Live stage productions, a new fantasy novel and the Beehive State’s favorite basketball team are the topics of our latest installment of Trending With TX.
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The English poet and playwright Oscar Wilde once said, “I regard the theater as the greatest of all art forms, the most immediate way in which a human can share with another the sense of what it is to be a human being.” Even though Wilde never experienced the joys of movies, this statement is the dang straight truth. Everyone should get the chance to experience a traditional theater performance during their lifetime.
Probably one of the best, cheapest and most available forms of theater is a local high school performance. You may be surprised by the high quality of acting and staging these amateur productions provide. However, students always seem to have an excuse for not seeing the latest play or musical, whether it be, “I’m low on cash,” or “I lost my phone … um, so I couldn’t make it,” or just the simple truth that they don’t want to go.
But tickets to school productions average around $10, which is cheaper than other live performances and the money goes to a good cause. And for those who don’t want to go, either due to laziness or because theater is “sissy,” remember teachers often offer extra credit for attending school plays. Plus the fact that lots of girls find guys, who take them to such stuff, hot.
If you’re not sure where to start, a few current and upcoming shows include “The Wizard of Oz” at Bonneville High today through Nov. 19, “The Phantom of the Opera” at Davis High today through Saturday, “Beauty and the Beast” at Fremont High today, Friday and Saturday, and “Little Shop of Horrors” at Clearfield High Nov. 29 through Dec. 3.
In January, Northridge High will stage “Footloose” and Bountiful High will present “The Drowsy Chaperone,” among other school productions. For more information or to purchase tickets, check out the web pages of area high schools. Get out and participate in the play season: You never know, you might actually ... dare I say it ... enjoy yourself.
Madison Ostberg, Bonneville High
Meet ‘Dodger’
I’m happy to read anything by Sir Terry Pratchett, but I especially loved his newest novel, the New York Times best-seller “Dodger.” The book tells the story of 17-year-old Dodger, a “tosher” who scours the sewers of Victorian London for valuables to pawn.
One rainy night, Dodger sees a girl his own age running from her captors and comes to her aid, along with Charles Dickens and Henry Mayhew, who are out for a stroll. Dickens offers Dodger a job: find out who is chasing the girl and why. Dodger accepts, setting off a chain of events which brings him in contact with characters ranging from Sweeney Todd to Benjamin Disraeli.
Pratchett has obviously done a lot of research for this book. Fans of historical fiction will enjoy the Victorian slang. “Dodger” is very different from the author’s earlier work, but still fast-paced and refreshing. The writing style reminded me of Dickens, but without his wordiness.
Angelica Previte, Weber High
All that Jazz
The Utah Jazz are a legitimate contender this year, thanks in part to the new three-point acquisitions of Williams & Williams (Mo and Marvin) and the breaking-out-of-freshman-slump Enes Kanter.
The Williamses are making an impact to this Jazz team already by scoring big and playing like smart veterans. Then there’s the Kanter, who lost 51 pounds in the off-season and exchanged that for lean muscle to push some guys around down low. He has been dominating the boards in pre-season with fellow third-draft pick Derrick Favors.
These guys might be the new kids on the block but that doesn’t mean they are stealing all the minutes from veterans Paul Millsap and Al Jefferson. Big Al and Millsap will still be competing for time and still going hard every night, which in my opinion will make the Jazz stronger going down the stretch of the season.
The Jazz will have the depth and shooting now to be prepared for a regular season compared to last year’s shortened season. Even with this year’s rough start, I believe this team has a legitimate shot at bringing the adrenaline rush back to EnergySolutions Area. So what are you waiting for? Call and get your tickets now!
Hunter DeVries, Fremont High
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If you’ve got an idea for a future item for Trending With TX. — a song, film, fashion, food, book or activity teens are discovering or enjoying — write to us at tx@standard.net.
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