Theatre Reviews by Patrons and Professionals
OREM — In February, I praised community theatre in a UTBA blog post, and Disney’s My Son Pinocchio at SCERA Center for the Arts reaffirmed my love for these productions created by and for our local neighborhoods. Under the direction of Mindy B. Young, Pinocchio is a wonderful example of how community theatre can revel in [...]
Last week, Howard Sherman, producer and recent director of American Theatre Wing, posted a defense of community theatre on his blog titled “Theatre the Theatre Community Disdains.” I agree with almost everything he wrote. I disagree, however, that such a defense was necessary. In fact, I do not believe that community theatre is “Theatre the [...]
SALT LAKE CITY — The Fearless Fringe Festival is a fairly new project from Salt Lake Acting Company intent on showcasing Utah playwrights. This past weekend (August 26-28) three productions—each at different stages of development—were introduced to Utah audiences in the Chapel Theatre of SLAC’s beautiful theatre space. Tickets were $12/show or $24 for all three. [...]
SALT LAKE CITY — On Saturday, Plan B Theatre closed their 20th anniversary season with their annual 24 hour theatre fest, SLAM. Five ten-minute plays, all written, directed, and rehearsed within twenty-four hours by seasoned Plan B artists (and a few new faces) were presented to a large audience at the Rose Wagner theatre. In [...]
MAGNA — Attending a performance at The Empress Theatre in Magna is a treat. The town is really not as far as you might think, and there is a sense of nostalgia entering the old theatre. Once inside, the people and performances really remind you of what community theatre is supposed to be. It is [...]
OREM — The stories of Charles Dickens are easily adapted to the stage, not just because he was a great writer, but because he wrote great melodrama. His novels play into our emotions of nostalgia, love, happiness, and heart-wrenching tragedy. And of all his tales, perhaps the one most suited to the stage is A [...]
PROVO — There is nothing more wearisome in the theatre than a production of Romeo and Juliet that takes itself too seriously. Fortunately, BYU’s production of the play, under the direction of Megan Sanborn Jones, is engaging, entertaining and smart. It presents itself as a self-conscious observation of Romeo and Juliet’s unfortunate stage history which has led millions [...]
SALT LAKE CITY — The 20th anniversary season of Plan B Theatre Company will kick off tonight with Julie Jensen’s She Was My Brother, a song of sorts for the transgender people from this nation’s past who have often gone unrecognized and who have been excluded from history. It is a fitting play for this task. Well-written [...]