By Larisa Hicken
On January 19, 2013, the new Utah Repertory Theater Company made its theatrical premiere by presenting the musical Side Show at the Echo Theater in Provo, Utah. Founder Johnny Hebda started the group (previously known as Utah Musical Theater Company) with the goal of bringing lesser-known shows to Utah. Their website describes the new company as, “Utah’s newest semi-professional theater dedicated to presenting high-caliber productions rarely seen in Utah, including premieres, musicals, Pulitzer prize-winning dramas and comedies.”
Side Show, by Bill Russell (book and lyrics) and Henry Krieger (music), certainly fits the bill since it has never before been performed in Utah. The musical tells the unique story of Daisy and Violet Hilton, conjoined twins who performed in side shows and eventually Vaudeville in the 1930’s. The show has a compelling story and explores poignant issues, but presents some obvious challenges in production with its cast of “freaks.” Perhaps this is one of the reasons it is so rarely performed.
Director Johnny Hebda put together an interesting cast with both professional and amateur actors in ages ranging from middle school to ages-that-shall-not-be-named. In spite of the wide variety of actors, the cast was obviously a tight-knit group who had worked together to develop authentic relationships that were apparent on stage.
Especially apparent was the closeness of the two leads Angela Jeffries as Violet Hilton and Adrien Swenson as Daisy Hilton. They were certainly believable as women who have spent their lives together. Their powerful voices blended beautifully and their acting was exceptional, especially during the emotional scenes. Their performance of “Who Will Love Me As I Am” was simply awesome.
The other standout performers were Taylor Eliason as Buddy Foster and Cooper Howell as Jake. Both men have terrific voices. Eliason is also a skilled actor and a talented dancer as well. Howell offered a stellar performance of the song “The Devil You Know.”
The other male lead, Aleksndr Arteaga, who played Terry Connor has a gorgeous voice and was able to pull off some pretty amazing vocals, but his acting performance seemed a little bit forced at times and the relationships onstage were awkward during some scenes.
Photography by Alex Weisman
It was hard to watch Bryan Cardoza as The Boss because I know Bryan and he is one of the sweetest guys you could ever meet. I just couldn’t quite believe him as the vicious, unfeeling slave master. However, other audience members seemed to be very taken with his believability, so I know he got his message across.
The leads were supported by a cast of “freaks” including Dolly Dimples (the “fat lady who sings”) played by Serena Kanig Benesh, a demented clown played by Becca Gunyan, a midget played by Natali Dilts, a strong man played by Kevan Mills, a four-legged woman played by Jennifer Mustoe, an armless girl played by Rachel Summerhalder, a contortionist played by Chelsea Benjamin, a bearded lady played by Amanda Crawley, and more.
Some of my favorite “freaks” were the fortune teller, played by Madeline Weinberger, and the reptile man played by Brandon Hansen. These actors were obviously very talented and I hope to see more of them in future productions.
Throughout the show the freaks play other small parts such as the reporters, party guests, and Vaudville show performers. The transition from freaks to the other roles was a little awkward at first but became less noticeable as the show continued. In the end of the show the freaks come out dressed as modern-day “freaks” and I was quite moved by this directorial choice.
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I have to applaud musical director Anne Puzey for her work because the group numbers were an absolute joy to listen to. The harmonies were tight and the voices blended perfectly. I especially enjoyed that several of the “freaks” had solo lines that showcased just how much musical talent there was in the cast.
The cast certainly benefited from beautiful costumes by designer Dana Anquoe and the hair styles by Chelsea Kennedy were lovely. The make up was great except for the lipstick that kept rubbing off of Daisy and onto Terry. That pink just wasn’t his color and was a bit distracting.
The set, designed by Kevin Dudley, was comprised of mostly black boxes and some beautiful circus-style posters on the wall. There were a few technical issues with the sound, such as feedback on the microphones, that seemed to be ironed out as the show progressed.
Upon arrival, we were seated by the side show performers and a pre-show was presented by Elias “Lefty” Caress and his assistant Celeste McCulley. The pre-show itself was rather disturbing to me (though the audience loved it), but Lefty’s strong personality was entertaining and he managed to get the audience excited about being there.
During the intermission, a “hawker” shouted about concession sales. I was delighted to discover that the music was played by live musicians tucked away in a little balcony. I also noticed that the technical crew (the “roustabouts”) were dressed in clothing from the era of the show and I liked feeling like they were almost part of the cast. All of these little details added to the “circus” atmosphere and made for a fun overall experience.
I’m really looking forward to seeing more productions from the new Utah Repertory Theater Company and especially from the talented director/producer Johnny Hebda. I spoke with him after the show about his vision for the company and his passion for quality theater is contagious.
I have a feeling this company will be together for a long time to come. Congratulations on a strong premiere, Utah Rep!
Side Show
Echo Theater, 145 N University Ave., Provo
Performances are at 7:30 PM on Jan 18, 19, 21, 24, 25, 26, 28, 31; Feb 1, 2
Two matinees at 2:00 PM on Jan 19 and Feb 2.
Pre-show begins approximately 20 minutes before curtain.
Tickets being sold online: http://utahmusicaltheatrecompany.com/purchase-tickets/
Tickets at the door are first come, first served so it is recommended that you purchase tickets online.
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