Stage Review: Urinetown, the Musical

Urinetown isn't the best title for a musical, but it certainly is a good musical, when it's directed and performed well. The production that is running at Hale Center Theater - Orem until June 15, is definitely directed and performed well.

Whoever directs this very original musical has to understand the humor of this musical in order for the production to shine. And in the hands of the talented director/choreographer David Tinney (whom I was able to work with when I did The Drowsy Chaperone), the clever script, silly story, and bright music certainly shine. The success is in the details, and every detail in this show is well thought out. Tiny gestures have been carefully blocked and you can tell that the cast is fully committed to each step and choice. Every aspect of the show, the choreography, the acting, the music, the set, come together in perfect harmony.

I love seeing friends I have done shows with before, and I'm continually blown away with their talent. Rachel Woodward (pictured above) plays Hope Cladwell. She and I were in a production of The Importance of Being Earnest three years ago. Her portrayal of Hope is spot on, and her comic timing was perfect. Her singing voice is also very clear and beautiful. Taylor Eliason plays Officer Lockstock. He was great in the role. You could tell that he was having great fun, and that is very important in a role like Lockstock, especially with the kind of humor in the show. We were in The Drowsy Chaperone three years ago (with Dave Tinney as director), and I knew then how talented he was.

The rest of the cast was stellar as well. Alex King was a great Bobby, and Amber Dodge was also a  stand-out. The production numbers were excellent. The choreography was great fun and very creative. A few numbers that were stand-outs were "Cop Song," "Snuff that Girl," and "Run, Freedom, Run."

My friend (who is also an actor and director) and I left the theater singing the praises of this production. It is so exciting and exhilarating to see good theatre. There is nothing like it for me. I haven't done a show in a long time because I've really been enjoying my free time (rehearsals and performances take a lot of time), but after seeing this show I am so ready to do another production.

Stage Review: West Side Story

There are a handful of musicals that I know going in that I will cry at one point (or multiple points in some cases). Fiddler on the Roof, Little Women, The Secret Garden, and West Side Story (to name a few). Therefore, when I walked into the theater to see the touring production of West Side Story last week, I knew that I would leave having shed a few tears.

I did not cry as much as I thought I would, and I think it's because they staged the ending differently than I'm used to. Yes, a main character dies (I won't say which character, in case you haven't seen the musical. And if you haven't seen the musical, I will just say, "Why?" It's a wonderful show.). However, one of the things that touches me the most and adds to the tears at the end is that members of both gangs that have been warring with each other come together to carry the body off stage. It takes the death of this character to make them realize how precious life is and it is a catalyst to possibly healing the rift between them. The culmination of all of that usually makes me bawl like a baby. Because they staged the ending differently, it didn't have quite the impact on me that it usually does, and I didn't cry as much. I hate to cry in public, but I missed that ending.

As for the rest of the production, I don't have too much to be critical about. MaryJoanna Grisso and Addison Reid Coe who played Maria and Tony respectively were very good. MaryJoanna had a beautiful, clear soprano voice, and Tony's voice was very pleasing. Michelle Alves as Anita was excellent. The dance numbers, based on Jerome Robbins original choreography were wonderful, as were the dancers who performed them. This is such a dance-heavy musical, and each number was performed brilliantly. It's wonderful to many iconic moves that are strongly associated with West Side Story.

This is the touring production of the most recent revival of the musical that opened on Broadway in 2009. The production was different from the original and previous revivals as a lot of the dialogue spoken by the Puerto Rican characters is in Spanish, and many lyrics were changed to Spanish also. I think it lent an air of authenticity, but it was a little frustrating not to be able to understand many of the things they said. I know a little Spanish, so I understood a bit, but I'm sure the majority of the audience didn't know any Spanish, and I don't know if they were frustrated about it.

There are many musicals that have been made into movies, and are changed in the process. Scenes are switched around, songs are moved or deleted, and new songs are added. Some community theaters want to change the stage production to match the movie that more people are familiar with (I've seen this done with The Sound of Music, and it makes me quite livid because you shouldn't change scripts just because you want to - it's against the copyright). I was so happy to see the original stage version of West Side Story. I love that the boys aren't in "America," that "Cool" is before the rumble, not after, and that "I Feel Pretty" is after the rumble, not before Tony comes to see Maria at the dress shop. The movie is very good, and the changes they made were appropriate for the film, but I like to see the stage production as it was originally written and performed on Broadway.

Stage Review: I Love You Because

I have purchased many random cast recordings of new musicals, not knowing if I'll ever get a chance to see a production of those musicals. With some of them, I only like a few numbers and don't really care to see the actual musical, but there are many of which I really want to see a full production.

I Love You Because fell into the latter category. I bought many of the songs (I love iTunes where I can be picky) when the cast recording was released in 2006, and I've wanted to see a production of it since then. When I saw Side Show, produced by Utah Repertory Theater Company a couple of months ago, I saw that I Love You Because was part of their 2013 season. I was very excited to see that not only is the new theater company doing little-known musicals, but they're doing little-known musicals that I've wanted to see for a while.

I Love You Because is loosely based on Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, very loosely. The genders have been switched; however, those who are familiar with Austen's popular novel will recognize much of Elizabeth and Darcy in Austin Bennet and Marcy Fitzwilliams. The creators of the musical said, "what remains of Pride and Prejudice is what attracted us to the story in the first place; the notion that in order to find love you must move past your preconceived notions of what love is going to be for you and embrace all of its surprises, both good and bad. Because it's easy to say, 'I love you anyway" but hard and all the more rewarding to say, 'I love you because.'"

I enjoyed the production very much. Billy Hagee and Madeline Weinberger, were perfectly cast as Austin and Marcy. Billy was great as the uptight, constant tie-wearing Austin, and Madeline had perfect comic timing as Marcy. Their immediate dislike for each other was believable, as was their gradual change of heart.

Brandon Roach played Austin's older brother, Jeff. There is not much of "Jane Bennet" in Jeff Bennet. He just seems like a little boy who wants to "play." You wouldn't even believe he was Austin's "older" brother if he didn't actually make that point in the show. The two brothers are very different, but Brandon's Jeff was extremely likable, and he had some great moments. Jordan Hall played Marcy's best friend, Diana Bingley. She also did a good job. Her first number, "The Actuary Song," which explains mathematically how long you should wait to get back into the dating pool after a serious breakup, was extremely funny.

The vocal abilities of entire cast were excellent. The only criticism I have with the music was that the live band (which was also very good) overpowered the singers quite a lot.

The supporting cast was good. However, I felt like some of the comical characterizations were a bit over-the-top and weren't in harmony with the comedy style of the rest of the show. I would like to have seen new and unique characterizations instead of the stereo-types they presented.

I was very happy to see a good production of a musical that I've wanted to see for a while, and I look forward to seeing what else Utah Repertory Theater Company will be producing in the future. The next production in their season I'm excited to see is Frank Wildhorn's Bonnie & Clyde. I know it wasn't well received on Broadway, but it's a very interesting story to make into a musical, and I'm curious to see it. I hope I enjoy it as much as I Love You Because.

Since my first introduction to I Love You Because was the music, I will end this post with one of my favorite songs, "But I Do," from the original Off-Broadway production. Enjoy!

Stage Review: Shrek, the Musical

When the animated movie, Shrek, opened in 2001, audiences knew right away that it wasn't your typical Disney fairy tale. The title character, and hero, was a big, green ogre with a Scottish brogue. His sidekick was a talking donkey, the princess had a curse placed on her that... well, if you don't know, I'm not going to spoil the twist. And the villain was height challenged. Birds spontaneously combusted, flatulence jokes abounded, a dragon fell in love with a donkey, and Shrek saved a princess from a tower. The movie was so popular that there weren't only two sequels, but three.

Dreamworks adapted the popular movie for the stage and created Shrek, the Musical, which opened on Broadway in 2008 and closed in 2010. The main characters were given back stories and they sang their way through the story. The touring production came to Salt Lake City, and I've been excited about seeing the musical since I heard it was part of the Broadway in Utah season.

The show opens as we learn the "once upon a time" for our two main characters. On his seventh birthday Shrek's parents sent him off by himself into the "big, bright beautiful world." And at around the same age, Fiona is sent to a tower by her parents. Not a very happy beginning for our two main characters. But Shrek finds his own little muddy patch of swamp land away from everyone else, until a bunch of fairy tale characters who have been banished from Duloc by Lord Farquaad interrupt his happy, solitary life. This event is the impetus that takes Shrek on a journey to rescue Fiona from the tower, and where he meets the talking donkey, who will eventually become a friend.

Shrek is by no means a great musical. It is entertaining, at times very funny, and has many fun musical numbers. Some of the humor fell flat for me, such as the flatulence jokes, just as they did in the movie. That kind of low humor just isn't funny to me.

The references to other musicals and movies were funny. Some references were obvious, and others were a bit more subtle. Some of the musical references I notices were Gypsy, Wicked, Dreamgirls, and Les Miserables. I seemed to be the only one who laughed at the references, and I'm sure the people around me wondered why I was laughing. Some of the movies that were referenced were Babe ("That'll do, donkey (pig), that'll do."), and Dirty Dancing ("Nobody puts Baby in a corner.")

Peter Sook's performance as Shrek fell a bit flat for me, as did some of his notes. He was okay in the role, but not a stand out. The stand-out performances for me were  Jeremy Marriner as Lord Farquaad and Whitney Winfield as Princess Fiona. Mariner's Farquaad was hilarious, and he had an added challenge of having to spend most of his time on stage on his knees to give the illusion that he was short, just as he was in the movie. The bit worked very well, and led to many comic moments. He played the diminutive villain very well.

Winfield reminded me a lot of Sutton Foster at first, who originated the role of Fiona in the Broadway production. Her mannerisms and delivery of her lines were similar to Michelle on Bunheads (on ABC Family), who is played by Sutton Foster. But soon I forgot about Sutton Foster, and simply enjoyed Winfield's performance on her own merit. You could tell that she enjoyed the role and was having a good time. Her musical number, "Morning Person," was a highlight of the musical. The tap portion with the dancing mice had great choreography. You can't beat a bunch of dancing mice who perform with drill-team precision.

The fairy tale creatures were a great ensemble. Their two numbers, "Story of My Life" and "Freak Flag" were enjoyable highlights, even though the numbers did nothing to further the story of Shrek and Fiona. I have to mention Maggie Tompkins, who played little Fiona. Her singing in "I Know It's Today" was clear, on pitch, and she has natural comic timing. Who can resist a cute little seven year-old redhead? All three of the Fionas were wonderful in the song.

I bought the Broadway cast recording soundtrack to the musical as soon as it was available, and I love most of the music. I was looking forward to seeing how the songs I enjoyed so much were incorporated into the story. I was disappointed that one of my favorite songs, "Build a Wall," has been cut from the show. I understand that it was cut because they wanted to shorten the show. I wish that they had cut "The Ballad of Farquaad" instead, but that is Lord Farquaad's only big song, so I guess that wouldn't be fair to take it away from him, but "Build a Wall" is a much better song.

The dragon's number in the Broadway production "Donkey Pot Pie" has been replaced by another song, "Forever," which was a good change. The production number was great and the dragon was impressive. The back-up singers in the number were great too. They were men in the stocks who had tried previously to kill the dragon, and had been there "forever."

Following the curtain call, the cast treated us to a fun version of "I'm a Believer." It was a perfect ending to a very fun show.

Stage Review: Dreamgirls

I have just added another musical to my list of favorites. Dreamgirls. The touring production I just saw has led me to add it to my list. This production was full of theatricality - all of the things I love about musical theatre - great acting, beautiful costumes, a great set, a great score, and incredible voices. 

Dreamgirls is about a Supremes-like girl group in the sixties and seventies. The story follows them from the beginning of their career as backup singers to an established male singer, to their success as their own group, the Dreamettes, and the drama that goes on behind the scenes. Jasmin Richardson (Deena), Mary Searcy (Lorrell), and Charity Dawson (Effie), play the trio.

The set was simple and didn't overpower any aspect of the production. It consisted mainly of panels that moved around the stage, and where lights and images were projected. It was used well to indicate scene changes. The first scene where the three main girls are competing with other music groups at the famed Apollo Theater is very well staged, moving seamlessly back and forth between the acts on stage and the excitement happening backstage of the theater. 

The costumes were wonderful, and fit the fashion of the times (1962-75) well. The gowns worn by the trio who made up the Dreamettes were striking. There were a few major costume changes that happened in mere minutes. The changes were very impressive and made the audience wonder how they were able to do it in such a short amount of time. 

All of the musical numbers were well done, but there were a few stand-outs for me. "Stepping' to the Bad Side" was a great production number. The choreography was outstanding and it was performed perfectly by the chorus. I loved "Listen." In the film it was turned into a solo for Beyonce, who played Deena Jones, but in the stage production it is a wonderful duet between Deena and Effie. I loved it as a duet. It changed the meaning of the song, and it was much more moving in the context of the story.

Of course I have to mention the most famous number in the musical, "And I Am Telling You, I'm Not Going." Charity Dawson definitely had the "chops" to sing it. It's a great end to act one. I had issues with some of Dawson's acting choices during the song, but on the whole, it was a great number.

I love it when I'm able to see stage musical I've never seen before, and I love it even more when I like the show and the production. Now I want to go back and watch the film again and see what changes they made. I enjoyed the film the first time I saw it, and I think I'll enjoy it more now that I've seen the stage production.

Stage Review: Side Show

The musical, Side Show, opened on Broadway in 1997. It starred Emily Skinner and Alice Ripley as Daisy and Violet Hilton, conjoined twins who were stage performers in the 1930s. Although it only ran for 91 performances, it earned Emily and Alice a joint Tony Award nomination, the first time two performers had been nominated together for a Tony Award. It was fitting due to the nature of their performances.

I bought the cast recording to the musical soon after it opened, and I love the score. Emily and Alice's performances of the songs are wonderful. I have always wanted to see the musical, but since it didn't run very long, I thought the chances of anyone producing it in Utah were quite slim. I'm so glad that I was wrong. I was excited to see the production, especially after I learned that two actors from the production of The Drowsy Chaperone I was in two years ago, Angela Jeffries and Taylor Eliason had leading roles in the musical. It's a small musical theatre world.

Side Show is the premiere production for the new Utah Repertory Theater Company. This musical will either soar or flop depending on the actors portraying Daisy and Violet. Fortunately for us, Adrien Swenson and Angela Jeffries, who play the leading roles, are excellent. It's easy to overlook some of the weaker elements in the production when you're listening to these two women sing. They both have powerhouse voices, and together they sound even stronger. Not only did they sing the roles well, but their acting matched their vocals. Angela played Violet with an innocent sweetness, and Adrien played Daisy with a quiet inner strength.

Other stand-out performances included Taylor Eliason as Buddy and Cooper Howell as Jake. Some of the stand-out numbers were "The Devil You Know" (although I think the tempo could have been slowed down a bit - I felt it was too rushed), "When I'm By Your Side," "Who Will Love Me As I Am," " One Plus One Equals Three," and "I Will Never Leave You."

One of the biggest disappointments I had with the production was the very end of the show. The musical starts in a Freak show on a midway where Daisy and Violet have been one of the side show's biggest audience draws. The other freaks sing to the audience "Come look at the freaks." At the end the song is reprised, and as they sing the words, "come look at the freaks," the ensemble comes onstage as modern-day people whom some might consider as "freaks" today. These include an old woman, a homeless man, a "cutter," a blind girl, a deaf girl, two gay couples (male and female), a goth, a girl with lots of piercings on her face, etc. I was terribly disappointed that the director decided to call call them "freaks." I'm sure he was trying to make the point that many people do look on these groups as "freaks," but I thought it was in bad taste. I would have rather he had them all come out looking like themselves, in everyday clothes, and bring out the point that all of us are "freaks" in our own way, or that there really aren't any "freaks," just people.

Stage Review: The Phantom of the Opera

I am very vocal about my opinions when it comes to theatrical productions, and those who know me know that Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera is not particularly my favorite musical. I didn't always feel that way about it. When I first heard the music, I loved it. I thought that it had some beautiful songs. I still think that it has some beautiful songs. I was so excited when I had the opportunity to see it in San Francisco in the mid-nineties. However, I didn't like the actual production. I think that it's too heavy on spectacle and too light on plot. I love the novel by Gaston Leroux that the musical is based on. It's one of my favorite books. I just have never thought that it was well adapted as a musical.

When I found out that a production of the musical was being mounted at Brigham Young University, I was curious to see what a production with university students would be like.  This is the first production of the musical I've been able to see that wasn't produced by Cameron Macintosh. I decided to go to the show with a open mind and try to enjoy a production that hopefully wasn't weighed down by the spectacle of Cameron Macintosh's version.

Review:

Okay, I have to admit that for the most part I enjoyed it. That is not an easy thing for me to say, but as I said, I am very vocal when it comes to my opinions of theatre, and my opinion is there were some very enjoyable moments in this production.

The costumes were stunning. I was surprised at the level of excellence in each piece on the stage. I didn't expect that level of quality in a university production. I especially liked the set. There was nothing that shouted over-done (other than moments when images on the screens were a bit over-done). The chandelier worked well and didn't take focus off of the performers on the stage. Some great set pieces were the elephant in Hannibal, the opera being rehearsed at the beginning of the show. There were two staircases on right and left stage, and they remained there throughout the production.

The second scene, that began with the rehearsal of Hannibal was good and set the tone for the rest of the production. It was entertaining and funny. There was an especially funny moment when Piangi, the tenor, tries to get up onto the elephant during the last measures of the song and he's trying to get on it before the songs ends. His attempt is quite entertaining, and his final pose as he tries to hold on at the end of the song is hilarious.

Vocally, the production was outstanding. Everyone had good voices and the musical numbers sounded wonderful. The acting was also very strong throughout the entire cast. There were a few stand-out performances. Preston Yates, who played The Phantom has a beautifully clear tenor voice. DeLaney Westfall (whom I performed with two years ago in The Drowsy Chaperone), was perfectly cast as Christine Daae. I knew that she could act, and I knew that she had a wonderful voice. I just didn't know that she could sing operatically as well as she does. I was very impressed that she was able to hit the high note at the end of "The Phantom of the Opera," and it was clear and loud. Well done, DeLaney!

Carlotta, played by Caroline Morris, was wonderful. Her operatic voice was beautiful, and she had very good comic timing. Brad Robbins and Sam Bostwick, who played Monsieur Andre and Fermin, respectively, also brought a lot of humor into the production. I think that's one of the things I enjoyed about this production. It had many humorous parts that made it more enjoyable. It didn't take itself entirely too seriously.

I was happy that, for the most part, most of the actors spoke with their own accents, and didn't try to adopt an affected English or French accent. Only Carlotta and Piangi had French accents, and they both did a good job. I like being able to understand actors, and many times if they use different accents you find it hard to understand what they're saying. We know we're in France, we don't need the actors to have a French accent to understand that.

"The Music of the Night" is one of the most popular musical numbers in the show, and Yates sang it very well. The way the song is blocked, Christine is mesmerized by his voice and the music, and he is able to control her like a puppet during the song. There were times when I wanted to laugh, because in another musical, Xanadu (which, by the way, starred DeLaney in one of the productions I saw last year), during the song, "Strange Magic," the goddesses control what Kira and Sonny do as if they are puppet masters, just like in "The Music of the Night." However, in The Phantom of the Opera it is meant to be serious and romantic, and in Xanadu it's meant to be funny. It's interesting how the exact same type of blocking can be funny or not depending on the tone of the musical.

I liked how the Phantom flies in at the end of "Masquerade" at top of Act II. He has a great costume with large wings like a bat, and it fits well that he would fly in. I'm glad that he doesn't fly out, though. He just walks up the stairs and off stage. However, I didn't particularly like that they fly him in and out in the cemetery. The Phantom is just a man, not a superhero with the power to fly.

The ballerinas were outstanding in the production. They had a group of female ballerinas, and then they had a male ballet dancer, Michael Milkinin, who did a few solos. He was incredible, and received a few ovations from the audience during his solos.

In Act II during the Phantom's opera, there is a song sung by Christine and the Phantom, "Past the Point of No Return." In the middle of the song, Christine walks to stage left where there are curtains leading off stage, and then she has some strange choreography with the curtains. It was very strange. I'm not sure why the director or choreographer had her do that.

I have always had a problem with the Phantom's half mask in this musical version of the book. It's strange to me that the man would have only half of his face deformed, when in the book his entire face is deformed. I heard that for the original production of the musical the half mask was created to make it easier for Michael Crawford, the original Phantom, to sing. They didn't want to cover his whole face. I know that the half mask is now iconic for this musical, but if you look at the original poster, it is a whole mask, not half of a mask. I believe that now a mask can be designed that the actor could wear that wouldn't make it difficult for the Phantom to sing. Just sayin'.

I'm glad that I was able to enjoy the musical for the most part. Now that musical is available to be done by regional and community theatres, I look forward to seeing other productions and hopefully I will enjoy the majority of these productions.

Stage Review: The Philadelphia Story

The Philadelphia Story is a classic film from the 1940s. It stars Katherine Hepburn, Cary Grant, and Jimmy Stewart. The film is based on a Broadway play by Philip Barry. The play also starred Katherine Hepburn, and was a great success, which isn't surprising as the story and script are excellent. I own the a copy of the film, and it is a favorite of mine. I was excited to see the play at Pioneer Theatre Company, as the theatre is known to hire good actors and directors.

First of all, the set was beautiful. As soon as the curtain came up, many of the audience members broke into applause. The parlor in the first scene of act one was ornate and looked like rich people lived there. Upon seeing the set, I had high hopes for the production. I'm sad to say that I was a bit disappointed.

Allison McLemore (Tracy Lord) looked very similar to Katherine Hepburn. Her hair (wig) was styled similar to Katherine's in the film. Also, her voice inflections and mannerisms were very similar to Hepburn's, and it annoyed me that Allison was trying to imitate her. Katherine Hepburn may have originated the role of Tracy Lord, but most actors don't recreate the performance of another actor, they try to make the character their own. Grace Kelly did a wonderful job of making the part her own when she starred in the movie musical remake of the story, High Society. I wish that Allison would have tried more to make the role her own.

Todd Gearhart (C.K. Dexter Haven) physically fit the role that Cary Grant played in the film (I'm so glad they cast someone who looked more like Cary Grant than Bing Crosby, who played Dexter in High Society *wink*). He was very handsome (in fact, he had a uncanny resemblance to a friend of mine, who has also done some acting); however, he was extremely stiff and didn't seem to have the debonaire quality that Dexter should have. Also, I was surprised at how small Dexter's part is in the first act. In the play, Dexter doesn't bring the reporters to the Lord home, it's Tracy's brother, Alex, whose role was completely cut from the film.

The actors were good at their craft, but I had a problem with the style of acting that either they or the director chose. You could tell they were "acting." When you perform on stage, you want your acting to seem like you're "being," to allow the audience to get caught up in the story and believe in your character. I don't know if it was because the actors were intimidated by the material or if they thought that that's the way to perform plays written in the late 1930s. I don't know, it was just very affected. When the first act ended, I couldn't help but voice my disappointment in the production so far to my friend.

The second act was actually better than the first. I started to enjoy the production after Tracy gets drunk following her pre-wedding party. That's when she started being a little more real to me, and so did many of the other actors.

Some of the costumes seemed totally wrong for the period the play is set in. 1940's women's fashion is wonderful, and I feel the costumer lost a great opportunity to design stunning dresses for the actresses. I was very excited to see the evening gowns because women had beautiful evening gowns then. However, the evening gowns were simply ordinary. Even the slacks that Tracy wears in the first act were more modern than period-appropriate. The waist band was low on the actress's hips, and the waist bands of pants from that time on both men and women were usually even higher than the natural waist. Tracy looked so out of place in those slacks.

I was looking forward to a different interpretation of the play from the well-known film. I didn't expect so many mannerisms and blocking to remind me of the movie. I wish the director had brought a new and fresh vision to the play. Yet, in spite of its negatives, I did enjoy the production in the end because they had such a great script to work with, and if you're going to recreate a film, The Philadelphia Story isn't a bad one to choose.

Stage Review: The Addams Family

I recently saw the touring production of The Addams Family. The talent on stage was very good, but the book was excruciatingly bad, but perhaps that’s supposed to be a compliment for the family called Addams.

The plot is a little like “You Can’t Take it With You.” A grownup Wednesday has met a nice, normal boy, Lucas, and they want to get married. Wednesday has invited Lucas and his parents to the Addams home for dinner. She begs everyone in her family to try to act “normal.” One of the best lines in the show was from Grandma, who says, “Define normal.”

Judging from the opening number, “When You’re an Addams,” which included the entire family (except Cousin It and Thing, although they did have small cameos in the show), and a handful of Addams ancestors, I thought that the musical would be a fun, nostalgic romp into the world of the Addams family. I was wrong. The song introduced the family well and the choreography was good, but the book just didn't live up to the opening number.

I liked Wednesday’s first number, “Pulled,” as she sings how Lucas is pulling her in a “new a direction,” and she likes it. She suddenly has a sunny disposition, and bunny rabbits make her want to cry. She's even thinking of going to DisneyWorld - twice, and listening to Liberace's greatest hits. This definitely is not the Wednesday we all know. Although, she sings the songs as she tortures her little brother, Pugsley, who of course, enjoys it.

Each actor fit their character well. The only character who didn't look exactly as they were in TV series was Wednesday. She is now eighteen and no longer has her hair in braids, but a short bob.

Gomez was played by Douglas Sills, a Broadway performer whom I was first introduced to through the original cast album of The Scarlet Pimpernel. He was the perfect Percy/Pimpernel, and I fell in love with his voice. Sills was great as Gomez, and I’m glad we saw him, and not Nathan Lane, who originated the role in the Broadway musical. Doug’s voice was much better, and he’s much more attractive than Nathan Lane. He is a light in a musical that isn't very bright. It was also nice to see the sweet relationship between Gomez and Wednesday.

Blake Hammond was great as Uncle Fester. However, his solo, “The Moon and Me,” was puzzling to me. It felt like the song was just thrown in there to give him a solo number in the show. The staging was very strange, and made absolutely no sense.

Pugsley’s (Patrick D. Kennedy) singing voice was very good. His solo “What If” was very impressive for a kid. His acting was so-so, but that’s not surprising for younger actors.

One of the highlights of the show was Tom Corbeil as Lurch. He was perfect in the role. I don’t know how tall he actually was, but he was heads above everyone else. He didn't do much talking (that you could understand anyway), and he didn't sing until the end, but when he finally did sing, you could understand why, according to his bio, he’s been in many operas.

The ensemble was great. They played the Addams ancestors, so even though their costumes were from different eras and cultures, they were all white. It was a great look, especially when they were all dancing together.

The costumes were spot-on. The only complaint I had was that Morticia’s dress was cut so low that it left nothing to the imagination. I don’t remember Carolyn Jones’s dress looking anything like that in the TV series. I’m sure Angelica Huston’s dress wasn't even that low in the film (I've never seen it). The dress was more Elvira-like than Moriticia.

When Morticia requests that after dinner the family and guests play “the game,” and Wednesday protests because she just wants a “normal” dinner, I expected something scary or gruesome. After all, this is the Addams family. Well, the “game” was a quite a disappointment. It was as far from “Addamsy” as you can get.

The set was wonderful. The way in which the curtain was used was very clever. Sometimes it would be lifted on just one side of the stage for a scene, and it made the scenes feel a little more intimate. The rest of the sets were simple, but were great visually, from the graveyard to the inside of the Addams home.

The final number was disappointing, especially when the opening number was so fun. I wanted the end of the show to be upbeat and fun too, but it wasn't  The show is supposed to be funny, and the final number was so serious.

Sometimes the book of a musical is rewritten for touring productions if the show didn't receive great reviews on Broadway. I believe the book for The Addams Family was reworked prior to the tour, but I think it needs more rewriting; it could really be a fun show. Oh, and they could also make a costume change for Morticia.

Stage Review: Forbidden Broadway

In a past post I wrote about Forbidden Broadway coming back to Off-Broadway after being away for a few years. I was excited about it returning because I saw the show in 2005 in New York City. I was looking forward to going to New York to see the latest incarnation, spoofing the current shows on Broadway. Well, I didn't have to go to New York to see Forbidden Broadway again. I just had to go to Park City, Utah.

I was hoping to see the latest version of the show, but instead it was a "best of" version. I was okay with that, because it was still hilarious, but I was a bit disappointed not to be able to see how they would spoof Spider Man: Turn off the Dark, Newsies, and Ghost. Well, I guess I'll have to go to New York after all. Darn. *wink*

Some of the shows they did spoof were: Chicago, Annie, Little Mermaid, Jersey Boys, Mary Poppins, The Phantom of the Opera, Beauty and the Beast, Les Miserables, The Lion King, Mamma Mia, and Wicked.

• Chicago
• Give 'em the old spread your fingers. Wear a bowler hat.
• Annie
• "I'm 40 years old Tomorrow and I haven't worked since I played Annie, when I was 10." 
• Jersey Boys
• "Walk like a man, sing like a girl" 
• Mary Poppins
• "Supercalifictionalnonsensicalverbosis"
• Beauty and the Beast
• "Show as old as time. Worn as it can be. Oversized and grand then someone is canned unexpectedly. Juts a little change says the Disney beast. Profits growing thin, downsizing is in. Beauty's been decreased."
• Les Miserables
• "At the end of the play we're another year older, and we're often exhausted from playing the poor." 
• The Lion King
• "Theme park shows, they keep gaining ground in the circle of mice. Disney's all around, and you'll pay the price and you'll be spellbound. Puppet shows replace what we once called content, in the circle of mice" 
• "Can you feel the pain tonight? The strain the headdress bring. The cracking bones, the tearing cartilage can kill all living things. And if you feel the pain tonight let me carry you to be wed at my chiropractor who works for Disney too" 
• Mamma Mia
• "There's a show in New York with a literate book. Complex musical look and a classical look. On the West End it looked ridiculous. Here in New York it's meticulous, deep and smart, and equivalent to high art. Mamma Mia, next to current trash seems as Kiss Me Kate was.
• "Shows of rap and rock don't last long. Everyone loves an Abba song. One's as good as another. Anyone will do. Get in your Bee Gees stance. Disco queen. We're high art if you're seventeen." 

They also spoofed Broadway actors such as Ethel Merman, Patti LuPone, Mandy Patinkin, Sarah Brightman, and Robert Goulet. The actor who did the imitation of Mandy Patinkin was so spot-on. He sang "Somewhat Overindulgent" to the tune of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," and I couldn't stop laughing throughout the entire song.

Forbidden Broadway is a great way to spend an evening if you love musical theatre. And even if you don't, you're sure to find something in it to smile about.

Stage Review: In the Heights

L-R: Debra Cardona (Abuela) and Joseph Morales (Usnavi). Photo by Alexander Weisman.

In the Heights, which is playing at Pioneer Theatre Company in Salt Lake City, was written by Lin-Manuel Miranda, who grew up in Washington Heights. The show is a love letter for the neighborhood where he was raised. And what a lovely love letter it is. It’s a sweet, vibrant, and at times touching snapshot of the Manhattan neighborhood.

The musical opens on a wonderful set representing the neighborhood, with a great view of the Brooklyn Bridge and a bright full moon in the sky. As we get into the story, walls open so we see the inside of Usnavi’s bodega, the Rosario Car Service, Daniela’s beauty salon, and the Rosario dining room.

The music is a eclectic mix of rap, Latin rhythms, and beautiful ballads. Some of the songs had you tapping your feet, wanting to stand up and dance along with the ensemble, especially during " Carnaval Del Barrio." The first number, “In the Heights,” draws you into the world while Usnavi raps about his life in the neighborhood and introduces his neighbors. Each of the solos gave you a glimpse of the characters, who they are, where they came from, and what they want in life.

The majority of the cast was very good, but standout performances came from Joseph Morales (Usnavi), Natalie Hill (Daniela), Natalie Toro (Camila), John Herrera (Kevin), Emily Vasquez (Nina), and Anthony Ramos Martinez (Sonny).
Joseph Morales has performed the same role in the touring company, and his performance of Usnavi was very strong and moving. Natalie Hill is a native of Orem, Utah. Her portrayal of Daniela was very entertaining, and her voice was one of the strongest in the cast. Natalie Toro’s rendition of “Enough” was one of the highlights of the all of the musical numbers in the musical.

L-R: Manoly Farrell (Vanessa), Natalie Hill (Daniela), Emily Vasquez (Nina) and Ariana Escalante (Carla). Photo by Alexander Weisman.



One of the most moving numbers in the show, “Everything I Know,” was sung by Emily Vasquez. I don’t like it when musicals make me cry, but I forgave them this time because “Everything I Know” was such a beautiful song that will touch the heart of anyone who had someone special in their life help change them for the better.

The ensemble was very strong, and the choreography was energetic, entertaining, and well performed.

I seldom give a standing ovation at a theatrical performance, even if everyone around me is standing, but by the end of the curtain call for In the Heights, I was on my feet. The musical won me over completely.

In the Heights plays at Pioneer Theatre Company through September 29, 2012.

Stage Review: Little Women

Little Women, at Centerpoint Legacy Theatre, is a beautiful production.

All of the actors are very strong vocally and in their character development. The actors who play the four sisters have wonderful chemistry, and their relationships with Marmie (their mother) are believable, especially between Jo and Marmie, as they are really mother and daughter. This relationship made the song, "Days of Plenty," which Marmie sings to Jo, even more touching.

The costumes were incredible, and I especially loved Amy's black dress and hat she wears when she returns from Europe. The set worked well for each scene. The actors had wonderful voices, and they had a beautiful score to work with.

I have to give a special shout-out to my friend Megan, who plays Amy, the youngest March sister (she's the only blond sister). She does a wonderful job showing her growth in the musical from a spoiled little girl to a lovely, mature young woman. This is Megan's second time playing the role, and I enjoyed seeing her play the character again.

All in all, this was just a delightful production, filled with beautiful music, humor, delight, sorrow, and wonderful acting.

It closes Saturday, so hurry and go see it!

Stage Review: The Winter's Tale

The Winter’s Tale is one of my favorite Shakespeare plays, and given the chance, I will see any production of it, whether it be good or bad. It took only a few minutes into Sting & Honey’s production of the play to be impressed by the talented cast. These were actors who could carry off Shakespeare.

However, as good as they were reciting Shakespeare’s poetry and prose, I would have liked to see more emotion, real human emotion, from the actors, not just an elevated “Shakespearean” acting. The Winter’s Tale is about loss and recovery, of repentance and forgiveness, of jealousy and misaccusations. When Leontes accuses Hermione of infidelity, I wanted to see shock from Hermione. This accusation comes out of the blue to her, especially because Leontes' jealousy comes on so quickly, and Hermione is innocent, so she has no reason to think Leontes would suspect her of such a horrible thing. Hermione reacts as if she almost expects his accusation. She says that she is not the type of person who cries, but I wanted to see a physical reaction of anger, or some heightened emotion.

The last scene didn’t have enough emotion for me either. I wanted to physically see Leontes’ joy that his daughter, whom he thought was dead, was alive. I wanted him to have her at his side, afraid that if he couldn’t physically touch her that she would disappear. When it is revealed that Hermione is not dead, I wanted Leontes to get down on his knees to show repentance for the things he did, and for Hermione to take his hands and lift him up to show that she had forgiven him. I also wanted Hermione and Perdita to have a more joyous reunion.

All in all, I just wanted to feel more real human emotion from the main actors. Shakespeare’s plays are all about human emotion, and just because it’s Shakespeare, it doesn’t mean you can’t show that emotion just as you would if it were a modern play.

There were still many things I liked about the play.

One of the hardest parts for the actor who plays Leontes is to make his sudden jealousy believable. I think that Javen did a good job in this area. I paid close attention to him at the beginning of the play to see how he played that scene, and I think he did a good job.

I liked the reaction from Polixenes when he finds out about Leontes’ belief that Polixenes and Hermione have committed adultery. His response physically feeling sick, showing disbelief that his friend could believe he would betray him with his wife.

The large white tree, which was the only set piece on the stage, was stunning. It was a beautiful moment at the end when the tree is turned around to reveal Hermione’s statue as part of the tree. I liked the poses that the actors made throughout the play. I liked how they foreshadowed the important statue we would see at the end of the play.

Stage Review: The Woman in Black

This is the third time I have seen the stage version of The Woman in Black. This was a small production in a small theatre produced by a small theatre company, and it was just as good as the productions I saw at the Utah Shakespeare Festival and in London. 

Christopher Sherwood Davis was excellent as Kipps, and his performance was riveting. I am not saying that just because he is my nephew. His acting skills are stellar, and during the production I forgot he was my nephew. I was lost in the story, and in his performance.That's good acting.

Patrick Kintz's performance was also wonderful. He had the difficult job of playing many characters and had to use a different British accents for each character. He was able to perform the difficult task with ease.

The set was sparse and very effective. The sound effects rounded out the experience and assisted in the suspense. It's wonderful what our own imaginations can do.

The productions had plenty of chills and thrills. The specter of the woman in black appeared from different areas on the stage, and the play built the suspense well of when and where she would appear. There was one moment in the production when the chills were heightened to the point where you felt the horror that the character was feeling. It was so well staged and performed.

The Woman in Black is playing at The Echo Theatre in Provo, and I would encourage everyone who is within driving distance to see it. It is a night well spent.

Stage Review: Xanadu

Is there a decade easier to make fun of than the 1980s? I think not.

Xanadu, the musical, is based on the 80's film of the same name. The movie was a flop, for a good reason - it was a bad movie. So, the question is, why would you create a musical based on a bad movie? Because it's perfect to make fun of. And because the movie had great music.

Hale Center Theater Orem's production of Xanadu is hilarious, and I don't think I've ever laughed so much at any show - play, musical, or movie.

Plot:

Sonny is an artist in Venice Beach, who thinks he in a failure, so he decides to kill himself. The seven muses, Greek demigods who give humans inspiration, come out of a chalk drawing that Sonny drew on a wall. Clio, the head muse, decides to help him. She comes to earth and disguises herself as a leg-warmer-wearing roller skater, named Kira. Oh, and she also sports an Australian accent. She helps him reach his dream of opening a roller disco (remember those?).

Review:

The choreography by Jennifer Hill-Barlow is a great throwback to the 80s. it takes the best and worst of the decade and weaves them together perfectly.

Delaney Westfall is perfect as Clio/Kira. Her acting and singing voice are spot-on for the role, and she had a little of that Olivia Newton-John look going for her, which doesn't hurt either. She also has to spend most of the show on roller skates, for which she deserves major props.

David Guy Holmes plays Sonny with an innocence that is needed for his character. His voice is perfect for the style of music, and he brings an enthusiasm that is infectious.

Another standout performance was Ali Bennett as Calliope, muse of epic poetry. Her comic timing was incredible. She made every scene she was in a joy to watch.

Not very many musicals based on Greek mythology have been hits, or even good, but this is the exception to the rule. I highly recommend Xanadu, especially if you remember the 1980s, fondly or not.

Stage Review: Emma

I have seen four stage adaptations of Pride and Prejudice. One was a musical. I only enjoyed one, and it wasn't the musical. So (although I was excited to see it, because I love all things theatre, and all things Jane Austen), my expectations were not extremely high when I went to see Pioneer Theatre Company's stage adaptation of another Jane Austen novel, Emma.

I am happy to say I was pleasantly surprised. The script, adapted by Jon Jory, stayed true to the book, and although some scenes and characters from the book had to be cut due to time limits, for the most part he chose well what and who he cut.

The production was well staged, and the play flowed seamlessly from scene to scene. The set was nice and simple, but the audience was still able to determine where the scenes were set. The costumes were pretty and well researched for the time. Because Emma was in almost every scene, she didn’t have time to change her costume off stage, so she changed onstage with the help of a “maid,” and I think it was a clever way to do her costume changes.

Speaking of Emma, Nisi Sturgis did a wonderful job portraying the character that Jane Austen herself said that no one would like but herself. Michael Sharon played Mr. Knightley (my favorite of all Jane Austen’s heroes). I have seen Sharon in many plays at the Utah Shakespeare Festival, and I’ve always enjoyed his performances. This performance, however, was not my favorite in the production. In Act I he didn’t quite seem sure of who his character was. He was stiff and a little boring. But that did change in Act II when he chastises Emma. After that scene, he seemed to loosen up more, and I enjoyed his performance.

The strawberry picking and Box Hill scenes were combined, and were set at Mr. Knightly’s estate, Donwell Abbey. I understand why this was done, and at first I was disappointed, but then I think it was a good choice. This is the scene where Emma makes fun of Miss Bates. I thought that there should have been a bigger reaction from the characters at Emma’s remark to Miss Bates. I wanted the scene to have more of an impact, but it seems it was just glossed over until Mr. Knightley chastised her.

The other characters were well cast. Katie Fabel played a sweet, innocent Harriet Smith, Richard Gallagher was a good-looking Mr. Elton and had the right amount of ego. I especially enjoyed the performance of Paul Kiernan who played Mr. Weston. I liked his interpretation of his character, and he really made the most of small part. Jenny Mercen, who played Mrs. Elton was snobbish and entirely unlikable, which was exactly who her character was.

I was pleased with the performance and I especially enjoyed the evening with a friend whom I haven't done much with lately.