Musical Theater Archives - Utah Concert Review

June 13, 2024June 13, 2024

Girl From The North Country

Girl From The North Country • June 11, 2024 • Eccles Theater

Reviewed by Kevin Rolfe

Photos provided by:

Photo Courtesy of Melissa Cohen (BOND Theatrical)

With the Tony Awards being broadcast this Sunday night, it felt fitting to find myself inside Eccles Theater watching a musical. A Tony Award-winning (Best Orchestrations) musical at that. The audience seemed in great spirits, ready to enjoy another great evening in downtown Salt Lake City with another show in the Broadway At The Eccles series.

Girl From The North Country is a musical featuring the music and lyrics of the great Bob Dylan with the book by Conor McPherson. It is set in Duluth, Minnesota in 1934 in the shadow of The Great Depression. The show takes place inside a guesthouse, or hotel of sorts. The cast consists of various people staying at the home. As the show goes along we are made aware of the different trials, tribulations, and struggles that each character faces or has experienced.

May 13, 2024May 20, 2024

Annie The Musical

Annie The Musical • May 10, 2024 • Eccles Theater

Reviewed by Alisha Gregson

Photos Courtesy of Broadway at the Eccles/ MurphyMade

The May 10, 2024 performance of “Annie” at Eccles Theatre in Salt Lake City was a delightful and heartwarming experience that captivated both children and adults alike. This run of the beloved musical, directed by Jenn Thompson, who herself played an orphan in the original Broadway production, was full of charm and energy.

March 1, 2024March 1, 2024

MJ The Musical

MJ The Musical • February 27, 2024 • Eccles Theater

Reviewed by Kevin Rolfe

When I first heard they were doing a Broadway musical of the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, I thought, this will have great music and dancing, and it’ll surely bring in tourists. But I wondered how good it would be. This seems like a show that a production could easily get wrong. I was thinking if I ever saw it, I’d be seeing a watered-down, cash grab of a jukebox musical. But when MJ was announced as part of the Broadway at the Eccles 2023/24 season, I started to hear good things about the production coming from New York. I was hearing that it was actually a good show. I was excited to find out for myself.

February 21, 2024February 22, 2024

Broadway at The Eccles announces 2024/2025 Broadway Series

Announcing our biggest season ever,
the new 24/25 Broadway Series features
the show with all the #1 hits & Juliet,
the Tony Award-winning Best Musical Kimberly Akimbo,
the return of Salt Lake City’s most “popular” musical WICKED, and more!

Salt Lake City, UT – We are pleased to announce the 24/25 Zions Bank Broadway at the Eccles season, bringing five premiere engagements to Salt Lake City, and the return of crowd-pleasing Add-Ons.

January 12, 2024January 12, 2024

Six

Six The Musical • January 9, 2024 • Eccles Theater

Reviewed by Kevin Rolfe

Photos by Joan Marcus

The North American Tour Boleyn Company of SIX. Photo by Joan Marcus

We all have our favorite musicals, don’t we? Shows that we’ll see every time we go to Broadway, or whenever the touring production stops through town. We know all the words, we know everyone who has played our favorite character, and we know every bit of choreography. There’s nothing like having a favorite show. But once upon a time, that musical was brand new and we saw it for the first time. Think back on not knowing all the words, and as soon as you could you wanted to learn them. Or wanting to learn everything about the actors or the production. Well, departed the Eccles Theater after watching the premier performance of the musical Six, my thought was, “Someone is leaving here tonight with a new favorite musical.”

July 25, 2023

The Principle Wife

The Principle Wife• July 22, 2023• Cover Center for the Arts

Reviewed by Kevin Rolfe

*This review contains spoilers. If you’re planning on seeing The Principle Wife come back and read this after you’ve seen it. Otherwise, you may proceed.*

I saw the billboards, I’ve seen the social media ads, and I thought, ‘Is this a musical about polygamy?’ Then I received an email with an invitation to review the production of The Principle Wife. So I read up on it and sure enough, it is. I’m sure many of you might be thinking, why would anyone write a musical about polygamy, why would Kevin go review a musical about polygamy, and do we need a musical about polygamy, are people wanting this? I’ll do my best to answer those questions.

July 23, 2023

The Sound of Music

Utah Valley University and Sundance Mountain Resort Present The Sound of Music July 22, 2023

Reviewed by Kevin Rolfe

Is there a better setting outside Austria to see The Sound of Music than the Outdoor Amphitheater at Sundance Mountain Resort? I can’t imagine there is. The setting was so perfect for the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic. With tree-lined mountains as its backdrop, there was very little need for elaborate set design. These hills, if I may, did come alive as the focal setpiece to make this musical visually soar. The mountain air was crisp and cool. A welcome escape from the blistering hot summer day down in the valley.

The partnership of Utah Valley University and Sundance Mountain Resort has been a successful one. With successful productions like Oklahoma! and Mamma Mia in recent years, it’s no surprise that patrons continue to return to the resort to see quality theater. And while there are many musicals to choose from, it makes perfect sense that they would bring back another production of The Sound of Music. The audience called for it, and I couldn’t have been happier to attend the Saturday Evening performance on Jul 22, 2023.

June 22, 2023

Les Misérables

Les Misérables• June 20, 2023• Eccles Theater

Reviewed by Kevin Rolfe

Nick Cartell as Jean Valjean in *Les Misérable*s
Photo: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade

Les Misérables, “The World’s Most Popular Musical” made its return to Utah at the Eccles Theater in downtown Salt Lake City. This show was originally announced as part of the Broadway at the Eccles 20/21 season. But as we all know, tours were stopped and theaters were closed during that period due to the global pandemic. So when the 22/23 season was announced, and Les Misérables was part of it, patrons lined up (figuratively, I know we don’t actually line up to buy tickets in person anymore) to buy tickets to this beloved musical. I must admit, I’ve been anticipating this show since it was announced and could not have been more thrilled to be inside the Eccles Theater on June 20 for opening night.

***This review contains mild to moderate spoilers. If you can wait “One Day More”, go to the show then come back and read the review. Otherwise, you have been warned. ***

May 31, 2023

Tina: The Tina Turner Musical

Tina: The Tina Turner Musical• May 30, 2023• Eccles Theater

Reviewed by Kevin Rolfe

Naomi Rodgers as ‘Tina Turner in the North American touring production of TINA THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL Photo by Matthew Murphy

It’s hard to believe that within a week of the great Tina Turner’s passing, I was sitting inside the beautiful Eccles Theater in downtown Salt Lake City, watching Tina: The Tina Turner Musical. As I walked into the theater I could overhear several conversations talking about the legend’s passing. Many patrons lined up to sign a memorial that was set out for Tina Turner. Some stated that they were looking forward to the show because they didn’t know much about her life. Others claimed to be the biggest Tina Turner fans ever and were excited to see the musical. Either way, there was a different buzz in the theater lobby. I wouldn’t quite call it a sadness but more like a reverence for the situation. The timing of the opportunity to see this show just after Tina’s passing did not seem lost on anyone.

April 13, 2023

Hairspray

Hairspray the Musical• April 11, 2023• Eccles Theater

Reviewed by Kevin Rolfe

Photographs by Jeremy Daniel

The 2022/2023 season of Broadway at The Eccles has been one for the books! Shows like Moulin Rouge, Ain’t Too Proud, and Dear Evan Hansen has thrilled audiences. Eccles Theater has been packed to the rafters with satisfied patrons. The shows of this season have been excellent, but I must admit, when this season was announced, I was thrilled to see Hairspray on the list. I didn’t know there was a tour up until that point. Outside of the occasional regional or community theater productions, my Hairspray musical experience had ended. I really love this musical so I’m sure you can imagine how delighted I was to see it on the season schedule, and how much more ecstatic I was to be sitting in my seat Tuesday night waiting for the show to begin.