Review By M.T. Bennett, Front Row Reviewers
Hart Theater Company is a small group but they are full of big talent. Their website says that they seek to showcase, “the best talent Utah has to offer” and they always deliver. Their storytelling is incredible as well. All of their productions are full of complex metaphors of meaning that hit hard in one’s emotions. This reviewer has become a fan, and I always leave inspired. Their most recent production is no exception.
Tucked away in Salt Lake City, in one of Lightree Studios’ black box theaters, Hart Theater Company presented the World Premier of an inspiring musical, Hope for the Flowers. The musical is based on a children’s book by Trina Paulus and has been inspiring readers for over 50 years. It has been adapted for the stage with music, lyrics, and script masterfully composed by Cathy Neff with stage adaptation by Ben Henderson and Chase Ramsey, orchestrations by April Kerr, and the original adaptation concept by Xan S. Johnson. Applause for this talented team of Utah theater folk so audiences can experience Hope for the Flowers onstage for the first time.
The tagline for the book says it is “a tale- partly about life, partly about revolution, and lots about hope. For adults and others (including caterpillars who can read).” The story follows Stripe, a caterpillar who feels like there must be more to life than just eating and getting bigger, and so he begins his quest to find it. Something draws him to the sky but despite his best efforts he can’t figure it out. He meets a fellow caterpillar, Yellow, and together they look for the elusive “more”.
What follows is heartbreak, struggle, and a search for meaning. Eventually, Yellow figures out what she is meant to become, and inspires Stripe to do the same. The “revolution” is more an internal revolution toward believing we can become more than crawling insects, and that we are meant to be beautiful soaring things. It is a poignant metaphor pregnant with meaning that inspires introspection about how we view life and ourselves.
The telling of this tale is given to a talented group who truly do it justice. Co-produced by Emily Wells and Dave Young, who facilitate the play. Wells is a co-founder of Hart Theater Company and worked as the costume designer. She made delightful colorful costumes as we see the characters transform from crawling caterpillars to soaring butterflies. The hand of director Henderson is seen throughout the play in the interactive choices between cast members and organizing the economy of space and movement with a 10-person cast and 15-person orchestra all sharing a small stage.
The team wore many hats in the production. Henderson also helped with scenic design using platforms, aerial acrobatic silk, and clever sculpting of pool noodles. Working with Henderson on scenic design was Ramsey. Ramsey played Stripe. When considering Ramsey’s performance, the words “neurotic, driven, earnest, yet thoughtful” come to mind, as Ramsey plays a symbol for us all as we try and make sense of life, figure out what it’s all about, and how we want to accomplish that goal. You can see the weight of Stripe’s quest in Ramsey’s depiction when he is at times ruthless and other times repentant. He is desperate to find his “more” but is often the only one to take the time to reflect on the impact of his actions and ask “why”.
Yellow is played by the multi-talented Sam Torres. Her vocals are incredible. Her depiction of Yellow is touching. Her aerial acrobatics are graceful. Her aerial acrobatics while singing and depicting Yellow are downright impressive. Torres brings an earnest emotion to her character and optimism that reflects her character’s color. Her interaction with the Grey-Haired Caterpillar (Geoff Beckstrand) is delightful. This is in part due to Beckstrand’s whimsical, fun, energetic aura as he explains what caterpillars are meant to become.
Another caterpillar, Boss, played by Lisa Nicole Thurman, who brought a sassy villainous feel to the caterpillar pillar, a mass of caterpillars climbing over each other to see what is at the top. When Stripe finds out and begins to tell the other caterpillars, Thurman comes in to cast doubt on his words. The red lighting and dark shadows add to this scene and show just one example of many of how the talent of lighting designer Kyle Esposito really shines.
The ensemble cast add to the performance with their wonderful singing and clever interactions. I was really impressed how even when the light is shining on just one character, nobody in the background is ever idle. There are always engaged and interacting, even if their characters are hard to see, adding to the overall richness of the tapestry we were viewing. Also, adding to the experience is a talented 15-person live orchestra, led by music director and conductor Anthony Buck. Buck is a constant professional, talented in his ability to lead 15 people scattered across the room, and unfazed when a yoga ball went flying past his head and into the audience.
The rest of the production team, though not onstage, are seen nonetheless in the final result. I was frequently impressed by Hernandez’s choreography, done by Mike Hernandez. Not just in the economy of space, as previously mentioned, but in the movements the characters do to depict caterpillars doing different actions. The scene where Stripe meets Yellow had my eight-year-old son in fits of laughter.
In an intimate setting with only around 30 audience seats, and the orchestra outnumbering the cast, it can be difficult to balance the sounds just right to make sure all are heard. Sound Designer Grace Heinz pulls it off. Not to mention the ambient nature noises that quietly set the scenes as well. Then all this is brought together thanks to the logistics, support, and vision of stage manager Liz Black, weaving all the details into the stellar production.
Hope for the Flowers is full of whimsy and fun along with important lessons that make it perfect for children and teens. Yet it has touching metaphors of love, relationships, and life that are meaningful to adults as well. Hope for the Flowers is. Art. Art is meant to move us, and Hart Theater Company always does just that. Touching our souls with their own. When you go, take it from Front Row Reviewers, and sit in the front row. It will make you laugh, while also driving you into an introspective examination of your potential, perhaps leading you toward an internal revolution to become the butterfly you have inside. If you want a beautiful story for adults, kids, or caterpillars who enjoy theater, don’t miss out on Hope for the Flowers.
Hart Theater Company presents Hope for the Flowers by Trina Paulus, adapted for the stage with music, lyrics, and script composed by Cathy Neff, with stage adaptation by Ben Henderson and Chase Ramsey, orchestrations by April Kerr, and the original adaptation concept by Xan S. Johnson.
Lightree Studios, 740 W 1700 S Suite #6, Salt Lake City, UT 84104
November 1, 3, 9-10, 14-18, 21-24 at various times
Tickets: Adult: $26.21, Student & Senior: $20.97
Contact Info: harttheaterco@gmail.com
Facebook
Instagram
Hope for the Flowers promo reel one
Hope for the Flowers promo reel two
0 Comments