Review: New Musical THE GÜT LIFE! Promises A Simple But Güt Time at Blue Gate Theatre!

Blue Gate Theatre's A Güt Life! is a show about life on an Amish farm, and how it is full of unique challenges and rich blessings. Presented by Amish story tellers Eliza and Simon Yoder, who give you a glimpse into their life together. Not only does this charming show not only have jokes that will make you laugh, but it also will leave you fascinated as you learn things you may not know about the Amish lifestyle. A Güt Life! is currently playing at the Blue Gate Music Hall in Shipshewana, Indiana Monday- Saturday (Various times) through September 5th.

Narrated by Eliza Yolder (Nicole Leis) and Simon Yoder (Kevin McDaniel), this 90 minute mini musical is full of every thing you would have in a full length show. Entertaining stories and history lessons about the Amish lifestyle like farming, horse and buggies, and the different styles of quilts and how they got their name. We also are told of barn raisin', ice cream socials, bishop's, including how they decide districts in the Amish church, regulations they have including clothing, one room school houses, courting (how an Amish relationship works) and how they deal with the Englishers, which is anyone not Amish.

Though all that they not only explain some of the common misconceptions of the Amish, but Simon shares plenty of jokes and together they tell captivating stories including a funny story about rumshpringa (an amish right of passage). In one such story Eliza buys a car, and drives to Florida with a friend and sees her first TV show Baywatch, and wanted to be Pamala Anderson, running along side David Hasselhoff. She takes it to the point of buying a bathing suit like one in the movie, then sending a photo home of her wearing it back home. Along with the photo, she wrote home to let her family know she was safe but leaving the church. She then was excommunicated from the church and from the community. She eventually comes back and begs to be let back in, and the bishop allows her back in.

There are also some of heart break, like the death of there first child, who they remembered and shared the story as they showed a special quilt that Simon had made his wife, he learned from his sisters, and having to do there chores due to getting into trouble allot. Combined with Jokes from Simon, it shows us through the eyes of him and Eliza, that the "plain" life is in reality a life of depth, beauty, and lighthearted joy.

The Güt Life! is directed by Wally Nason who also wrote the story and the songs, and along with with Martha Bolton wrote the script, and tracks by Blair Masters and Dennis Dearing. The songs in the show include: "Life is Gut!", "Castles and Crowns", "Love at First and a Millionth Sight", "He'll Never Leave", "*O Gottes Lieb (The Love of God)", and "Just a Little Bit Different".

*Public domain - Lyricist: Lehman, Frederick M. & Nehoral, Meir Ben Isaac

If you are looking for a chance to get back into a theatre safely, a show that promises some laughs, a güt time, well also offering an in site into the lifestyle of the Amish, I highly recommend going to Shipshewana and seeing Blue Gate's production of The Güt Life! I also would recommend leaving yourself time to eat. They do offer a buffet served safely as well, before/ after the matinee or before the evening show.

To read more about the safety protocols in the Theatre itself, in addition to those for the show, such as why the shows 90 minutes no intermission, or why there are only 2 actors, even about the infamous mask policy everyone has now days, please read my interview with Andrew Rohrer, VP for Sales and Marketing for Blue Gate Hospitality here: A-Safe-Return-to-The-Theatre-and-THE-GÜT-LIFE

A Güt Life! is currently playing at the Blue Gate Music Hall in Shipshewana, Indiana Monday- Saturday (Various times) through September 5th. For more information and tickets visit: thebluegate.com/shipshewana/blue-gate-theatre/schedule/index.php?artist=1558

For more information on other shows at the Blue Gate including: Josiah for President, and The Christmas Tree Ship, Connect with Blue Gate Theatre on Facebook at: facebook.com/bluegaterestaurant, on twitter at: @BlueGateIN, on Instagram at: @bluegateofficial/ and online at thebluegate.com/shipshewana/blue-gate-theatre/schedule/.

Connect with Blue Gate Musicals LLC on Facebook at: facebook.com/bluegatemusicals/ and online at bluegatemusicals.com to see all their other shows they have written and license.

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