What: Miss Saigon
When: October 15-20, 2019
Where: The Eccles Theatre
How: Tickets: $40 plus, here.
See more Utah theater coverage here! 

Miss Saigon is a show that is tricky to get right. Based on Puccini’s opera tale of a geisha left behind by her American lover, this Vietnam War-era story presents a delicate challenge of balance, it’s plain to see how it could be easy to err on the side of “commercial exploitation” rather than powerful performance and commentary on the tragedy of war. You must have the right actors cast in the right roles, and foresight as a director to understand how an audience will respond to every decision you make. Lighting, choreography, casting – each act as a nail to hold the integrity of this show together. Luckily for Utah theater lovers, Miss Saigon at the Eccles Theater hits each of those nails pretty much dead center.

Photo by Matthew Murphy

Dynamic choreography welcomes the show from first curtain, and doesn’t stop until the final bows. From bar scenes (which may have been a little over the top in the objectification department, but what can you do) to epic battle sequences, every move created a perfectly unified scene. 

Photo by Matthew Murphy and Johan Persson

Despite being on the road, this team put together an extremely detailed and intricately lit set, that set the mood from all angles. The lighting in a play is something that is rarely noticed by your average playgoer, but this technique was too striking not to make an impression. Mixing technology with physical elements, the lighting team created dusky alleys, gorgeous sunrises, a ghostly apparition and even that iconic helicopter (which transitioned from a projection to a life-size lookalike dropping from the rafters), each scene bringing more depth to the stage than the last. 

Photo by Matthew Murphy and Johan Persson

But the only way to really pull off Miss Saigon is with a rockstar cast, which this company delivered in full, including a long list of talented Asian actors, a welcome sight considering the white-washed history of both previous runs of Miss Saigon, as well as Utah’s casting habits. There wasn’t a single performer who was “just okay,” and made up one of the best ensembles I’ve ever seen in a show. They were constantly engaged, which brought life to every corner of the stage. 

Photo by Matthew Murphy and Johan Persson

Red Concepćion, who comes to us straight from the UK tour of the production, has received heaps of praise for the role of the Engineer in previous runs, played the role as marvelously as you could hope: equal parts sleazy villain and bumbling comic relief, constantly breaking the fourth wall to crack jokes a la Les Mis’ Thenardier, then turning right back into the manipulator of the century to sober you up again. He became an instant audience favorite, and was bestowed curtain call cheers second only in volume to the four year old prodigy playing Tam. 

Photo by Matthew Murphy

All these show-stopping elements aside, Miss Saigon is doomed to fall flat without impressive performances from star crossed lovers, 17 year old Vietnamese bar girl Kim and morally-conflicted G.I. marine Chris. 

Anthony Festa brought as much “umph” as he could to Chris’s problematic character. The writers of this show tried their best to make Chris someone to sympathize with, but that note just doesn’t strike well with me. But Festa’s vocals brought ideal harmonies to Emily Bautista’s (Kim) soaring melodies, and drove home those emotional episodes that she pours to the crowd. 

Photo by Matthew Murphy

Emily Bautista was decidedly this show’s saving grace. Reprising the role from a previous Broadway run, her voice was both pure and passionate, and her ferocity as a mother and in the face of trial throughout the plot make her anything but a victim. Bautista’s intensely powerful performance made this marvel of a production everything it was meant to be: heart wrenching, awe-inspiring and thought-provoking. I’m not usually a crier, but watching her, there were definite waterworks in the press box, on more than one occasion. 

Photo by Matthew Murphy

Bottom line: everyone needs to experience Miss Saigon. I haven’t been moved this much by a musical in a long time, perhaps any time during my life as a theater lover. The depictions of war, poverty and especially those of Asian women are difficult to watch at times, but it shows in scene after painful scene tragedies brought on by war, on all scales. Bring your tissues and prepare for the performance of a lifetime – This cast is only here through Oct. 20th, so don’t delay. 

NOTE: Miss Saigon, while enlightening, is decidedly not a family-friendly play. It contains scenes and language which may not be suitable for younger audience members, including scenes of a sexual nature. Recommended for ages 14+. The production also includes strobe lights, gun shots and pyrotechnic effects – keep those factors in mind when deciding whether to attend. 

The audience for RENT at the Eccles surprised me, both for better and worse. On one hand, you got the unexpectedly abundant “RENTheads” in the crowd greeted Angel (Javon King) with ravenous cheers before the beats even began, and got to enjoy the full glory of this untoppable cast: 

The aforementioned Javon King played the hell out of gender-fluid Angel. No fear, only love exuded from every glitter-gloss-slathered smile. His vocals were immense and impressive, and he didn’t lose energy for a moment, not even on his fictional deathbed. 

Logan Marks did the bespectacled, scarf-wearing, vintage camera toting narrator all levels of justice, with flawless comedic timing and the prime amount of playful to offset the tragedies of the rest of the show.

Joshua Bess brought both the punk anger and the crooning desperation to each word out of Roger’s mouth. Roger can be underrated, especially with Mark Cohen (Logan Marks) narrating, but Bess brought his A-game, and while he (and other characters) was a little out of sync at times, he proved that Roger is undoubtedly one to pay attention to.

If you’re in search of an engaging performer, look no further than Lyndie Moe as Maureen, who proved that she was born to stand out. From her delightfully weird vocals to her wacky outfits, Moe stood alone, but certainly didn’t “moo” alone. That’s right. She made us moo along, and wouldn’t stop until the entire theater was on board.

Maureen’s new boo Joanna (Lencia Kebede) arrives solo, with a vibe even more intellectual than I was ready for, but with a voice that I was even less ready for. There is no real “star” to RENT, but these seemingly minor characters like Joanne and the soloist in “Seasons of Love” stole the show with powerful performances. 

Understudy Alex Lugo brought confidence and sass to Mimi’s character, and the audience was absolutely smitten. At times, it was hard to believe she was an understudy.

Then there’s my personal favorite, Tom Collins. Soulful, peaceful and full of love, Devinré Adams was the perfect fit. A bass voice like honey and new, modern smooth dance moves to match his jazzy theme music added a whole other level of cool to the character. Adams melted hearts and brought audible tears out of the handful of “RENTheads” in attendance.


Thought I forgot about the other handful of theater-goers? Not quite: we cannot end the review without discussing the nay-sayers. The season-ticket holders who didn’t research the show beforehand and left hastily at intermission with their half-eaten snacks and their homophobic mumblings and shock at the raunchy undertones of the show. I wasn’t surprised to encounter those people here, but I was surprised that they were so blind to the real message of the show. 

RENT is not family-friendly. But it’s not supposed to be. It’s raunchy, it’s dark and there isn’t really a happy ending, here. And that is the point

RENT is a story built to make you uneasy. To uproot you, shake you up, and make you think. Even the set was cramped and dark, with the band crammed under the stairs and no transitions. No distractions. It is designed to make you uncomfortable with the way things are, with the status quo. The show is built to make you reconsider your prejudices and your motives, forcing you to face head-on the dismal realities of life. It has been building activists for decades, and it isn’t going to stop anytime soon– I just wish that Utah’s conservative audience could recognize that undying perseverance. 

Because even 20 years later, when the 90’s clothes have gone out of style, this performance still left us glued to our seats remembering there’s no day but today. What can we do today, to find joy, show love and achieve glory?

Because we may not get another chance. 

If You Go:

RENT at the Eccles
June 25-30
7:30 Weeknights
8:00 Friday-Saturday
6:30 Sunday
Afternoon Matinees (see ArtTix.com for more information.)

Read more theater coverage here! 

In 1996, two phenomena were born on Broadway: RENT, of course, but also the New-York-on-a-budget favorite that is the $28 ticket lottery. After a sold-out run at a small downtown theatre, RENT’s original producers began the lottery tradition when the show moved to Broadway, and now Zions Bank Broadway at the Eccles has announced that they’ll be giving that tradition new life during the show’s Salt Lake City run.

That’s right – seats in the first rows of the Eccles Theater’s orchestra section will be available for just $28 for every performance of Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning RENT! Chosen by drawing, if you’re in front of the Regent Street Black Box at the Eccles two hours before curtain, you’ll have the chance to purchase two orchestra seats for one hell of a bargain (Eccles orchestra tickets are currently selling for around $100 apiece).

But whether you’re a bargain hunter or an avid RENThead, you absolutely won’t want to miss this 20th anniversary celebration of a show that inspired an entire generation of musical theater, from creatively guiding shows like Next to Normal, to kickstarting Lin-Manuel Miranda’s show-stopping writing. Although the show’s tragedy in the AIDS crisis is real-time dwindling into a heartbreaking memory, this timeless show still showcases the themes, tunes and turmoils surrounding accepting your own individuality that every struggling artist can take to heart.

Put on by original creative team members, this run is primed to show that RENT retains its relevance, even after two decades, in teaching us to connect with our own humanity (and, of course, the humanity in every person and identity), and to measure our lives in what is most important: love.

If You Go:

RENT at the Eccles
June 25-30
7:30 Weeknights
8:00 Friday-Saturday
6:30 Sunday
Afternoon Matinees (see ArtTix.com for more information.)

Read more theater coverage here! 

My main takeaway from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s School of Rock at the Eccles Theater is this: How on earth they found enough classically trained, yet totally able to transform into full on rock gods-type actors, all under the age of 10 is entirely beyond me. The theater made a point to specifically announce that each child is not just standing there with an instrument- each of them was rocking out in real time. And it was amazing. Trust me!

Mystic Inscho (Zack) and Leanne Parks (Katie) had their head banging and rock presentation down to a science, while Dylan Trueblood (Mason) looks like he was born to be behind a drumset. Julian Brascia (Lawrence) was the perfect fit for a groovy keys dude, and Sami Bray had her Hermione Granger attitude on lock. And little Camille de la Cruz as Tomika? The crown went buck wild for that not-so-little voice.

School of Rock Tour is coming to Salt Lake City. Photo by Evan Zimmerman-MurphyMade

Going into this show, I was a little concerned about how the casting would approach filling the huge shoes left behind by Jack Black after his performance in the film. He was the perfect painfully casual misfit, and I wasn’t so sure anyone could recreate that role. How did they solve it, you ask? Well… by having Merritt David Janes try his very best to exactly replicate Jack Black. A few modern references to fidget spinners, an attempt at a fortnight dance and a pretty spot-on impersonation of the president helped Janes step out of the shadow a bit, and while his rendition of Dewey wasn’t quite up to par with Black’s, it was pretty darn close.

I also had reservations about the humor and music: you just can’t beat those classic lines! But this show knocked all of my doubts out in just a few scenes. The adult characters had the perfect comedic timing, without too much stage-corniness, and the new lyrics (particularly Webber’s new kick-rock ballad “When I Climb to the Top of Mount Rock”) proves that this conspicuous composer really can do it all.

But really, though: if anything puts this tour above and beyond, it is that cast of kids. They are everything I wanted to be as a child, and the musical version of School of Rock gets even deeper into the everyday struggles of these kids, and every kid: parents who never listen. Those damn parents! Their soulful little voices, both crooning to their parents ears and melting faces in “Stick it to the Man,” stole the whole show. 

Sami Bray in the School of Rock Tour. Photo by Evan Zimmerman-MurphyMade

I was chatting with a few other press-folk, and one expressed dismay that “the real-life man” took rock and roll and turned it into a musical to make money. He said: “These are the posers Jack Black warned us about.”

While there certainly was a more “Broadway” vibe to this script, I don’t know if I agree with that statement. The show wasn’t Woodstock by any means, but it certainly wasn’t The Phantom of the Opera, either. So if you want to see a season-ticket-holding little old lady with a walker bestowing double-fisted “rock on” symbols to a cast of scary-talented elementary school kids, get down to The Eccles this weekend! 

School of Rock – The Musical at the Eccles Theater

May 28-June 3, 2019

• Matinee performances Saturday June 1 at 2 p.m. and Sunday June 2 at 1 p.m.
• Weeknight performances May 28-31.
  See artsaltlake.org for ticket sales and showtimes.

See more of Salt Lake magazine‘s arts

and theater coverage here!

Everyone’s favorite rock band is coming to the Eccles. That’s right: School of Rock – The Musical’s summer tour will be landing in Salt Lake City from May 28 to June 3, 2019. Sure, the group is sans frontman Jack Black, but they’re still ready to get out there and melt some faces.

Based on the hit 2003 movie, School of Rock–The Musical features all of the best songs from the movie, plus an original score by Andrew Lloyd Webber. What’s a better combo than that?

Cameron Trueblood in School of Rock Tour. Photo by Evan Zimmerman-MurphyMade

The musical was nominated for four 2016 Tonys and, according to Entertainment Weekly’s Jesse Oxfeld, it’s “an inspiring jolt of energy and mad skillz.” 

You won’t want to miss those skills. Get your tickets today, to see the best guitar shredding, rock-wannabe substitute teacher around teach his prodigies the true meaning of rock and roll.

Sami Bray in the School of Rock Tour. Photo by Evan Zimmerman-MurphyMade

School of Rock – The Musical at the Eccles Theater
May 28-June 3, 2019

• Matinee performances Saturday June 1 at 2 p.m. and Sunday June 2 at 1 p.m.
• Weeknight performances May 28-31.
  See artsaltlake.org for ticket sales and showtimes.

See more of Salt Lake magazine‘s arts
and theater coverage here! 

Believe it or not, PTC’s Grease cast may have been an even better fit than the John Travolta and friends most theater patrons will be expecting. Emma Hearn was everything you could hope for in Miss Sandra Dee: beautiful, clear vocals that were just as pure as she is. Pascal Pastrana was much less ladies man and much more unrefined teenage boy, with the semi-timid vocals and floundering flirting to prove it. Michael Schimmele’s Roger made for the ideal comic relief, but he sure didn’t skip on the vocal acrobatics—every line he sang got at least one enthusiastic “woot” from the crowd. The dynamic between his bad boy and Kate Cassidy Ryan as Pink Lady Jan was too heart-melting for words, and a great cushion for the high drama of Danny and Sandy’s roller coaster love story.

My personal favorite, though? Alex Kidder, who was the whole Rizzo package. Too cool to stand any way but a slouch, too sarcastic to avoid any comedic moment and definitely too good to cry in front of Sandy. The attitude came through even when she was on the skirts of the scene—that’s what I call great acting.

PTC’s Grease was the perfect capsule of high school drama, viewed through that comedic lens that only awkward, too-involved teenagers can provide. The titillated giggles and flirty taunts had the audience in stitches all night. Pair the made-for-this cast and their comedic timing with a killer set (well, other than the strange film strips that served as transitions. I found those a bit distracting) and you have yourself a winning show, the perfect note to end the 2018–2019 season.

And more than that, PTC’s board used this opening night as an opportunity to introduce the theater’s new managing director, Christopher Massimine, who will be taking over in July. Hailing from New York’s National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene, the Tony nominee shared can’t wait to get started in continuing Pioneer Theater’s legacy of linking education and communication through theater.

Don’t miss this perfect blend of the classic musical (you’ll see some familiar choreography) and a new, unexpected moves that bring you right back to those fateful high school days. Grease is even more of a coming of age story at PTC that you are ready for. Grease runs through May 25 at the Pioneer Memorial Theater. Tickets and info here. 

See all of our theater coverage here.

The month of May means nostalgia for Pioneer Theater Company, as the classic 50’s hit Grease will be rocking across their stage until May 25 to close out their 2018-2019 season.

PTC regular and artistic director Karen Azenberg returns with her fourth show this season, and is bringing fresh choreography to revamp this old fan favorite.

“We can make fun of the nostalgia that shows like Grease evoke, or we can smile and remember the kinder, gentler, more innocent time that was the 1950’s in America,” says Azenberg, who is both the director and choreographer of this run, alongside her associate director Lenny Daniel.

Azenberg plans to fully embrace the days of saddle shoes and slicked back hair, taking a cast of PTC-familiar faces back in time, for your entertainment.

The cast does have some newcomers, however: Pascal Pastrana and Emma Hearn, the stars of the show as Danny and Sandy, are both making their Pioneer debut.

So start your Summer Nights off right with a great musical for the season. The show runs May 10 – May 25, with both evening and Saturday matinee performances.

Don’t forget to swing back over to read our review before you go, So we can tell you about it, stud.

• WHO:Pioneer Theatre Company
• WHAT: Grease 
• WHEN: May 10 – May 25, 2019
• TIMES:
• Mondays – Thursdays, 7:00 p.m.
• Fridays and Saturdays, 7:30 p.m.
• Saturday matinees, 2:00 p.m.
• WHERE: Simmons Pioneer Memorial Theatre 300 South 1400 East, Salt Lake City
• PRICES:
• $44 – $66 in advance, and $5 more when purchased on the day of the show
• Kids in grades K-12 are half-price on Mondays and Tuesdays
• MORE INFO:
• Box Office: 801-581-6961
• Open 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m., Mon. – Fri.
• www.pioneertheatre.org