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'Oklahoma!' goes Ogden
It's a tale told in Western Indian Territory, full of sound and fury, signifying just about everything people hold dear about musical theater. So by all means, save a date for Terrace Plaza Playhouse's production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's immortal "Oklahoma!", running Feb. 25 through April 9. This one casts April Henderson of Woods Cross as Laurey Williams and Cameron Kapetanov of Ogden as Curly McLain. Sally Paskins conducts. If you have children, be certain to bring them, too. This is theater bursting at the seams with great songs. And if your offspring don't know them, they won't understand a host of cultural reference points that have found their way into everything from "Simpsons" episodes to Microsoft's commercials for the Bing search engine.
When • Feb. 25-April 9, Friday, Saturday and Monday, 7:30 p.m.
Where • Terrace Plaza Playhouse, 99 E. 4700 South, Ogden
Info • $7-$12. Call 801-393-0070 or visit http://www.terraceplayhouse.com for more information.
Shakespeare on screen
The Utah Shakespeare Festival continues celebrations for its 50th year with a series of free classic film adaptations from Shakespeare. The series kicks off this Thursday at 7 p.m. with the 1956 version of "Richard III," starring Sir Laurence Olivier as the hunchbacked Duke of Gloucester. The film inspired not just the original version of "Blackadder" but also the stage antics of Sex Pistols frontman Johnny "Rotten" Lydon. Each screening in the series offers a question-and-answer period from a local expert on the play for insight and context. Festival director Michael Bahr will host this Thursday's screening. Other films in the series include the 1935 version of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" starring Mickey Rooney, Franco Zeffirelli's 1990 "Hamlet" with Mel Gibson on March 17, Orson Welles' grand 1948 version of "Macbeth," and the unrelentingly bleak 1971 adaptation of "King Lear" by British director Peter Brook. March 10 offers Zeffirelli's other Shakespeare favorite, his 1968 adaptation of "Romeo and Juliet." Apart from this film's sumptuous sets, the sight of Olivia Hussey as Juliet stopped the hearts of teenage boys everywhere.
When • Every Thursday, 7 p.m., Feb. 24-March 31
Where • Southern Utah University Smith Center Movie Theatre, 350 W. Center St., Cedar City
Info • Free. Call 435-586-1970 for more information, or visit http://www.bard.org.
Bedside drama
The performing-arts wing of Juan Diego Catholic High School takes on Hans Christian Andersen's classic tal "The Princess and the Pea" in its musical incarnation, "Once Upon a Mattress." Trading in the original tale's quaint narrative, this version promises a drama with "turns hilarious and raucous, romantic and melodic" with "sidesplitting shenanigans," according to press materials. Lauren Rathbun plays Princess Winnifred with Matthew Voegli as Prince Dauntless.
When • Feb. 23-26, 7 p.m.
Where • Juan Diego Catholic High School auditorium, 300 E. 11800 South, Draper
Info • $5-$8. Call 801-984-7650 for more information, or visit http://www.jdchs.org.
Love, scene and heard
"I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change," the creation of Joe Di Pietro with music by Jimmy Roberts, wowed audiences in England and the United States, marching all the way toward the Outer Critics Circle Award as Outstanding Off-Broadway Musical in 1997. Pinnacle Acting Company offers up its best acting chops for this drama about "everything you have ever secretly thought about dating, romance, marriage, lovers, husbands, wives and in-laws but were afraid to admit." Like that great big subject called love, this is a musical comedy with a lot on its mind.
When • Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Feb. 18-March 5, 7:30 p.m.; March 5, 2 p.m. matinee
Where • Midvale Performing Arts Center in the Old City Hall building, 695 W. Center St. (7720 South)
Info • $15. Call 801-634-5802 for more information, or visit http://www.pinnacleactingcompany.org.
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