Literature

Like a living pop-up book, Ballet West opens a toy treasure chest in sensational, touching Utah premiere production of Trey McIntyre’s Peter Pan

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To borrow the words of Adam Sklute, Ballet West’s artistic director, Trey McIntyre’s Peter Pan becomes “almost a living pop-up book.” The company’s Utah premiere of this 2002 evening-length ballet affirmed these words, with sensational and touching impact in every facet of the production. It was a toy treasure chest: Wiliam Lynch’s raw charisma and … Read more

PYGmalion Productions’ Utah premiere of Sarah Ruhl’s Becky Nurse of Salem is sharp-witted, superbly acted, crisp in its rollicking pace

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At a time when many are trying furiously to erase the past rather than expose it, a play like Sarah Ruhl’s Becky Nurse of Salem: A Contemporary Comedy about a Historical Tragedy, hits the zeitgeist punch with illuminating humor and intelligent drama which telegraph the real meaning of witch hunts. With Morag Shepherd’s sharp-witted direction, … Read more

Neverland’s magic set to arrive in downtown Salt Lake City, as Ballet West offers Utah premiere of Trey McIntyre’s Peter Pan

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Puer Aeternus translates from Latin into eternal boy, a mythological description of an eternally young child-God. All children, except one, grow up. In J.M. Barrie’s timeless classic, Peter Pan’s eternal youth is preserved and in both the play and novel the author wrote, Peter teaches the Darling children to fly, thanks to sparking their imagination … Read more

Chamber theater at its intellectual elegance: Voodoo Theatre Company’s production of Kristina Leach’s Grasmere is fine docudrama

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Focusing on the experiences of some of the greatest figures in English literature, Kristina Leach’s Grasmere, a theatrical docudrama that weaves historical facts with speculative fiction, can only work if the chamber ensemble of four actors truly comprehends the actual legacy to which they have been tasked to interpret on stage. In the case of … Read more

Fearless, fierce and indomitable in human spirit: The Utah Review’s Top Ten Moments of the Utah Enlightenment in 2025

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This year’s selections in The Utah Review for the top ten moments of the Utah Enlightenment in 2025, the eleventh annual edition, stood out for being fearless, fierce and indomitable in human spirit. Wholly liberated, art ensures nothing is erased, censored or compromised. Reiterating the core premise of the Utah Enlightenment: In Utah, there are … Read more

Torrey House Press series: Eli J. Knapp’s In the Crosswinds: Birds, Humans, and the Paradox of Place is witty, humble, compassionate book perfect to tuck into outdoor adventure backpack

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EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the sixth in an ongoing series of features highlighting authors and new books published by Torrey House Press in Utah.  In an earlier Torrey House Press book, The Delightful Horror of Family Birding: Sharing Nature with The Next Generation, Eli J. Knapp, with a unique blend of humility and humor, described … Read more

A masterpiece of enlightened American West storytelling: Torrey House Press publishes Karin Anderson novel, Things I Didn’t Do

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EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the fifth in an ongoing series of features highlighting authors and new books published by Torrey House Press in Utah.  There is only one fiction book being published this year by Torrey House Press, but it is an impressive newcomer to the pantheon of outstanding Utah narratives. Karin Anderson’s Things I … Read more

UtahPresents’ 10th anniversary season is a blockbuster slate, with jazz, theater, dance, film, music and circus

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Marking its tenth anniversary season, UtahPresents, a major  performing arts presenter at the University of Utah, has a blockbuster slate for the 2025-2026 season. This includes a phenomenal four-concert jazz series, a trio of internationally acclaimed dance companies on tour, several intriguing theatrical productions touching on contemporary social issues, programs featuring some of Utah’s best-known … Read more

Summer review roundup: Twofold (RDT Link Series), Intermezzo Chamber Music Series, Rose Performing Arts Coalition’s Our Carnival of the Animals

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TWOFOLD: REPERTORY DANCE THEATRE LINK SERIES In an internationally recognized hub of modern and contemporary dance such as Salt Lake City, nearly every week brings a show that reflects just how high the bar of excellence is pitched when it comes to movement. As part of Repertory Dance Theatre’s Link Series offerings, always worth checking … Read more

Torrey House Press series: Witty and absorbing, Dallin Kohler’s PYRO: The Quest for a Beautifully Elusive Snake brings readers wonderfully into the world of herpetology

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EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the fourth in an ongoing series of features highlighting authors and new books published by Torrey House Press in Utah.  “Publish or perish” is still the operating mantra for any budding scientist. From Meridian, Idaho, Dallin Kohler understood the assignment as a herpetologist seeking to establish his credibility in his chosen … Read more