Les Belles Soeurs is essentially a drama about Germaine Lauzon, a woman who has won a million trading stamps in a lottery and is now hosting a party with her friends to glue them into booklets. While this doesn’t sound like the most riveting of storylines, the brilliance of this story lies in the relationships revealed and developed during this party. Germaine, Rose, and Gabrielle are three sisters who are loyal to their family ties, but hate each other all the same. They zealously abhor their “fallen” sister Pierette, who comes to the party unannounced. Ironically, she is the most charitable character of the bunch who doesn’t care about form or rules when it comes to helping those in need. Indeed, Pierette and Germaine’s forward thinking daughter Linda seem to be the base of the new culture Tremblay was trying to invoke. All of these women are living in a world where their religious fervor has become a petty coldness that has in fact distanced them from each other and the faith they hold dear.

So how did this cast of 20-somethings in modern day Utah fare with such a complex script? All in all, I thought they did excellently with the content of the roles, but the life of the roles still seemed to elude some of the actresses. Granted, it is difficult to have such young people play such older women, but while some fared very well under the task, others fell a little flat. For example, Jessa Brocklebank and Haeleigh Royall played best friends Rheauna Bibeau and Angeline Sauve and while they understood the feelings of the characters, the only thing that gave me a clue to their age was the fact that Royall’s hair was sprayed grey. There was no age or sense of place with these characters, and that was confusing to watch, especially because the play has a couple different generations and about 14 women on stage at the same time.  While part of this is due to the lack of a makeup designer, the actors are responsible for their physicality as well. Germaine, played by Jordan Novotny, also fell into this trap a little since the production team decided to give her belly padding to make her appear heavier. She did a few things to show that she was heavier, but it wasn’t really convincing enough for me. I still saw a skinny girl with some padding on her tummy and hips.

There were some performances that were outstanding with this show. Eva TerraNova was incredible as Pierette. She rarely raised her voice in a place that didn’t feel appropriate, and had an electric interior energy that seemed to influence everyone. The same could be said for Chelsie Cravens portrayal as Rose. She was feisty, prejudiced, and funny in a way that made me always find myself drawn to her at the right moments. She didn’t ever play her character too forcefully when others where in the spotlight, but when she was the focus, she really grabbed everyone by the shirts. I also thought her overall story was the most interesting. She was brash and bossy, but she let the audience see the hurt underneath that façade just enough so we didn’t tire of it.  I think, however, my favorite performance of the night was Ana Lemke’s portrayal as Des-Neiges Verrette. She was mousy, endearing, and never overly emotional. I felt that of all the actors, Lemke evoked the most naturalness on stage. Her story of her relationship with a traveling was beautiful and poignant.

Overall I really did enjoy this production. It made me more than a little homesick for Quebec, a place I consider my second home. While the makeup was extremely weak, and some of the acting a little amateur, the incredible script and overall strong performances made this show one worth seeing. Even for people who have never been to Quebec, I feel like this story communicates relationships that are universal and important in any society. So merci ladies, merci beaucoup.

Eva TerraNova as Pierette, Chelsie Cravens as Rose, Jordan Novotovy as Germaine Lauzon, and Krystal Kennedy as Gabrielle

So, I approached Salty Dinner Theater’s King Arthur and Lancelot—For the Love of Guinevere with high hopes and, I admit, high expectations.  For the most part, my wishes came true. I must note that I am a Salty Dinner Theater groupie.  I love their shows, their energy, their friendliness, and their professionalism.  Apparently, I’m not the only one.  In the year I’ve been a groupie, they have risen from obscurity to selling out almost every show. That’s impressive!

This evening’s performance was at Joe Morley’s in Midvale, and the venue was probably one of the few concerns I had with this evening’s event. Everyone else seemed to like it, but I have attended Salty Dinner Theater productions at Old Spaghetti Factory in Orem as well as the former location of Madeline’s, and I liked those venues much better.  Joe Morley’s had somewhat of a conference room feel to it, the lighting was stark, and I thought the food, though delicious, was overpriced ($15 for adults).

The performance I attended had every table filled, and a boisterous group it was. As with every SDT production, the cast invited audience members to come and participate, and this show had more audience participation than any of their other shows I’ve seen. I think with all the activities the cast asked the audience to do, there were probably 15 people who either played a kazoo, said a line, became a Knight of the Round Table, or became one of the Village People (an inside joke I won’t explain, but it isn’t what you think).  Getting people to participate is a fun way to energize the audience, and SDT does this amazingly well. Could it be that people that go to dinner theater have a bit of a ham in them? I’m not sure, but every audience member who joins in always has fun and gets a few laughs. What’s not to like?

Tonight’s cast handled the chaos so well you would have thought it was all scripted. I know how difficult it is to not only stay on task and in character, remembering all your lines and blocking, but also interact with the crowd on the fly. It’s hard to do and even harder to do well. Scott Andrew, in his second show with SDT, played King Arthur with royal charisma that made him my personal favorite of the night. Tonia Sayer played the Lady of the Lake. I’ve seen Ms. Sayer in several SDT productions, including my all-time favorite role of hers as Dorothy in their recent The Wizard of Oz.  She was absolutely delightful as always in this show.  It might be hard to play the guy that tries to steal Arthur’s woman from him, but Allen Smith as Lancelot was wonderful.  He especially has a very confident way of carrying himself, and his one-liners were awesome.

Our own Tony Porter as Merlin was terrific.  Merlin carries around a Magic 8 Ball, a prop that could have easily gotten corny, but Porter kept it fresh and funny.  Jonathan Sherman Tate played Maleagant, a rather unsavory traitor. He was quite entertaining, and I especially liked his banter with our table before the show.  He’s a very personable fellow and I look forward to seeing more of him in future SDT shows.  Megan Valerie Tholen may be the most perfectly cast Guinevere I could imagine. With her delicate beauty, her amazing voice, and her diligent acting skills, she fulfilled my image of what Guinevere should be. Ms. Tholen truly made my night.

The evening’s script was written by Daniel Brassard, who produced a work that was tight, had numerous laughs, and sincere drama. Beth Bruner as director and Sircy Maggio as stage manager round out the SDT’s staff.  Both of these two women contributed greatly to the power, energy, and delight we continue to enjoy from this group.

Although the evening was mostly wonderful, I do have a few minor criticisms. First, I wish that the cast members had used British accents. Also, there was also a slow motion knife fight that went too long. But these were minor drawbacks to what was, in general, a great evening.

King Arthur and Lancelot—For the Love of Guinevere is a wonderful Valentine’s season romantic comedy, and if you haven’t gone to a Salty Dinner Theater performance, think about seeing this one. And if take your fun friends, you’ll all have a wonderful time.

Original art by Modern8 Design.

SALT LAKE CITY — To begin, I must make a confession: though I am an avid Jane Austen reader, Emma is not my favorite Austen novel or character; she’s rich, spoiled, and she meddles in other people’s business. Austen herself said of Emma, “I am going to take a heroine whom no-one but myself will much like.” For most of my literary career I’ve lived up to Jane Austen’s words; I’ve always found Emma rather difficult to like. But last Friday night at Pioneer Theatre Company may have changed that for me.

PTC’s current production is adapted by Jon Jory, the former artistic director of the Actors Theatre of Louisville. Jory’s script is a smart, lean adaptation, especially considering how thick the book is. Both playwright and company are to be commended for the fantastic pacing; while the lines can be lengthy and there are quite a few to get through, they were spoken quickly and clearly (quite a feat considering the size of the house), and I found myself anxious to know what was going to happen next. Though there were no surprises for me (being familiar with the book) the storytelling was strong enough for me to both suspend my disbelief and revel in the unfolding of events. If there was a fault I might find in the script, it would be in the moments when Emma would step aside and speak to the audience; breaking the fourth wall feels wrong in the Austen universe. However, I should note that if there were any Austen heroine that would speak directly to the audience, it would probably be Emma—a thought which allowed me to forgive the monologuing.

Emma Woodhouse (Nisi Sturgis) is a young woman of wealth and rank who, when the play opens, is celebrating a successful matchmaking venture: she takes credit for her dear friend Miss Taylor (Kymberly Mellen) making a most suitable marriage to the kind and well-off Mr. Weston (Paul Kiernan). Emma, decidely against marrying herself, sets out to find a suitable husband for her protégé, a young woman without great social prospects, Harriet Smith (Katie Fabel). When close family friend Mr. Knightley (Michael Sharon) warns her against meddling with the love lives of others, Emma waves him off only to soon find herself tangled in a web of miscommunications and mistaken affections.

One of the things that I think makes Austen wonderful in performance is that her characters could be shallow and one-dimensional but in actuality are quite complex, offering room for talented actors to bring levels and nuance to their roles. The casting in this show is rather ideal. As the title character, the charismatic Nisi Sturgis strikes an effective balance between selfish and selfless. Her Emma is breezy and confident without being bossy; I was constantly smiling when she was onstage. I wanted her to succeed, even if her matchmaking was a ridiculous pastime. Michael Sharon is a dreamy Mr. Knightley—tall and dashing, he takes command of every scene as soon as he enters it. Kymberly Mellen is a warm and wonderful Mrs. Weston, serving as a confidant to Emma and Kinghtley both. There is no villain in this piece, though you could make an argument for Jordan Coughtry’s Frank Churchill, with his edged smile, being rather a scoundrel. Even the characters you see little of are rounded and real, though their dialogue is heightened: Jeffrey Hayenga, for example, as Emma’s germaphobe father, could so easily be obnoxious; but I found myself wanting to hug him, give him a cup of warm milk, and put him to bed.

The production is beautiful to look at. The costumes, designed by Brenda Van der Weil, are lovely. Gauzy dresses, tall boots, delectable frock coats—I could see amazing attention to detail in every piece. Bill Clarke’s set design is simple and open, allowing for the story’s numerous locations to be easily and elegantly served by minimal furniture, sliding panels of latticework, and turntables set in the stage floor. Scene changes were quick and quiet, and there were lovely moments of theatrical magic made possible by Clarke’s smart designs. The non-moving set was painted appear like an English garden, simple and unobtrusive enough to allow lighting designer Kendall Smith to also “paint,” separating the different locations with colored light. The only part of the set I found to be out of place was the proscenium frame far upstage, behind which was a cyc that often portrayed a cloudy sky. While I loved the effect of the cyc, I wasn’t sure of the purpose of the false proscenium; it gave me the feeling that we were going to see a play within a play, though that’s not the case at all, and most of the play’s action seems to take place at center or further down. The frame is too thick and heavy in its appearance to give the impression of a picture window, and I was never quite sure of its purpose.

Kudos go to director Matthew Arbour, whom I thank for infusing this play with just the right amount of laughter and froth. The whole thing could have been ridiculous and over the top, but I was glad to see the the show and its characters remain grounded. Despite her shortcomings, Emma does in fact change, and I found the play’s climax to be both dramatically and romantically satisfying. I do wonder, though, that the final lines of the play are shared between Emma and her father. I kind of wish the ending button had come with the scene before (I won’t go into more detail, as to do so would spoil the story). While the final scene between Emma and Mr. Woodhouse is cute it’s also a bit of a letdown because, at that point, they are not the couple the audience wants to see.

I had a lovely time seeing and experiencing Emma. If you want to write it off as nothing but “chick lit,” I suppose that’s your choice; I found it to simply be a classic story well told. I highly recommend it.

L-R: Jordan Coughtry (Frank) and Nisi Sturgis (Emma). Photo by Alexander Weisman.

Arsenic and Old Lace tells the story of a freshly engaged drama critic who returns to the home of his aunts one night only to discover a dreadful secret that could ruin the entire family. Things are complicated further when his evil brother Jonathan shows up, ready to stir up both trouble and old resentments. Mortimer must keep his sanity as he struggles to mend the situation, keep his fiance happy, and stop his insane brother Teddy from blowing his bugle.

Starting the play out as the character Aunt Abbey Brewster is Rosalie Richards, whose sweetness and command of the stage are immediately noticeable. She, along with her counterpart Heather Monson (playing Martha Brewster), provide the play with a sense of home and family, which is hilariously shot to pieces once their secret is revealed. The two actresses had great chemistry, with Richards taking the lead and Monson acting as the eccentric anchor to Richards’s light patter.

Playing Elaine Harper was Nichole Omana, who had an old-fashioned sensibility and a strong presence, perhaps a bit stronger than Mike Nilsson as Mortimer Brewster, who played opposite her. Nilsson seemed to have trouble making eye contact with the other actors, instead looking out at the audience or somewhere on the stage, which was confusing and caused the energy of the play’s action to drop somewhat. Nilsson would flip from emotion to emotion without transition or deliberation, and leaned on the performances of stronger actors, like Richards, to reel him back in. His best moments, however, came when he stood up to the imposing presence of Dru as Jonathan Brewster, his brother. Nilsson seemed a bit young throughout the play, probably because he looked like a boy in his large suit. Nilsson acted more impetuous and immature than unnerved. However, in the scenes where he opposed Dru, he played his character a bit stronger and seemed more like an adult.

Dru, as the deliciously wicked Jonathan Brewster, was not only villainous, but also very funny, which was a take on Jonathan I had never seen before. A deft improviser, Dru was able to blend in his ripe comedic timing as a refreshing offset to the aunts’ particular brand of madness. Dru was also responsible for makeup in the show. His own makeup lent itself to Jonathan’s character and also to the fact that a running joke in the play is that he looks like Frankenstein’s monster as portrayed in films by Boris Karloff, a soft spot for Jonathan.

One highlight of the show was Christopher P. Angelos, who portrayed Dr. Einstein, Jonathan’s mousy sidekick. His frenetic energy and physical comedy sparkled alongside Dru’s more heavy demeanor, providing the play with fun and hilarity. He, more than any other actor, had the audience rolling with uproarious laughter. He didn’t rely on Kesselring’s sharp dialogue to entertain, but performed as a true comedian.

There were also several side characters in the show, some forgettable, others with stand-out performances, like the eager Officer O’Hara, played by Michael Dodge, and the amusingly boisterous Teddy Brewster, played by Steve Coombs. Coombs took on his role with gusto, and could have gone even bigger with his performance. The raucous interruptions delivered by his trumpet blowing and proclamations of “CHAAAAARGE!” as he ran up the stairs to his room were both surprising and welcome, a nice way to break up the play and to wake up the audience in the middle of more slow-moving scenes. At the end of the evening, Coombs left me wishing that there was more of Teddy in the play.

Under the direction of Laura Heugly, this delightful, rollicking show comes to life with playful energy and rapid-fire pacing. She, along with her set designer Sonja Ervin, have come up with creative ways to utilize the small space of the theater and, though this causes the audience to turn around for small bits of the action, I was impressed with how they managed to stage it. The stage was set up so that the aisles of the theater became a part of the house: the entry way, the kitchen, etc. I found this setup very innovative and clever.

Heugly seems in tune to Kesselring’s script the way the author intended it, and she guided the cast along in a lovely effort to reproduce his brilliant play. She seems a capable director due to her ability to keep her actors constantly behaving with clear motivations, sometimes a difficult task. Some of the choices Heugly made were very creative, like having Jonathan trussed up and gagged at the end of the play, a mesh colander over his mouth, dragged along on a dolly by disgruntled and exhausted policemen. She also paid attention to the necessity of physicality in the show, adding pratfalls down staircases and wrestling matches with dead bodies which kept the audience in hysterics. The eccentricity of the plot and characters was skillfully executed along with the swift tempo of the events that make up the story of the dramatic critic who finds himself in a most peculiar pickle.

Ervin’s set decoration, also, lent itself wonderfully to the atmosphere of the production, with careful attention to detail and deliberate choices, like the family portrait on the wall that added a bit of fun to the whole thing. Costumes, with the exception of Mortimer’s suit, which was too big for him, were also very well selected by Chad McBride, who seemed to have a very specific color scheme for each character in mind, and it worked nicely.

This Sandy Arts Guild play, produced by Karla Marsden, is, all in all, a marvelously enjoyable take on the classic work, and is appropriate for all ages. I am very pleased to see this play, a personal favorite, in such good hands. I, for one, will be recommending it to my friends and family.

Like so many others out there, the book To Kill a Mockingbird was required reading while I was growing up. Sadly, I haven’t read it since. Before seeing the stage production, I couldn’t recall most of the details, but I did remember there being something about a strange man that the neighborhood kids were unafraid of named Boo Radley.  I remember Atticus Finch having a daughter named Scout and being a lawyer tasked with defending an African American man after he was accused of a crime that he obviously did not commit.

While I didn’t remember most of the details, I certainly remembered Atticus Finch being a man who stood up for what he knew was right.  So, years later, the details of the story escaped me, but the message remained.  Because of this, I was eager to see the stage production.  I wanted to remember the story that conveyed the message that had stayed with me for so very long.

The show began with a group of the actors converging on stage, surrounding a man playing the banjo and singing “Oh, Susanna.”  It was a delightful way to set the mood, somewhat reminiscent of a small town group of people gathering around a campfire to tell stories and sing songs.  It was charming and certainly helped start the show off right.  However, by the third song, I was ready for the show to begin. Perhaps starting after the second song would be a better balance of mood setting.

Par for the course in community theater, opening night had a handful of stumbled lines among the gossipy southern women and rising racial tensions.  Our three young actors (Raven Flynn, London Flynn and Nathan Klingonsmith), though, had their lines memorized remarkably well. I especially enjoyed London Flynn’s facial expressions.  But all three young actors were able to stay with the characters, give their lines and follow stage direction without missing a beat.  It was quite enjoyable watching them pull off this feat.

I have to admit that I was anxious for Atticus to enter the story. I felt that the casting here could make or break this production. Within moments, it was apparent that Josh Hilst would be able to pay tribute to the unassuming, strong and honorable man.  With a beautiful script by Christopher Sergel (adaptated from the novel by Harper Lee) to back him up, Hilst modeled the soft-spoken father that leads by example, rather than force, beautifully. He modeled patience when speaking with his children, passion when fighting for Tom Robinson, and sadness when he witnessed hatred.

Enter the nice, fun loving, banjo playing man—Tom Drury—from the pre-show. Drury’s transition into the grouchy old Bob Ewell was awesome.  Within moments of him entering the stage, I knew I wasn’t going to like him.  The transformation was that much more rewarding having seen him happily singing and strumming shortly before.  As the show progressed, his gruffness, callousness, smirking and sneering made the perfect villain. I also enjoyed Sheriff Heck Tate’s (Sterling Young) passionate plea in the final scenes.  The back-story of Mrs. Dubose (Mindy Hardy) and the strong stage presence of Reverend Sykes (Terence Johnson).

Eve Speer’s direction and staging was especially well done during two standout moments for me. The first was when Scout (Raven Flynn), walked the length of the stage during the mob scene in front of the jailhouse.  The second was the understated stance of Atticus as he blocked Mayella’s (Allison May Froh) view of her father during her reserved yet obstinate courtroom testimony.

The use of lighting and sound effects in this show were a nice touch.  All too often, amateur theaters don’t explore the subtitles of sound and lighting.  Most would not notice when these items are not present but when it’s there, I certainly recognize the difference and appreciate the effort of adding birds singing or dimmed nighttime lights.  It really helped me imagine the setting of the play (the early 20th century rural South).  Unfortunately, the playbill didn’t give sound and lighting credits so I am not quite sure who to give accolades to. The set construction was done by Johnny Schmidt and the set Ddsign is credited to Cassidy Ross and Tammy Jackson Ross.  The set was appropriate, though I would have like to see real doors rather than curtains and the courtroom was a bit sparse. I just don’t think I am a fan of sheets or material.  I would have preferred the judge at a desk rather than a table with a sheet.

I think the script (perhaps the production) was unable to adequately catch the youthfulness and mystery of Boo Radley, and thus the message of loss of innocence and not judging others was lost.  However, with a focus on the courtroom and the racial tensions, the most important elements of kindness and doing the right thing were conveyed.  So much so that I am thinking of picking up a copy of the book to read again.

Overall, the production was a fine one!  More importantly, To Kill a Mockingbird is a beautiful story and one that should be told through as many mediums as possible.   I commend Midvale Main Street Theater for producing such a quality piece of American history and recommend that people see this show to be reminded that “real courage isn’t a man with a knife in his hand, it’s knowing your licked before you begin but you begin anyway.”  A story and production made up of courage and honesty, To Kill a Mockingbird teaches kindness and the importance of doing what is right.

[utba_info_bpox]To Kill a Mockingbird plays Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 7 PM at Midvale Main Street Theater (7711 S. Main Street, Midvale). Tickets are $10. For more information, visit www.midvaletheater.com.[/utba_info_box]

At KCACTF, students from universities in Utah excelled in competition. Below is a list of award winners from Utah universities. We commend these students for their fine work. For those students who will compete at the national level in Washington, D.C., we wish them the best of luck.

• At the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship competition, Becca Ingram of Brigham Young University, and her scene partner Ted Bushman, were invited to compete at the national level. BYU student Jen Stewart was named Best Scene Partner. Benny Isaacs of Brigham Young University was awarded the National Partners of the American Theatre’s Classical Acting Award.
• In the category of Dramaturgy, Wendy Gourley of Utah Valley University will represent Region VIII in Washington, D.C. Wendy was recognized for her work on Eurydice.
• Brigham Young University’s Jenny Huffman received the regional dramaturgy award for her work on Jane Austen’s Persuasion.
• In Stage Management, Jacob Porter of Utah Valley University received the Regional Recognition award for his work on Othello.
• The winner of the KCACTF Award for Excellence in Costume Design was Shelby Luke for her work on Brigham Young University’s Peter Pan.
• Andrea Burzy received a Regional Recognition award for her costume designs for Utah State University’s Step on a Crack.
• Allen Stout and Jennessa Law received an honorable mention for their costume designs for Utah Valley University’s Elephant’s Graveyard.
• Milinda Weeks of Utah State University was awarded a Regional Recognition award in Lighting Design for her work on Utah State University’s Our Country’s Good.
• Utah Valley University’s Jaron Hermansen received an honorable mention for his Eurydice designs.
• The KCACTF Award for Excellence in Scenic Design was awarded to Brandee Jenks of Utah State University for her work on Step on a Crack.
• The Regional Recognition award in scene design went to Utah Valley University’s Casey Price for Eurydice.
• Utah State University’s Andrea Burzy received an honorable mention for her set design for The Three Musketeers.
• Carter Thompson was also given an honorable mention for his set design for Brigham Young University’s The Elephant Man.
• The Regional Recognition award in Sound Design was given to Jason Jensen of Utah Valley University for his work on Othello.
• Kami Christiansen received a special recognition for her sound design of I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change at Southern Utah University.
• In the category of Allied Design and Technologies, Molly Pack of Utah State University won an award for her makeup for Step on a Crack.
• Caroline Kennedy won for her draper work on Twentieth Century at Utah State University.
• Mallory Mackay’s makeup, hair, and mask designs for The Elephant Man at Brigham Young University were also recognized.
• Daniel Whiting’s technical direction of Eurydice at Utah Valley University received an honorable mention.
• Another honorable mention was given to Josh Wilson for technical direction of Utah State University’s Proof.

Three universities in the state were also invited to present their productions for KCACTF audiences: Brigham Young University (The Elephant Man and The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey), Utah Valley University (Eurydice), and Weber State University (Xanadu).

We congratulate these all winners of KCACTF awards for Region VIII. UTBA is pleased that others recognize the excellence in Utah theatre that our universities produce. We encourage Utah patrons to attend productions at all universities and college in Utah. Some of the best work in the performing arts is occurring on the campuses of our universities.

Steel Magnolias takes place in the late 1980′s in rural Chinquapin Parish, Louisiana, and the actors embraced the time and place in which their characters lived. Michele Rideout (who played Truvy, the owner of the beauty parlor) was flawless in her southern accent, and with her big ’80s hair she reminded me constantly of a blonde Delta Burke. Rideout confidently navigated the beauty parlor set and seemed at home as she teased her customers’ hair and gave advice. I thought Rideout was at her strongest in the final scene of the play as she stoically took upon herself the role of a shoulder to cry on for her friend M’Lynn. I was also quite impressed by Annelise Murphy, who played Annelle Dupuy-Desoto, a young, vulnerable hairdresser who starts working for Truvy in the first scene. Murphy’s character gradually changed from naive and vulnerable into an emotionally strong and competent woman who seems indispensable to her friends. I especially loved Murphy’s portrayal of Annelle’s pregnancy; her movements and aches seemed quite real and convincing.

After seeing this production, it would be a crime to pass over the performances of Amanda Adams Wright (playing Shelby Eatenton-Latcherie) and Denise Adams (playing M’Lynn Eatenton). Wright and Adams are a real-life mother-daughter duo whose chemistry and love is apparent for every moment they’re on stage. Adams’s version of M’Lynn was a doting, loving mother who was struggling with the fact that her diabetic daughter was becoming more independent—a reality that was difficult for her to accept as Shelby’s wedding day dawned. Wright was an effective Shelby, whose vivacious spirit caused her to embrace each new adventure in her life: marriage, motherhood, and increased independence. This made her relatively carefree attitude towards her diabetes quite believable. I give kudos to co-directors Rideout and Danica Yates for casting this pair in their roles and not permitting lines, blocking, and the trappings of the theater to encumber the a natural relationship between Adams and Wright.

I wish to publicly compliment the technical team that made Draper Historic’s production a success. Danica Yates’s set was a completely believable hair salon, and I was unable to think of any additional prop that Yates could have added to make the salon more believable. However, I wish that Yates had painted the walls of the salon, instead of keeping them black. I was also impressed by Joey Calkins’s lighting design, which supported the action on the stage. Calkins’s strengths are especially apparent in the final scene in M’Lynn’s final monologue, a moment in which Calkins’s lighting lends gravitas to an already emotionally charged moment. The costumes (designed by Deborah Wouden) were impeccably appropriate for the late 1980′s. I got a kick out of Annelle’s costumes every time she stepped on stage; just when I thought that the character had embodied the pinnacle of 1980′s fashion, Wouden would give her a new costume piece that strengthen Annelle’s status as the embodiment of clothing from the era. The only technical element that I didn’t appreciate was the sound (designed by Stacy Snider). Most of the sound effects—especially in the first scene—were too loud. Moreover the sound was came from a speaker at the top of the proscenium and projected out towards the audience. This made me feel like every sound came from the beauty parlor, even when the sounds (like the gunshots or the barking dog) were supposed to be coming from outside.

Now, after heaping all this praise onto the cast and staff of Draper Historic Theatre, I have to confess that I was bored for much of the evening. How could this be? The fact is I am not a member of the target audience of a production of Steel Magnolias. As Truvy says in the play, “This is woman’s territory.” Robert Harling‘s script is incredibly talky and has very little in conflict, action, and almost no climax whatsoever. It’s about inner strength and friendship, and it isn’t a showy, loud piece of theatre. Therefore, I think that Draper’s Steel Magnolias would make a great girls’ night out.

The play takes place in England, where Susan, who calls herself Rita, takes a college course to improve herself. Her tutor is Dr. Frank Bryant, an English professor who takes the teaching gig to pay for the copious amounts of alcohol he drinks. Rita is young-ish (32); Frank is much older. But they form a symbiotic bond that evolves during the year in which the play takes place.

Educating Rita is a delight on many levels. There are several sincere laughs, thanks to the witty British humor. But as Rita sheds her lowly beginnings and is introduced to the mindset of the more educated, classy college students she aspires to be, she tells the audience a lot about not just her life, but our own as well. There is a lot of philosophizing in this show.

For me, the play afforded me the opportunity to reflect about my own collegiate experience. Rita has a yearning desire to better herself, and as she does, she leaves her job as a hairdresser (all her clients are “dead boring”) and her working class husband behind. When I went to college, it was as a single parent, and I remember having the same drive and craving as Rita. I wanted to feel as if I’d “arrived” into the world of the sophisticated and refined. I’m not sure that graduating from college brought me all I’d hoped. Similarly, Rita was somewhat disillusioned that her education wasn’t a panacea for all her woes.

The relationship between Frank and Rita is an interesting one. I, the hopeless romantic, hoped they would get together, in spite of their age differences and his debilitating alcoholism. In a nutshell, Rita was as helpful and valuable to Frank as he was to her. She was more real, honest, and upfront with him than anyone he’d ever encountered before. Or at least, he allowed her into his life in a way he hadn’t permitted anyone before. When Frank describes why his former relationships dissolved, with his wife “because of poetry,” and his live-in girlfriend “because of eggs” (she likes them, he does not), Rita calls him on this. When she enters Frank’s life, she doesn’t know how to think critically, and he shows her that not everything has to be thought of in a subjective sense only. They displayed a synchronous cooperation that seemed almost miraculous in its utter rightness. However, as Rita became more at ease in the college milieu, Frank did as much as he could to hold her back. He liked her innocence and zest for life. So in essence, it was him she needed to overcome, as well as her lack of education and confidence.

Micheal Flynn as Frank and Melanie Nelson as Rita are superb. They are able to progress from their awkward but intriguing student-mentor relationship to a comfortable, sometimes bickering friendship. Nelson makes the transition from uneducated Rita to a refined, but still loving, caring Rita/Susan with grace and talent. I will say, I’d hoped for a stronger, more guttural accent from her at the beginning, but she still was completely believable, and I say this as someone who’s lived in England. Flynn is magnificent and so detailed and realistic he makes me a little dizzy. As he begins to crumble when Rita starts to outgrow him, I felt his pain so personally I felt like weeping. Nobody likes to be left behind. But the scene where Frank comes to his office drunk utterly transfixed me. Flynn was able to become drunk Frank within a few seconds during a lightning fast scene change. It was a marvelous agony to watch. These two actors had amazing chemistry and watching them perform was a delight.

There is some salty language, as is appropriate from a woman who’s been raised in a lower class environment, but Nelson handled it so cannily. I may be wrong, but she seemed to slightly lower her voice and speed through the few F-words she uttered. I admit, I liked that.

The only real downside to the show was there were a very few patrons in the audience. This is a real shame. I don’t know how to encourage people to go see this show any more than writing a glowing review, so that is what I’m doing. Pinnacle has done it again with an amazing performance of an important show with relevant messages and themes. As I said at the beginning, go see it.

After a long week, I was looking forward to a night of comedic entertainment, and Gleek School Musical did not fail to provide just that. Eric Jensen encouraged the audience to participate in classic melodrama form by having us boo and hiss when the “villain,” Coach Sylvia Sylvester, entered. The story the Off Broadway Theater has chosen to bring the audience is the classic tale of jocks verses geeks, high school romance, cheerleaders, and a new kid trying to fit in. The parody includes shout-outs to Glee, High School Musical, Hannah Montana, and of course local, Utah-based humor.

Sylvia, played by Jillene Stark, was by far the strongest part of this production. Fans of Glee will be impressed with the way Stark is able to bring in jokes and physical humor expected of her character. Willis Schroeder (played by Chance LePrey) and Emmie Redd (Tiffany Rees) shared some impressive acting moments, especially building up the comedic tension during the “romantic” scenes.

The costumes and set design were quite simple; nothing more is really needed for a high school scene. I really enjoyed the costumes for the glee club, especially the outfits worn by the characters Kirk and Lau Zi. Costumers Eric Jensen and Janice Jensen did a created a world of high school fashion and showed just how diverse that can be. Kirk, played by Dallyn Steenerson, had many endearing moments, and made me feel like I had a best friend in the show. Lau Zi, played by Shealyn Kwan-Smith, was excellent with her physical comedy. One of my favorite parts was when she lamented, “No one slaps the masochist!”

The best part of the technical design was the props. There is a moment when the cleaning props of the Janitor Jim, played by Ian Murray, were used to help assist Coach Beesley (played by Eric Jensen) give a pep talk to the students. The writing and comedic timing of the props were some of the best moments of the evening. There was also a pretty impressive trick with a basketball near the end of the show that I loved. In fact, I am still wondering howMurray was able to design it and pull that one off.

The Off Broadway Theater is known for their comedy, with a few songs thrown in. Gleek School Musical had 15 songs, and some of them were much stronger than others. The writing for all the songs was clever; however, the musicality was hit-and-miss. It also seemed that some songs were more rehearsed than others. Breaunna, played by Kimberly Lochner, had the strongest voice, and seemed to carry most of the burden of making the songs successful. The ensemble, however, was musically more impressive as a group than as individuals.

The choreography, done by Jillene Stark, was very entertaining and helped make several of the numbers more entertaining than they would have been otherwise. Perhaps the best musical moment, which included choreography, comedy, musicality, was when the cast performed the creative “Hamlet: The Musical” in two and a half minutes. Even though the show is meant to be a parody of Glee and High School Musical, I feel like there may have been too many songs thrown in. A smaller number of higher quality songs would have been a better way to hold the story together than to have 15 musical numbers of widely varying quality.

Overall, the production was a fun evening of humor. Those who are fans of Glee or High School Musical will really understand the humor and have a great time. But remember, the Off Broadway Theater is known first for their comedy, not their musicality.

The play centers on Rothko’s attempt to fulfill a commission for several murals for The Four Seasons restaurant in 1958. The play is set in Rothko’s studio and follows his interactions with his (fictional) assistant Ken. Ken has been hired to help Rothko complete his commission, but also challenges Rothko’s theories on art as well as his pretentious approach to the public.

My favorite element of this production was the writing. Logan was able to craft dialogue brimming with imagery and theory while still remaining accessible. Almost every section of dialogue linguistically contained something to see, something to feel, and something to ponder. I anxiously tried to keep track of each beautifully juicy tidbit of dialogue in my mind, only to give up after 15 minutes and vow that I would purchase a copy of the script as soon as I get the chance. What Logan lacked in a couple of overused plot conventions, he made up in interesting characters whose outlooks on life are as interesting as their description of the same.

Kevin Myhre’s direction was noteworthy. Each production element came together in such a way that the signs of a good director were evident throughout. Each element was coordinated and all seemed to point back to the language. The lighting design (Jesse Portillo) was a beautiful reflection on Rothko’s obsession with the movement of his paintings. The action on stage came alive as the lighting “ebbed and flowed” right along side the dialogue. Portillo even created one of my favorite moments in the show by using florescent lighting, something rarely seen in the theatre. The semi-realistic/semi-artificial set design (also Kevin Myhre) assisted in the portrayal of the false/constructed world that Rothko creates for himself, through his theories, and for his audiences, through his art.

One aspect of Myhre’s direction that I won’t soon forget is his use of silence. While I loved the writing, the dialogue was very full and could get tiresome. Myhre, with the help of the actors, created inspiring moments of silence that were filled with action that could be appreciated just as one would appreciate a painting. I found the silent moments of the character’s daily work to be some of the most moving moments in the show.

Overall, the acting was also memorable. Morgan Lund (Rothko) crafted an interesting character that was provoking, if not likable. He gave this character, torn between nostalgia and creativity, a moving interpretation that was riddled with anger as well as heart. I felt, however, that Lund could have given the character a little more variety. At times I hoped he would go to a place other than the same anger that the audience was so used to and that, in places, seemed to be the easy choice. Lund showed so much talent that I wanted to see it exercised fully.

Ted Powell (Ken) impressed in his portrayal of the eager but damaged assistant with his use of interesting physical and emotional choices. He was able to make physical choices that were bold while staying natural. His physicality was a great balance to Lund’s commanding presence. Powell’s emotional journey was also easy to see without being overstated. I appreciated his use of control in moments of great emotion. This is a show that could have easily been over the top if every moment of intensity was coupled with the obvious markers of anger or sadness. Powell avoided those situations and brought the audience in with subtlety and exactness.

The two men worked well together. They showed good connection without creating a relationship that would be unbelievable from Rothko. Their moments of distance were as notable as their moments of closeness. I never wanted for another character to aid this full production that consisted of just two actors. They, along with their connection, were just enough.

I would recommend visual art and theatre lovers alike to go see SLAC’s production of Red.

David Daniels of dav.d photography