Theatrical Review: Scrooge: The Musical, Temple Hill (2016)

Let me start by saying that this is not my favorite musical of "A Christmas Carol."  However I enjoyed it more than the movie.  Second, it was obvious this was presented by amateur actors, with busy lives outside of acting.  However it has lots to recommend it.  The dancing was superb, and the sets were fantastic.  Greg Casper, who direct Pageant they year we were in it, portrayed Christmas Present.  Dwight Long from our Stake Broadway Review played Fezziwig, and did a marvelous job, leading the song, "December the 25th."  However, most of the music here was forgettable; that is just the way it was written.
The love songs just weren't quite love songs, as they talked about happiness rather than love.  There is some emotion in the song Scrooge sings, looking back at his failed opportunity for love.  You...you were my only love.  It is touching.  The other song I like is the redemption son "I'll Begin Again" and Scrooge did.  His life is remarkable changed, that is why I so much enjoy this story. 

Musical Review: Beauty and the Beast

I have discovered that there are many versions of the Musical "Beauty and the Beast" on You Tube.  I chose the version with the most views.  I am sure others may have better actors but this version pleased me.  It is interesting to hear the additional songs from the Disney animated version.  However the old songs are also fun.  The Belle is very good, as is Mrs. Potts.  This musical presents some very difficult technical problems and it was fun to see how these were handled.  They most impressive part of the musical is after Belle leaves, and the Beast sings, "No spell has been broken, no words have been spoken."  It gives me goosebumps.

Crescenta Valley High School's Production of Beauty and the Beast

Theatrical Musical Review: Sondheim Follies (In Concert 1985)

This concert features many big name performers singing some of Sondheim's big numbers. The New York Philharmonic provides orchestration an it was performed at the Lincoln center.  The stories is that the Follies are having a reunion party, as their old theater is being demolished.  It gives rise to many people looking back at their lives, and where they have let themselves down, and where they have succeeded.  It is a melancholy look.   This performance in You Tube and Netflix is not just a showing of the concert.  The first half hour talks about putting the concert together with only four days, and then the last hour or so is the actual concert, but shortened.  Many pieces are not shown or shortened.
However performances of note include Carol Burnett singing "I'm Still here."  This is a shortened version of the song.  Mandy Patinkin sings "The God Why-Don't-You-Love Me Blues."  Lots of movement and energy, but in he end probably too much and gets in the way of focusing on the song.  Elaine Stritch sings "Broadway baby."  Lee Remick as Phyllis sings "Could I Leave You?"  When the answer comes up "Yes" she send Ben (George Hearn) into hysteria for "Chaos."
This is a pretty fun show.  However I would have enjoyed more concert and less documentary.

Movie Musical Review: Company (Sondheim)

This is the 2011 version of the musical Company which originally played Broadway in 1970.  The staging is different with the orchestra behind the actors on stage.  Neil Patrick Harris plays Robert, the 35 year old bachelor, whose friends are interested in his getting married.  The play is presented as a series of vignettes, with Robert interacting with his married friends as company.  He plays a smoke pot scene, I am on the wagon scene, we're getting a divorce scene.  Of note are Katie Finneran playing Amy, and sings the "Getting Married Today" song.  Robert, says marry me then, and that convinces her to go through with the wedding.  Patti Lupone plays Carol, the rich eccentric who proposes that they have an affair, and this gets Robert to think that maybe he should marry.  She sings Ladies Who Lunch, which is a look back over her life and marriage.  She gets this way when she drinks too much. 
Harris sings the concluding number, where he concludes that even with its flaws, marriage is the way to go, as then you are "alive."
Being Alive
ROBERT:
Somebody, hold me too close,
Somebody, hurt me too deep,
Somebody, sit in my chair
And ruin my sleep
And make me aware
Of being alive,
Being alive.

Somebody, need me too much,
Somebody, know me too well,
Somebody, pull me up short
And put me through hell
And give me support
For being alive,
Make me alive.

Make me confused,
Mock me with praise,
Let me be used,
Vary my days.
But alone is alone, not alive.

Somebody, crowd me with love,
Somebody, force me to care,
Somebody, make me come through,
I'll always be there,
As frightened as you,
To help us survive
Being alive,
Being alive,
Being alive!

Movie Review: ****Onward Alone

http://www.byutv.org/watch/480-418
No longer available

This movie, available through BYUTV tells the stories of the women left behind by the Mormon Battalion.  It makes its presentation through modern dance, song and narration.

The Mormon Battalion was mustered to support the Union in the Mexican-American War while the Saints were in Iowa, after being driven from Nauvoo.  500 men marched from the Midwest to San Diego.  They pioneered the trail from Yuma to San Diego.

I had never considered the stories of the women who stayed behind.  This movie will increase your appreciation of this history.

Theater Review: La Dama Del Alba (Lady of the Dawn)

This is a Spanish play written by Alejandro Casona.  I watched a made for TV film of the play.  This is a story of an extended family, but a family with grief.  Only a few days after her marriage, the daughter, Angelina, disappeared and was presumed drowned in the river.  However her body was never found.  The play begins on the fourth anniversary of the daughter.  Mother feels the most grief.  Says her grief is more severe even than the husband Martin.  While they are in conversation, a pilgrim comes to the home looking for a place to stay.  Grandfather recognizes her, but is not sure where.
She plays with the children, and laughs she says for the first time ever.  She falls asleep, and misses her appointment.  Grandfather recognizes her as death, who visited him when he almost died in a mining accident.  She had come for Martin.  Grandfather convinces her to leave them alone for now because of their grief over his granddaughter; funny death does not know her.  She says she will come back in seven months for Adela, a family friend who attempted suicide the previous night, but was rescued.
Over the seven months the family takes her in, being a daughter to the mother, and winning Martin's heart.  However Martin realizes that this would not do for the honor of his deceased wife.  (He knows she is not dead, but ran off with another man.  He has not said anything for the honor of the family.) 
Angelica has been unhappy.  Her lover left her.  She decides to return home.  Death comes again, and takes the daughter rather than the new girlfriend.
My only complaint is this moves a bit slowly.  Also the Spanish accents the the zeta is a bit hard to understand at times.

Theatrical Review: Play of the Week: Burning Bright, John Steinbeck

There is something different about this play.  It was presented in the TV series Play of the Week in 1959.  It has the same four characters throughout, but they change their background.  In the first two acts they are in the circus.  Fred ed is a clown, and his best friend is Joe Saul, a trapeze artist.  Joe's cousin passed away, and the new trapeze artist is Victor.  Joe's wife is Mordeen.  Something is burning at Joe's heart.  He was previously married for five years, and his wife passed away.  He has now been married for three years, and no baby by either wife.  He is getting old, and is worried his seed will die with him.  Friend Ed and Joe's wife scheme to get him a baby, using Victor.  We then find the same four people working on a farm.  They refer to happenings in the first two acts, but have left the circus behind.  Mordeen announces she is pregnant, and Victor, who works on the farm, realizes the child is his.  He cannot let this go, and he says he cannot leave knowing he is gong to be a father.  No one tells Joe.  In the final act the are on a ship.  Friend Ed is going to take Victor away.  However Victor insists he is staying, and going to divulge the secret, and force Mordeen to be with him.  Friend Ed says he has to tell Victor a secret, takes Victor on deck and dispatches with him, a knife and overboard.  He is still going to sail away with friend Ed.  Mordeen knows what has happened, but is going to life with it.  Then enters Joe, who has been to the doctor, and discovered his sperm are dead.  He has an illness and is dying.  He turns Mordeen away, but Friend Ed gets him to come to his senses, and the final scene is the hospital where the baby has been born, and Joe is there with Mordeen. 
I have thought about why the setting changed, while the characters didn't.  I think Steinbeck was saying that these circumstances could happen in  whatever setting, that wasn't important.  What was important was the struggle to leave something  better after ourselves, but also to be accepting of whatever roll life might give us.  This is a play which touches on infertility, and the attitude of one man towards infertility and how he comes to terms with his infertility.

Mormon Musical Review: KBYU In Performance: 1856 Long Walk Home

This is a combined telling of the Martin and Willey Handcart Companies in an operatic style.  It uses poetry, song (piano accompaniment) and poetic recitation to tell the story.  It includes some classic stories from the tragedy.  These include the words of Elizabeth Jackson Horrocks with regards to the death of her husband, and spending the night in the freezing cold under the stars with her children on her lap.  Also the words of Frances Webster, "We became acquainted with God in our extremities."

It also gives a fairly good idea of the conditions on the ships in the journey across the ocean.

However it does have some problems with telling two stories at the same time, and as a result it makes some factual errors.  It has the Martin Saints going up Rocky Ridge and crossing the Sweetwater for the sixth time going to Martin's Cove.  It was their first crossing, and they did not pull the handcarts up Rocky Ridge.  It also has Ephraim coming into camp before Martin's Cove, while he met the company after the Cove.

The genre was operatic, and not period, which would have been preferable.  The version of Brigham Young calling on the Saints was enjoyable, and the cords haunting.

This work, I could only mildly recommend.

Christmas Theatrical Review: The Savior of the World

We went to see this Thursday, and I wrote of our experience, but wanted to add a review.  You knew this was going to be something special walking into the room and seeing the set. 

It never ceases to amaze me the way a good stage painter can make plywood look like marble.  You can see the balcony on either side in the pictures.  There was also a balcony in the back.  It was very interesting the way the balcony was used for the chorus, aka angels.  It was very effective.  The play did an adequate job of telling the story of Jesus from the New Testament perspective, but also giving the Book of Mormon point of view.  They presented up through the birth of Jesus.
As mentioned in my thoughts on the evening, sometimes the music drowned out the vocals.  But the spirit of the songs was tremendous, especially when they sand familiar sacrament hymns, "Jesus, Once of Humble Birth."  It was a tremendous production.  I recommend watching this if you ever get the chance.  This same production was presented at the conference center for several years.
http://billywardlefamily.blogspot.com/2013/12/savior-of-world-musical-theater-turlock.html

Christmas Dance Concert Review: Behold the Gift

This is a delightful music and dance presentation presented every year at the Oakland Temple Hill.  It is free of charge, but donations are requested.
I enjoy the lines, and the expression of emotion through dance. I told Tony to watch for the dancer looking like the picture, and we actually saw several.

 The presentation starts with Old Testament predictions of a Messiah, and then we see Joseph and Mary, and the anguish they both have of her being betrothed, yet with child through the Holy Ghost.  The nativity is well done, with she shepherds coming to see the Lord.  The atonement was also well done, showing the angel who supported Jesus in Gethsemane, and the woman at the tomb.

The mood of the second portion is much different, with the lighting and the dancing being of a different nature.  Samuel must have been skilled at gymnastics with the handstands and the tumbling incorporated into his dance.   The believers and those who threatened to put them to death if the sign were not fulfilled is very well done.  The darkness, and then the people restoring their town, followed by them reacting to the Savior coming were also well done. 

I also enjoyed the finale, with dancers from both continents dancing for joy at the atonement of the Savior.
This show is less than 50 minutes, with no intermission.  It is beautiful to behold.  I love the lines that were presented.  I find it beautiful.
There is one more presentation this year, Sunday at7.

Theatrical Review: ***^ A Christmas Carol: Central Washington U

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOqrnHCsPwE
I enjoyed this theatrical version of "The Christmas Carol."  The reaction of Scrooge the next morning are especially delightful and stand out in my mind.  "I am lighter than air, I am flying, I am a baby, what do I do?"  It is worth watching this version just for the next morning.
The only thing I didn't care for in this version is that the old Scrooge took a role in the ghostly shadows, dancing at Fezziwig's party.  Other than that, a delightful presentation.

Theatrical Review: John Horner: My Father's Field

However John Horner was a good man, a church man.  Church was held in his home on many occasions.  He was also a good friend to the missionaries traveling to the South Pacific and Hawaii.  I read in the Millennial Star the story of how some missionaries traveling west were told to seek him out, and he helped pay their passage to Hawaii.  At the first state fair he was declared "The first farmer of California."  It is ironic that he left California and ended up pioneering agriculture in Hawaii.

I visited the temple grounds to see the musical, My Father's Field.  It was enjoyable.  I had read about John Horner on several occasions  How he had purchased his property on several occasions, with different people saying it belonged to them, and then how he had to buy the same property three or four times.  Then after being a success, he lost everything by over extending himself in signing notes for others, and not keeping $30,000 available as advised by the Prophet.

I took those of the family who wanted to see this, a couple years ago to Regional Center in Oakland.  This presentation had some entertaining parts, and they set up conflict between John and a banker to keep the show interesting.  However some of it was contrived and only mildly entertaining.  In fact I must admit, I became bored and we did not stay to the end.
http://www.wheelwrightenterprises.com/musicals/MyFathersField.htm

Theater Review: Les Miserables: San Francisco (2012)

Les Miserables 

Charity took me to see Les Miserables last week.  She had been able to get tickets through the Butler family, who had purchased at the group rate, and had some extras. First off, I must say it is an incredible show.  The colors and the scenes, costumes and set pieces going back and forth, make it truly a work of art and a visual delight.  The music adds the auditory delight.  I love the song, “Bring Him Home.”  And it was performed beautifully.  “I dreamed a Dream” is also a favorite, and it was well performed.  My only regret is that they jumped into it so fast, I missed the first part of the song.  The Timpani covered over some of the vocals which was frustrating, and Javert was hard to understand when he sang “Stars.”

The play clarified some points.  The song “Who am I” has a part sung before the court, where Valjean reveals himself.  Eponine and Cosette were play mates at the inn.  That was something I hadn’t realized.  One song really stood out in terms of the blocking, this being “Empty Chairs at Empty Tables.”  They had a light representing the friends who had passed away at the barricade.  The friends come out and take their light.  At the end they were all dimmed, with the exception of the light Marius held.  It was very effective. 

Another moving part is the death of Gavroche.  The students were much affected by this.  Eponine did a very good job of singing “On My Own.”  That she gave her life, so her love could have someone else is very moving. 

Another place where they really did a great job with set, and making things move when they really weren’t was in the sewers, including Javert’s suicide.
Even with all the grandeur,  I had a feeling something was not quite right.  I think it had to do with the morality.  On our way home Charity expressed that she enjoyed it all except a couple of side things. She noticed that there were a couple of times in the side business, that people were pretending to be engaged sexual relations.  I had missed this, but had the feeling everything was not right.  I do not think such beautiful things should be used as a forum to promote irreverent and immoral behavior.