Musical Theater Archives - Utah Concert Review

September 4, 2025September 5, 2025

Bright Star

Bright Star • Sentinel Theatre Production • September 1, 2025 • Liahona Theater for the Community

Reviewed by Kevin Rolfe

Photographed by Jane Smith, courtesy of Sentinel Theater

Photo Credit: Jane Smith Courtesy of Sentinel Theater

I have to admit, I had pretty high, unfair expectations walking into the Liahona Theater to see Sentinel Theatre’s production of the musical Bright Star. Just under five months ago, I reviewed Sentinel’s inaugural production, Dogfight. I walked away extremely impressed with the cast, the direction, and the overall production. So I thought, if they did that well with their first show, I can only imagine how much better their second show will be. And it’s a show I know and love. No pressure, right? It was unfair for me to put those expectations on this production. And yet, Sentinel Theatre did not disappoint. In fact, Bright Star exceeded any expectations I had. This is a must-see show.

September 2, 2025September 4, 2025

Aaron Tveit

Aaron Tveit • August 25, 2025 • Scera Schell Outdoor Theatre

Reviewed and Photographed by Kevin Rolfe

Over the last few years, we have had a great run of Broadway Stars in concert here in Utah. We’ve had amazing vocalists such as Jeremy Jordan, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Jessica Vosk, Ben Platt, Kara Lindsay, Kristin Chenoweth, Bernadette Peters, and, of course, just last month, Sutton Foster and Kelli O’Hara. Utah loves musical theater and its stars. Anticipation was as high as I’ve ever seen it for Tony Award-winner Aaron Tveit. He performed a sold-out show at the SCERA Shell Outdoor Theatre in Orem with the Utah Valley Orchestra.

June 18, 2025September 4, 2025

& Juliet

& Juliet • June 17, 2025 • Eccles Theater

Reviewed by Kevin Rolfe

Photo Credit: Matthew Murphy courtesy of Broadway at the Eccles

Jukebox musicals can be a polarizing topic in the musical theater world. Some people love them. Others dismiss them due to the fact that the shows are created with songs that have already been written. I enjoy them. If they’re done right. Jersey Boys, Mamma Mia, Rock of Ages, Crazy For You, and, Moulin Rouge, to name a few, have been well done and are some of my favorite musicals to see whenever I get the chance. I won’t name the jukebox musicals that are not well done, but let’s just say when they’re bad, they’re really bad. The music and story feels forced. The musical & Juliet is one of the most recent jukebox musicals to hit Broadway.

April 19, 2025September 4, 2025

Wicked

Wicked • April 17, 2025 • Eccles Theater

Reviewed by Kevin Rolfe

Photographed by Joan Marcus courtesy of Broadway at the Ecceles

Photo Credit: Joan Marcus courtesy of Broadway at the Ecceles

What can I possibly say about one of the biggest musicals in Broadway history that hasn’t already been said? Wicked the musical has been seen the world over by millions of people. I know multiple people in my own life who go to see Wicked on a regular basis. It’s their favorite musical and they’ve seen it over and over again. To coin a phrase, this show is in a word, “Popular”. I’m sorry, I regretted it the moment I wrote it. But it had to be done.

April 17, 2025September 4, 2025

A Chorus Line

A Chorus Line • April 12, 2025 • West Valley Performing Arts Center

Reviewed by Kevin Rolfe

Photographed by Vanessa Olson

Photo Credit: Vanessa Olson courtesty West Valley Arts

A Chorus Line is one of the most successful musicals of all time. Winner of 9 Tony Awards in 1976, including Best Musical, A Chorus Line became the longest-running show in Broadway history. It has since been surpassed by a number of other productions (Phantom of the Opera is the current title holder). But for years, if you went to New York City to see a Broadway show, this was the musical to see. It’s interesting because the show has virtually no set and has minimal costume changes. The show rests completely on the singing, dancing, and acting of the cast.

April 10, 2025September 4, 2025

Dogfight

Dogfight • April 7, 2025 • Valentine Theater

Reviewed by Kevin Rolfe

Photos courtesy of Sentinel Theatre

I had the opportunity to see a musical I had never even heard of, at a theater not far from my house (that I had strangely never knew existed), from a theater company producing its first ever show. I was excited for the new experiences. My expectations were not at an all-time high. How can a first-time production from a brand new theater company possibly be as good as some of the many well-established theater companies in the area? Well, I’m here to tell you that Sentinel Theatre is off to a great start. Their production of “Dogfight” was an entertaining night of really well-done theater.

March 4, 2025March 5, 2025

Broadway at the Eccles Unveils Dazzling 25/26 Season

Broadway at the Eccles Unveils Dazzling 25/26 Season

Featuring Suffs, Cirque du Soleil’s Twas The Night Before,
A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical,
Back To The Future: The Musical, Hell’s Kitchen,
the grand return of The Phantom of the Opera and more!

Salt Lake City, UT – We are thrilled to announce the 25/26 Zions Bank Broadway at the Eccles season featuring eight incredible shows including seven premiere engagements to Salt Lake City, and the eagerly awaited return of a favorite to the magnificent Eccles Theater.

January 31, 2025September 4, 2025

Ramin Karimloo

Ramin Karimloo and The Broadgrass Band • January 24, 2025 • BYU Concert Hall

Reviewed by Kevin Rolfe

Photographed by Molly McCoy

I find it interesting the way we discover the artists we come to like. Back in the day, we’d hear a song on the radio, buy the album, and fall in love with a band by listening to them over and over. Sometimes, we’ll see a band or singer open a concert for someone we intend to see, and they end up becoming one of our favorites. More often today, we hear a song on TikTok or Instagram and go down the rabbit hole looking for more music than just the 30-second clip we heard. When it comes to becoming a fan of a star of musical theater it can be a little trickier. Most often we’ll hear a cast album and fall in love with a voice. From then on, pay attention to what they’ve done or will end up doing.

January 23, 2025January 23, 2025

The Book of Mormon

The Book of Mormon • January 20, 2025 • Eccles Theater

It’s not often that a musical can stop through a town and connect with so many people and the culture is such a specific satirical in the way the Tony Award winning, The Book of Mormon does when it comes to Salt Lake City. I’d like to think, when South Park Creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, and co-songwriter for Frozen and Coco, and Avenue Q creator, Robert Lopez were writing this musical, they envisioned the production coming to Salt Lake City and how so many would love the inside jokes that are so specific to the area and culture. If they did imagine such a day, I’m sure they would know how much people would love the inside jokes.

December 12, 2024December 12, 2024

Kimberly Akimbo

Kimberly Akimbo • December 10, 2024 • Eccles Theater

Reviewed by Kevin Rolfe

Entering Eccles Theater on Tuesday night, I knew about as little about the musical Kimberly Akimbo as I think I have for any show ever. I knew that it won the Tony Award for Best Musical in 2022 and that this show was called Kimberly Akimbo. That’s about it, which is rare for me. As a musical theater fan, I am usually up to date on most productions. And while I try to hold off on knowing too much until I’ve seen the show, for some reason this one totally slipped by me. It was only as I talked to another colleague that I learned that the show was about a teenager in high school with a rare condition that ages her faster to the point where she looks like a woman in her 60s.