Arts & Culture
The Ruth’s “An American in Paris” an artistic sensation
Brynn Carnesecca | Lehi Free Press
Few shows explore themes of love, life and art as poignantly and romantically as the musical “An American in Paris.” The musical, now presented by The Ruth and Nathan Hale Theater in Pleasant Grove, is based on the 1928 symphonic poem and the hit feature film of the same name. The piece delves into the complex moral and artistic landscape of Paris immediately following World War II and explores each character with great depth. The Ruth does a jaw-dropping job at bringing this challenging and mesmerizing piece to life.
Finding talented singers and actors is a challenge of its own, but for this show, each dancer needs to be at the top of their game in those two areas in addition to being incredible dancers. The cast delivers in each number, moving the audience in songs such as “I’ve Got Rhythm,” “I’ll Build a Stairway to Paradise,” and the climactic ballet finale. The dancing is carried out to perfection by each member of the cast.
Ballet West star Rylee Rogers leads the cast as the spirited and enchanting Lise Dassin (double-cast with Ella Bleu Bradford). As the linchpin of the show, Rogers pulls out incredible acting and singing chops to supplement her breathtaking dancing. She is joined by Taylor Tolman-Stanger as recently released veteran Jerry Mulligan (double-cast with Johnathan Tanner). Jerry Mulligan is bright, romantic and electric thanks to Tolman-Stanger’s career-defining performance.
The main cast of leads is complemented by Kelton Davis as the witty and talented Adam Hochberg (double-cast with Jordan Briggs), Scotty Fletcher as the lovable and innocent Henri Baurel (double-cast with Thomas Wood), and Teaira Burge as the sassy and irreverent Milo Davenport (double-cast with Summer Sloan Alvey).
The other supporting characters and ensemble are beyond beautiful. They bring all of their energy to each number and moment on stage, drawing in the audience from the beginning and never letting them go.
With such a dance and movement-heavy show, choreographer Penny Saunders brought the beautiful and war-stricken Paris to life. She captured the energy of art and the passion beneath all the characters while still bringing the fear of post-Nazi Paris to the stage. As someone with little interest in dancing, I found myself on the edge of my seat the entire time. I was truly stunned by how beautiful this show was.
The set design by Jo Winarski was also exquisite. It captured the dream-like quality of Paris while managing to stay grounded in reality. Each scene felt like a moment from a fantasy or an old animated film.
Above all, the direction and heart of this piece are what allow it to soar. Director Jennifer Hill Barlow understood this piece more than any other rendition of this show I have seen. She weaved a poignant feeling of hope, distinct as a heartbeat, throughout the entire show. The feeling I was left with after can be described as nothing but euphoric; the optimism of the show contagious.
Barlow encourages us to ponder. She asks us, “What is life without art? And how does art breathe without love?” Love brings us back to who we are and connects us to the world around us, even amid uncertainty. “An American in Paris” is the exact type of show we need on the Utah stage. This production is revolutionary and is a must-see for the summer season.
“An American in Paris” runs until July 19 with daily performances. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.theruth.org.
