Shameless Plug: The Sheik of Persia

A shameless plug goes out tonight for The Sheik of Persia: Like Sands through the Hourglass, now playing at the Desert Star Theatre in Murray. Included in the talented cast are my Improvables colleague Bryan Dayley and my friend and high school classmate Matt Kohler.

Thanks to some free tickets from Bryan, a group of friends and I were able to attend tonight's final dress rehearsal performance, and we found ourselves enjoying it and laughing quite a bit.


Apparently intended to be a parody of the forthcoming Disney movie Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, this production also spoofs Disney's epic cartoon Aladdin, as well as referencing several current events and Utah cultural references. In other words, it is another typical show filled with the type of gags and humor that you would expect from the folks at Desert Star.

The Sheik of Persia runs through July 10.

Shameless Plug: Twi-lite

A shameless plug goes out today for my Improvables collegue Bryan Dayley and the musical parody Twi-lite: I Was a Teenage Vampire, in which he has one of the starring roles. It is now playing at the Desert Star Playhouse in Murray.

A group of friends and I attended a performance of this much-anticipated show earlier tonight, and we were not disappointed. It was another fantastic and entertaining evening - the kind that we've come to expect from the good folks at Desert Star.

Twi-lite has everything that women seem to want in entertainment right now: a lot of oohing and ahhing over vampires, which, of course, don't really exist.

Also, there is something having to do with a story and plot, songs, comedy, and all of that good stuff. You catch my drift, I guess. Additionally, there is a minor character who may or may not be meant to be a parody of Pee-wee Herman; either way, he had me in stitches (the good, non-appendicitis kind) whenever he spoke.

Twi-lite runs through March 13.

"Idol" Worship - Utah County Style

A shameless plug goes out today for my Improvables colleague Bryan Dayley's musical parody American Fork Idol, which is currently playing at the Desert Star Theater in Murray. A couple of friends and I attended a matinee performance of the show earlier today, and we enjoyed ourselves immensely.


"American Fork Idol" is yet another well-written and very funny production by the folks at Desert Star. There are the expected jabs at past and present "American Idol" judges and contestants (for example, there are characters such as the dimwitted Jason Castor Oil and the elderly Taylor Hiccups) as well as the usual jokes about and parodies of Utah culture and customs.

If you've never been to Desert Star, then you are missing out on one of the greatest theatrical experiences to be had in the Salt Lake valley.

The show plays through June 6.