At the end of every year at UTBA we collect our members’ thoughts on the excellent shows they have seen that year. And for the fifth year in a row, it is clear that the Utah theatre scene is vibrant, with entertainment options available for patrons of all types. Below are the shows that stick out in our reviewers minds as 2015 draws to a close.
Excellent Professional (Equity) Productions
Betsy Mugavero (left) as Kitty Verdun Michael Doherty as Lord Fancourt Babberley, and Kelly Rogers as Amy Spettigue in the Utah Shakespeare Festival’s 2015 production of Charley’s Aunt. (Photo by Karl Hugh. Copyright Utah Shakespeare Festival 2015.)
Who would have thought that a farce written in the 1890’s would still be belly-aching funny 120 years later? The Utah Shakespeare Festival’s take on Charley’s Aunt was phenomenal all around: the costumes, the beautiful and detailed sets, and the acting. Michael Doherty was perfectly cast as Lord Babberley, who ends up pretending to be Charlie’s aunt, and hilarity ensued. The play benefited from a great ensemble cast led by director David Ivers. Bravo to all involved in the show! —Rosalma Arcelay, UTBA staff member
I was fortunate enough to be able to take in a lot of theater this year, but the play that sticks out the most is Salt Lake Acting Company’s Blackberry Winter by Steve Yockey. Yockey’s story of a woman coping with her mother’s Alzheimer’s disease was not only artfully and exquisitely told, but one that haunted me for a long while after. Bringing that kind of stark reality and raw emotion to the stage is, to me, what makes theater such an important and enduring art form. April Fossen, the lead actress in this piece, is a dazzling treasure, and I enjoy watching her work. This little valley of ours is packed with enormous talent and some serious heavy-hitters. —Elise Hanson, UTBA reviewer
Excellent Semi-Professional Productions
CenterPoint Theatre’s The Miracle Worker.
One standout for me this year was CenterPoint Theatre’s production of The Miracle Worker. The performances of Natalie Peterson as teacher Anne Sullivan and Mary Hallman as Helen Keller made the show. The two actors played off one another well as the women acted with raw, believable emotion tempered with precise timing, staging (which with Helen occasionally thrashing about was a challenge), and obvious good direction by Karen Whiting, given that the story arc of the play built nicely in a natural ebb and flow of conflict and emotion. —Jocelyn Gibbons, UTBA reviewer
So many times this year I have heard a phrase similar to, “this is the first time I’ve seen anything like this on a Utah stage.” I am proud of the bold and innovative work that is consistently being produced in our growing theater community. Two of my favorite such works this year were Utah Rep’s Bare and Silver Summit’s 5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche. These productions were not only of high production value and quality, but shed light on controversial topics in beautiful and thought provoking ways in both content and direction. With both of these shows, I left the theater thoroughly entertained and stimulated. I applaud both of these companies for allowing the opportunity for reflection and conversation due to the theater. —Tara Haas, UTBA reviewer
Excellent College/University Productions
Melanie Nelson as Electra in the Classical Greek Theatre Festival’s Electra.
My two top productions of the year that I had the privilege to attend were both incidentally university productions: Arcadia at Weber State University and Electra at Westminster College. Both, though admittedly a bit on the academic side, were acted beautifully, produced with passion, and each was a play I had never before had the delight to see in person before. —Jocelyn Gibbons, UTBA reviewer
Weber State University’s Damn Yankees was my favorite college productions of the year. It was a solid production with really excellent production values. The cast, led by Jason Baldwin, was obviously young but well trained, and Jim Christian‘s direction served them well. Damn Yankees set a very high standard for future productions at Weber State. —Megan Crivello, UTBA reviewer
BYU’s The Count of Monte Cristo was so stunningly good. I am not a fan of Frank Wildhorn‘s work, but The Count of Monte Cristo forced me to reassess my opinion of the composer. The rock-infused score was astounding, and the direction by Tim Threlfall was spectacular. But none of it would have been noteworthy without the “unforgettable, moving performance” of Preston Yates. Bravo, BYU! —Russell Warne, UTBA staff member
Excellent Amateur Productions
Left to right: Alyssa Orme as Adelaide, Bryan Thacker as Nathan Detroit, Corey Morris as Sky Masterson, and Cheyenne Lee as Sarah Brown in SCERA’s Guys and Dolls.
When I think of excellent amateur productions in 2015, SCERA’s Guys and Dolls immediately springs to mind. Too often the plays from the golden age of Broadway musicals show their age in amateur productions. But SCERA’s Guys and Dolls was so energetic that the show didn’t feel at all like it was written 65 years ago. David Smith‘s admirable direction and Kelsey Seaver‘s vibrant costumes immersed me in the world of 1920’s New York (with a fun side trip to Havana) for a delightful evening. On top of that, the excellent acting (especially Corey Morris and Cheyenne Lee as Sky Masterson and Sarah Brown, respectively) made the evening enjoyable from beginning to end. —Russell Warne, UTBA staff member
Excellent Productions of Musicals
Natalia Noble as Carrie and Rachel Lynn Shull as Margaret in Utah Repertory Theatre Company’s Carrie: The Musical. Photo by Jenny K Photography.
I was lucky to review Utah Repertory Theatre Company’s Carrie: The Musical this year. The ensemble and main cast were well matched, and the performances of Rachel Shull and Emilie Starr were excellent. But Natalia Noble totally embodied the role of Carrie. These actresses and the strong ensemble made Carrie a treat for the audience members who caught the show. —Andy Foree, UTBA reviewer
The Book of Mormon musical visited Utah this summer as part of the national tour and met sold out performances and very eager audience base. I went in skeptical and unsure of how to meet the controversy surrounding it, but I was pleasantly surprised by the quality and insight of the story and sheer scope of the production. Seeing the play in Utah with a Utah audience was a once-in- a- lifetime experience to cherish. —Megan Crivello, UTBA member
Excellent Productions of Shakespeare
Melinda Pfundstein (left) as Katherine and Brian Vaughn as Petruchio in the Utah Shakespeare Festival’s 2015 production of The Taming of the Shrew. (Photo by Karl Hugh. Copyright Utah Shakespeare Festival 2015.) Show closes September 5, 2015.
The costumes and the acting in the Utah Shakespeare Festival production of The Taming of the Shrew phenomenal. Sam Ashdown and Michael Doherty were hilarious as Lucentio and Tranio. As usual, Michael Doherty stole the show as Tranio. But it was Brian Vaughn‘s entrance as Petruchio that took my breath away (and judging from the gasps I heard from the ladies in the audience, it wasn’t just me). Talk about bravado, swagger, and manliness! Petruchio was a man’s man and Vaughn’s portrayal supplied his character with it well. Bill Black‘s costuming was fabulous and denoted well the classes of the characters. Fred C. Adams‘s direction was remarkable, and it shows that he’s been mastering his craft for years. While the script is horribly dated (my goodness, Petruchio was an abusive husband!), this production was extremely humorous and well produced. If I had teenagers I wanted to introduce to Shakespeare, this would have been the ideal production for it. —Rosalma Arcelay, UTBA staff member
Even though I’m not their target audience, I like most of the shows I see at the Utah Children’s Theatre. But their Hamlet this year was a triumph. In my review I called Spencer Hohl a “swashbuckling hero who excels in every scene,” and I stand by that statement four months later. Joanne M. Parker‘s direction was emotionally powerful, and the costuming team had gorgeous costumes for the actors. In short, it was the rare play that made me want to drop reviewing and get back on stage. —Russell Warne, UTBA staff member
Excellent Directing and Choreography
West Side Story at the Ziegfeld Theater.
For choreography, this year I commend the Ziegfeld Theater’s West Side Story. In my review I stated, “There were many times throughout the show, the performers moved a large 20-foot scaffolding set piece around the stage, while the rest of the cast danced through it, on it, and with it. It was a sight to behold to see these dancers confidently move around the stage, knowing that with one incorrectly placed foot, they’d be risking the danger of throwing the entire sequence off. . . . With such a rigorously choreographed show, you’d think there would be some cast members who fell behind or didn’t rise to the level of the most talented. Not so. Each cast member attacked their roles and choreography with accuracy.” —Andy Foree, UTBA reviewer
Excellent Acting Performances
Pioneer Theatre Company’s Outside Mulligar. Photo by Alexander Weisman.
Pioneer Theatre Company’s exceptional production of John Patrick Shanley’s Outside Mullingar featured superb performances by all four cast members. Max Robinson and Tom O’Keefe’s father-son relationship, full of nuance and depth, and the diffident chemistry between O’Keefe and Amy Bodnar was the best acting I saw on any Utah stage this year. —Christopher T. Lewis, UTBA guest blogger
Teresa Sanderson, in Wasatch Theatre Company’s Wit gave a gripping performance as Dr. Vivian Bearing. Sanderson brought out a multi-layered character, exposing many emotions that are rarely found beyond the mastered intelligence and academia that seem to control the character. Sanderson powerfully reaches the depths of her character’s emotions in this role, which left me in a whirlwind of my own emotions, including heartbroken, touched, and hopeful. —Tara Haas, UTBA reviewer
Excellent New Plays
Carleton Bluford in Plan-B Theatre Company’s A/Version of Events.
My favorite show of the year, hands down, was Plan-B Theatre Company’s A/Version of Events. In my review I stated, “Playwright Matthew Ivan Bennett takes his audience on a road trip, a trip that is about so much more than just getting somewhere. . . . The directing of this play is simple and profound. There isn’t a heavy concept that gets in the way of the beautiful and poignant dialogue and acting, but rather pointers that signified the imagery and themes of this work.” —Morag Shepherd, UTBA staff member
Pioneer Theatre Company started out 2015 with Alabama Story, a new play that has become one of my favorite experiences of all time. The story was poignant, the production impeccable, and the memory of it is magical. —Megan Crivello, UTBA reviewer
Excellent Technical Design
Tasso Feldman as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in the Utah Shakespeare Festival’s 2015 production of Amadeus. (Photo by Karl Hugh. Copyright Utah Shakespeare Festival 2015.)
Amadeus at the Utah Shakespeare Festival was technically flawless. From making Mozart (Tasso Feldman) and Salieri (David Ivers) sound like they were actually playing a harpsichord, to gilding the Austrian court, to showing the best of Viennese fashion, the technical aspects of this play were top notch. Kudos to scenic designer Jack Magaw, costume designer David Kay Mickelsen, lighting designer Kirk Bookman, and sound designer Barry G. Funderburg for making sure the audience felt like they were part of Salieri’s journey back to the 1780’s. —Rosalma Arcelay, UTBA staff member
Sackerson’s Bride of Frankenstein was nothing short of visually spectacular. Performed in a warehouse (which added to the aesthetic), the excellent technical design was that much more impressive. The production team created a set that along with the superb lighting, costume, and makeup design, brought the audience into the eerie atmosphere of the play, invoking a truly spooky experience. —Tara Haas, UTBA reviewer
Other Excellence in Utah Theatre in 2015
Maddy Forsyth in Sackerson’s Poppy’s in the Sand at the Salt Lake Fringe Festival. Photo by Amber Peck, www.broken-images.com
The inaugural Great Salt Lake Fringe Festival had its share of stumbles, but the amount of promise and potential this new offering presents is truly exciting. —Megan Crivello, UTBA member
As one of the newer companies in the Weber county area, I have been very impressed with the choice of shows the Ziegfeld Theatre have had for this last season, the variety they were willing to take on, from classic musicals Les Misérables and Fiddler on the Roof, to fun parodies and original works as well as children’s theatre events, it is becoming one of my favorite local theatre companies. I have enjoyed all the shows I have seen there, and I am excited for the upcoming season as well. —Maren Scriven, UTBA reviewer
