Several musicals and comedies are opening on local stages this week.
"THE FULL MONTY," the Broadway musical based on the British film about a group of unemployed blue-collar workers and their bold idea to come up with some quick cash, opens Friday in the Egyptian Theatre in Park City, where it continues through March 11.
With a script by Terrence McNally and music and lyrics by David Yazbek, the stage musical is an Americanized version of the British comedy.
Dana Keiter is directing a cast that includes Danny Tarasevich as Jerry, a defiant, down-on-his-luck father about to lose joint custody of his son; Kenneth Wayne as Dave, his not-quite-buff buddy; Timothy Goins as Horse, fired from McDonald's because he isn't friendly enough; Chadwick Taylor as Malcolm, a suicidal night watchman; David Whitlock as Harold, the group's reluctant choreographer; and Jon Copier as Ethan, who makes up for his lack of talent in other ways.
Tickets range from $16-$32. All seats are reserved and this production does not have cabaret seating available. The opening night performance is at 8 p.m. (to allow for a preshow gala). Regular performances are 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays-Saturdays with three Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. on Feb. 19 and 26 and March 5 (435-649-9371 or 888-243-5779 or online at www.egyptiantheatrecompany.org).
The theater company advises that "The Full Monty" isn't bawdy but does contain partial and full (but disguised) nudity and other adult material; not suitable for preteens.
"WEST SIDE STORY," the landmark musical based on Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet," opens Friday and plays through April 3 at Hale Center Theater in Orem, 225 W. 400 North.
Co-directed by Kathryn Laycock and Howard Little, the double-cast ensemble includes Brad McOmber and David Smith as Tony, Rachel Lynn Woodward and Brittni Bills as Maria, Stacia Hardy and Kyleen Riggs-Pritchett as Anita and Jaymz Tuaileva single-cast as Bernardo.
Performances are 7:30 p.m. nightly except Sunday, with Saturday matinees at 3:30 p.m. on March 11, 18 and 25. Tickets range from $12.50-$16.50 (226-8600). There will be no performances on Feb. 15, 21 and 22.
"PICASSO AT THE LAPINE AGILE," written by Steve Martin, takes a "what-if" approach to a possible meeting between disheveled genius Einstein and French painter Picasso.
The comedy is being staged Thursday through Feb. 18 by Utah State University's theater department in the Caine Lyric Theatre, 28 W. Center in downtown Logan. The show is co-directed by Kevin Doyle and undergraduate student Richie Call.
Performances are Thursday-Saturday this week and Wednesday-Saturday the following week, all at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $6-$9, with group discounts available (435-797-0305). The production is suitable for patrons 13 and up.
"FOREVER PLAID," the popular off Broadway musical showcasing "guy-group" tunes from the 1950s and '60s, will have a slightly different twist when it plays from Thursday through March 20 at St. George Musical Theatre, 37 S. 100 West, St. George.
The production is double-cast, with a younger foursome (dubbed The Plaids) performing Mondays and Fridays and a more mature quartet The Forevers) playing on Thursdays and Saturdays, with some exceptions.
Tickets are $10-$15 for adults, $10-$13 for senior citizens and students, and $8-$10 for children. There are also discounted "student rush" tickets — $7 each for any tickets available on the day of the show (at the door only). For reservations, call 435-628-8755.
BABCOCK PERFORMING READERS will host an evening of "Poetry From Down Under and From the Top of the World" on Thursday, 7:30 p.m. in the University of Utah's Language and Communications Building auditorium, located just southeast of the Union Building.
The program includes Australian native Lauraine Stephens presenting works by Les Murray and Aboriginal activist Kath Walker; William and Mavis Oswald reciting works of women who survived the Gulag; Jean Jensen, an adviser on Russian culture, reading Alexander Pushkin's "Bronze Horseman," and Rosemary Fairbourn exploring Russian poetry by Pushkin and Yevgeni Yevtushenko (free and open to the public).
"PUSSYCAT," an original play by Troy Deutsch first performed this past November in the University of Utah's Studio 115, has been selected as a regional
finalist for the American College Theatre Festival and invited to be performed at Southern Utah University, Cedar City, on Feb. 16.
In advance of the ACTF competition, "Pussycat" will have a free performance on Saturday at 11 a.m. in the U.'s Studio 115 Theatre, in the Performing Arts Building, directly west of the campus bookstore. Due to the nature of the subject matter — the "rave-scene" culture — the play is not recommended for children.
HUNT MYSTERIES has scheduled six performances of three audience-participation productions this week and next as Valentine's events.
"WKLL Radio Murder Mystery Hour" will be staged on Friday at the Embassy Suites, 110 W. 600 South; on Saturday at the Copper Mill, 55 N. Main, Logan, and on Feb. 14 at the Comfort Suites, 2250 S. 1200 West, Ogden.
"Godfather of the Bride" is scheduled for Friday at Comfort Suites and Saturday at Embassy Suites.
"The Phantom Killer" is Feb. 14 at Embassy Suites.
For all reservations, call Hunt Mysteries at 569-1482 or toll-free at 866-569-1482 or online at www.huntmysteries.com. Tickets range from $22 to $33.
"BLACK BOY," a one-man performance featuring Broadway actor Charles Holt and based on Richard Wright's autobiographical coming-of-age story, will have two free performances this week as part of Black History Month.
Holt will perform the piece on Tuesday at 11:30 a.m. in the Auditorium Theatre at Southern Utah University, Cedar City, as part of the school's Convocation Lecture Series. The performance will be followed by a question-and-answer session at 12:30 p.m.
On Feb. 10 at 7:30 p.m. Holt will perform in the Jewett Center's Dumke Student Theatre at Westminster College, 1250 E. 1700 South.
"WILLIAM TELL," a staged reading of Friedrich Schiller's political adventure, will be presented on Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 p.m. by StageRight TheaterCompany, 5001 S. Highland Drive.
Beth Bruner is directing a cast that includes Rob Luckau, Leisel Bonell, Mark White, Jonathan Draxton, Scott Thompson and Jacob Bruner.
Tickets are $5 (272-3445).
A BROADWAY REVUE, featuring music for both listening and dancing, is being scheduled as a Valentine's Day event by the Farmington City Arts Council on Saturday at 7 p.m. in the Community Arts Center, 12 S. Main. Admission is $3 each. Refreshments will also be available (451-0953).
"JARED HAWTHORNE, MARRIAGE COUNSELOR TO THE STARS," written by Derrick Duncan, will have four encore performances Friday and Saturday and Feb. 10 and 11 at 7:30 p.m. at the Art City Playhouse, 254 S. Main, Springville. Tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for senior citizens, students and children (735-4543).
"THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES," Eve Ensler's controversial performance piece, is making the rounds as a benefit for "V-Day: Until the Violence Stops," a nationwide campaign raising funds for community groups fighting domestic violence. Performances are Friday at 7 p.m. in Kingsbury Hall, where tickets are $15 and $25 (581-7100) and Saturday, at 2 and 7:30 p.m., in the Wildcat Theater of Weber State University's Shepherd Union Building, Ogden, where admission is $10 for students and $15 for all others (626-8500 or 800-978-8457). The production contains an abundance of graphic sexual material.
E-mail: ivan@desnews.com