REVIEW: “Crucible” provides moral tale; “Kismet” needed more strong players

Some seasons, the Utah Festival Opera Company throws its patrons a curve. “Juius Caesar” from a few years ago comes to mind, with the lead singing in an unexpected falsetto. Other times the more-well-known Broadway musical on the playlist ends up being a very simple production, compared to the more involved “high opera” of other titles of that season. Sometimes the curve is an expected thrill, such as last season’s “La Cenerentola,” a powerful ride right from the prelude.

This year’s curve might well be “The Crucible.” It’s hard to pin down, hard to define, but ends up being quite satisfying. It is high drama more than high opera. It is intense and adult and the music is, frankly, an afterthought. The underscore is important and actors show their musical abilities by working hard to put their lines to music, but you won’t go home with a memorable tune in your head.

The first of four acts was plain and flat and while serving up some background into the Salem circa 1692, provided little emotion. The second act kicks up the needed emotion a notch. The audience then begins to feel some pain and the passion of an emotional John Proctor (Kristopher Irmiter) and Elizabeth Proctor (Carla Rae Cook). There are solid supporting actors here, as well (Nina Yoshida as Rebecca Nurse, Raymond Meyers as Giles Cory and especially Rachel Sliker as Ann Putnam come to mind), but the production circles around the Couple Proctor. Important adult issues, such as fidelity and honesty swirl around the witch trials that have begun in the town.

Are the young women in the town — causing havoc with their claims of devil worship and witchcraft — merely putting on a show for their own amusement or has there been a private evil done here? No one can seem to escape the pointing finger of the persuasive Abigail Williams, especially John Proctor, who now regrets a past moment of indiscretion with the young Miss Williams.

Daniel Cole as the Rev. John Hale and Irmiter both have fine deep tones that easily reach the back row of the Eccles Theatre. Their bass battles are a notable point of interest. Both Cook and Joy Hermalyn (playing Abigail) are easy to listen to and their vocals were right on target.

A moral lesson-giver, “The Crucible” ends up being an examination of responsibility and consequences, neither of which should throw anyone a curve in today’s society.

“Kismet” was quite watchable, though not remarkable, mostly because of the talent of a few key performers. But overall the production appeared to be disjointed and ill-at-ease. There were problems with scenery not getting quite all the way off stage, with projection (who had microphones for projection and who didn’t … and why?), some of the costumes were odd (a UFOC patron near to me described one costume as “hideous”), and some of the chorus numbers were, well, indistinct.

Standing out were Terry Hodges as The Wazir of Police, more for his characterizations than singing. His laugh was absolutely infectious and his voice rich at all times. Hajj the beggar (Kyle Pfortmiller), around whom much of the story swirls, is also strong. As is common in such tales, a love-at-first-sight duo must be included. Katrina Twitty is likable as Marsinah while Michael Jones as the Caliph is less so.

Luckily, the light-hearted tale of a beggar becoming an important man in Baghdad while his daughter is finally able to marry a prince carries us along. The production needed more of the strength of Pfortmiller and Hodges to push it over the top to the point of being memorable.