PERRY — The Heritage Theatre raised the curtain on their latest show on Friday August 21st. Fans of Chicago and Cabaret will recognize the work of Rupert Holmes and John Kander. Directed by Lindy Combe, Curtains contains a witty plot and lively music that can stand on its own, but it is truly brought to life by the exuberant cast at the Heritage Theatre.
Curtains follows the unlucky crew of a new musical Robbin’ Hood of the Old West, whose leading lady is murdered on opening night. Lieutenant Frank Cioffi orders everyone to remain in the building till the murder is solved, in equal turns investigating and motivating the crew as they continue rehearsing. With the help of the lovely understudy Niki Harris, Lt. Cioffi analyzes the estranged songwriting duo, the arrogant director Christopher Belling, the sassy producer Carmen Bernstein, and the rest of the cast, attempting to find the murderer before the curtain falls.
The first thing one notices at the Heritage Theatre is the classy, intimate nature of the space. The cast was comfortable claiming the aisles as their own, walking up and down them whenever it suited them. Ali Arbuckle (playing Carmen Bernstein) sang part of her solo from the middle of the audience, striking a pose that was more powerful due to her proximity to the audience. This allowed the audience to feel connected with the story in a way that larger theaters simply can’t manage.
With more theaters moving toward digital backdrops, it was refreshing to see the hand painted backdrops at the Heritage. The stage was transformed to create an entirely fake “front of the stage,” with a curtain that could rise and fall to separate this false “backstage” from the front as the characters practiced their musical. Set construction was handled by Luke Merkley and scenic painting by Jess Tarbet (aided by the cast). There were multiple set pieces along the back rotating to change the setting between a Kansas skyline and a theater’s backstage area, along with several movable walls that could be picked up by the cast and moved into place to create a western saloon, or a boat chugging up the Arkansas river.
While there weren’t many three dimensional set pieces, such as chairs or tables, the many backdrops and props (handled by Megan Geilman) kept the setting feeling fresh. For example, a swinging door revealed a bullseye that Rob Hood hits dead center during the opening, while a swinging door on the opposite side of the stage shows sandbags and pulleys, one of which crashes down upon our theatrical detective. During the final version of “In the Same Boat,” a blue piece of fabric is pulled across the stage in a wave to create the bobbing water, as a wooden steamboat composed of three large prop pieces sails along behind the cast.
The lighting designer and operators, Chris Ward and Marketa Helsop respectively, used the colored lighting, globe string lights, and various spotlights to create a number of fun effects. The moment when the Lieutenant comes off the sunny street into the dark theater, a bright spotlight blinds the audience and sells the illusion of daylight outside. Later, the spotlights help showcase the shadow of a hanging corpse in the background. However, the actors had to move into their spotlights and follow the light, rather than having the light follow them.
The best song of the night was easily “Tough Act to Follow,” a duet performed by Spot Beecher, playing the theatrical Lt. Cioffi, and Nicole Frederick, playing the sweet understudy Niki Harris. A shimmering gold curtain was raised behind the two, while the lighting kicked into a higher gear with spotlights, shimmering globe string lights outlining the stage, and colored lighting taking effect. The two entered the dream sequence with a combination of true grace and manufactured clumsiness, crafting comedic moments of themselves getting tangled together in the dance, while alternatively gliding around the stage in a manner that proved their skill. The fluidity of their movement was only matched by their vocals. Frederick had the voice of a Disney princess, hitting all her high notes in a pure, endearing way. It was easy for the audience to imagine the Lieutenant falling in love with her natural charm and crystal clear vocals.
Another standout performer was Michael Combe, who played the arrogant director Christopher Belling. Michael Combe was a master of dry humor and comedic timing. He took the wit inherent in Curtains to another level with his playful rendition of a stereotypical character. His character was double cast, so Michael Combe will only be performing on certain nights.
Duane Beesley played Aaron Fox, half of a writing duo who was desperately trying to get his partner back. Beesley’s moving rendition of “I Miss the Music” was both husky and haunting. The look of desperation in his eyes while he clutched the words the pair had written together was very well acted and emotionally touching.
Ali Arbuckle played the brassy producer Carmen Bernstein. Arbuckle had a confident presence, used bold gestures and seemed self assured in her portrayal. Her movements fit her character, positioning herself as a 1950’s “girlboss.” While Arbuckle’s singing voice was good, it was tragic that her microphone didn’t seem to pick up everything. Combined with the character’s accent and a slightly fast speaking cadence, it was difficult understanding her at times. It was an absolute shame during her big number “It’s a Business” you could see the emotion on her face and her expressive dancing, but couldn’t properly hear her sing.
The problem the music overpowering the actors occurred consistently with multiple characters. Either the instrumentals needed turned down, or the microphones needed turned up. Even if the microphones aren’t working properly, the cast could project their voices more in order to showcase their resonant talent. Better articulation during some of the fast paced witty lines would have also helped the audience’s understanding in general.
Costumers Colby Majors, Jana Wilhite, and Abby Payne-Peterson crafted a rather uniform look during several chorus scenes for a smaller community theater though the design was not period accurate. The group number “Thataway” featured the entire chorus in red saloon girl dresses that matched remarkably well, and again in “Tough Act to Follow” the chorus appeared consistent in white long sleeve shirts and flowing blue skirts. For “He Did It” the cast were all in a variety of robes, pajamas, and slippers that matched thematically while still allowing each person to be unique. The best dressed moments included a wonderful green dress that felt more period accurate worn by Arbuckle, when Michael Combe threw a sleek scarf around his shoulders accenting his eccentric director outfit, and when the Lieutenant took off his jacket and rolled up his sleeves on his dapper three piece suit.
The production used a large number of wigs which felt unnecessary. None of the characters needed a wig to portray a specific hair color, nor did any of the hairstyles seem unachievable on regular hair. The wigs were rather obvious on the characters due to the quality of the wigs themselves and the skin colored line they created on the actors’ foreheads.
Choreographer Isabelle Page utilized the stage space well, but not everyone was crisply in sync with one another which was a shame. Given that at the start of the show the characters are portraying “terrible actors” and they improve throughout the show, it made sense that the quality got better throughout the production, though the last number be a bit cleaner. There were some fun lifts, kicks, and floor work as the show progressed. Sadie Coleman (who played Bambi Bernet) and Ethan Page (who played Bobby Pepper) both demonstrated flexibility and poise during their characters solo dances in “Kansasland.”
Curtains is a hilarious show performed by a group that clearly cares about the art of theater. With a group of talented singers and a great set, the Heritage theatre creates a whodunit experience worth attending. The humor, romance, and mystery of it all will keep you on your toes till the final curtain call.
MORE INFO: CURTAINS is currently playing at the Heritage Theatre (2505 S Highway 89, Perry, UT 84302). Performances are held at 7:30 PM on Fridays, Saturdays, and Mondays, with 2:00 PM matinees on Saturdays through September 12, 2026. Tickets typically range from $11 for children to $17 for adults. This show contains moderate adult themes like smoking, drinking and gun violence. It also contains moderate adult language and mild sexual references. It is not recommended for audience members under the age of 16. For the most up-to-date schedule, performance details, and official ticketing, visit the Heritage Theatre website: https://www.heritagetheatreutah.com/
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