By J. Michael Call

Utah musical theater lovers may have already heard Clinton native J. Michael Bailey sing the moving number “Bring Him Home” from the megahit musical “Les Misérables.”

But now audiences from Utah and beyond will have a chance to hear him sing not only that number, but all of Jean Valjean’s songs. Bailey has been selected to play the leading role in the Utah Shakespeare Festival’s upcoming production of the epic musical.

“It’s been something I’ve wanted to do for a long time,” Bailey said. “Now I get to own the role for up to six months, and it’s quite a thrill for me.”

After conducting a national casting search in New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles, artistic directors David Ivers and Brian Vaughn announced Bailey’s selection this week. They were familiar with Bailey’s work as he was in the festival’s 2009-10 acting company. Bailey played Jaggers in the premiere of the musical “Great Expectations” that season at the Cedar City festival.

In considering Bailey for the role of Valjean, the festival flew Bailey to Las Vegas and had him sing through the entire score.

“We needed to know if J. Michael had the vocal strength and range to withstand the demands of this show, and he nailed it,” said Ivers in a press release.

Bailey, who lives in North Salt Lake, grew up on a small farm in Clinton, where he played football and rode horses. He was 18 when he saw his first production of “The Phantom of the Opera” and fell in love with the theater. He studied musical theater at Weber State University and now has over 20 years of experience acting and singing all over the state.

In addition to the festival, the actor with the melodic baritone has appeared in numerous concerts and theatrical productions along the Wasatch Front. Bailey was the Demon Barber of Fleet Street in “Sweeney Todd” at the Egyptian Theatre in Park City. He was recently the Cowardly Lion in Grand Theatre’s production of “The Wizard of Oz,” in which his wife, Mary Anderson Bailey, played the Wicked Witch of the West.

WSU audiences will also recognize him as Capt. Hook in “Peter Pan” and John Wilkes Booths in “Assassins”

Bailey also appeared for three years with a small group of other performers in the Broadway-style Valentine’s concerts at WSU. Bailey’s performance of “Bring Him Home” during those concerts always won enthusiastic applause.

Based on Victor Hugo’s classic novel, “Les Misérables” is an epic and uplifting story about the survival of the human spirit. It focuses on the struggles of ex-convict Jean Valjean as he searches for meaning, love and redemption in 19th-century France.

“I am so grateful that the festival is trusting me to play Jean Valjean,” said Bailey, who is the father of three children. “I feel a strong attachment to Valjean because of the passion and sacrifices he’s willing to make for his child. ‘Les Misérables’ is the ultimate love story with justice, redemption, forgiveness, truth and hope; what more could an actor ask for?”

The musical includes some of theater’s most memorable songs: “I Dreamed a Dream,” “On My Own,” “Bring Him Home” and “Do You Hear the People Sing,” among others.

Written and composed by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg, with lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer, “Les Misérables” is the world’s longest-running musical. It will be playing in the festival’s Randall L. Jones Theatre from June 23 to October 20. The show may be extended, Bailey said, depending on audience support.

For more information or to buy tickets call 1-800-PLAYTIX or check online at www.bard.org.

The original story can be found here.

OGDEN — Utah Opera’s upcoming “The Elixir of Love” puts a Western spin on Gaetano Donizetti’s Italian classic opera, and the Ogden Opera Guild will present a sneak peek of the show this week at Weber State University.

The preview presentation begins at 1:30 p.m. Thursday in the Browning Center’s Garrison Choral Room (Room 134) on campus, 3848 Harrison Blvd. Admission is free.

The reimagined rendition tells the tale of a timid ranch hand named Nemorino, who can’t get up the nerve to declare his love for a sassy cowgirl who goes by the name of Adina. When a rival appears on the scene, Nemorino uses a magic elixir to give him the courage to find romance.

The guild will present a shortened version of the show, with several resident Utah Opera artists participating. The artists include baritone John Buffett, soprano Jennie Litster, mezzo-soprano Sishel Claverie, tenor Andrew Penning and pianist Daveth Clark. The presentation is made possible through a RAMP grant.

Utah Opera presents “The Elixir of Love” March 10-18 at Capitol Theatre in Salt Lake City. Tickets are $16 to $85, available through ArtTix or by calling 888-451-ARTS (2787).

 

The original article can be found here.

By David Burger

Utah Public Radio’s newest program will be taped in front of a live audience in Utah on March 8.

In January UPR began airing the classical music program, "From the Top," twice a week. The show is a NPR-produced radio program.

Weber State University in Ogden is hosting a taping of the show on March 8, to be broadcast nationally in April 2012.

Host Christopher O’Riley will present performances by talented young musicians on the stage at Weber State University’s Browning Center for the Performing Arts.

"From the Top" is an hour-long program showcasing five high-caliber performances along with interviews, sketches and games. Taped before live audiences in concert halls from Boston to Honolulu, the show is now in its 12th broadcast year.

Utah Public Radio recently added "From the Top" to its list of classical music offerings, airing the program Friday afternoons at 2 p.m. with a repeat Sundays at 9 p.m.

A complete list of programs and station frequencies is posted online at www.upr.org, where visitors can also listen to a live stream of "From the Top" and other NPR programs.

In Ogden, listeners can hear UPR on 89.5 FM.

The event is open to the public and tickets are available at www.weberstatetickets.com or by calling 801-626-8500.

Utah Public Radio, a service of Utah State University, is Utah’s oldest public radio service and a member station of National Public Radio.

The original story can be found here.

By Guest Commentator Shaquille Heath 

I am the first from my family to graduate high school and choose to go to college. I grew up in Ogden in a family where college was never discussed. There wasn't an "easy path" for me to follow. In fact, there were many obstacles. My parents were too busy with selfish things, like drugs, to care about whether or not I even went to school. I did not have the types of influences in my life that would encourage me to pursue a degree.

There were nights when I wasn't sure if I would have a place to sleep, or food to eat, or clean clothes. With stressors like these in my life it was hard to even consider education beyond high school. And if I did, who would I turn to, to find information about furthering my education?

Fortunately for me, two things happened that changed the course of my life. First, I able to find legal guardians that would love and supply necessities for me. They introduced me to a life of love and happiness, which coincidently also meant rules and guidelines. They have taught me the importance of higher education in my life.

And second, I met a wonderful woman named Lindsay Beddes who introduced me to the TRiO Talent Search program. TRiO Talent Search is a program that identifies and assists individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds who have the potential to succeed in higher education. In real terms, it helps students like me go to college. TRiO taught me about many colleges, took me on campus tours, and walked me through the processes of applying for admissions and federal student aid. Because of TRiO I was able to understand the importance of preparing academically for success in college, and I graduated from Ben Lomond High School having completed five concurrent enrollment courses.

Through TRiO Talent Search, I was offered multiple scholarships and had my choice of colleges. After weighing my options, I have decided to attend Weber State University where I will pursue a degree in communication: public relations and advertising.

TRiO programs assist students like me. And while there are more people like me then you might care to believe, TRiO believes in us. Unfortunately TRiO is at risk for further budget cuts, and I don't think our legislators understand the necessity of these programs.

Recently, Congress made a commitment to preserving the Pell Grant program, but what about programs that actually prepare students to attend college and be successful? How are we going to receive those benefits if we're not even prepared for college? I hope that by sharing my story, more people will see the value of federal education programs. Save TRiO, and invest in our future.

Article found here

There have been tears aplenty over the leaving and letting go.

She will miss the students and the making of memories. She will miss rehearsals and concerts and a brand-spanking-new dance studio.

And she will miss the costumes.

Yes, 30 years worth of costumes that dance teacher Melanie Clifford loves so dearly that she has even given them names.

There are the beautiful white Icarus dresses, named after a dance about the character in Greek mythology. And the classy formal attire for her "Fred (Astaire) and Ginger (Rogers)" holiday waltz. And the "Singing in the Rain" umbrellas.

"Some of them are named after students, because it was their dance," Clifford says.

All of this will be left behind as Clifford steps down this month from three decades as director of the performing arts dance program at Ben Lomond High School.

"It's time," says Clifford, whose exit stage left was prompted by a recent knee injury that leaves her unable to demonstrate dance steps to her students with the passion she believes is necessary.

"I can't give them what they need," she says.

Even so, saying goodbye is difficult, because dance has always been Clifford's passion, from the time she was a 4-year-old living in Iran and twirling about in exotic costumes to piano music played by her mother.

"I always thought of myself as a dancer," the graduate of Weber High School says. "Nobody ever told me I wasn't."

For love of dance

Despite the sadness, the move to retire is exciting, too, Clifford says.

"There are so many things to learn. I feel like I'm just graduating from high school again -- what am I going to do?"

Maybe she'll learn to play violin, or pick up her guitar again, besides exercising to improve that knee and enjoying her family.

"I'm not going to teach high school dance again, I'm going to dance with my grandbabies instead," the North Ogden resident says.

Not much dancing was going on at Ben Lomond High School when Clifford first arrived in the fall of 1982. There were only two dance classes and not even a room where the students could practice.

"We danced on the stage," Clifford says, or if the theater students needed to rehearse there, "I just taught wherever I could find a hall."

But by the next year, Clifford had a full program of dance classes and her own studio. Today, the recipient of 1989's Utah Dance Educator Award estimates she's schooled more than 6,000 students in the art of modern dance.

A wide range of students have been drawn to Clifford's program "for the love of the dance," says Peggy Dooling-Baker, acting principal of Ben Lomond High, and Clifford has helped stretch and expand their knowledge and creativity.

"We just love her and we're going to miss her desperately," says Dooling-Baker.

But the program Clifford established and nurtured will go on. "We want to build on the foundation she's given us and make it stronger."

Something more

Although her training was in the classical realm, Clifford says she's always gravitated -- ever since her childhood dancing in Iran -- to the modern dance she taught at Ben Lomond.

"My base was ballet, but my innate sense was modern," says Clifford, who also taught at Kearns High School and Ogden's Mound Fort Junior High before coming to Ben Lomond.

What does she love about dancing?

"I think it's the expression of it and the ability to touch hearts where maybe words can't," the Weber State University graduate says.

That feeling is something Clifford wants to pass on to her students, the idea that "they can move, they can express the joy of the moment."

But her job is really about much more than teaching teenagers how to execute dance steps, she adds. Through dance -- through all of the arts -- students learn about working toward a goal, communicating, cooperating and being kind to one another.

"I don't care if they become dancers," Clifford says, "but they need to become better people."

Taking wing

At the dance company's final concert under Clifford's direction in May, the students gave their instructor 34 red roses -- one for each of her years of teaching.

"Mrs. Clifford changes lives; Mrs. Clifford changed my life," said Linda Sanchez, a senior member of the dance company, after the concert.

Sanchez said she had never danced before she enrolled in Clifford's class as a freshman and now she plans to study dance at college next fall.

"I love her. ... She opened my eyes to different views of everything," Sanchez says.

For Faith Shreve Chapman, a 1995 graduate of Ben Lomond High and former member of the dance company, it's hard to imagine her alma mater without Clifford -- "the heart of the school."

The dance instructor had a gift of turning students who "felt invisible" in school into performers, says Chapman, even when those students didn't fit the expected mold of what a dancer should be.

"She never gave up on anybody," Chapman, of Ogden, says. And Clifford was always passionate, Chapman adds, often telling her students, "I will push you just far enough -- just far enough -- until I know you can fly."

Clifford, who is also an honors English teacher, admits she's "kind of a preacher" to students at her school. One message is encouraging teens to look beyond high school and plan for their future, such as attending college or trade school.

"Success finds a way, failure finds an excuse," she often reminds them.

The instructor also arranges for her dancers to perform at Weber State University or work with professional Utah dance companies so they can see that "people who have goals and go for it, they can succeed."

Dance allows her students an outlet for expression, Clifford says, for themes ranging from the joy of sisterly love, to the horrors of abuse, to the desire to take care of the planet.

They are dances this teacher never forgets -- just as she never forgets the dancers.

"Some of these kids will still write me or send me an e-mail and say 'A song came on the radio (that we danced to) and it made me think of you.' ... It touches your heart."

 

Full Story and Pictures here 

Art and Death in Ogden
By: Michael Vaughan
Standard Examiner, March 14, 2011

Last month, the web site Livability.com ranked Ogden as one of the top 10 "Death Defying Cities." According to the web site, the cities that made the list are the best adventure cities for things like skiing, rock climbing, and other adventure sports.

Although I wouldn't necessarily use the phrase "death defying" to describe Ogden, there is no doubt that Ogden offers a myriad of opportunities for outdoor recreation. Ogden has promoted itself as a destination for outdoor enthusiasts and received recognition in the national publications Runners World, Ski Magazine, and Forbes.

In recent years, the quantity and variety of cultural experiences available in Ogden have also expanded. Consider the numerous activities that took place on the first weekend in March. Under the direction of Tracy Callahan, Weber State University's Department of Performing Arts presented the play "Lion in Winter." Victor Uzer's Bonneville Chamber Music Festival brought artists from Brazil, Russia, Montenegro, and Italy to Ogden to perform with a talented group of local musicians. Diane Stern and the WSU Office of Cultural Affairs brought the Punch Brothers band to perform at the Perry Egyptian Theater where they played traditional bluegrass as well as music spanning from the Beatles to Bach.

In smaller venues, the guitarist Carlos Emjay performed at the Borrowed Earth Emporium. The singer and guitarist Amy Lamarr performed at Rovali's Ristorante Italiano. Other live entertainment options could be found at many eating and drinking establishments on 25th Street and beyond.

The first weekend in March wasn't atypical. You can find similar events on most weekends. Later this month, the National Undergraduate Literature Conference will bring the nationally renowned authors Russell Banks, Sharon Olds and Terry Gifford to Ogden for public readings.

Several interesting factors contribute to the cultural and artistic scene found in Ogden. The Brownings, the Dees, the Eccles, the Goddards, the Lindquists, the Stewarts and other prominent Ogden families have long recognized the importance of the arts and shown their support by building state of the art venues and providing permanent endowments to support the arts. The gifts of these large donors are supplemented by the generosity of hundreds of other donors and the work of countless volunteers who serve on boards and committees. The community members who give their time and money to the arts are key to bringing the Utah Symphony and Ballet West to Ogden.

In recent years, the RAMP funds have provided funding to support arts and culture. RAMP funds provide a critical subsidy to the arts which makes world-class performances available to the Ogden community at astonishingly affordable prices.

Undisputably, Weber State University is a linchpin for both the visual, performing, and literary arts. WSU sponsors many cultural events, and WSU faculty and students provide an appreciative audience for arts events sponsored by others in the area.

Finally, dozens of entrepreneurs have enlivened the arts scene in Ogden. This is evident from the numerous independently-owned galleries and the small music venues in downtown Ogden.

Across the country, communities are competing to attract creative and talented people because doing so is important to economic development. The communities that are attracting creative people are culturally rich, offering an eclectic menu of contemporary music, theater, symphony, galleries, and museums.

Ogden is deservedly proud of the reputation it has earned for outdoor sports. The city would be well served to also promote itself as a regional center for arts and culture. Doing so would foster both the arts and economic development.

http://www.standard.net/topics/top-utah-voices/2011/03/14/art-and-death-ogden

America's Most Livable Cities 2010
Francesca Levy, Forbes.com
Apr 30th, 2010


In these affordable metros, jobs are plentiful, crime is low and there are myriad entertainment options.

Each year Carnegie Mellon's Tepper School of Business attracts some of the brightest master's degree candidates in the country. But the admissions staff occasionally has to sway prospective students with their choice of top schools who wonder why they should relocate to Pittsburgh, Pa.

"Pittsburgh has a really great cultural scene. We have a great ballet and a great symphony that travels the world and performs to packed houses, and there's a restaurant scene that's much more diverse than it ever was when I was growing up," says Wendy Hermann, director of student services for master's programs and a Pittsburgh native. "And it's an easier sell, now that the Steelers and Penguins won their respective titles."

S. Ogden man likes good fight
By Nancy Van Valkenburg (Standard-Examiner staff)
Last Edit: Apr 29 2010 - 7:26pm


Brad Schroeder spent his childhood jumping off decks and porch railings, imagining he was a cowboy or a policeman, fighting villains and capturing bad guys.

A few decades later, the South Ogden man is doing the same thing, except his battles take place onstage and usually involve daggers and swords.

Schroeder, 47, is a theater fight choreographer. He choreographed 12 major fight scenes for the Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday cast of "The Three Musketeers" at the Hale Centre Theatre, and he also acts in the show, as the father and swordplay trainer of one of the musketeers.

The residents of “The Greatest Snow on Earth” came out in force to see Snowboarders put on “The Greatest Show on Earth”. More than 14,000 people jammed the bottom and the sides of the Superpipe to see, cheer and scream as the top snowboarding athletes of the Winter Dew Tour put on a amazing spectacle under the lights. To say it was standing room only would have been an understatement. The massive swarm of spectators had Dew Tour staff, riders and the Snowbasin team grinning from ear to ear. The Dew Tour has found a new home for sure. The people of Utah, especially Ogden, and the entire Snowbasin organization have made this stop on the Dew Tour arguably the best ever.