Rachmaninoff's Symphony No. 2

Last night's Utah Symphony concert was a fun way to celebrate the spooky season with Halloween-themed pieces on the program and moody lighting on the stage.  The orchestra began with Danse macabre by Camille Saint-Saens which is based on a legend where Death plays the fiddle on Halloween as skeletons dance on their graves.  I really enjoyed the theme played by a solo violin and the use of the xylophone to depict the rattling of skeleton bones.  Next came Totentanz ("Dance of the Dead") by Franz Liszt with Utah favorite Joyce Yang as soloist.  This is an incredibly fiery piece that features the Dies irae theme about death and judgment from the Requiem Mass and a number of variations.  I loved the percussive opening from the piano followed by dramatic variations from the brass and the woodwinds.  I also loved the swelling themes by the strings punctuated by short piano interludes that varied in volume and intensity and it was fun to see Yang's fingers literally flying up and down the keyboard (she also leaned back and wiped her brow theatrically after a particularly challenging run).  She received a thunderous standing ovation and, in return, favored the audience with an encore.  After the intermission, the orchestra performed Symphony No. 2 by Sergei Rachmaninoff.  I absolutely love Rachmaninoff because I think his music is so emotional (something he has in common with many of the Russian composers I love) and this particular piece is incredibly lush!  I especially loved the instantly recognizable fanfare (also inspired by the Dies irae which fascinated Rachmaninoff all throughout his life) played by the horns at the beginning of the second movement and then repeated throughout.  The third movement includes some of Rachmaninoff's most beautiful music with themes and variations played by the violins, with an interlude by the clarinet, that are unbelievably romantic.  I also loved the percussion, especially the timpani and crash cymbals, at the beginning of the exuberant final movement as well as the recapitulation of the major themes.  It was a brilliant performance!  This same program will repeated again tonight and I recommend it for some seasonal fun (there are also Halloween activities, photo ops, and concessions in the lobby before the performance).  Go here for tickets.

Killers of the Flower Moon

Last night I had the chance to see an early screening of Killers of the Flower Moon in a packed theater at the Broadway.  It is a masterpiece and I know I will be thinking about it for a long time to come because it is so intense and unsettling.  The Osage Nation becomes unbelievably wealthy when oil is discovered on their land in Oklahoma in the 1920s but it also brings trouble as the white men in the nearby towns lie, cheat, manipulate, steal, and eventually, murder, to gain control of the money.  One such man is William King Hale (Robert De Niro), a wealthy cattle rancher who has evil intentions but presents himself in the guise of a benefactor to the Osage.  When his nephew Ernest Burkhart (Leonardo DiCaprio) returns home from the Great War and begins working for him, Hale suggests that he woo and marry an Osage woman named Mollie Kyle (Lily Gladstone) in order to gain control of her headshares from the oil profits.  After the wedding, Hale and Burkhart begin plotting to kill members of Mollie's family one by one so that their headshares will be transferred to Mollie but these murders eventually get the attention of Tom White (Jesse Plemons), an agent of the new Bureau of Investigation.  Much has been made of the long runtime (three and a half hours) but I feel like it is earned because it is an incredibly compelling story that is equal parts epic Western, lurid crime drama, tragic love story, and scathing commentary on greed and corruption and my attention never wavered.  Frequent Scorsese collaborators De Niro and DiCaprio are outstanding (some of the best work of their careers) but Gladstone is absolutely captivating in a restrained performance in which she portrays every emotion imaginable (sometimes with just a glance).  One specific scene near the end of the movie where Gladstone's character silently accuses DiCaprio's character with just her eyes is devastating and left me reeling.  The supporting cast is also great and I was particularly impressed by Tantoo Cardinal, Cara Jade Myers, JaNae Collins, and Tatanka Means who all make the most of limited screen time.  All of the technical elements, from cinematography to production design to editing, are brilliant and I also really loved the score by Robbie Robertson because it really adds to the tension.  This is one of Scorsese's best movies and, while it won't be for everyone because of the dark themes and melancholy tone, I highly recommend it.

When I'm Dead

My October Book of the Month selection was When I'm Dead by Hannah Morrissey (the other options were Starling House by Alix E. Harrow, Wellness by Nathan Hill, The Unmaking of June Farrow by Adrienne Young, The Unsettled by Ayana Mathis, and The Leftover Woman by Jean Kwonk). It should come as a surprise to no one that I picked the thriller but this one ended up being good not great. Axel Winthorp, a homicide detective, and his wife Rowan, a medical examiner, are frequently called away to investigate murder scenes in the crime-ridden town of Black Harbor, Wisconsin (Morrissey takes great pains to remind the reader that Black Harbor is extremely violent every other page). This means that their teenage daughter Chloe, who has undergone a radical change in personality in recent months which her parents have largely ignored, is often left to her own devices and she bemoans this fact by saying that they will only pay attention to her when she's dead. Axel and Rowan are inevitably called away from Chloe's performance in the school musical to investigate the death of a young girl who appears to have been strangled and they are dismayed to discover that it is the body of Chloe's best friend, Madison Caldwell. After they finish processing the scene, they discover that Chloe never made it home and, when they cannot reach her, they realize that she is missing. They initially suspect that Chloe's disappearance and Madison's murder are connected but, in the course of their investigation, they learn that Madison and another girl named Sari Simons were bullying Chloe and spreading rumors about an inappropriate relationship between her and the theatre teacher which may or may not be true. When Sari becomes the next victim, they are forced to question how well they know their daughter as well as confront the possibility that she might be involved in these murders. This is a dark and atmospheric police procedural told from the perspectives of Rowan, who believes that her daughter's disappearance is retribution for a past transgression, Axel, who is tormented by the fact that he may have failed to protect his daughter from a predatory teacher, and Libby, a teenager who lives next door to the Winthorps and has a strange obsession with Chloe. It is very suspenseful with lots of possible suspects, twists and turns, and red herrings which definitely kept me guessing. However, the psychological examination of the main characters, which rehashes the same events over and over again, and the endless descriptions of the poverty, despair, and crime found in Black Harbor slow down the pace after a strong beginning (but that didn't stop me from reading well into the night to find out what happens). Also, there are quite a few elements that seemed very unrealistic to me, particularly having a detective be involved in his own daughter's case and the lack of urgency in the police department's efforts to find her. While I didn't love this, I did enjoy it (it is especially appropriate for October) and found the resolution to be very intriguing so I would recommend it.

Note: This is the third installment in The Black Harbor series but I definitely think it works as a stand-alone because I haven't read the first two and there weren't any references that I didn't understand.

Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour

Last night my sister Marilyn and I relived one of the best concert experiences we have ever had by watching Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour and, while nothing can compare to the exhilaration of actually being in the audience for this concert, the movie comes really close!  We both loved it!  What I enjoyed most about this is the dynamic camera work and editing because you really get a feel for the entire experience with lots of wide shots of the entire stage, the crowd, and the visuals on the screens along with all of the details that might have been missed (especially if you were sitting in the upper levels of the stadium like Marilyn and I were) with close up shots of Taylor and her dancers.  I loved seeing all of her facial expressions and gestures because they definitely enhance the storytelling found in each song.  I particularly loved seeing "willow," as Taylor cavorts in a circle with her coven of dancers wearing green velvet cloaks and carrying glowing orbs, because it is such a theatrical performance and it was cool to have so many different angles to see the overall effect.  I liked seeing "tolerate it" up close because the performance, which features two people in a dysfunctional relationship having dinner, is so intimate and being able to see facial expressions really adds to the vibe of the song.  I was also happy to get to see "the last great american dynasty" up close because I didn't realize that one of the dancers is portraying Rebekah Harkness and that Taylor doesn't come forward until the change in POV.  I was really struck by the emotion on Taylor's face during "marjorie" (she and I both have a grandma named Marjorie who is no longer living) and seeing her give Bianka Bryant the hat in "22" up close also made me emotional because it was such a sweet moment.  The production values are fantastic because the music seems like it has been enhanced (it sounded good live at Empower Field but it sounded great in Dolby surround sound) and the titles for each era are a lot of fun (especially for reputation).  I think Denver Night 2 won for its surprise songs ("Back to December" was a major highlight of the concert for me) but I liked the fact that she featured one from her first album, "Our Song," and one from her latest album, "You're On Your Own, Kid," as surprise songs for the movie.  I was a little bit sad when I heard that "'tis the damn season" was cut (it is one of my favorite Taylor Swift songs) and really surprised that she cut "cardigan" (especially since she included "betty" and "august" from the teenage love triangle) but I didn't miss them, or any of the other songs that were cut, while I was watching.  Since we saw this at a late screening on a Sunday night, it wasn't very full so we missed out on having lots of loud and rowdy fans sing and dance but we wore our concert hoodies and sang at the top of our lungs (even Marilyn who is normally very reserved).  It was so much fun!  I highly recommend this because, if you didn't have the opportunity to see this concert in person, this is the next best thing and, if you did, it will bring back so many memories!

Note:  I even bought the commemorative popcorn bucket and cup!  I almost never buy stuff like this because I abhor clutter but I simply cannot resist the siren song of Taylor Swift merchandise!

U2 at the Sphere in Las Vegas

When I found out that U2 was doing a residency at a cool new billion dollar venue in Las Vegas I had a really stern talk with myself about how much money I had already spent on concerts this year and maybe, since I have already seen them seven times, I could skip this one.  That went over about as well as you might expect!  I ignored responsible Phaedra and immediately registered for the Verified Fan Presale and, when I was selected, I took it as a sign that I needed to see this show!  Amazing doesn't even begin to describe what I experienced last night!  The Sphere, as the name implies, is a giant sphere-shaped structure with both interior and exterior LED screens (the largest of their kind) and seating areas that cover two-thirds of the interior with an area that can be configured as a stage in the remainder.  U2 has a small square stage with a circular platform that is meant to mimic a turntable (Bono would frequently spin around on the circle).  This particular concert showcases the album Achtung Baby and U2 performed it in its entirety with a side one set and a side two set.  It was great to hear the hits from this album, including "Zoo Station" (which opened the show), "The Fly," "Even Better Than the Real Thing," "Mysterious Ways," "One" (sigh), and "Until the End of the World," but I also really enjoyed hearing the deeper tracks that I've never heard performed live before, such as "Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses," "Tryin' to Throw Your Arms Around the World," "So Cruel" (my favorite of the show because Bono's vocal performance was so passionate)," "Acrobat," "Ultra Violet (Light My Way)," and "Love Is Blindness."  Each of these songs has an incredibly immersive visual display on the state-of-the-art LED screens.  My favorite visuals were for "The Fly" because they feature rows and rows of random numbers and letters that keep climbing up the screens and, when they reach the top, they actually collapse on each other and it looked like they were three-dimensional and coming towards the audience (it is hard to explain but it was pretty much the coolest thing ever).  Not only are the images three-dimensional but they also surround the audience!  Sometimes the images would include a live feed of the band and, because I was sitting in the cheaper seats at the top of arena (my one concession to responsible Phaedra), they were eye-level as if I was watching Bono from the front row (sigh).  In between the two Achtung Baby sets, the band performed a more stripped down acoustic set featuring "All I Want Is You," "Desire," "Angel of Harlem," and an incredibly emotional rendition of "Love Rescue Me" which Bono and The Edge sang as a duet (goosebumps).  For the encore, they performed their new song about Las Vegas, "Atomic City," as well as "Elevation," "Vertigo," "Where the Streets Have No Name," "With or Without You" (which included amazing visuals featuring different animals), and "Beautiful Day." Bono is one of the most charismatic performers that I've ever seen and he was in fine form last night!  He struggled a bit with some of the higher notes but he was so engaging it didn't even matter (at least not to me or anyone around me).  This concert reminded me of how much I love him and, between his performance and all of the high-tech gadgetry, I felt like I was in sensory overload all night (in the best possible way).  It is definitely something I will never forget and I am so glad that irresponsible Phaedra won the argument!

The Music Man at HCTO

I had so much fun at HCTO last night because I saw their wonderful production of The Music Man (it is a sentimental favorite of mine).  I think I had a huge smile on my face from beginning to end!  This show tells the well-known story of a traveling salesman who comes to swindle the residents of River City by selling band instruments but falls in love with a librarian instead.  It features an amazing cast led by Bronson Dameron, who is incredibly charming and charismatic as Harold Hill, and Brittany Sanders, who has a beautiful voice as the uptight yet vulnerable Marion Paroo.  Dameron's renditions of "Ya Got Trouble," "Seventy-Six Trombones," and "Gary, Indiana" are so much fun and I had to try really hard not to sing along (I mostly succeeded) while Sanders had me swooning during "Goodnight My Someone," "My White Night," and "Till There Was You."  Other standouts from the cast are Shawn Lynn as the befuddled Mayor Shinn ("Not one poop out of you madame"), Bonnie Wilson Whitlock as my favorite character Eulalie MacKecknie Shinn (I could not stop laughing during her hilarious performance as a Grecian Urn), and Thomas Wood, Jason Baldwin, Ryan Withers, and Davis Underwood as the feuding members of the school board who form a barber shop quartet ("Sincere," "Goodnight Ladies," "It's You," and "Lida Rose" are highlights of the show).  Ella Bleu Bradford as Zaneeta Shinn, Mayor Shinn's oldest girl, and Evan Naef as Tommy Djilas, a boy with reform school written all over him, are amazing dancers who lead a terrific ensemble in the big production numbers, particularly in "Seventy-Six Trombones," "Marion the Librarian," "The Wells Fargo Wagon," and "Shipoopi."  I am always so impressed with how HCTO is able to stage these big numbers with energetic choreography in such a small space!  I wondered if "Marian the Librarian," my favorite number in the show, would be as dynamic as it has been in other productions I've seen but I loved the clever way the choreography incorporates a desk, a card catalog (so fun), a book cart, benches, and books.  I also loved the staging of "Rock Island" with all of the suitcases.  The set, which features the lattice porch of the Paroo house, a wisteria draped gazebo, and a wooden footbridge, is beautiful and the period costumes, especially Marian's dress for the social, are some of the best I've seen at HCTO (and the bar was already set pretty high with this theatre).  This is a delightful production that everyone is sure to love as much as I did and I highly recommend it!  It runs at HCTO through November 18 and tickets may be purchased here.

Note:  Just wait until you see the finale!  It is pretty spectacular!

The Royal Hotel

Last night I went to the Broadway to see The Royal Hotel because I found the trailer very intriguing.  It is a compelling examination of toxic masculinity and the unequal power dynamic between the sexes that had me squirming the whole time.  Hanna (Julia Garner) and Liv (Jessica Henwick) are two young "Canadian" women backpacking through Australia and, when they run out of money, they seek employment through a work-travel program and end up at a pub called the Royal Hotel in a remote mining town in the Outback.  The men who frequent the pub are often belligerent, offensive, and sexually inappropriate but the owner, a curmudgeonly drunk named Billy (an unrecognizable Hugo Weaving), expects the girls to put up with it to keep the customers happy.  Hanna finds one of them, a miner named Dolly (Daniel Henshall), to be especially menacing and wants to leave immediately but Liv thinks it is all harmless fun and befriends two of the patrons, Matty (Toby Wallace) and Teeth (James Frecheville).  However, Hanna becomes more and more disturbed by the situation because Billy refuses to pay them, there is no cell service, and the only way to leave is a bus that comes once a week.  When events spiral out of control, she must take matters into her own hands.  The tension builds and builds until it is almost unbearable (I was so stressed out watching this) and what makes the situation so terrifying is that it is not necessarily the sociopaths that they should fear but the ones who seem to be "nice guys."  I was really struck by the shot composition and the lighting design because they effectively emphasize both the claustrophobia of the pub and the isolation of the area that surrounds it.  One scene in particular, where Hanna sees a shadow underneath her bedroom door, perfectly captures her terror. Both actresses give riveting performances but I was especially impressed with Garner because everything is viewed from her perspective and her escalating dread is palpable.  Even though the dramatic climax is a bit rushed and not really earned after the subtle build-up that precedes it, I would definitely recommend this.

Utah Opera's La Boheme

I love the opera La Boheme by Giacomo Puccini (I actually flew to San Francisco just to see it performed by one of the best opera companies in the world and it was incredible) so I was really excited to see Utah Opera's production last night!  Marcello (James Westman), a painter, and Rodolfo (Christopher Oglesby), a poet, are penniless and live a hand-to-mouth existence with their friends Colline (William Guanbo Su), a philosopher, and Schaunard (Tshilidzi Ndou), a musician, in a Parisian garret.  When the others leave to celebrate Christmas Eve at Cafe Momus in the Latin Quarter, Rodolfo receives a visit from their neighbor Mimi (Laura Wilde) who is looking for a light for her candle.  She faints from breathlessness because she is suffering from consumption and Rodolfo catches her in his arms.  They fall madly in love and decide to join the others in their revelry at Cafe Momus.  Marcello sees Musetta (Marina Costa-Jackson), his former lover, in the cafe with her new suitor, a rich old man named Alcindor (Danny Belcher), and is jealous but refuses to look at her.  She tries desperately to get his attention by flirting with every man in the restaurant and they eventually leave together while Alcindor is left with the bill!  After a few months, Marcello is jealous of Musetta's flirtation with other men and Rodolfo feels guilty for being too poor to care for Mimi adequately so the couples separate (one acrimoniously and one amicably).  Later Musetta brings a dying Mimi to the garret because she is desperate to see Rodolfo.  Marcello, Musetta, and their friends go for the doctor but Mimi ultimately dies and Rodolfo collapses in despair while calling her name.  The story is unbelievably romantic but also tragic and this is what makes it so compelling and the music is breathtaking!  I loved everyone in the cast (it is one of the best I've seen from this company) and they all sing their roles beautifully!  I had tears in my eyes after "O soave fanciulla" at the end of Act I because Ogelsby and Wilde have amazing voices and tremendous chemistry together as they visibly fall in love and I laughed out loud during "Quando m'en vo," ("Musetta's Waltz") during Act II because it is staged so well and Costa-Jackson has hilarious facial expressions and an over-the-top physicality.  Ndou and Su are also outstanding as the other bohemians and I was very moved by Su's rendition of "Vecchia zimarra" in Act IV.  The costumes are fantastic and I especially loved Musetta's red dress and feather boa because it really pops against the muted tones of the other costumes.  I was really impressed by the clever transformations, from a humble garret apartment to the boisterous Cafe Momus to a dreary gated checkpoint into the city, that happen with the addition of a few elements to the multi-level set.  I loved this production and I highly recommend getting a ticket (go here) for one of the three remaining performances.

Note:  If you have never been to an opera before I think this is a good one to start with because it is very accessible (the musical RENT is based on it).

The Exorcist: Believer

Last night I went to see The Exorcist: Believer and it isn't quite as bad as I was led to believe by all of the negative reviews but, after seeing the original last week, I was very underwhelmed.  Victor Fielding (Leslie Odom, Jr.) and his pregnant wife Sorenne (Tracey Graves) are vacationing in Haiti when she becomes trapped during an earthquake.  The baby ultimately survives but Sorenne dies of her injuries despite a voodoo blessing.  Thirteen years later, Victor's daughter Angela (Lidya Jewett) and her friend Katherine (Olivia Marcum) go off into the woods to conduct a ritual to contact her mother's spirit and then they disappear for three days.  When they return, they don't remember where they have been but, other than burns on their feet, they seem fine.  However, they soon begin exhibiting troubling behavior and Victor seeks a medical answer while Katherine's parents Miranda (Jennifer Nettles) and Tony (Norbert Leo Butz), who are very religious, suspect that the girls went to Hell for three days and brought back a demon. Victor's neighbor Ann (Ann Dowd), a former Catholic nun, sees similarities with another famous case of possession and, even though he no longer believes in God, Victor decides to contact Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn) in his desperation.  She tells him about her research into the exorcisms found in different cultures which leads him to assemble a Catholic priest (E.J. Bonilla), a rootwork healer (Okwui Okpokwasili), Katherine's family's Baptist pastor (Raphael Sbarge), and a Pentecostal preacher (Danny McCarthy) to conduct an exorcism but, ultimately, he must be the one to save his daughter.  I was impressed with Odom's nuanced performance because he is able to convey so much with very little dialogue.  Jewett and Marcum are also very compelling but Burstyn's return feels more like a gimmick than an essential part of the narrative which is disappointing (her screen time is much shorter than I was expecting).  I really enjoyed the first act because it slowly builds tension in a very unsettling way (although there are some strange editing choices) and Victor's loss of faith as a theme calls back to the original but then it completely loses focus during the exorcism with too many characters and very muddled ideas (I'm not even sure what the movie is trying to say).  I think this had a lot of potential but, unfortunately, it becomes too convoluted and chaotic in its execution so you can probably give it a miss.

The Mystery of Edwin Drood at Parker Theatre

Last night I saw the absolutely hilarious musical The Mystery of Edwin Drood at Parker Theatre and I had so much fun! I can't remember the last time I laughed out loud so much! This show features a play-within-a-play as a Victorian acting troupe performs The Mystery of Edwin Drood by Charles Dickens at the Music Hall Royale. Will Cartwright (Tyler Oliphant) is the Chairman, who acts as a narrator and master of ceremonies for the show, but he is also called upon to perform the role of Mayor Sapsea in the middle of the show with a script in hand. Leading man Clive Padget (Spencer Hohl) is John Jasper, ingenue Deidre Peregrine (Lisa Zimmerman) is Rosa Bud, London's most famous male impersonator Alice Nutting (Jasmine Hohl) is guest starring as Edwin Drood, the grand dame of the theatre Angela Prysock (Mary Parker Williams) is Princess Puffer, character actors Victor Grinstead (Brandan Ngo) and Janet Conover (Janzell Tutor) are Neville and Helena Landless, respectively, veteran Cedric Moncrieffe (Curt Jensen) is the Rev. Crisparkle, vaudeville duo Nick Cricker, Sr. (John-Tyrus Williams) and Nick Cricker, Jr. (Caleb Ceran) are Durdles and his Deputy, respectively, and bit player Phillip Bax (Jonathan McBride) is Bazzard (although he yearns for a bigger part and is eventually allowed to sing his original song "Never the Luck" as consolation). With lots of amusing commentary to the audience (some of which is ad-libbed), the Chairman introduces the characters as they appear and the narrative establishes that Jasper, Edwin, and Neville are all rivals for Rosa's affections, that Rosa is dismayed by Jasper's advances, that Helena will do whatever it takes to protect her brother, that the Princess Puffer has an unknown connection to one of the characters, and that the Rev. Crisparkle was once in love with Rosa's mother. After Edwin Drood disappears by the river, the Chairman reveals that Charles Dickens died when he got to this point in his novel and, since no one knows the resolution to the story, it is up to the audience to decide who the murderer is by voting. The show ends when the chosen murderer confesses to the crime! I really enjoyed the melodramatic element to the show, as if the audience is really watching a musical revue during the Victorian era, and I especially loved Spencer Hohl's over the top performance as an opium addicted Jekyll-and-Hyde like character (his facial expressions and exaggerated tics are hilarious) and Tyler Oliphant's perfectly delivered wisecracks and double entendres. I was also really impressed with Williams (the director of the show) because she had to step into the role of Princess Puffer at the last minute after the original actress broke her wrist and she hams it up spectacularly! The songs have a Gilbert and Sullivan operetta feel to them and my favorites are "Both Sides of the Coin" by Sapsea and Jasper, because it is performed faster and faster with energetic choreography, "A Man Could Go Quite Mad" by Jasper, because the physicality of this number is incredibly entertaining, and "Moonfall" by Rosa with accompaniment by Jasper, because it is a beautiful song with the added comedy of Jasper's love-struck responses to it. The set resembles an old fashioned music hall with floodlights and stylized backdrops and the costumes are beautiful. What makes this show so much fun is all of the audience participation beginning before the show even begins with the actors of the Music Hall Royale mingling with the audience and lobbying for their character to be chosen as the murderer. The audience is also encouraged to respond to certain elements of the show, such as the waving of hands when the name Edwin Drood is spoken, and, of course, the audience votes for the murderer as the characters stand on stage holding numbers. My audience voted for Rosa Bud but this is not a spoiler because every performance will be different (which makes me want to see it again!). I cannot recommend this show enough! It runs at Parker Theatre on Fridays and Saturdays through October 28 (go here for tickets).

Sleepy Hollow at West Valley Arts

Last night I saw the musical Sleepy Hollow at West Valley Arts and, on the whole, I enjoyed this retelling of the classic story "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" by Washington Irving. In the isolated village of Sleepy Hollow the townspeople, including a wealthy farmer named Balthus Van Tassel (Bryan Johnson) and his daughter Katrina (Emma Roberts), Van Tassel's farmhand Zander DeGroot (James Duncan), the carpenter Abraham "Brom" Van Bron (Jordan LeBaron), siblings Faas and Rosalie Brinkerhoff (Joseph Branca and Morgan Fenner, respectively), the widow Gusta Tenbrook (Emily Duncan) and her children Dorine (Mersedez Clifford), Willem (Soren Ray), and Anika (Cora Duncan), the stable master Hans Van Ripper (Taylor Smith), his wife Arabella (Caroline Anderson), and children Dirk (Luke Elzey) and Mina (Sofia Paredes-Kenrick), and the town spinster Sabine Vedder (Lauren Slagowski), seem to be living under a supernatural curse. No one is allowed to leave and everyone has suffered unexplained personal tragedies, the worst of which is a bride whose groom was killed and now roams the village headless.  A pompous and arrogant schoolmaster named Ichabod Crane (Ricky Parkinson) comes to the village and is cruel to his students, is a rival to Brom for Katrina's affections, and is openly disdainful of the town's legends and superstitions which causes the townspeople to turn against him. He disappears after he is chased by Brom and then the Headless Horseman (Lio River). Soon after, the tragedies endured by the townspeople seem to be repeating but is it the curse or is it Ichabod Crane exacting revenge? I loved the story, especially how Ichabod Crane is recast as the villain, but it is very convoluted at times and I didn't find the songs to be particularly memorable because they feature so much exposition (my favorites are "Never Spare the Rod," "A Conundrum," "Your Heart with Mine," and "Vanished"). The stage is simple but effective and features paths leading to a bridge that retracts and set pieces for the village green, the schoolhouse (I loved the old-fashioned desks), the church, the Van Tassel estate, the stables, and the woods (I loved the large hollow tree) that are brought on and off stage through the wings. The period costumes are also very well done (the velvet cloaks are gorgeous). There are way too many scenes featuring the townspeople just sitting and standing around but I did really like the choreography for the dances at the Halloween party and the wedding and I loved the way the chase with the Headless Horseman and the final transformation are staged because these scenes are so dramatic. I also found the portrayal of the horses to be a lot of fun. Finally, the best part of this production is the talented cast! They all have beautiful voices (I was especially impressed with Roberts, Duncan, and LeBaron) and Parkinson had me laughing out loud with his characterization of such an unlikable prig. Despite my few criticisms, I think this a great show to see during the spooky month of October and recommend it as a fun night out. It runs at the West Valley Performing Arts Center through October 30 and tickets may be purchased here.

Sweeney Todd at the Grand Theatre

Last night I went to see Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street at the Grand Theatre and I think it is the best production I've seen there!  Sweeney Todd (Dallyn Vail Bayles) is a Victorian-era barber who has just returned to London after 15 years of exile in Australia.  When he learns the tragic fate of his wife and daughter, he immediately wants to get revenge on Judge Turpin (Patrick Kintz), the man who ruined his life by bringing false charges against him.  He returns to his former rooms above the pie shop run by Mrs. Lovett (Tamara Howell) and, when he discovers that she has kept all of his barbering tools, he decides to set up shop and lure the judge in for a shave so he can slit his throat.  However, the judge eludes him and he vows to take vengeance on the whole human race.  He begins to kill all of his customers and Mrs. Lovett uses the bodies in her meat pies!  Eventually, his quest for revenge turns to madness.  As with all Stephen Sondheim musicals, the music is absolutely brilliant and I love the operatic quality of the songs in this show (even if they are really dark).  Bayles and Howell have beautiful voices and really bring these despicable characters to life in a way that is both comedic and tragic.  Their rendition of "A Little Priest" is a highlight and had me laughing out loud while Howell's version of "By the Sea" is incredibly poignant.  Brock Dalgleish, as Anthony Hope, gave me goosebumps when he sang "Johanna" (my favorite song in the show) as did Samantha Paredes, as Johanna, during "Green Finch and Linnet Bird."  I also really enjoyed "The Ballad of Sweeney Todd" and its many reprises sung by the ensemble because it functions as a Greek chorus with a group of Londoners recounting the legend of Sweeney Todd.  The period costumes and elaborate multi-level set vividly bring Victorian London to life and the dramatic red lighting emphasizes the horror of what is happening.  The staging of the murders is clever with Sweeney's barber chair over a trap door with a slide that sends the victims to the bake house.  I love this show and this production is so good!  It runs at the Grand Theatre through October 28 (go here for tickets) and I highly recommend it!

Note:  It was a lot of fun for me to see my former student Christian Johnston as Pirelli (he is really good).

The Exorcist

I had never seen The Exorcist so, because it is back in theaters for its 50th Anniversary, I took the opportunity last night just in time for the release of the new sequel next weekend.  I found it to be incredibly unsettling (more than scary) and I may or may not have looked away from the screen at one point because I was so unnerved!  Actress Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn) is living in Washington, D.C. with her twelve year old daughter Regan (Linda Blair) while filming a movie at Georgetown University.  Regan begins exhibiting troubling behavior so Chris seeks help from both doctors and psychiatrists but nothing helps so someone suggests an exorcism which she rejects.  However, when she suspects that Regan might be responsible for the death of her director Burke Dennings (Jack MacGowran), she seeks out Father Damien Karras (Jason Miller), a psychiatrist at Georgetown University who is tormented by his mother's recent death for which he feels responsible.  Father Karras is skeptical but eventually comes to believe that Regan is possessed by a demon and requests permission to perform an exorcism from the Catholic Church which they grant on the condition that Father Lankester Merrin (Max von Sydow), an experienced but world-weary exorcist, conduct it with his assistance.  During the ensuing exorcism both priests must battle the devil and their own weaknesses.  There are some intense and disturbing scenes, both within the realm of science as Regan undergoes some truly invasive medical procedures and within the realm of the unknown as she swivels her head 360 degrees and projectile vomits, and I honestly don't know which were more upsetting to me.  I was also struck by the brilliant character development, which I was not expecting in a horror movie, because it builds and builds very slowly through incremental events until it is clear that all three main characters are broken (the iconic scene where Father Merrin arrives at the MacNeil house by the light of an upstairs window is incredibly effective at conveying everything he is feeling without any dialogue) and this is very compelling.  All of the performances are excellent (I was especially impressed with Blair because the role is so grueling), the score is atmospheric, and the practical effects are convincing (I think they hold up well even after 50 years).  This has long been considered to be one of the best horror movies of all time and I can definitely understand why now that I've seen it!  It is a masterpiece (although I never want to see it again).

Note:  While I was reading the novel by William Peter Blatty, which I was assigned for a class on popular culture in college, the door to my bedroom slammed shut.  I'm pretty sure it was the devil.

Murder on the Orient Express at PTC

I am a huge fan of Agatha Christie so I have been looking forward to PTC's production of Murder on the Orient Express since the 2023-24 season was announced. I saw it last night and I thoroughly enjoyed it! After finishing a case in Syria, the famous Belgian detective Hercule Poirot (John Tufts) is called back to London on urgent business. Despite the fact that it is fully booked, a compartment is found on the Orient Express for Poirot by Monsieur Bouc (Edward Juvier), the director of the railway. Poirot is immediately approached by Samuel Ratchett (Robert Scott Smith), an odious American businessman on board, who asks him to investigate some threatening letters he has been receiving but Poirot refuses. The train becomes snowbound on the first night of the journey and in the morning Ratchett is discovered dead, having been stabbed multiple times, in his locked compartment. Knowing that the murderer must still be on board the train, Monsieur Bouc asks Poirot to investigate. There are numerous clues which Poirot finds puzzling but, as he interviews his fellow passengers including a Hungarian Countess (Gisela Chipe), an aging Russian Princess (Bonnie Black), her Swedish companion (Amy Bodnar), Ratchett's secretary (Matthew McGloin), a Minnesota housewife (Anne Tolpegin), a Scottish colonel (Robert Scott Smith), an English governess (Andrea Morales), and a French conductor (Alec Ruiz), he discovers that they all have an alibi for the time of the murder and a connection to the infamous kidnapping and murder of three-year-old Daisy Armstrong by Bruno Cassetti. Poirot eventually discovers evidence of a mysterious second conductor with a grudge against Ratchett but is he the real murderer? I've seen this adaptation by Ken Ludwig before and I really like the exploration of justice vs. retribution that happens during the narration, during which Poirot breaks the fourth wall, that bookends the action. I also enjoyed the ensemble cast who, despite a few wobbles with accents, are outstanding. Tufts, who is somehow able to make the well-known character of Poirot his own, and Bodnar, who gives a hilarious physical performance, are standouts for me. The set, dominated by the interior and the exterior of the titular train, is also outstanding and I was particularly impressed with the clever transitions from the opulent club car to the passenger compartments and with the way in which the narrow corridor outside of the compartments is used. The backdrop of snow falling in the Alps is very effective at establishing a sinister mood and the sound design creates the illusion of a real moving train. Finally, I liked the use of dramatic spotlights when the previous actions of all the characters are recapped during the resolution. Seeing this production is a journey well worth taking but book quickly because there are only a few more performances left (go here).

Big Fish at the Terrace Plaza Playhouse

I am a big fan of the musical Big Fish because it is such a touching story and the new production at the Terrace Plaza Playhouse, which I was able to see last night, is really charming! Will Bloom (Zion Austin) has always been exasperated by all of the wild stories that his father Edward (Tyler O'Bagy) tells him. These include hearing his fortune told by a witch (Kate Rufener) in a swamp, learning how to swim from a mermaid (ShayLee Hunter-Powell), befriending a giant named Karl (Mats Mudrow), running away to a circus owned by Amos Calloway (Brandon Rufener), wooing a young woman named Sandra (Margaret Simon) with daffodils, and thwarting the assassination attempt of a general during the war. As he is about to become a father himself, he learns that his father is dying from cancer and returns home to attempt a reconciliation with him. After a Wild West confrontation between the two of them, Will discovers that the truth about his father is even more extraordinary than the stories. All of the songs in this show are really fun and imaginative because they bring all of Edward's fantastical stories to life and I was quite impressed with how they are staged, especially in such a small and intimate space, and with the whimsical choreography. My favorite numbers are "Favorite Son" with all of the townspeople of Ashton (I loved the cheerleaders), "Closer to Her" with the circus performers (the strongman is adorable and the elephants had me laughing out loud), "Daffodils" (it is really immersive because everyone in the audience is given a daffodil to wave during this scene), and "Red, White and True" with the USO (I am always impressed when the ensemble tap dances). Both O'Bagy and Austin are outstanding as Edward and Will, respectively. O'Bagy portrays Edward's zest for life with an enthusiasm that is palpable, especially in the songs "Be the Hero" and "Fight the Dragons," while Austin is incredibly overwrought until he confronts his father in "Showdown" and then shows heartfelt emotion as he learns to appreciate him in "What's Next." I also really enjoyed Simon's emotional rendition of "I Don't Need a Roof." The set is very minimal with a wooden path across the stage leading to a backdrop featuring a river (the meaning of this symbolism is explored very well in the song "How It Ends" and I found it very moving). There is a large screen used for projections depicting the various rooms in Edward's house and all of the fantastical locations in his stories as well as set pieces that are moved on an off stage by the ensemble (I loved Jenny Hill's house). There are a myriad of elaborate costumes for this show and the ones for the witches, the giant, and the circus performers are highlights. This is a lovely story about a son trying to understand his father and a father trying to make his son proud that is sure to warm your heart and I highly recommend it!  It runs Mondays, Fridays, and Saturdays through November 11 and tickets may be purchased here.

Saw X

I loved the first Saw movie but I liked each successive sequel less and less (I didn't even see the last two).  I decided to see the latest installment, Saw X, last night because I heard so many good things about it and I am glad I did because it is now my favorite from the franchise.  John Kramer (Tobin Bell) has just learned that he only has months to live due to his aggressive brain tumor when he hears of an experimental treatment offered by Dr. Cecilia Pederson (Synnøve Macody Lund).  In his desperation he undergoes the treatment in Mexico but soon realizes that it was all a con.  With help from his apprentice Amanda (Shawnee Smith), he kidnaps Dr. Pederson and her team, including Diego (Joshua Okomoto), Mateo (Octavio Hinojosa), Valentina (Paulette Hernandez), and Gabriela (Renata Vaca), in order to have them play one of his deadly games to learn a lesson about giving people false hope.  What I really liked about this sequel is that it returns to its roots with a straightforward story about the original Jigsaw that provides well defined motivations for his actions (the previous sequels got way too convoluted in my opinion) and much higher stakes.  The traps are even more gruesome than ever but they are also very clever and I loved the fantastic twist at the end.  However, there is a poignancy to the narrative that is incredibly affecting and I found myself feeling somewhat sympathetic towards Kramer who is front and center this time around instead of just a disembodied voice (Bell gives a powerful performance).  I also liked Amanda's character arc, especially when she feels conflicted about Gabriela.  This installment is a direct sequel to the original and feels very self-contained, although there are some fun call-backs that die hard fans will enjoy (my audience cheered when Billy the puppet appeared for the first time).  This is so much better than I was expecting and, while fans of the franchise are sure to love it, I recommend it to anyone who can handle the gore.

Bright Star at the Empress

Another show (currently very popular with Utah theatre companies) that I don't think I will ever get tired of seeing no matter how many times it is produced is Bright Star.  I absolutely love it because it is a beautiful and moving story about love and redemption with incredible bluegrass music by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell.  I got to see the Empress Theatre's version last night and it is amazing!  The story takes place in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina during the 1920s and just after World War II.  After the war, Billy Cane (Bradley Barker) briefly returns to his hometown of Hayes Creek and reunites with his father (Kaleb Hunt) and childhood friend Margo Crawford (Stephanie Benson) before deciding to try writing for a magazine in Asheville where he meets the uptight editor Alice Murphy (Heather Shelley).  When the magazine staff, Lucy Grant (Makayla Porter) and Daryl Ames (Sam Phillips), tease her about her boring existence, we see Alice (literally) transform into the wild and rebellious girl she once was in the small town of Zebulon where she has a romance with and is cruelly parted from the Mayor's son Jimmy Ray Dobbs (Trevor Noble).  The narrative goes back and forth from one timeline to the other as Alice learns to deal with heartache and loss and Billy learns the importance of home and the one who really loves him.  The best part of this show is the music and this production includes an incredible live band on stage, featuring Ashley Joseph on cello, Isaiah Perez on bass, Spencer Kellogg on banjo and guitar, Natalie Cardon on violin and viola, Stacy Mayren on piano, Joe DeSisto on keyboard, Kim Brown on fiddle, JD Robison on drums, Christian Porter on mandolin, and Brandon Kerby on acoustic guitar.  I have seen this show many times and I am very familiar with all of the twists and turns in the plot but I was still reduced to tears by the emotional performances by Shelley and Noble in the songs "Please, Don't Take Him," "Heartbreaker," and "I Had a Vision."   I also really loved how Shelley is able to differentiate between her uptight persona in Asheville and her rebellious persona in Zebulon, especially during "Way Back in the Day" and "Firmer Hand/ Do Right."  One of my favorite songs is "Asheville" and Benson gives a beautiful performance of it and she has tremendous chemistry with Barker (who is very appealing as Billy) in "Always Will."  The choreography in "Picnic Dance" and "Another Round" is fun and spirited and the staging is very clever with a set that looks like an old and weathered barn with various pieces for Margo's bookstore, Alice's office, the Mayor's office, and various cabins moved on and off seamlessly by the ensemble.  I wondered how a key scene involving a train would be staged, because it is sometimes tricky to pull off and it needs to be an emotional turning point in the show, but I was extremely impressed with how it is done using a platform above the stage and projections.  I cannot recommend this show enough but, unfortunately, the remaining performances today are sold out (with good reason).  However, standby tickets are sometimes available at the door on a first come, first served basis!

Dumb Money

My nephew has been looking forward to Dumb Money for weeks so we went to see it last night.  He absolutely loved it and, even though I had only the vaguest notion of what was happening at any given time, I had a lot of fun with it, too!  Financial analyst Keith Gill (Paul Dano) uses all of his savings to buy a large block of stock in the company GameStop because he thinks that it is undervalued, much to the dismay of his exasperated wife Caroline (Shailene Woodley), and promotes it on his YouTube channel as "Roaring Kitty" and on the subreddit r/wallstreetbets.  Soon lots of ordinary people, including Jennifer (America Ferrera), Marcos (Anthony Ramos), Riri (Myha'la Herrold), and Harmony (Talia Ryder), are buying the stock on the Robinhood app, developed by Vlad Tenev (Sebastian Stan) and Baiju Bhatt (Rushi Kota), on his recommendation which drives up the price.  This causes several Wall Street hedge fund CEOs, such as Gabe Plotkin (Seth Rogan), Steve Cohen (Vincent D'Onofrio), and Kenneth C. Griffin (Nick Offerman), to panic because they have been short-selling the stock and they need it to fail.  I really enjoyed how funny and self-aware this movie is (it reminded me of The Big Short but it is less heavy-handed) and the juxtaposition between the ordinary lives of the average investor and the extravagant and over the top lifestyles enjoyed by the hedge fund CEOs is incredibly amusing (I especially loved all of the employees standing at attention when they play tennis at a resort).  Dano is perfect as the nerdy Keith (I think he excels in these everyman type roles) and I loved Pete Davidson as his slacker brother Kevin who wants him to sell when the price of the stock starts climbing (although I do think there are too many unnecessary secondary characters to keep track of).  I wish there had been more information provided about specific terms that are used frequently (what are diamond hands?) but I have to admit that the comments on YouTube and Reddit that are shown in lieu of explanations are hilarious and my lack of understanding didn't really detract from my enjoyment.  My nephew highly recommends this (but I think you can wait until it streams).

The Creator

I went to an early access screening for The Creator last night and I loved it so much!  In the near future, an advanced artificial intelligence detonates a nuclear weapon in Los Angeles causing the death of millions and prompting a war between the United States and countries that refuse to ban AI.  Joshua Taylor (John David Washington), a special forces agent, goes undercover in New Asia to find the creator of this advanced AI but ends up marrying Maya (Gemma Chan), the daughter of the man he believes to be responsible.  When Maya and his unborn child are killed during an attack by the USS Nomad, an airship with weapons of superior firepower, he returns home a bitter and disillusioned man who is viewed as a traitor.  Five years later, because he knows the area better than anyone else, he is recruited by General Andrews (Ralph Ineson) and Colonel Howell (Allison Janney) to lead a mission back to New Asia to find a powerful new weapon developed by the creator that could defeat the U.S. but he is more motivated by the news that Maya might still be alive.  He eventually discovers the weapon in the form of a "simulant" child he names Alphie (Madeleine Yuna Voyles) and, when he decides to protect this advanced AI because of a possible connection to Maya, he rediscovers his humanity.  This is a bold and original sci-fi thriller and, even though the action set pieces become a bit unwieldy in the final act, the world-building is intriguing, the images are absolutely stunning (definitely see it in IMAX), and the story is incredibly thought-provoking.  It tackles important themes of what it means to be alive, the futility of war, and the fear of those who are different but, at its core, it is about a relationship that is brought to life beautifully by outstanding performances from Washington and Voyles (at one point I had tears in my eyes during an especially poignant moment between the two characters regarding the existence of heaven).  I also really loved the moving score by Hans Zimmer because it adds so much emotional weight.  This is definitely one of my favorite movies this year and I highly recommend it!

Jekyll & Hyde at CPT

When my sister Kristine and I took a theatre trip to New York City in the summer of 1997 we were able to see the original cast of Jekyll & Hyde (featuring Linda Eder as Lucy and including the song "Good 'N' Evil" which was my favorite but is no longer in the show). We saw quite a few shows on that trip but Jekyll & Hyde was definitely our favorite so I was really excited to see it again with both my sisters (and my brother-in-law) last night at CPT. The three of us absolutely loved this production (my brother-in-law was definitely not a fan). This musical is loosely based on the novella by Robert Louis Stevenson and tells the story of Dr. Henry Jekyll (Christian Lackman), a passionate man of science who wants to save his ailing father by finding a chemical formula to separate good from evil in mankind, his alter-ego Mr. Edward Hyde, a terrifying madman created when Jekyll's experiments on himself unleash his inner demons, and the two women, his fiancee Emma Carew (Karllen Johnson) and a prostitute named Lucy Harris (Jessica Knowles Andrus), who love him but are unaware of his dark secret. As Jekyll struggles to control the monster within, he becomes a danger to the citizens of London, to Emma and Lucy, and to himself. I love the music in this show and the three leads do a fantastic job with the rock opera score. Johnson has a beautiful voice and I loved her rendition of "Once Upon a Dream" but the highlight for me was when she and Andrus sing "In His Eyes" because their voices blend together so well. Andrus has an incredibly powerful voice and she just about blows the roof off the theatre with "Bring on the Men" and "A New Life" (although I still think "Good 'N' Evil" makes more narrative sense than "Bring on the Men" because this is the turning point that convinces Jekyll to begin experimenting on himself) and her performance of "A Dangerous Game" with Lackman is incredibly passionate. I really enjoyed Lackman's unique interpretations of Jekyll in the song "This is the Moment" and of Hyde in "Alive" and "Streak of Madness" because each character has a distinct persona but "Confrontation," where both characters battle for control, isn't as dramatic as I've seen it done before. I also really enjoyed the ensemble in "Facade" (the use of mirrors as a motif for hiding who you really are, in this scene and throughout the show, is very well done) but the other big musical number, "Murder, Murder," drags a bit. The incredible set is one of the best aspects of this production and it really brings Victorian London to life. There is a dramatic backdrop featuring buildings with windows that light up and a multi-level area downstage used to create many different vignettes. Jekyll's laboratory comes down from the rafters and features bubbling potions and moving cogs and wheels (it's really cool). The lighting design is dark and atmospheric with spotlights on the aforementioned vignettes and the period costumes are very effective in revealing the ways in which the characters are hiding their true natures, particularly in "Facade." I love this show and this production is so good!  It runs on the Barlow Main Stage through October 21 (go here for tickets).

Note:  In case you couldn't tell, I'm sad that the show no longer includes "Good 'N' Evil"  but I did get to hear Linda Eder sing it again during a concert with the Utah Symphony!

It Lives Inside

I always enjoy seeing scary movies in October, and since we are getting close to my favorite month, I decided to see It Lives Inside at the Broadway last night.  I found it to be an interesting take on a traditional monster movie.  High school student Samidha (Megan Suri), who prefers to be called Sam, has seemingly turned her back on her Indian culture and her former best friend Tamira (Mohana Krishnan) in favor of fitting in with the more popular Caucasian kids and she is at odds with her very traditional mother Poorna (Neeru Bajwa).  When a disheveled Tamira approaches her for help, Sam smashes the strange mason jar she is carrying which releases the monster living inside it.  Tamira mysteriously disappears and an invisible demonic presence begins stalking Sam and harming those she loves.  She eventually discovers that the demon is a Pishach and that she must embrace her heritage in order to defeat it.  I really liked the use of Hindu mythology and the use of a monster as a metaphor for losing yourself in order to assimilate because this makes what could be seen as a derivative story (it reminds me so much of The Boogeyman) more compelling.  There are some great tension-filled sequences, such as a shadowy figure hiding in the closet and an amorphous shape stalking Sam's teacher (Betty Gabriel) down a hallway, that are frightening more for what we don't see than for what we do.  However, this makes the final confrontation, when we finally do see the monster, a little bit underwhelming because it is not as scary.  None of the characters are well developed (I especially wanted to know more about Tamira) but Krishnan and Suri both give performances that sell the terror they feel very effectively.  Despite a few flaws It Lives Inside is an intriguing way to begin the spooky season and I recommend it.

Sting at USANA

Yesterday may have been the official first day of fall but I still had one more summer concert left!  Sting at USANA Amphitheatre was a great one to end on (even if it was really cold).  His setlist last night spanned his nearly 45 year career, both as a member of the Police and as a solo artist, and included both his biggest hits and a few deeper cuts.  The latter included "Heavy Cloud No Rain," "If It's Love," "Loving You," "Rushing Water," "Why Should I Cry For You?," "I'm So Happy I Can't Stop Crying," and a fantastic version of "So Lonely" which turned into "No Woman No Cry."  The hits from his prolific solo career included "Englishman in New York," "If You Love Somebody Set Them Free," "If I Ever Lose My Faith In You," "Fields of Gold" (one of my favorite moments), "Brand New Day" (with an incredible harmonica intro by Shane Sager), "Shape of My Heart" (with a soulful solo by backup vocalist Gene Noble), "All This Time," "Mad About You," and "Desert Rose" (another favorite moment).  I have to admit that I really loved it when he sang the songs he wrote while he was a member of the Police because they brought back so many memories for me (this was yet another concert filled with nostalgia).  He began the show with "Message in a Bottle," which got the crowd up and cheering, and continued with "Everything Little Thing She Does Is Magic," "Invisible Sun," Walking on the Moon," "King of Pain" (which he sang with his son Joe Sumner who opened for him), then he ended his main set with "Every Breath You Take."  I sang every single word to these old Police songs and it was so much fun!  For the encore, he came back to the stage and asked the crowd what they wanted to hear and then played a sultry version of "Roxanne" (it was the overwhelming response from the crowd and I may or may not have screamed it myself).  He ended the show with "Fragile," like he did the last time he was at USANA with the Utah Symphony, because he likes to give the crowd something to think about on the drive home.  He didn't play "Fortress Around Your Heart" (my very favorite Sting song) but I forgave him because I've heard it live before and this show was so amazing!  I was really impressed with Sting's performance because, at 71 years old, he sang and played bass for close to two hours without a break and his voice sounded great!  He wasn't quite the raconteur that he was the last time I saw him (he had a lot of songs to get through) but he was very charming and had some humorous interactions with the crowd.  I loved every minute of this show (even when I got cold).

Note:  My friend Tony and I saw him in concert at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Denver and then drove home the next day to see him again that night at the Maverick Center.  It was awesome!

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the Eccles

I have seen Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat so many times I've lost count so it takes something special to pique my interest in seeing yet another production.  When I found out that Casey Elliott (my sister has turned me into a huge fan) would be starring as Joseph in a concert version of the show with Lexi Walker as the Narrator and other well-known actors from the Utah theatre scene in the cast, I immediately bought a ticket!  The show was last night and Elliott is the best Joseph I have ever seen (I am still extremely bitter that I saw the understudy instead of Donny Osmond when the Broadway touring production was in town).  It tells the well-known Bible story of how Joseph rises to become the Pharaoh's second-in-command after his brothers betray him for being their father's favorite with songs that span every musical genre.  This is a concert rather than a full production but it features really fun costumes, exciting choreography, and a simple multi-level set.  The brothers, including Kyle Olsen (sigh) as Reuben, Abram Yarbro as Simeon, Zac Wilson as Levi, Matthew Sanguine as Naphtali, Corwin Belnap as Issachar, Keith Goodrich as Asher, Avery Ernsberger as Dan, Scotty Fletcher as Zebulon, McCade Matheson as Gad, Yahosh Bonner as Judah, and Joey Hokulani as Benjamin, each have a different color of athleisure wear with Joseph in white and the wives, including Abby Miller, Keyara Hebdon, Adrien Swenson, Maggie Christensen, Bailey Matheson, Eliza Lucero, and Emma Andreasen Moore, wear sparkly black outfits with shoes in a color that corresponds to a brother.  Accessories are added for various numbers and I especially loved the tinsel fringe coats (made famous by Taylor Swift) worn by the wives in "Go, Go, Go Joseph" and the berets worn by the brothers in "Those Canaan Days." The set looks a bit like a pyramid, which works especially well for "Song of a King," and has four different levels (Walker sometimes struggled to reach the different levels with her stiletto heels but her reactions to her wobbles were so funny) with lights on the edge of each one that flash and change colors (I loved the lighting effects for "Close Every Door" because they look like a prison). The fabulous live orchestra sits on stage on either side of the set and the One Voice Children's Choir is located behind it.  While the songs don't have the usual staging they do have some great choreography, especially "Jacob and Sons," "One More Angel in Heaven," "Go, Go, Go Joseph," "Song of a King," "Those Canaan Days," and "Mega Mix." The performances are outstanding and the audience responded the most to Elliott's powerful rendition of "Close Every Door" (he and the choir just about blew the roof off the Eccles Theatre), Walker's "A Pharaoh's Story," Shaun Johnson's hilarious "Song of a King," and Bonner's interpretation of "Benjamin Calypso."  This was so much fun and I recommend getting a ticket to one of the two remaining performances today (go here).

Around the World in 80 Days at HCT

If there is one thing that sets Hale Centre Theatre apart from all of the other local theatre companies it is their ability to create dazzling and awe-inspiring spectacles on their million dollar state of the art stage and that is exactly what they have done with their latest production, Around the World in 80 Days. I had the chance to see it last night and I loved it because it is so much fun! The story, based on the novel of the same name by Jules Verne, is simple and centers on a wager that a wealthy and eccentric Victorian gentleman named Phileas Fogg (Will Ingram) makes with the members of his club. He bets half of his fortune that he can circumnavigate the globe in 80 days and he and his hapless valet Passepartout (Ryan Simmons) set off that very night! Soon Inspector Fix (BJ Whimpey), who believes that Fogg robbed the Bank of England, and Mrs. Aouda (Niki Rahimi), a woman they rescue from a funeral pyre in India, join them to visit various exotic ports around the world as they race the clock to return to London in time. This adaptation by Laura Eason is highly theatrical and every port of call, including Suez, Bombay, Calcutta, Hong Kong, Yokohama, Chicago, and Liverpool, features wildly imaginative sequences with beautiful costumes (I loved all of Mrs. Aouda's elaborate dresses), dynamic projections (I loved the routes shown on various maps as they travel), clever sets (I loved the use of steamer trunks on all of the different modes of transportation), and energetic choreography with aerialists (Dave Hollerbach, Lance Nielsen, Mandi Johnson, Jessica Kehl, Alyssa Larson, and Samantha Nielsen) performing on various apparatuses (I loved the silks). My favorite sequences are an elephant ride in India, an encounter in an opium den in Hong Kong, a circus in Yokohama, a Wild West train robbery, and a storm at sea. This is not a musical per se but there is a stirring soundtrack that complements the action very well (I particularly loved the use of an aria from the opera I Pagliacci). The whole show is staged as a Victorian melodrama with red velvet curtains around the theater, vaudeville style footlights surrounding the stage, and chandeliers hanging from the rafters. Queen Victoria (Julie Silvestro) even watches the show from the audience! The actors also mimic vaudeville performers and I was especially impressed with Simmons because his physicality is brilliant and his facial expressions are hilarious and completely over the top. The aerialists are simply amazing (I do not know how they do what they do and I couldn't take my eyes off them) and the ensemble (who all play multiple roles and move set pieces seamlessly on and off stage) is also outstanding. This is a show that is not to be missed and I cannot recommend it enough! It runs on the Young Living Centre Stage through October 21 (go here for tickets).

A Haunting in Venice

As a fan of Kenneth Branagh's previous Agatha Christie adaptations, I was really excited to see A Haunting in Venice last night.  I thoroughly enjoyed it and think it is the best of the trilogy.  Crime novelist Ariadne Oliver (Tina Fey) compels Hercule Poirot (Branagh), now living in Venice with a former police officer named Vitale Portfoglio (Riccardo Scamarcio) as a bodyguard, to come out of retirement to attend a seance and help her expose a medium as a fraud.  The seance takes place on Halloween at a palazzo, purported to be haunted by the spirits of orphans who died there, owned by the opera singer Rowena Drake (Kelly Reilly).  She has enlisted the medium Joyce Reynolds (Michelle Yeoh) to contact the spirit of her daughter Alicia who committed suicide after her fiance Maxime Gerard (Kyle Allen) broke their engagement.  During the seance, Reynolds seems to be possessed by Alicia's spirit and announces that she did not die by suicide but was murdered by one of the guests.  When Reynolds is later found dead, Poirot surmises that she was killed by the same person who killed Alicia and enlists Oliver's help to interrogate the guests: Rowena's housekeeper Olga Seminoff (Camille Cottin), Alicia's doctor Leslie Ferrier (Jamie Dornan) and his precocious son Leopold (Jude Hill), Reynolds' assistants Desdemona and Nicholas Holland (Emma Laird and Ali Khan, respectively), and Gerard.  This is very loosely adapted from Christie's novel Hallowe'en Party and, once I stopped worrying about the differences between it and the source material, I began to appreciate it as a moody and atmospheric exploration of grief with some powerful performances from Branagh and his all-star cast.  I loved the addition of the supernatural to the usual murder mystery and there are some truly scary sequences.  The images on the screen are stunning and the cinematography makes use of fish-eye lenses, Dutch angles, extreme close-ups, and overhead shots to emphasize the disorientation felt by the characters.  The dramatic low-level lighting and the score by Hildur Gudnadottir (who is becoming one of my favorite movie composers) featuring a plaintive melody by a solo clarinet adds to the unease.  I really liked Murder on the Orient Express and Death on the Nile but I loved this and I highly recommend it!

Note:  I really hope Branagh keeps making these adaptations!

Into the Woods at the SCERA Center for the Performing Arts

I sometimes get a little bit exasperated because all of the theatre companies near me seem to cycle through the same popular shows (Clue is the current darling) but one show that I don't think I will ever get tired of seeing no matter how often it is performed is Into the Woods. I love it so much because the story is clever, the music is beautiful, and the messages are both incredibly thought-provoking and poignant. I was able to see a production at the SCERA Center for the Performing Arts last night and I thoroughly enjoyed it! Several fairy tale characters must go into the woods to make their wishes come true: a Witch (Samantha Frisby) wishes to reverse a curse, a Baker (Marshall Lamm) and his Wife (Rian Gordon) wish to have a child, Cinderella (Lauren Pope) wishes to attend the festival and meet a prince, Jack (Cole Hixson) wishes to save his cow Milky White (Shannon Follette) from being sold at market, and Little Red Riding Hood (Eliza Johnson) wishes to visit her Grandmother (Shannon Follette). However, having a wish come true does not always result in a happily ever after and actions can have unintended consequences. The entire cast is outstanding, especially for a community theatre, and I was so impressed with the execution of every musical number! My favorite was, as always, "Agony" because Cameron Ward, as Cinderella's Prince, and Isaac Moss, as Rapunzel's Prince, are hilariously overwrought with facial expressions and gestures that are completely over the top! I also enjoyed "It Takes Two" because it is an important turning point for the Baker and his Wife and Lamm and Gordon, who have great chemistry, give very spirited performances, "The Last Midnight" because Frisby sings it so powerfully, and "No One Is Alone" because it is such a beautiful moment and Lamm, Pope, Hixson, and Johnson gave me goosebumps with their moving rendition. The staging is really innovative with lots of fun special effects and I particularly liked the use of books to represent the birds that help Cinderella and the flowers that lure Little Red Riding Hood from the path as well as a beanstalk that actually grows. The set is fantastic and looks like an abandoned house that has been overtaken by a forest (an interesting interpretation that I have never seen before) with ivy covered bookcases in the midst of the trees. The lighting design is dramatic, especially the lanterns, and the costumes are straight out of a fairy tale (my favorites were those worn by the Witch both before and after her transformation). I will always love seeing this show and this production put a smile on my face! It runs through October 7 on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays and I definitely recommend it (go here for tickets).

Dvorak's "New World" Symphony

It is opening weekend for the Utah Symphony Masterworks Series and I could not have been more excited for last night's concert because it featured three pieces that I really like!  The orchestra began with Symphony No. 9 "From the New World" by Antonin Dvorak.  It is one of the most popular symphonies performed in this country and it is one of the few that I recognize by name instantly when I hear it!  I especially love the recurring fanfares by the brass which are repeated by the woodwinds in the first movement and the beautiful but almost mournful melodies played by the horns and strings in the second movement.  It was also fun to hear variations of these themes appear once again during the powerful conclusion.  After the intermission, the orchestra was joined by soloist Aubree Oliverson for Samuel Barber's Violin Concerto.  Oliverson made her debut with the Utah Symphony's annual Salute to Youth concert when she was eleven years old so she told the crowd how excited she was to be back.  I really enjoyed her evocative interpretation of this piece, especially the dynamic, almost urgent, rhythms performed along with the woodwinds in the final movement.  I also loved the main theme played by the solo violin along with a playful theme by the piano in the first movement and a plaintive theme played by a solo oboe in the second.  Oliverson received an enthusiastic standing ovation prompting her to play "Por Una Cabeza" by Carlos Gardel (the arrangement by John Williams used in The Scent of a Woman) with the orchestra as an encore.  The concert concluded with Bolero by Maurice Ravel which I was eagerly awaiting all evening because it is the first piece of classical music that I ever loved!  When I was young my Dad had an 8-track tape featuring various classical pieces programmed on a Moog synthesizer.  My favorite was Bolero and I listened to it over and over again (I loved it when the synthesizer simulates applause at the end).  I didn't even know that I was listening to classical music because it was the coolest thing ever!  It begins almost imperceptibly with a snare drum (playing the same rhythm throughout the entire piece in an incredible feat of endurance) and then a melody is played by a solo flute.  This melody is repeated over and over by the various instruments in the orchestra (my favorite is the solo trombone), building in intensity and volume for over fourteen minutes until a dramatic crescendo at the end.  I may or may not have gotten a tad too enthusiastic while listening to this epic performance (I apologize to everyone I was sitting by).  This entire program is amazing, but if you have never heard Bolero performed live, do yourself a favor and get a ticket for tonight's concert (go here).

Note:  The orchestra plays "The Star-Spangled Banner" during the opening concerts of the new season and, for some reason, I find this very exciting!  Even before I became a subscriber I would always try to attend the opening concert so I could hear it!