PLEASANT GROVE — The Ruth Theatre in Pleasant Grove is hosting the North American Premiere of a charming musical, Flowers for Mrs. Harris, with music and lyrics by Richard Taylor and a book by Rachel Wagstaff. Based on the beloved novel, Mrs. ‘Arris Goes to Paris, by Paul Gallico, this tale has been retold in TV and movies, most recently in 2022 when I was first introduced to the tale. After several weeks of turmoil and bad news, I was excited to see what joy director Barta Heiner could bring to the stage.
The story follows Ada Harris, played in the cast I saw by Erica Hansen, who is a cleaning lady in England. Mrs. Harris has lived through two World Wars, lost her husband, and has a genuine heart of gold. She spends her time connecting with her dear friend Violet, played by Luone Ingram, and speaking to the memory of her husband, played by Ben Henderson. She also not only cleans houses, but becomes invaluable to the lives of those she works with. While helping Violet out with one of the houses that Violet cleans, Mrs. Harris discovers the beauty of a fancy Christian Dior dress, something she could never imagine before, and the plot begins to form around her impossible dream of owning one – even though it is beyond her financial capability.
Dianna Graham as Ada Harris and David-Morley Walker as Mr. Harris
As we are still in the first season in the new space at The Ruth, it is no surprise that the set, designed by Carter Thompson, was impeccable. What I truly enjoyed was how the first act, mainly set in Mrs. Harris’s London world and surrounding locations, was humble yet full of comforts. The first song, “All I Ever Needed,” sung by Hansen and Henderson, showcases the simple kitchen with some lovely flowers, building the small, but meaningful world in which Mrs. Harris begins. As she says in the script, “a life without flowers is no life at all.” In Act Two, when we move to France and the house of Dior, the change is palpable and beautiful in a more extravagant way. These differences show just how much care is taken to depict both habitats.
Adding to the technical elements of the night was the music direction by Anne Puzey. This being a premiere, I was completely unfamiliar with any of the songs. Taking unfamiliar music and making it shine is a monumental task. Hansen and Ingram as best friends had several moments where they had beautiful harmonies in their duets, as did Hansen and Henderson. Many of the other cast members, such as Tanner Sumens who plays Bob Smith, one of Mrs. Harris’ clients, had a great voice that added a lot to the group numbers of the clients singing to Ada.
Ben Henderson as Mr. Harris, Luone Ingram as Violet, and Erica Hansen as Ada Harris
Where the ensemble cast members started to truly show their skills was the beginning of Act Two, when Mrs. Harris traveled to Paris. Brittni Smith as Madame Colbert, who had played an entirely different character in act one, played the majority of the first scene in French. Now, I do not put it past many of the people in my community to be bilingual. However, what happened next was the next level of astounding. The rest of the ensemble entered in, all of whom had been different characters before, and all of whom were speaking in French now. Much praise to dialect coach Dianna Graham and anyone else who took the time to make sure the French sounded authentic. It enhanced the scenes of Mrs. Harris arriving, being confused, and feeling unseen to become highly realistic and believable.
The props of flowers throughout the production gave such joy and ambiance to the show. Prop designer Megan Heaps gave true care to make the flowers look realistic and not just like flowers you would find at the back of a craft table. And finally, the costumes by designer Dennis Wright were all I could ask for and more. Of course, because Mrs. Harris travels to get a beautiful dress, one expects the dresses of Dior to be a certain level. In productions such as this where my disappointment has been laid in the lack of understanding of the rest of the costume design, I appreciated Wright’s keen eye for the full costume design. Mrs. Harris took care in her appearance, but in the end was a housekeeper who could afford a housekeeper’s wardrobe. It is important for her costume to match that, and to allow the contrast of the Dior dress. I saw these elements in great detail.
Erica Hansen as Ada Harris
All of these technical elements, while lovely, simply showcase the true beauty behind the story that unfolded. I loved seeing a story that represented more of my age demographic, and that we do not have to give up on our dreams just because we are aging, or working class, or any other box that we have been put in. I also really loved the final moral of being a good person and the joy that comes back to you because of that. I’ll admit that the tears flowed freely because that reminder is why art is needed during dark times especially. If you have been spending too much time with the news or arguing with people, perhaps it’s time for some more flowers in your life at the Ruth with Mrs. Harris.
