Review: Ogden Musical Theatre’s ‘A Tale of Two Cities’ In Concert

REVIEW

Chamber Orchestra Ogden performs alongside 36 vocalists and actors in A Tale of Two Cities. Photo courtesy of Ogden Musical Theatre

“A Tale of Two Cities: In Concert” is a timely selection for Ogden Musical Theatre’s annual spring musical. The production is a beautiful theatrical escape and a lens into cyclical patterns of class struggle and oppression throughout human history and today. For those who love music, the famous Charles Dickens historical novel set during the French Revolution, or both, this production is worth considering before it closes on Saturday.

It’s a chance to see a powerful, lesser-known musical that opened on Broadway to mixed reviews in 2008 and closed after only 68 performances (producers cited the economic crisis as a factor). The musical won several awards and continues to be produced around the world, though some critics couldn’t resist the urge to reference the famous line: “It is not the best of shows; it is not the worst of shows.”

But it’s one of the best of OMT, fully utilizing the play’s opportunity for powerful vocal moments. Leads Jessica Knowles Andrus (Madame Defarge), Kyle Olsen (Sydney Carton), Logan Morrill (Charles Darnay), and Emma Otis (Lucie Manette) give standout performances backed by the 20-piece Chamber Orchestra Ogden live on stage.

Left to Right: Kyle Olsen (Sydney Carton), Jessica Knowles Andrus (Madame Defarge), Logan Morrill (Charles Darnay), and Emma Otis (Lucie Manette). Performance photos courtesy of Ogden Musical Theatre

Drama, singing, and strings against a backdrop of history, with themes beckoning to current socio-economic conditions inside Ogden’s historic 100-year-old theater… it’s hard not to be emotionally stirred. I was elated to enjoy a local craft beer and buttery popcorn at the same time! Bonus points for the refreshments stand, and a warning: it usually shuts down after intermission.

“A Tale of Two Cities: In Concert,” presented by Ogden Musical Theatre and directed by Maddie Tarbox, plays at the historic Peery’s Egyptian Theater for three more performances on Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and a Saturday matinee at 2 p.m.

For tickets and more information, visit ogdenpet.com/events or call the box office: 801-689.8700.