A New Take on “The Tempest”

The theater was tiny, the stage was modest, and the audience was small, but an electric feeling hung in the air as everyone waited in anticipation of the new production. The house lights went down, a shockingly modern post-apocalyptic sound track began, and the lights came up to reveal a startling display of interpretive dance. This began what was, unfortunately, a very confusing performance. Continue reading

Assassins Takes Provocative Aim

This provocative and entertaining rendition of Stephen Sondheim’s dark musical comedy gives a salute to both the successful and not-so-successful presidential killers. Dark Horse Company Theatre’s Assassins is not only timely with the current political climate and raging gun control debate, but it is also for the most part, right on target. Continue reading

The Empress’s BIG: THE MUSICAL has a big heart and shows great community spirit

It’s sometimes difficult to offer a review or critique of a community theater production when a community comes together and … Continue reading

Next to Normal Should be Next on Your To Do List

The musical provides raw and emotion filled opportunities for ensembles to sing not so much together as at the same time. And although there were a few numbers where the actors seemed to have trouble with pitch and/or key, this cast nails those singing at the same time moments. The effect is that of a sometimes discordant, but still oh so rich stew of competing needs and conflicting emotions. Continue reading

Come Look at the Freaks in “Side Show”

The show is made up of an ensemble cast of talented actors, who go from playing side show freaks to reporters, vaudevillians, New York snobs, and an entire host of various roles. Each gave solid performances, regardless of where they were placed, and that gave the show a true repertory feel, which I guess is the whole point of Utah Rep. Continue reading

THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL STRIKES IN MAGNA

Anyone who hasn’t made the trek to downtown Magna to visit the Historic Empress Theatre (nearly 100 years old) will be pleasantly surprised with this little community theatre tucked in the heart of the quaint town next to the Copper Mines. The Empress is the true essence of “community theatre”. Full of heart and a staff of volunteers made up of locals and natives of the area that love their little theatre. The Empress operates on a shoestring budget and this limits a lot of the technical capabilities, costuming, etc. But the many volunteers compensate for this with late hours and sacrifice to pull off ambitious shows with their limited resources. Continue reading

The Devil’s in the Details

…Michele Rideout, Director and Founder of Silver Summit Theatre Company, who also participated in the production. Ms. Rideout took a risk by opening her season with a lesser known script such as this. In some ways it paid off, and in some ways it did not. Continue reading

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