OCR Text |
Show SCENE The Park Record. Editor: Scott Iwasaki arts@parkrecord.com 435.649.9014 ex.113 PARK CITY FARMERS MARKET AT PCMR Park City Farmers Market will open at noon every Wednesday near the Silver King Lift at Park City Mountain Resort. The free weekly event features produce, breads, drinks, live music and crafts. For information, visit www.parkcityfarmersmarket.com. MOTHER/DAUGHTER BOOK CLUB AT THE SUMMIT COUNTY LIBRARY Mother/Daughter Book Club will meet from 6:30-7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 16, at the Summit County Library Kimball Junction Branch, 1885 W. Ute Blvd. This month’s discussion will be Hena Khan’s “Amina’s Voice.” The club is open to girls in grades 4 to 6, and their mothers or accompanying adults. For information, visit www. thesummitcountylibrary.org BRUCE HORNSBY WILL PERFORM AT CITY PARK The Park City Institute will present Bruce Hornsby as part of the St. Regis Big Stars, Bright Nights Summer Concert Series at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 16, at City Park. Tickets are $49 and $89. They can be purchased by visiting www.bigstarsbrightnightsconcerts.org. www.parkrecord.com LUKAS NELSON AND PROMISE OF THE REAL WILL PLAY DEER VALLEY The Deer Valley Concert Series will present Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real with M. Ward and Elsie Davis at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 18, at Deer Valley. Tickets are $37 and $68. They can be purchased by visiting www. deervalley.com. WED/THURS/FRI, AUGUST 15-17, 2018 Neil Simon Festival production opens at the Egyptian Theatre SCOTT IWASAKI The Park Record The main thing that sets Neil Simon Festival’s production of Simon’s Tony Award-winning, semi-autobiographical play “Biloxi Blues,” which is set during World War II, from others is that Sgt. Merwin J. Toomey, a central character in the World War II-set story who is traditionally portrayed as Jewish, is instead African-American. “In 1943 there were no African-American platoon leaders or drill instructors,” said director Clarence Gilyard, who portrays Toomey. “And while Neil addresses race and tradition with the Jewish characters, we heighten it in our production. When Sgt. Toomey makes an entrance, everyone is like ‘Woah, he’s not a cook?’” “Biloxi Blues,” written by Simon, is about the conflict between Sgt. Toomey and Jewish private Arnold Epstein, played by Joseph Price, as seen through the eyes of Eugene Jerome, another Jewish private, portrayed by Quinn Osborne, while the three are stationed in Biloxi, Mississippi. The play opens its five-night run at the Egyptian Theatre on Wednesday, and Gilyard hopes this version not only entertains, but educates and enlightens the audience. COURTESY OF CARLOS FERRARI Neil Simon Festival’s “Biloxi Blues,” which will open Wednesday at the Egyptian Theatre, has a few surprises for audiences. “These boys under Toomey’s command are 18 and 19 years old,” Gilyard said. “When they are that age, they are testosterone-laden. Not only do these boys have to negotiate the military world and the nuances of different faiths and family of origins, they have a black drill instructor come in, which is something else they have never experienced.” One of the challenges Gilyard faced when directing the production was that his cast had little connection to the military. “My family comes from a strong military background, and the gen- Please see “Biloxi,” C-2 Bill Engvall ready for some Healthy Laughs Comedian will perform People’s Health Clinic’s annual fundraiser The Park Record Park City Improv will perform its offthe-cuff comedy at 8 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 17, at Park City Library, 1255 Park Ave. The event is free and open to the public, and is geared for teens and older. For information, visit www. parkcitylibrary.org. C-1 Director gives ‘Biloxi Blues’ a little twist SCOTT IWASAKI PARK CITY IMPROV AT THE PARK CITY LIBRARY JIM GILL MAKES LIBRARY MAGIC GIANT BRINGS PLAYTIMES MUSICAL, C-3 BIG TUNES TO TOWN, C-5 When Bill Engvall and his wife Gail moved to Park City four years ago, they had a plan. “We just didn’t want to live here as residents,” the comedian said. “We wanted to get involved with the community.” The stand-up artist, who is known for his work with fellow entertainer Jeff Foxworthy on the Blue Collar Comedy Tour, will put his money where his mouth is when he performs at People’s Health Clinic’s end-of-the-summer Healthy Laughs fundraiser, hosted by David D. Williams, on Aug. 31 at the Chateaux Deer Valley. Fellow comedian Rocky LaPorte will also perform. (See accompanying story on C-3) The People’s Health Clinic is a nonprofit organization that provides health care for uninsured patients who live in Summit and Wasatch counties, and Engvall is looking forward to donating his time for its fundraiser. “I’ve been so blessed in my career to achieve the status I have, and I believe once you reach a point, it’s important to reach back and use your success to help others, organizations and individuals,” he said. Engvall said it was easy to say “yes” because of the giving nature of Park City residents. “That was one of the things that impressed me when Gail and I moved here,” he said. “They have a willingness to help out.” Engvall is also a fan of comedian Rocky LaPorte, a finalist in season eight of “Last Comic Standing,” who will also perform at the fundraiser. “I first saw him at the Comedy Magic Club in Hermosa Beach, California, and when I watched him, the first thing I think is, ‘I wish I would have written that,’” Engvall said. “When I heard Rocky was on this show, it was another I believe once you reach a point, it’s important to reach back and use your success to help others, organizations and individuals...” Bill Envgall, stand-up comedian reason for me to say ‘I’m in,’ if only to be able to watch him.” Engvall, who has recorded a string of albums and has appeared in various films from “Delta Farce” to “Sharknado 3: Oh, Hell No,” as well as three seasons of his own sitcom, “The Bill Engvall Show,” said his desire to get COURTESY OF DAVID D. WILLIAMS Bill Engvall will be one of the stand-up comedians who will perform at the People’s Health Clinic’s Healthy Laughs fundraiser on Aug. 31, at the the Chateaux Deer Valley. Tickets are on sale now. people to laugh came from necessity as a child. “When I was growing up I was never the athlete, and we moved around a lot because my dad worked for the government and was in the public health service,” he said. “Through survival, I learned to make friends quickly by being the funny guy.” Engvall said being the funny kid was different than being a class clown. “I was always scared I’d get in trouble, so I was more the instigator,” he said. “I would set my friends up to be the class clowns.” Still, Engvall loved to laugh himself. “My family had Bob Newhart records around the house, and when I went to college and discovered beer and women, I bought Steve Martin’s ‘Let’s Get Small’ album,” he said. “When I would listen to it, I heard the laughter and thought it would be cool to do that.” After dropping out of college, the Texas native went to an open mic night in Dallas, bringing him into contact with some of comedy’s legends. “The next thing I knew I had a job being the emcee at the comedy club,” Please see Engvall, C-3 |