By Jennifer Mustoe and Hannah Seigfried
The Covey Center for the Arts in Provo is bringing great tidings of “boss” joy with their wonderful production of Plaid Tidings. As a second installment after Forever Plaid, the Plaids are back, bringing their fun, enthusiastic, energetic, smooth and utterly delightful sound, this time with a Christmas jam. The Plaids, Sparky (Taylor Morris), Frankie (Dave Nutter), Jinx (Nathan Winkel), and Smudge (Ben Cummins) died before they got the chance to play their first real show. In Forever Plaid, they get the chance to come back to Earth and perform just once. Well, in Plaid Tidings–the Plaids get another chance to thrill with more vigor, more charm, with more inventive scripting and singing than ever!
The show begins with the singers being thrown back on Earth and they soon begin to sing some old favorites. They harmonize, they dance, they goof around with one another–they are the Plaids we love. But they don’t know what they’re even back for. The first act is them singing some fun oldies but then being overwhelmed with wanting to sing Christmas songs. Havoc ensues–but only for a little while. The Plaids bounce back and in Act 2, they are able to perform the Christmas TV special they’d always wanted to do.
At the talkback session after the performance.
Many of our audience tonight were–ahem–older and during the talk back shared that they loved all the references to Ed Sullivan and Perry Como–two stars the Plaids adore.
All four performers do a fabulous job–Director Skye Cummins gets her guys moving and grooving and it’s never a dull moment. So often, a show like this can have a bunch of swaying back and forth that is considered “choreography.” Not so is Plaid Tidings–these guys MOVE. No one actor is The Star–all the men get their chance at solos with dreamy Plaid back ups. I loved all the characterization–Sparky’s flirtatious, goofy, jokester; Frankie’s get the job done, let’s make this sound awesome commitment (and his scene about Rudolf is hilarious); Jinx’s sweet innocence and glorious voice; and Smudge’s hilarious pontificating and philosophizing. Each actor rounds out his own character and that’s what’s so fun to watch–four very different actors portraying four very different characters, but the sound that comes from these four is smooth, warm, brilliant and not a bad note in the show. The choreography is meticulous, fun, different for each number and fun. And B Cummins said it was one of the biggest challenges–learning the choreography. I loved the dancing especially because Smudge (B Cummins) pulled me onstage, handed me an umbrella, “taught me” a little soft shoe (I knew how but in clunky boots, it was a little tricky) but I got to dance with the Plaids! Me! It was super fun! They gave me a plaid wrapped chocolate bar and plaid wrapped dental floss, too. That doesn’t happen every day, does it?
Front Row Reviewers Utah Owner, CEO, Editor-in-Chief Jennifer Mustoe with THE PLAIDS!
Some of the songs–Christmas and not Christmas–are familiar, but each one has been jazzed up. There are 80 songs(!) Ben said in my interview with him after the show. He said there were “so many words.” Morris is darling and broke the fourth wall the most. He made a compliment out of old lady perfume and it went over great. Winkel said in his interview after the show that he had never been a lead, had never had any lines before, and didn’t know how to dance. You know what? All this is true and is seen in the show, but you’d never know it wasn’t part of his character as Jinx is a shy, rather innocent chap. Winkel owns this role and he should be very proud of his performance. Nutter has some of the early crooning solos and it is a wonderful start to the show. He has excellent movement and I look forward to seeing him in more productions. Finally, B Cummins is wonderful–a strong, clear voice, excellent timing, lots of synergy with the cast. All are a pleasure to watch from start to finish.
The show is accompanied by a brilliant pianist, Andrew Walsh, who also got to show off some comedic acting chops. On the bass is Raymundo Yazzie. It is a tribute to the talent of all the musicians that with four voices and two instruments, that’s all that is needed.
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As an added bonus, each Thursday there’s a talk back session immediately after the performance. We got to stay for that and they are a lot of fun. The audience praised, praised, praised Plaid Tidings and people left the theatre with big smiles.
The Covey Center for the Arts brings high quality productions to Provo and Utah County. Plaid Tidings is at the top of the list for professional quality and super Christmasy fun. Bring your kids, your grandparents, your neighbors–EVERYONE will love the Covey’s Plaid Tidings.
The Covey Center for the Performing Arts presents Plaid Tidings by Mia Marlowe
The Covey Center for the Performing Arts, Brinton Black Box Theatre, 425 Center St, Provo, UT 84601
October 5-28 Mon, Thurs-Saturday 7:30 PM, Thursday talk back session immediately after performance
Tickets: $16, $14 children, students, seniors
Contact: 801-852-7007
Covey Center for the Arts Facebook Page
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