The February performance of Ballet West is historically a romantic production and this year’s premiere of John Cranko’s version of Romeo and Juliet is no exception. Most will be familiar with William Shakespeare’s telling of the long-standing feud between the Montague and Capulet families and what happens when young lovers from each family (Romeo and … Read more
Choreographer Francisco Gella sees the upcoming Regalia event to celebrate the Repertory Dance Theatre’s 50th anniversary as the dance version of Project Runway, Chopped or Top Chef. On Feb. 20, Gella and three other choreographers – Marina Harris, David Marchant, Andy Noble, all alumni of RDT – will have four hours to create their own … Read more
Vulnerability ranks at or near the top of the most complex, challenging and compelling universal themes of love and relationships. When the documentary Autism in Love was screened last year at the Warsaw International Film Festival, it was a mind boggling experience for director Matt Fuller. “We screened it with foreign language subtitles and the … Read more
A creative collaboration of two artists who have become prominent in the Utah Enlightenment will see their new short film screen this week at the 2016 Slamdance Film Festival as part of the Fearless Filmmaking shorts program. A dark, physical comedy running just barely six minutes, B+A is the work of Connor Rickman, his crew … Read more
Comedic opera is not my favorite – I enjoy more the pathos, murder, and misery of a tragedy. So although I was sure I would enjoy Utah Opera’s The Merry Widow, I didn’t expect to fall in love with it. I was so mistaken! This production harks back to old Hollywood. Not the high glamour of … Read more
Opera costumes are big business at the Utah Opera Production Studios. With 13 employees on staff in the costume department including a full-time cutter/draper, hat maker (milliner) and tailor/draper, each year the Utah Opera undertakes the daunting task of mounting a full season of professional productions direct from their own costume shop. “We don’t really … Read more
There was a lot to celebrate in 2015 with the Utah Enlightenment, a creative movement where courage defines some of the state’s most interesting and independent artists. Indeed, the Enlightenment disturbs and disrupts the peculiar Utah penchant to be civil and docile or to be content with platitudes and pleasantries. Artists are reclaiming Utah’s unique … Read more
Few activities bring the charm and wonder of the holiday season to life more than Ballet West’s annual run of the Nutcracker. Giant mechanical dolls and bears dancing, sugar plum fairies twirling, Clara saving the Nutcracker prince from harm by the Mouse King—all with the iconic Tchaikovsky score played live by the Ballet West Orchestra. … Read more
In a season where consumers exchange expectations of peace and goodwill for short-lived marketing ‘magic,’ Rob Tennant’s impressively on-point Booksmart is an entertaining call beckoning us back to a sane conscience for the holidays. Plan-B Theatre’s production, which has sold out the house in every performance, is as pitch perfect as an original holiday show … Read more
In high school, Skyler Chubak practiced drawing the alphabet with a calligraphy marker in a Speedball practice book. Speedball, developed a century ago by Ross F. George, always has been an indispensable calligraphic resource for penmanship and lettering artists as well as sign designers. Realizing that it was a meticulous art which required a great … Read more