Hale Center Theatre's "Tuck Everlasting"...A Beautiful Show

Last week I, along with Sheradin and Curtis--friends from our Lagoon Halloween show--had the opportunity to see a production at a new theater, well...new-ish. It's been open for several months. If you're familiar with the Salt Lake Valley and you're interested in live theater, you've no doubt heard of the Hale Center Theatre. They've been an institution here for decades. 

The Hale family and organization has had three theaters in the valley (at least, from what I remember...). The first theater was located in South Salt Lake. It was small and in the round. My wife did shows there. I saw her in Brigadoon. She played Jean, the one getting married. It was surreal to watch my fiancee play a fiancee. She was wonderful.

I saw one show at that theater, and one show at the next Hale Center Theatre in West Valley City. I really should see more shows.

Earlier this year they opened up their latest incarnation of Hale Centre Theatre, and it is a wonder to behold. There's two stages in the building. I attended a showing of Tuck Everlasting in the Sorenson Legacy Jewel Box Theatre. It's smaller and not in the round as the main stage is, but none less impressive. It's a beautiful venue to see a show.

And the production was not only worthy of the Jewel Box, but of the entire complex as well.

I've not read the book or heard any of the music from Tuck Everlasting. No matter--one doesn't have to know much of the story to enjoy it. It centers on Winnie, a girl running away from home who discovers not only a new family, but an amazing world of opportunity (and opportunity costs...). The story is hers and the music is as innocent as the girl. There's a baddie--the Man in the Yellow Suit (Steven Kerr--another Lagoon show alum--got us our tickets...) represents everything the girl doesn't. Stephen's as good in the role as his character is bad--and that's saying something. And the final act, the show's final number, reminded me of the first few minutes of Pixar's Up. If you've seen Tuck, you know what I'm talking about.

You've only got a few more days to see the show--it runs until June 23rd. Stephen is in every show from now on. If you like musical theater in a wonderful venue, you'll be hard pressed to find something finer. Thanks Stephen for the wonderful experience!

Why I Won't Be Watching "Les Misérables" While Commuting On The Bus...

We bought it...not the first weekend the Blu Ray/DVD/Digital Copy combo went on sale, but we bought it all the same. You see, we don't usually go to movies--we wait until the movies can be bought at home. We miss out on that "theater experience," but it's cheaper and until we can afford to go to movies on a regular basis, it works out just fine.

And I've found that I love the digital copies. It's amazing that I can have a movie on my computer or iPod and take it anywhere--home, church (I don't watch movies at church, but I could...), and on the daily commute to and from work. I can do that now that I'm on the bus.

One film I'll try to avoid watching on the bus is our latest purchase. Why? Well, I don't know about you, but for me, it's difficult to watch a show like that and not break out in song--you know, like they actually do in musicals. No one really breaks out in song in real life and if they do, usually psychiatric professionals will be call. Singing--out loud--while riding in a bus full of workers and students would qualify for such a call to be made.

So, once the movie is downloaded on my computer and/or iPod, if I do watch while commuting, I'll just have to be extra careful.