well.  At one point the Jazz were at the top of the Western Conference and they have been so much fun to follow!  Angela got a ticket package this season and very graciously let me pick a few games to see with her.  I have been looking forward to last night's game against the Los Angeles Clippers all month but the Jazz were on a five game losing streak so I didn't really know what to expect.  It ended up being a great game because all five starters were in double-digits!  Clarkson had a season high of 33 points, Markkanen had 23, Sexton had 21, Vanderbilt had 14, and Olynyk (he's Canadian) had 12!  The Jazz led by as many as twenty points in the first quarter but the Clippers went on a 12-0 run in the second quarter and eventually went up 60-58 to end the first half.  The Jazz responded with a 22-6 run in the third quarter and did not relinquish the lead for the rest of the game, although the Clippers came within three in the beginning of the fourth quarter.  Then the Jazz took control with some really great plays by Vanderbilt, Clarkson, and Sexton.  The lead was pretty much assured by the final two minutes so Coach Hardy put the entire bench in the game.  It was hilarious!  The Jazz ended up winning 125-112 and it was so much fun!  Angela said that I ended the losing streak by being at the game and I'm just going to go with that!

Fetival of Trees 2022

Yesterday I was a hostess at the Festival of Trees for the twelfth year (after a two year pause for Covid).  Various individuals and organizations decorate and then donate the trees (usually to commemorate someone who has been ill or died) for auction (this year the auction is a silent one and you can still bid on trees until 8:00 tonight) and then they are displayed for public viewing at the Mountain America Expo Center.  All of the proceeds go directly to Primary Children's Hospital!  In addition to the trees, there are centerpieces, wreaths, quilts, and gingerbread houses on display as well a lots of treats for purchase (I love the homemade cinnamon rolls) so it is a lot of fun!  Most of the following trees were in my area but I did walk around a little bit after my shift was over to see some of the others.

One of the main jobs of the hostess is to make sure that the trees are not harmed.  I had to remind several kids not to touch this particular tree!  I think they wanted to feel the fur!

I noticed that many of the trees were not as elaborate as those in years past and didn't have as many items surrounding them.  This tree was the exception!

This tree was my favorite one in my area.  I loved the old fashioned snowshoes!

The festival will continue at the Mountain America Expo Center through Saturday.  Go here for more information and tickets.

Gentri Christmas at the Eccles

I was introduced to Gentri last year when the members of this popular trio performed in HCT's production of Les Miserables (Casey Elliott was Jean Valjean, Bradley Quinn Lever was Enjolras, and Brad Robins was Marius) but my sister Marilyn has been a huge fan for years.  I really love Christmas music so, when I found out that Gentri performs a Christmas concert every year and suggested we get tickets, she immediately and enthusiastically agreed.  We went to the show at the Eccles Theater last night and it was wonderful!  They began with "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" and then sang "Bring a Torch Jeanette, Isabella" which is a favorite of mine because I sang it when I was in choir in college.  They were joined by a vocalist named Bri Ray for "Do You Hear What I Hear" and then performed a really pretty original song called "All Is Well."  The Rise Up Children's Choir joined them for "Mary's Boy Child" and several members acted out the Christmas story complete with costumes (Casey Elliott's daughter was Mary).  Next came "The First Noel" and an amazing rendition of "Ave Maria" with the Rise Up Children's Choir behind them holding candles.  They performed another original song called "Somewhere In Your Silent Night" and then turned the Eccles Theater into an old time gospel revival with a rousing rendition of "Go Tell It On The Mountain" featuring Brad Wheeler on harmonica to end their first set.  After the intermission, they sang "Joy To The World" and then were joined by another guest vocalist named EJ Michaels for "Little Drummer Boy."  I always hope that I can hear "O Holy Night" (it is my favorite Christmas song) live at least once during the holiday season and Gentri performed a lovely arrangement of it.  Most singers build to a powerful crescendo that blows the roof off the venue but their version was very soft and contemplative and I loved it!  One of my favorites from the concert was another original song called "Noel" because the harmonies were so beautiful!  Next, they performed a song they wrote especially for this concert called "Love is Alive" with audience participation that made them quite emotional!  They brought out an upright piano to the front of the stage and gathered around it for "I'll Be Home For Christmas" with Elliot's mom joining them for the final verse.  They concluded with "Silent Night" and "O Come All Ye Faithful" with the children.  The gents (as they call themselves) were really funny and they seemed genuinely appreciative that the audience was there to hear them.  I loved every minute and, if I didn't have a lot of Christmas spirit before, I certainly do now!  I think this has become a new Christmas tradition!

Strange World

My nephew Sean and I have a tradition of seeing the latest Disney/ Pixar movie together over the Thanksgiving holiday (we have seen The Good Dinosaur, Moana, Coco, Frozen II, and Encanto) so we went to see Strange World yesterday despite the lukewarm response.  We actually really liked it!  Legendary explorer Jaeger Clade (Dennis Quaid) and his son Searcher (Jake Gyllenhaal) are on an expedition to cross the mountains that surround their home Avalonia.  Along the way, Searcher discovers a plant that gives off energy and wants to return to Avalonia to grow it and improve the lives of the people there.  Jaeger, disappointed that Searcher doesn't have his adventurous spirit, continues on without him.  Twenty-five years later, Jaeger is presumed dead and Searcher is a farmer of the plant, called Pando, that powers every aspect of life with his wife Meridian (Gabrielle Union) and son Ethan (Jaboukie Young-White).  When Callisto Mal (Lucy Liu), a former member of Jaeger's team, informs Searcher that the Pando crop is failing, she convinces him to join an expedition to find the cause.  Disenchanted with life on the farm, Ethan sneaks aboard the ship and, when it becomes stranded in a subterranean world filled with fantastical creatures, he becomes separated from the group.  It turns out that Jaeger has been trapped in this world the whole time and he and Searcher must work together to find Ethan and save Avalonia.  I loved the beautiful and vibrant animation used in this movie, especially the style inspired by the pulp magazines of the 1930s and 1940s used for Jaeger's story, as well as the dazzling world-building and creature design (Splat is adorable).  I loved the diversity represented by the characters, particularly Ethan because he is an openly gay character who is completely accepted by everyone.  I was expecting some backlash from Jaeger (he is a hyper-masculine character) when he meets Ethan but I loved it when he gives him some advice for getting the attention of his crush!  Finally, I loved the messages about fathers and sons learning to accept one another for who they are and the importance of caring for the environment even when it might require a sacrifice.  I definitely recommend giving this movie a chance!

Christmas Time is Here Again!

I put my Christmas tree up this week and it makes me so happy!  I love seeing all of the ornaments that I have collected over the years and I love sitting in my living room with just the light of the tree.

Christmas was really difficult for my family last year but I am hoping that this year will be a little easier.  I have quite a few activities planned and I am already looking forward them!

Thanksgiving 2022

My family was able to have a wonderful Thanksgiving yesterday.  This was our first Thanksgiving without our parents so it was really bittersweet but I know that they would both be so happy to see us all together and enjoying ourselves.  We had the traditional dinner with turkey, ham, potatoes, stuffing, sweet potatoes, pomegranate salad (a family tradition), vegetables and dip, and rolls.  We had pie for dessert and lots of treats when we played Shanghai rummy later that night.  We ended up laughing all night and that felt really nice after the year we have all had!

I hope you were all able to spend Thanksgiving with the people you love!

The Fabelmans

The second movie in my double feature yesterday was The Fabelmans and I enjoyed Steven Spielberg's semi-autobiographical coming of age story about the power of movies but I didn't love it as much as everyone else seems to.  Young Sammy Fabelman (Mateo Zoryon Francis-DeFord) is taken by his parents Mitzi (Michelle Williams) and Burt (Paul Dano) to see The Greatest Show on Earth and he becomes obsessed with recreating the train derailment at the end of the movie.  Burt is angry when Sammy crashes his expensive model trains but Mitzi suggests that he film the crash so he can watch it again and again without destroying his trains.  Thus begins his passion for filmmaking!  The teenage Sammy (Gabriel LaBelle) regularly uses his sisters Reggie (Julia Butters), Natalie (Keeley Karsten), and Lisa (Sophia Kopera) as well as his boy scout troop to make elaborate movies.  Burt sees his movies as a hobby and Mitzi sees them as the artistic expression she was denied but, for Sammy, they provide a way to understand the tensions within his family and to deal with the prejudice he encounters at school.  Most people are raving about Williams (I think her performance is a little bit overdone) but I loved Judd Hirsch as Sammy's Uncle Boris because, even though it is short, the scene where he tells Sammy that he might need to choose between his family and his art is very powerful.  There is also a hilarious cameo by David Lynch at the end of the movie that leads to a perfect final shot (which made me laugh out loud).  I found the story to be very episodic and, while most of the episodes worked for me, some of them did not, particularly one with Sammy's girlfriend Monica (Chloe East) which is bizarre and seems irrelevant, and the narrative sometimes lacks focus.  My favorite scenes were those where Sammy shoots his elaborate movies because I kept seeing the inspiration for Steven Spielberg's future filmography but then I realized that Spielberg has made movies that explore the trauma of his formative years much better than this one does.  I didn't hate it but I am definitely in the minority on this one!