BLUFFDALE — Bluffdale Arts invites you to become a part of the family and join them for The Man Who Came to Dinner directed by Chelsea Ottoson, which opened on June 22 at Bluffdale City Park. Presented by Bluffdale Arts, this cozy show pulls you into the love and drama that sharing a house entails. With a comedy growing more outrageous as pressure builds inside the Stanley house, you’ll enjoy The Man Who Came to Dinner (and be relieved you don’t have your own overbearing guests to worry about).
Written by Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman, the play revolves around Sheridan Whiteside, an unwilling guest at the Stanley house after injuring his hip climbing their front stairs. Forced to reside in what he considers a country bumpkin prison, Mr. Whiteside attempts to continue living the life of a 1930s radio star with the help of his assistant Maggie Cutler. Chaos, heartbreak, and shenanigans ensue as Mr. Whiteside upends a classic Midwest Christmas with his eccentric ways.
Colin Baker played Sheridan Whiteside with the sharp humor and crisp speech of a true 1930s radio man. Both Baker and his co-star Lindsey Lau (playing Maggie Cutler) adopted transatlantic accents that really sold the time period of the show. Additionally, they both volleyed criticism and wit back and forth easily as their characters playfully fought with one another. The well crafted, eloquent, and often hilarious comebacks they fired at the other players were easy to hear and executed with precision and grace.
Baker was limited to a wheelchair for the majority of the play, yet he used that prop to its fullest moving around and holding himself with pride. He found creative ways to position himself to express his mood, and didn’t let the height difference interfere when interacting with standing characters. Lau was able to move more freely but still used bold hand gestures and mannerisms which helped her stand out to the audience. They both portrayed characters with strong personalities well while not clashing with one another or vying for importance.
Eliza Hallett played the unfortunate Nurse Preen, tasked with caring for the grouchy Mr. Whiteside. Hallett may have played a more minor character, but she did so with gusto. Several of her lines were delivered in such a way that the audience lost itself in laughter, particularly when she came running out of the bedroom with a penguin attached to her rear end.
The costuming of the show also really helped to sell the period accuracy. Overseen by costume manager Chelsea Ottoson, almost every character was easily recognizable for their role in the story (chef, nurse, doctor, housewife, assistant, etc.) and had on attire that suited them well. Most of the main characters went through a few costume changes and all of their wardrobe choices felt appropriate for the period. Not only that, most outfits contained equally detailed accessories such as hats, coats, gloves, and other trimmings.
The Man Who Came to Dinner takes place in a single setting, the Stanley home, and the furniture and dressings were clearly chosen with care. Crafted by Kelly Checketts, Julie Fox and Chelsea Ottoson, the set contained some lovely details such as framed black and white family photos of the actors helping it feel personal. The positioning of the furniture and doorways was clearly intentional as all the staging moved fluidly around it including leaving enough space for the wheelchair.
Props were handled by the same designers, plus Kelsha Peterson, and helped demonstrate how time was moving as the play progressed. The props again nicely matched the period and also used for practical gags. For example, the telephone line was pulled out and used to wrap several characters up as a single actor waltzed around during a phone call. There was an glass enclosure for roaches that supposedly escaped and so were continually squashed by the characters. There was an practical Egyptian sarcophagus for actors to open and climb into. And there were stuffed animal penguins that caused a ruckus in the background of a rather important radio broadcast. But the authentic vintage wheelchair was easily the most fascinating prop used.
Sound engineers Julie Fox, Kelsha Peterson and Eric Peterson had their hands full with keeping the appropriate mics on as characters came and went. Naturally there was a bit of lag as some mics came on and turned off. However, the actors projected nicely, and combined with the close distance between the audience and the stage it was never a huge problem if a mic didn’t turn on exactly when the character started speaking. The sound operators did a nice job keeping the background noises going, with music playing on the radio, sound effects when a glass jar broke on the ground, and other nice details.
There were a large number of characters, so naturally there were plenty of times when the stage was full. There were a few moments that became confusing as characters came and left, over and over, in a style reminiscent of a Scooby Doo chase scene. Director Chelsea Ottoson did a good job of keeping things moving and well balanced on the stage despite the large number of characters.
I adored watching The Man Who Came to Dinner by Bluffdale Arts. For a free show put on by the city, the quality of all the elements were extremely high. Not only that, but the play itself was extremely fun to watch. The jokes that made you gasp and then cover your mouth to keep the laughter in, the deeper story of doing what is best for your friend even when it is hard for you, and the theatrical elements all came together for a thoroughly delightful evening. This is a show you’d want to invite to your home over and over again.
SHOW INFO: The Man Who Came To Dinner closed June 27, 2026. Performances played at 8:00 PM at Bluffdale City Park Outdoor Stage (2300 14400 S, Bluffdale, UT 84065). Admission for The Man Who Came to Dinner was free, though donations are encouraged. Audience members may bring their own blanket or chair, and as seating is outdoors shows are subject to inclement weather.
UPCOMING PRODUCTIONS: The next production by Bluffdale Arts Presents is The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical at Hidden Valley Middle School ( 15410 S Harmon Day Dr) opening July 30th, 2026. For the most up-to-date schedule, performance details, and official ticketing, visit the Bluffdale City website: https://www.bluffdale.gov/867/Bluffdale-Arts-Presents
Editor’s Note: This review was written on time. The delay was on our end and we apologize to the cast and creatives for the overdue review.