Rave Reviews

The three works made a powerful evening. Highly recommended.

All reviews/comments and complete event details

I just saw the dress rehearsal and this trio of dances are mesmerizing! Do NOT miss this. Bolero will amaze you. Ballet West's technical skill level is fabulous!

All reviews/comments and complete event details

See the full review at www.orchestraofsouthernutah.org “We have a powerful potential in our youth,” declared FDR’s advisor Mary McCleod Bethune more than 60 years ago. That today’s youth still radiate powerful potential was more than evident to those attending the Orchestra of Southern Utah’s Roy L. Halverson Young Artist Concert Thursday night. Megumi Gass demonstrated her superb musical skills, playing with great passion and lyrical feeling. Sarah Maxwell sang with the self-possession of a seasoned professional. Logan Butt captured the spirit of this volcanic composition, sweeping all before him in an outpouring of sheer virtuosity. Premiere of Dynamic Dinosaurs by Drs. Keith and Daniel Bradshaw as well as Jurassic Park medley completed the program. Collapse

All reviews/comments and complete event details

The story of Matt and Luisa holds a mirror to any couple. The search for love and holding on to the excitement of new love in the face of reality and the temptation to look elsewhere for excitement when the joy is in your grasp are themes both universal and painfully true. The story of love and misguided loss is told no better or with such sweet care as in The Fantasticks. Never miss a chance to see it! The Collapse

All reviews/comments and complete event details

Last year's Scandi Jam 2010 was so much fun! The instructor from Montana was very good and made learning the dances easy. We danced everything we'd learned at the workshop that very night at the Evening dance with help from the instructor and to live Scandinavian music too. We're definitely planning on going again this year and are looking forward to the extra workshop on Friday evening. Collapse

All reviews/comments and complete event details

Local gem Neon Trees will be the opener for this show along with The Architects. Don't miss out! Tix available now at 24tix.com and all SmithsTix locations.

All reviews/comments and complete event details

The venue for this event has been changed. The new venue is: Gore School of Business Auditorium, Westminster College 1840 S. 1300 E. Salt Lake City, UT 84105

All reviews/comments and complete event details

The venue for this event has been changed. The new venue is: Gore School of Business Auditorium, Westminster College 1840 S. 1300 E. Salt Lake City, UT 84105

All reviews/comments and complete event details

We have 30 people ranging from 10 years old to over 70 (my guess, nobody admitted this). Such fun!

All reviews/comments and complete event details

The story of how “tick, tick... BOOM!” came about for Dark Horse Company Theatre is very Six Degrees of Separation. Actor Daniel T. Simons sang “One Song Glory” from “Rent” for his college scholarship song. Years later, Simons and his wife Ginger Bess appeared in “tick, tick... BOOM!” together at Oregon Cabaret. “tick, tick... BOOM!” is the show that feted American composer Jonathan Larson wrote before “Rent.” When Simons and Bess founded Dark Horse Company Theatre in 2009, one of their dreams was to produce “tick, tick.” It is now the company’s fifth show, opening on March 11. And recently, Simons sang “One Song Glory” again, in his audition for “Rent,” which Pioneer Theatre Company is putting on in June. Both he and Bess are cast in that show, too. “tick, tick” tells the story of an aspiring composer named Jon, who lives in New York City in 1990. Jon is worried he has made the wrong career choice to be part of the performing arts. The story is autobiographical, as stated by Larson’s father in the liner notes of the cast recording — Larson had been trying to establish himself in theater since the early 1980s. Simons and Bess say that doing “tick, tick” again at this stage in their lives has given them a fuller perspective on the show. Simons, who plays Jon, says, “It’s one thing doing the show in your mid to late-20s, but when you turn 30, you really think deeply about what you are going to settle for. It’s for anyone who has had to choose between a dream and real life, not just in theater but in any area.” They say that running their own theater company has made them especially appreciate the journey that Larson took. “We can see even more clearly now the dedication this man gave to the theater world,” Simons says. “We are doing the same thing he did to create the work he did. Jumping onstage and playing a person who has done the same thing is both surreal and hyper-real.” Larson wrote the show as a rock monologue, which would be performed with only a piano and rock band. It was intended to be a response to his feelings of rejection caused by the disappointment of an earlier show he wrote. “tick, tick” was performed off-Broadway at the Village Gate in Greenwich Village, as well as at the Second Stage Theater, then on the Upper West Side. Producer Jeffrey Seller saw a reading of the show and expressed interest in producing Larson’s musicals. In early 1996, the day before the opening night of “Rent” off-Broadway, Larson died of an aortic dissection at the age of 35. After Larson’s death, David Auburn, author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning play “Proof,” was asked to re-configure “tick, tick.” Auburn restructured the monologue into a three-actor musical, with one actor playing Jon, and the other two actors playing Michael and Susan as well as all the other roles in the show. This revised version of the piece premiered off-Broadway at the Jane Street Theater in 2001. Since then, the show has had a London production, an American national tour and numerous local productions, but this is the Utah premiere. Simons and Bess have always had the show on Dark Horse’s wish list, and also at one point were hoping to produce “Rent.” But as Bess, who plays Jon’s girlfriend Susan as well as other roles, points out, “tick, tick” has a much smaller cast and is a more realistic production for their theater company, especially since the two have been in the show before. Joining them as Jon’s friend Michael, as well as other characters, is Jonathan Scott McBride, who was in Dark Horse’s “A New Brain.” “I had talked to Ginger and Daniel about Dark Horse putting on this show. But then I came to auditions and there were about 15 or 16 guys auditioning and I knew at least some of them were really good,” McBride says. “So I spent a couple of days moping around my house before I got the call I was cast. That was definitely the best day in December.” McBride says he’s been reading up on Larson and found that both Michael and Susan were based on real people in the playwright’s life. Joining the production in his first directing job for Dark Horse is Gamyr Worf. Worf went to Weber State University with Simons and Bess and was the lighting designer for their show “Reefer Madness.” He works full time at Oasis Stage Werks and is the new co-producer/owner of Dark Horse along with Simons and Bess. He says he’s excited to help produce shows for Dark Horse that combine marketability with artistic prowess; past shows include “Best Little Whorehouse In Texas” and “The Great American Trailer Park Musical.” The group is looking forward to moving the show up to Park City this Saturday, March 5. Simons and Bess have appeared together at the Egyptian Theatre in shows including “Jesus Christ Superstar,” “Tommy” and Cabaret.” The company will be taking part in the new professional musical theater series “Musicals On Main” which will include their summer show “Gypsy” as well as Plan-B Theatre’s “Gutenberg! The Musical!” They say they take pride in having a full band for their shows, which in this case includes a keyboard, drums, bass and guitar, as well as Simons on piano. Simons says the show should appeal to lovers of “Rent,” but also those who just love good music. “It is a rock musical but also has beautiful ballads in a variety of genres. You can hear the seedlings in songs of what will become ‘Rent,’” Simons says. He also says the musical is “hauntingly prophetic. It’s really eerie, as if Larson knew his fate, because of the emphasis he puts on making a success of himself.” For his work on “Rent,” Larson was posthumously given awards including the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and the Tony Awards for Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical and Best Original Score. “tick, tick... BOOM!” begins with Jon introducing himself over a persistent ticking sound: “The sound you are hearing is not a technical problem. It is not a musical cue. It is not a joke. It is the sound of one man’s mounting anxiety. I ... am that man.” You Should Go: “tick, tick... BOOM!’ presented by Dark Horse Company Theatre When • March 11 - 27. Friday and Saturday, at 8 p.m. and Sunday, at 6 p.m. Where • The Mary G. Steiner Egyptian Theatre Company, 328 Main St., Park City Tickets • $18 - $25 from parkcityshows.com or 435.649.9371. Or try the Musicals on Main package which includes Dark Horse’s “tick, tick... BOOM!” and “Gypsy” and Plan-B’s “Gutenberg! The Musical!” from $45. Collapse

All reviews/comments and complete event details

Written by: Josh Allen | March 13, 2011. PARK CITY — Dark Horse Company Theatre gangs up with Park City’s Egyptian Theater to bring Utah Jonathan Larson’s autobiographical musical, tick, tick… BOOM! (Whew… what a mouthful.) tick, tick… BOOM! is the story of modern composer/playwright, Jon (played by Daniel T. Simons), whose life is ticking dangerously close to his 30th birthday. Struggling with his choice to live the Bohemian life and not having achieved success since college, Jon is hearing the clock count down to the impending doom that may lead to his career’s demise. Tossing back and forth between joining Michael (Jonathan Scott McBride), his roommate/former actor, in the business world or settling down in the suburbs with is long time girlfriend, Susan (Ginger Bess). As mentioned, this show is the artistic autobiography of Pulitzer Prize winning composer Jonathan Larson, the creator of Rent. This show is must see for Rent fans. The music, scenes, and raw feel of the show create the basis for what later became Larson’s Broadway hit. Originally written as a one man show, tick, tick… BOOM! was re-written by David Auburn in 1996 into a three person show following Larson’s death. Depicting Larson’s life before Rent hit the stage, the audience is watches the events surrounding his first career success. A workshop attempt at a rock-musical version of George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four called Superbia. Dark Horse takes on a drastically different show in tick, tick… BOOM! Bordering on the edge of a narrative rock concert creates a difficult challenge for Broadway style vocalists. As the show began, I had trouble consolidating the one stage rock band with Simon’s beautiful tenor voice. He’s a talented actor with a great set of pipes, but he just wasn’t a bad boy rocker. His voice lacked the edge required for some of the songs. I also had a hard time picturing him as the person who would sneak up to the roof to roll a joint or drop the f-bomb in casual conversation. I will say that as the show progressed, and the mood shifted from hardcore to dramatic, his portrayal of Jon grew on me. His emotional solo in “Why” was one of my favorite performances of the show. Our two other performers, Bess and McBride, rotated in and out from their primary roles to play ensemble characters. Bess’s side characters were the point where she shined as an actress. While her portrayal of Susan, Jon’s girlfriend, wasn’t quite believable, her hilarious wheezing representation as Jon’s agent and the cute and bubbly vocal powerhouse, Karessa, were phenomenal. “Come to Your Senses” was an amazing song showcasing Bess’s vocal talent, even though the setting of the stage reminded me of an ’80s music video. *shutter* McBride was the highlight of the show for me, and the most appropriately cast. He was a fantastic vocalist and all together fulfilled his role as the best friend, Michael. Ranging from confident business man to the scared and emotional; he was easy to watch in the part. Cheers! On entering the theater I was astonished to see such an intensive set. The industrial style set was rigged almost at a tribute to the show’s successor, Rent. I loved the intricacy of it all, but I was put off by the set’s mobility. Heavy set pieces made for slow scene changes, which affected the pace of the show. With so much depth to the stage, I was also deterred by inconsistency in props. Some props were present while others were pantomimed. A cordless phone in one scene and an imaginary pay phone in another. The lack of consistency also carried over to ensemble scenes where cardboard cut outs substituted for people to fill a crowded restaurant and another scene utilized the band to fill in another. These along with disco-tech lighting and a couple of audio blips that drew my attention were the shows weakest points. By no means would it deter me from seeing it again. The show was a intriguing musical ride into the life of a man who changed the style of the modern musical. tick, tick… BOOM! is definitely a show to see. And for all those who will be seeing Pioneer’s production of Rent this summer, this show is a MUST see! Jonathan Larson’s tick, tick… BOOM! plays at 8 PM on Fridays and Saturdays and 6 PM on Sundays through March 27th at the Egyptian Theatre (328 Main Street, Park City). Tickets are $18-20. For more information, visit www.egyptiantheatrecompany.org for details. Director: Gamyr Worf Music Director: Sean Sekino Choreographer: Jennifer Rouse Set Designer: Andrew Barrus Props: Zack Kimbrell Costumer: Aaron Swenson L-R: Jonathan Scott McBride, Daniel Simons, Ginger Bess Simons Collapse

All reviews/comments and complete event details

I went to see my friend, Amanda Whitaker, in the Empress's production of Man of La Mancha. The whole show was so enjoyable that I went back the next week, only to find it to be even more fantastic! The acting was wonderful! The whole show was exquisite! I CANNOT rave enough about how excellent the production was. I'd give the production five stars!!! My best wishes for continuous success go to The Empress and all those wonderful people who give their time and talents! Collapse

All reviews/comments and complete event details

Jen's CD Release Party concert was absolutely delightful. She sang in form with her very lovely voice, and gave her audience a bit of all her best songs. Very well done.

All reviews/comments and complete event details

Of course, Wilde is a genius, but this cast put on a brilliant performance, including Jennifer Mason as Mrs. Cheveley, Sarah Modesto as Lady Chiltern, and of course newcomer to the stage, Geoff McCombs as Lord Goring. 4 stars. Collapse

All reviews/comments and complete event details

This is a really special event. For years we heard about it but never attended. After our first time we were hooked. It's for the best mix of causes: supporting the home care needs of ailing and elderly Utahans, while at the same time it helps our incredibly gifted artists and our imaginative culinary wizards. Art and Soup is definitely a win-win-win for our entire community. What's not to like?? Collapse

All reviews/comments and complete event details