Showing posts with label Desert Star. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Desert Star. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Winner of 2 Tickets to The Hungry Games


 If you didn't win, don't fear there are more opportunities if you follow Desert Star's Facebook page. The Hungry Games will be playing until November 9th.
The winner for 2 tickets to the Desert Star's funny The Hungry Games is...
#49 Melissa Curran

Congratulations. Please respond to my email within 48 hours to claim your tickets. Otherwise I will have to pick a new winner.

I also am excited about next years shows coming up. If you want the most bang for your buck, I highly suggest season tickets. My husband and I  have loved buying season tickets years past for our Christmas present to each other. Than we had guaranteed date nights for the rest of the year.

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

The Hungry Games Review and Giveaway

Did I just read that right? "The Hungry Games?" That must be a typo! Nope , it's not. I went and saw "The Hungry Games" over the weekend at the one and only Desert Star Theater.

I think this will be on my list of top 3 shows I have ever seen at the Desert Star. So I wonder, what makes this show so much funnier than any others?  Here's why I think it's amazingly witty:
1- I think the writer, Bryan Dayley, did a great job writing it. This is the foundation of any great performance. He not only knew the basis of the parody, but the audience and actors. I love the songs in it, they are so well balanced. They bring in not only a part of the story, a part of the character and yet some random stabs at typical desert star humor, ie. Utah life, politics, etc. All while being sung to a well known tune. Here is a fun video clip of how to write the perfect Desert Star show.

2. A great show needs great actors! Even with a great script if you don't have gifted actors, you're screwed. The actors did a phenomenal job. Not only are they great singers (Especially Jason Craig West) but are very versatile. Playing roles based on popular characters, but with a Desert Star twist, there is a lot that they have to portray. They have great facial expressions, dramatic voices, good comedic timing, and reading the audience. I love how they make each other laugh on stage as well.
3.  Desert Star productions are usually based on popular and well known books or shows. Even if you haven't seen or read the show they are imitating you always have several good laughs at the Desert Star. However, if you are familiar with the basic story that is being parodied, you usually get more laughs out of it than those who aren't familiar with it. I enjoyed The Hunger Games books, and movie, making this more enjoyable for me.  If you haven't read them though, don't let that stop you! My husband hasn't read them and he loved the show. He too said it was one of the better shows he has seen there in a while.
So what is this raving show about? It's about an evil fast food owner Donald MacRonald and his daughter Little Debbie who try to get more publicity to their "tolerable" food. So they create the rigged Hungry Games. The contestants are the heroine Katnip Neverclean, her odd sister Grimrose Neverclean, the almost invisible Pizza Malarky, and Gail Rodriguez. All trained by the one and only Haymitch Hogan. As they journey to be the last one standing there are many fun adventures along the way. Including the evidence of Mormons- "They buried their food as part of a ritual called 'Food Storage.'"
Following the show their Olio is based on songs of comedy. It's a mix of some favorite comedic songs through the years. As a Hispanic my favorite being the song about Mexicans and the border. As a little taste of what you will get here is a clip of  me and my sons favorite Olio pieces performed during an Olio, "Defying Gravity."

The show plays till November 8th. So be sure to book your show today! The closer it gets to the close of the show the busier it gets. Their box office is great to work with. I recommend opening up the seating chart when you call them or just order your tickets right online.
The Desert Star is giving away 2 tickets to this fabulous production! Just use the rafflecopter below to enter. Please note that the Desert Star is in Murray, UT making this giveaway for Utah residents only!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
This giveaway opens 9/18/13 at 12:00 AM and closes 9/25/13 at 12:00 AM. It is open to Utah Residents only. Winner will be notified within 48 hours. Winner must respond within 48 hours or a new winner will be chosen.

Tuesday, April 30, 2013

The Desert Star's Les Miserables Winner

I am so excited to announce this time's winner to Desert Star's production of Les Miserables. If I you don't see an email from me soon, then make sure to email me at utahqueenofchaos@gmail.com.
You will be sure to have an evening full of laughs and fun. There show has lots of fun audience participation moments, maybe you will get lucky.
The Lucky Winner is......  Jennifer Isbell.



If you didn't win, don't let that stop you from this fabulous show! You can like there facebook page for other chances to win, or follow their blog http://desertstarplayhouse.blogspot.com/. It is worth every penny! We had so much fun just the two of us away from the kids. It is family friendly theater, but not for kids under the age of 3.

Call the box office at 801-266-2600 M-Sat from 10 A.M.- 9 P.M. Their staff is top notch, and let's face it, good customer service is a rarity. I always recommend pulling up the seating chart on your computer while you are scheduling your tickets.

 
Keep your eyes open for next time's performance as well. It's never too early to purchase tickets at the Desert Star. Plus it's a great place to embarrass loved one's for birthday's or anniversary's. Just let them know at the box office who's special day it is. You may even be as lucky as we were last time to see a real proposal happen.
 
Go to Desertstar.biz for more information!

 

Sunday, April 21, 2013

Les Miserables Review & Giveaway


Yet again the Desert Star Playhouse strikes gold. I know this is a very popular show right now, but this is the only version of Les Mis that will have you laughing throughout. Of all the production's I have seen at the Deseret Star, this is one of the best written yet. My husband even commented that it is his favorite show so far that he has seen; considering we have been going for about 8 years that's saying something!
Les Miserables –Or– A Lot Less Miserable follows the basis of the story line pretty close considering it's a parody of the real Les Mis. They still sing along to some of your favorite songs only with different lyrics as well as some other well known songs. There is still no lack of jokes, sarcasm or talent.

I was very pleased to see my favorite actress Kerstin Davis, playing the part of Cassete. Her talent and personality is capturing and captivating. She knows how to capture her audience when she enters the stage. Her facial expressions and voice inflections alone will have you laughing. She also has great audience interaction, especially in the olio!
Justin Berry also does a great job. He had the best and most consistent french accent through out the show. Him and Julie Heaton may sing some silly things but there is no doubt they have some amazing voices! Especially Julie in, "On My Own." The scene where she comes flying in with a huge hat is one of my favorites. She kept accidentally kept turning around so she added some unwritten humor to the show, one of those you had to be there to get it things. Desert Star has lots of those.
Rick Miller is also a great singer. A little harder to understand sometimes, but then again sometimes he was literally saying jibberish for the sake of the scene. My favorite was when he would improve and interact with the audience. To watch the other cast members try to stay in character is always my favorite part.

My husband and I both got a kick out of the characters portrayed by Todd Michael Thompson and Camee Faulk. Their facial expressions, narrations and side jokes were perfectly timed. Camee also has great facial expressions. Their make up and costumes were perfect and added to their characters so well. Both did a great job playing their character and adding their own personality to their parts. My husband said they were his favorite to watch.
Corey Brandenburger was spot on as always and he does a great impression of the priest from "The Princess Bride." Mekenzie Heaton was an actress I hadn't seen there before, but she also added her own spunk to her part. She fit right in with the cast, and was a delight to watch.
The nice thing about the Desert Star theater is there isn't really a bad seat in the house. I have sat in the front row all the way to the back row. This time we were so fortunate to sit behind the pianist, Jordan Richardson. It makes me wish I would have stuck with piano. To watch his fingers fly was pretty amazing. Let's face it, with out his accompaniment the show would be way dry and less entertaining! he also has a lot of cues for audience interaction scenes. Even if the actors give him a hard time about being late for some of them.
The whole show is entertaining no matter how familiar you are with Les Mis. You are guaranteed to have a good time, and laugh a lot. The food isn't too bad either. I ordered their nachos with honey chipotle ranch and they were the perfect bonus to a great show. They have pizza, ice creams, shakes and so much more yummy goodness.
The show is running till June 8th and the closer you get to the end, the quicker they sell out. Hop online to check out dates and prices at desertstar.biz/.
Enter the rafflecopter below to enter in the drawing for a chance to win 2 tickets to Desert Star Playhouse's production of Les Mes.
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/2ed4ad2/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway


I received free tickets in exchange for my honest review. No other compensation was received.
Read my review of their last production here.