One Man, Two Guvnors at PTC

When PTC announced the 2014-2015 season, I didn't know anything about the play One Man, Two Guvnors but I knew I definitely wanted to see it because David Ivers, one of my favorite actors and directors at the Utah Shakespeare Festival, was directing it!  In my opinion, Ivers is absolutely brilliant with physical comedy (I loved his version of Twelfth Night at last summer's festival) so I knew this show would be a lot of fun!  Fun is an understatement!  I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this production last night and I can't remember when I've laughed so hard!  Essentially, the story is about two couples who are prevented from getting married.  Pauline (Katie Fabel) and Alan (Christopher Sears) can't get married because her father has arranged a marriage of convenience with a gay man named Roscoe (for profit).  Rachel (Lucy Lavely) and Stanley (William Connell) can't get married because Stanley accidentally killed Rachel's "identical" twin brother (you guessed it: Roscoe) and they are on the run.  Rachel decides to impersonate her brother Roscoe and go to Brighton to get back the money he paid to Pauline's father so she and Stanley can emigrate to Australia (where they will, apparently, have to listen to opera for the rest of their lives).  She hires Francis (Christopher DuVall) to be her (his?) man-about-town but won't pay him until the end of the week and he is hungry.  Stanley follows Rachel (Roscoe?) to Brighton and also tries to hire Francis to be his man-about-town.  Francis agrees, but only if he pays him up front (because he's hungry).  Francis spends much of his time trying to prevent each "guvnor" from finding about the other (and trying to procure food).  In other words, it is a complete farce filled with characters hiding, running around, slamming doors, and falling down stairs.  Throw in a bit of audience participation and an amazing skiffle band playing between scenes and you have one of the funniest shows around.  All of the actors have perfect comedic timing but I absolutely loved Sears as the melodramatic over-the-top amateur actor Alan.  I laughed hysterically at everything he said and did!  The set looked like pop art and I loved the mod costumes and beehive hairdos from the 1960s.   If you are not easily offended by crude humor and suggestive language, this show is not to be missed!  Go here for more information and tickets.  It runs through November 15.

The Rocky Horror Show at PTC

It's just a jump to the left...and I was transported back in time to my high school theatre days when we were all collectively obsessed with the cult classic The Rocky Horror Picture Show.  I remember one late night play rehearsal when we all climbed up to the catwalk and performed "Time Warp."  Good times!  It was a time warp, indeed, last night when I saw the concert version of The Rocky Horror Show at Pioneer Theatre.  PTC has started including limited-engagement concert versions of musicals as add-ons to season tickets and I have been waiting for this show with much ANTICI.....say it.....PATION since the 2014-2015 season was announced!  The production was scaled back with a minimal set and the cast performed the musical numbers as a concert (they even held their scripts) with a bit of  dazzling choreography.   The band on stage was absolutely amazing and the cast was fabulous!  Frank 'N' Furter was played by Tony Vincent (of The Voice) and he was absolutely perfect as the sweet transvestite.  I loved watching his facial expressions!  The narrator was played by Jim Dabakis, a Utah state senator.  He got some of the biggest laughs of the night with the line: "Oh, I see there are a lot of Republicans here tonight!"  (Many people were dressed rather outrageously).  Speaking of outrageous,  I loved the naughty costumes! Frank 'N' Furter's boots were epic.  I remembered the words to all of the songs, when to use each prop (prop bags were available for $5.00), and many of the talk back lines.  It was so much fun...maybe not as rowdy as the screenings at the Blue Mouse back in the day but it was a strange journey, nonetheless!  I loved reliving a bit of my misspent youth!

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at PTC

Last night I attended Pioneer Theatre Company's production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and I loved it.  It is a musical about six painfully awkward misfits who come together for a middle school spelling bee and hilarity ensues!  Chip Tolentino (Jacob Hoffman) is the girl crazy winner of last year's bee who is disqualified in an early round because of an "unfortunate distraction."  William Barfee (Kendal Sparks) is a highly-strung asthmatic who had to pull out of last year's bee in the final round for medical reasons.  Leaf Coneybear (Austin Archer) is a free-spirited home-schooled student who is participating because the winner and first runner-up of his local bee had to drop out to attend a bat mitzvah.  Marcy Park (Shannon Tyo) is an over-achieving Catholic school student who skipped two grades and speaks six languages but just wants to have fun.  Olive Ostrovsky (Emily Walton) can't pay her entrance fee because her mother is living in an ashram in India and her father has not yet claimed the seat she has been saving for him.  Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre (Elise Groves) desperately wants to please her two fathers who have been coaching her for this moment for years.  Mary Fanning Driggs plays Rona Lisa Peretti, the moderator and former winner of the bee, while Jeff Talbot is hilarious as Douglas Panch, the vice principal who has had to step in as the announcer at the last minute after being banned from the bee for the past five years.  Talbot is responsible for many of the funniest moments when he reads the definitions and uses the words in sentences!  Rounding out the cast is Erick Pinnick as Mitch Mahoney, an ex-con completing his community service requirements by giving the eliminated spellers a juice box.  Additional spellers are added from the audience each night which adds a bit of spontaneity to the show.  Last night there was a young girl who had to be given quite a few words before she was eliminated (I think she stole the show).  All of the performances are fabulous and I loved all of the songs, especially "I'm Not That Smart" by Leaf, "I Speak Six Languages" by Marcy, and "Magic Foot" (which had some great choreography) by William.  I also loved it when Chip came out into the audience selling candy for a fundraiser during the "snack break" (intermission).  I was literally laughing out loud through much of the show.  It is a delightful homage to teenage angst and  I highly recommend it!

Note:  I enjoyed last season at PTC so much that I decided to get a seven-play season ticket this year and I am really looking forward to some of the upcoming productions!

Sweet Charity at PTC

This is the first year in quite a while that I didn't get a five-play season ticket to Pioneer Theatre.  Ironically, it is the first year that I've gone to all seven plays!  When the 2013-2014 season was announced last year, only one of the plays appealed to me; however, I ended up seeing all of them in spite of myself.  I'm so glad I did!  I saw Something's Afoot because it was just after Homecoming and I desperately needed an outing that wasn't school related!  It was hilarious.  I saw Other Desert Cities because a colleague recommended it to me.  It was incredibly thought-provoking.  I took Sean and Tashena to Elf - The Musical because Sean absolutely loves the movie.  It was magical!  I saw A Few Good Men because a friend who I hadn't seen for a long time wanted to see it.  I thought it was very powerful.  Much Ado About Nothing was the production that originally piqued my interest and I really enjoyed it but, interestingly enough, it was probably my least favorite this season.  I saw Deathtrap because I was intrigued by all of the buzz in the media.  It contained one of the best plot twists I have ever seen!  Finally, I decided to see Sweet Charity last night because the rest of the season had been so good.  I loved it!  I saw this musical several years ago when the Broadway touring production, starring Molly Ringwald, came to Salt Lake City but PTC's version surpassed it.  Nancy Lemenager was absolutely amazing as Charity Hope Valentine, a girl a little tarnished but still hoping to find true love.  I laughed and laughed at her antics while she was stuck in Vittorio Vidal's closet.  The big song and dance numbers were spectacular, especially "Big Spender."  Karen Azenberg, Pioneer Theatre's artistic director, was recently quoted in the Deseret News saying that she wants to offer "something that the audience doesn't think it wants, but guess what, [they] just might have a good time."  I didn't think I would like this season but I certainly had a good time.  I'll trust you next year, Karen!