Mackenzi Van Engelenhoven, Author at Backstage Utah

Knight for a Day – Little Show, Big Heart

By Mackenzi Van Engelenhoven | October 12, 2011 - 12:24 pm |December 30, 2016 Backstage Review

When I saw that Draper Historic Theatre was doing an original play about princesses and knights, I must admit, I suppressed an eye roll. I was certain that would mean I was in for an evening of poorly executed slapstick, corny puns, and a thinly veiled moral delivered by an overacting heroine. But Knight for Day is none of these things. Draper’s debut of the original, family friendly play by Paul and Patrick Gibbs is charming, delightful and full of heart. While the performance I saw had its share of flaws, the show’s solid cast, witty dialogue and feel good message left me enchanted and uplifted. Continue reading →

Next to Normal Electrifies

By Mackenzi Van Engelenhoven | September 21, 2011 - 7:01 am |December 30, 2016 Backstage Review

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Next to Normal at Pioneer Theatre was a stunning production that captured the raw, emotional depth of this extremely difficult musical with ease. The show was stacked with a powerhouse cast who gracefully navigated the ups and downs of the score to create an electrifying performance that left the theatre ringing. Continue reading →

“The Tempest” – Not so much a storm as a light breeze

By Mackenzi Van Engelenhoven | July 18, 2011 - 12:02 am |December 30, 2016 Backstage Review

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While the Around the Globe Theatre Company’s performance of Shakespeare’s last great play stays incredibly true to the original text, the performance itself leaves something to be desired. Though it is clear that the director, Beth Bruner, has a solid understanding of the intricacies of Shakespeare’s writing (especially the stage directions cleverly written into the lines), and that all the actors have impressive command of the language, the performance sagged with a lack of energy and an incredibly slow pace. Uncut Shakespeare is an ambitious goal for any modern theatre company, and Around the Globe’s production did not move at a pace quick enough to hold the audience’s attention through the entirety. Continue reading →

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