| Stage notes: ‘Sister Dottie’ is back for three more shows |
| The Salt Lake Tribune
Sister Dottie, the Mormon housewife from Spanish Fork with a gay son, returns to the stage for three performances. Charles Lynn Frost, who created the character on a KRCL radio show, will perform “The Passion of Dottie S. Dixon: Second Helpings,” after its run was cut short in October by the actor’s bout with H1N1. When » Jan. 18-19 at 7:30 p.m.; Jan. 17 at 2 p.m. Where » Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center’s Jeanne Wagner Theatre, 138 W. 300 South, Salt Lake City Tickets » $20 at 801-355-ARTS or www.arttix.org. |
Archive for January, 2010
Stage Notes: Sister Dottie is Back for Three More Shows
Published January 16, 2010 Uncategorized Leave a Comment
Published: Thursday, Dec. 31, 2009 4:03 p.m. MST
With the close of 2009, I pulled out my stack of playbills and reminisced.
Thank you to everyone who worked tirelessly to bring theatergoers another year filled with memorable moments.
After reviewing 60-plus shows, putting hundreds of miles on the car, having plenty of laughs and shedding a tear or two, I recollect on shows I’ve seen many times and shows I saw for the first time, new creations and new theater companies.
I’m not able to see every show during the year, so this list is not exhaustive but fairly comprehensive.
Here is 2009 at its theatrical best:
Best Musical (Professional)
“Wicked”: National tour
“Miss Saigon”: Pioneer Theatre Company
“Camelot”: Utah Festival Opera
Best Play (Professional)
“The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)”: Utah Shakespearean Festival
“Master Class”: Salt Lake Acting Company
“Foxfire”: USF
“End Days”: SLAC
“Dial ‘M’ for Murder”: PTC
Best Productions (Semiprofessional)
“Sleepy Hollow”: Weber State University
“The Fantasticks”: Sundance Summer Theatre
“The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas”: Dark Horse Company Theatre
“Musical of Musicals”: The Grand Theatre
“The Scarlet Pimpernel”: Hale Centre Theatre
“Phantom”: HCT
Best Actor (Professional)
Charles Lynn Frost, “The Passion of Sister Dottie S. Dixon,” Pygmalion Theatre Company
Geoffrey Kent, Quinn Mattfeld and Matthew Mueller, “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged),” USF
Brian Vaughn, “Henry V,” USF
Mark Womack, Josh Powell, “Camelot,” UFO
Kirt Bateman, “Di Esperienza,” Plan-B Theatre Company
Best Actress (Professional)
Anne Cullimore Decker, “Master Class,” SLAC
Joyce Cohen, “Foxfire,” USF
Carol Linnea Johnson, “Private Lives,” USF
Melinda Parrett, “As You Like It,” USF
Shannon Tyo, “Miss Saigon,” PTC
Best Actor (Semiprofessional)
Darick Pead, “The Fantasticks,” Sundance
Dan Larrinaga, “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas,” Dark Horse
Kyle Olsen, “The Musical of Musicals the Musical,” The Grand
Kevin Killian Goertzen, Brian Neal Clark, “The Scarlet Pimpernel,” HCT
Paul Cartwright, “Curtains,” Hale
Best Actress(Semiprofessional)
Kelsie Jepsen, “I Ought to Be in Pictures,” Utah Theatre Artists Company
Jenny Latimer, “The Scarlet Pimpernel,” HCT
Brooklyn Pulver, “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas,” Dark Horse
Double Duty
Here is a list of actors both professional and nonprofessional who deserve a double nod for outstanding work in not one, but two of this year’s productions:
Don Burroughs: “Private Lives,” USF; “A Christmas Story,” PTC
Jonathan Scott McBride: “Phantom,” Hale; “A New Brain,” Dark Horse
Camille Gerber Van Wagoner: “Hello, Dolly!” Hale; “Curtains,” Hale
Colleen Baum: “End Days,” SLAC; “Go, Dog. Go!” SLAC
Angela Jeffries: “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” Rodgers Memorial Theatre; “Sleepy Hollow,” WSU
Addison Welch: “Musical of Musicals,” Grand; “Sleepy Hollow,” WSU
Other 2009 Standing Ovations
Being able to share my love of theater with my 2-year-old when I took her to SLAC’S first-ever children’s play; a delightful, colorful production based on the beloved book, “Go, Dog. Go!”
The beautifully choreographed and designed chase scene in WSU’s “Sleepy Hollow” — worth the price of admission.
Every time the Lolly Poppers sang their gorgeous harmonies in SLAC’s “Saturday’s Voyeur.”
The technical wizardry and tremendous show of strength for “Treasure Island” at Hale Centre Theatre. Kacey Udy turned the small arena stage into turbulent ocean, and Garrick Dean and Josh Richardson hopped on one leg for more than two hours as the one-legged pirate Long John Silver.
The wonderfully descriptive words in Matthew Ivan Bennett’s adaptation for Plan-B’s “Radio Hour: Alice.”
Brandon Cecala’s moments at the piano in Hale’s “Curtains.”
The first moment the car takes flight in the national tour of “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.”
Seeing a true community effort during Rodgers Memorial Theatre’s production of “The Wizard of Oz,” an absolutely delightful show. Ditto its rendition of “Joseph.”
And the 2009 best stage kiss award goes to B.J. Whimpey, who planted a great one on his Katrina, played by Emilie Starr, as he heads off to fight in “Sleepy Hollow.”
And a year-end thank you to my mom, who watches the wee babe on the majority of my theater nights; my husband, who watches her on the others; my editors, who help me navigate tricky sensitivity ratings; and my theater buddy, who bravely ventures out with me to see all that Utah theater has to offer, turning “work” into immense joy.
e-mail: ehansen@desnews.com
By Kelly Ashkettle
Note: When actor Charles Lynn Frost was hospitalized with H1N1 in October, the remaining six performances of The Passion of Sister Dottie S. Dixon: Second Helpings” had to be postponed. When we learned that Frost’s recovery would mean three rescheduled shows in the larger Jeanné Wagner Theatre in January, we decided to hold my review until then. So at long last, I can let you know what I thought about my “Second Helpings.”
It’s been said that the highest aim of theater should be to leave the audience moved. If that’s true, then “The Passion of Sister Dottie S. Dixon: Second Helpings” has succeeded on an extraordinary level.
This second incarnation of the show is an evolution; those who didn’t see the first one will still see all its essential points, but those who did will find that the new version builds on their previous experience.
There was a knowingness to the Saturday night crowd; the vibe was that they were attending something they already knew they liked. While Dartsey FoxMoreland (Kent Frogley) played the opening prelude music, people laughed at her intentional mistakes, sang along to some of the words, and clapped enthusiastically and simultaneously on the beats when she played, “If you’re happy and you know it clap your hands.” It was a shared group experience that reminded me of attending a showing of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” only instead of throwing rice and hot dogs at the screen, Dottie gives you cookies and cushions.
Recent Comments