Tyler Hinton - Page 9

Hale Centre Theatre has quietly reopened in Sandy with a fanciful, high caliber new production of MARY POPPINS to fill the void of blockbuster musical theatre. Without fanfare, the non-profit theatre announced its production plans for the remainder of the 2020 season, while also revealing an ambitious 2021 season. Attending the production, for those willing to comply with the essential health precautions and who feel comfortable and safe doing so, will help support Hale Centre Theatre's efforts to keep large-scale musical theatre alive at this difficult time.

The SCERA realized it would be able to comply with state and local guidelines, keeping audiences safe while also providing them the live theatrical experience they've been unable to indulge in for several months. And after the dearth of opportunities to attend a performance in person, it was electrifying to hear live singing again and express appreciation communally through applause. The SCERA produces community theatre at its best, and THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL is no exception, providing an enjoyable evening out with impressive talent and production values.

Hale Center Theater Orem is premiering a new contemporary musical, BLINK, via streaming. The show was written over a matter of weeks entirely during quarantine by David Paul Smith and Chase Keala Ramsey, who is the standby for the lead role of Elder Cunningham in the Broadway cast of THE BOOK OF MORMON. Ramsey spoke with BroadwayWorld about creating the show and the effects of the pandemic on his work.

A favorite tradition of Orem's SCERA is A NIGHT OF BROADWAY--the annual concert that showcases local performers in songs from musicals. The show will go on this year in a special fully produced 'Quarantine Edition' that has been newly rehearsed, designed, and professionally filmed especially for streaming through social distancing. Adam J. Robertson, President and CEO of SCERA, and April Berlin, Operations Manager/Marketing and Development, spoke with BroadwayWorld about the concert and some of the effects of the pandemic on the community organization.

Hale Center Theater Orem has announced that it has restaged its acclaimed 2018 Utah professional premiere of the musical DADDY LONG LEGS and will release a stream of the pre-recorded performance starring Kelly Coombs and David Smith.

The national tour of DEAR EVAN HANSEN has arrived at the Eccles Theater, bringing fascinating story, deliberately flawed characters, and a modern score that are enthralling and deeply emotional, eliciting both sadness and hope.

Pioneer Theatre Company's professional production of ONCE ON THIS ISLAND is a creative reimagining of the star-crossed story.

Hale Centre Theatre's U.S. premiere of Baz Luhrmann's STRICTLY BALLROOM THE MUSICAL dazzles on its Centre Stage following productions in Australia and on the West End. The direction, choreography, lighting, set, and costumes--all created specifically for Hale Centre Theatre's new production--are beyond fabulous.

BRIGHT STAR on Hale Centre Theatre's Jewel Box Stage creates homespun warmth that cuts through the darkness in an emotional journey. If you have never had the opportunity to see BRIGHT STAR, or if you really want to see it again, this uplifting production will be your best bet.

The national tour of Bartlett Sher's recent Broadway revival of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, currently playing at the Eccles Theater, has a stark elegance in its design and direction, which are at once new and familiar.

When one sees a living legend such as Bernadette Peters perform in person, a weight of expectations regarding song choice, personality, talent, and skill are brought into the room by the audience. For her January 11th concert at Utah Valley University's beautiful new Noorda Center for the Performing Arts, Peters came in anticipating those expectations and fully prepared to fulfill them and then some.

MARY STUART at Pioneer Theatre Company is a well-acted and thought-provoking look at two of the most powerful women in history.

Tyler Hinton's Picks: 1. MATILDA at Hale Centre Theatre, www.hct.org 2. CAGNEY at Pioneer Theatre Company, www.pioneertheatre.org 3. THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME at CenterPoint Legacy Theatre, www.centerpointtheatre.org 4. PHANTOM at Hale Centre Theatre, www.hct.org 5. MISS SAIGON at the Eccles Theater, www.broadway-at-the-eccles.com Honorable Mentions: FLY MORE THAN YOU FALL at the Noorda Center for the Performing Arts, www.uvu.edu/thenoorda A WALL APART at the Grand Theatre, www.grandtheatrecompany.com

One of the first regional productions of the recent Broadway hit comedy, THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG at Pioneer Theatre Company is so wrong it's fabulously right.

The national tour of A CHRISTMAS STORY: THE MUSICAL, currently playing at the Eccles Theater, is a heartfelt exploration of childhood with a wonderful score brimming with memorable songs.

Hale Centre Theatre's production of SEUSSICAL on its Centre Stage is a whimsical journey through the world of Dr. Seuss that's fun for all ages.

The national tour of RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER: THE MUSICAL, playing for just two more performances at the Eccles Theater, is a tribute to the beloved claymation holiday special and is infused with innocence and childlike joy for the whole family to enjoy together.

Pioneer Theatre Company will present the thought-provoking drama THE LIFESPAN OF A FACT through November 16, 2019, directly following its run on Broadway starring Cherry Jones, Daniel Radcliffe, and Bobby Cannavale earlier this year. Director Wes Grantom, who most recently directed BEEP BOOP at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and has received multiple Drama League Fellowships, spoke with BroadwayWorld about his passion for the play, this production, and Pioneer Theatre Company.

The national tour of the MISS SAIGON revival production, currently playing at the Eccles Theater, is filled with pathos, eye-popping spectacle, and gritty realism.

For several years now, each season at Pioneer Theatre Company has included a concert production of a musical, including THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW, CHESS, IN THE HEIGHTS, and LA CAGE AUX FOLLES. Always audience and critics' favorites, they feature a unique production style transported from New York City by artistic director Karen Azenberg. This year's show--DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS, playing October 18-19--will surely prove to be no different. Azenberg graciously took time from her demanding preparation schedule to describe these concert productions and give a sneak peek of what's to come with DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS.