Review: THIS IS MY BODY at Augustana University TheatreMarch 1, 2024A compelling depiction of generational trauma and perseverance. The World Premiere of THIS IS MY BODY by Grace Ahles, Hanna Beshai, and Richard W. Swanson at Edith Mortenson Centre theatre is a throughtfully presented piece of theatrical collaboration. It should be noted with some studied admiration, that the set is a masterful work of construction and design.
Review: BEETLEJUICE at Washington PavilionSeptember 27, 2023What did our critic think of BEETLEJUICE at Washington Pavilion? Shows like BEETLEJUICE, touring the country and showing at the Washington Pavilion’s Mary Sommervold Hall this week are a visual spectacle of lighting and scene design genius. As the show opens the effects that draw us into this wacky tale on the subject of “death” are mesmerizing and sometimes hypnotic in the way that our eye is drawn into the scene
Review: GREASE at The Premiere PlayhouseJune 23, 2023The Premiere Playhouse production of Grease checks off a lot of the boxes of what a great night at the theatre is all about. The band, led by Music Director Matthew Walicke provided a tight sound for this talented cast to rely on by setting a great pace and maintaining a good flow to this production. They facilitated seamless scene changes with their reprises and added a nice level of energy to the production.
Review: DEAR EVAN HANSEN at Washington PavilionApril 19, 2023What did our critic think of DEAR EVAN HANSEN at Washington Pavilion? The touring production of DEAR EVAN HANSEN opened on Thursday, April 18th in the Mary Sommervold Hall at the Washington Pavilion with the preshow sounds of social media alerts and a visual array of platforms streaming via projections on a stage with 25 foot panels that also moved throughout the show to create the scenes of this complicated, emotional story of a young man caught up in a heartbreaking lie.
Review: LEGALLY BLONDE - THE MUSICAL at Washington PavilionNovember 16, 2022LEGALLY BLONDE - THE MUSICAL is an adaptation of the cult classic movie of 2001 and is jam-packed with energy and at the very least, will be a great way to spend a couple of hours on a cold night in November in Sioux Falls. At its deepest levels, it will give you reasons to reflect on themes that are all too often humanly common, but presented most enjoyably in a campy production in the Washington Pavilion Performance Series.
Review: BUDDY - THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY at Washington PavilionNovember 3, 2022The touring company BUDDY - THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY is flush with musical talent. Every performer is an actor and a musician. We are introduced to a 19 year old Buddy Holly and his bandmates/friends as they start to introduce their 'own kind of music' which happens to be rock and roll, on a country radio station program in Lubbock, Texas. Therein lies the first big conflict of the Buddy Holly Story to overcome.
Review: THE BOOK OF MORMON at Washington PavilionOctober 22, 2022Sioux Falls audiences have a rare opportunity to experience the sheer magnitude of the 'WOW Factor' this weekend with a touring production of THE BOOK OF MORMON at the Washington Pavilion. Every detail from a beautiful and super-efficient functioning set design, to some magical lighting designs and special effects of this production are some of the best this reviewer has seen in any Broadway touring company production.

Interview: Sam McLellan of THE BOOK OF MORMON at Washington PavilionOctober 21, 2022It was a pleasure to hear the pure excitement and energy in Sam McLellan's voice as I spoke with him by phone today. The cast and crew are just rolling into Sioux Falls to bring THE BOOK OF MORMON to the audiences at the Washington Pavilion, and Sam took a few minutes to visit with me. Sam is a graduate of University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point and does have a little experience with the missionary life, in that he spent 15 years of his life in Mexico with his missionary parents ( they're not Mormon though). I wondered how that experience might inform his performance as Elder Price in this production, but he indicated that it really informs his performance only in that it informs his own person and character in real life. He indicated having an awareness and respect for the work of missionaries in their attempts to educate and inform people who may be somewhat resistant to the message of the mission. So, that sounds like a job in 'sales' to me, and I know from whence I speak.