The talented cast members of the Odyssey Dance Theatre’s Halloween extravaganza “Thriller” mug during the finale of their recent performances at the Ellen Eccles Theatre.
LOGAN — In addition to the usual ghouls, zombies, mummies, ghosts, Frankenstein’s monster, skeletons, scarecrows, phantoms, witches, vampires and hockey-masked maniacs with chainsaws, the Odyssey Dance Theatre’s 2020 version of its popular Halloween extravaganza includes the scariest thing of all – the coronavirus.
The talented dance troupe not only tipped their hats to the pandemic with a couple of clever jokes, but also demonstrated commendable dedication to COVID-19 precautions by performing the entire dance review while wearing face masks. That was an impressive feat, given that “Thriller” is a fast-paced, physically demanding production.
The two-night stand of “Thriller” on Oct. 5 and 6 at the Ellen Eccles Theatre in downtown Logan was well-attended by pandemic standards and the audiences also wore mask throughout the local performances.
The Odyssey Dance Theatre has been wowing Utah audiences with “Thriller” for more than 20 years and it’s easy to see why. “Thriller” is a great show. There are gorgeous costumes, dazzling special effects, a marvelous soundtrack mixing classical and contemporary music, lots of laughs and a few jump-out-of-your-seat scares.
Did I forget to mention great dancing?
“Thriller” is the brainchild of Darryl Yeager, the veteran actor, director and choreographer who founded Odyssey Dance in 1994. Featuring a corps of 30 young professionals, the show is made up of production numbers ranging in scale from duets to real mob scenes. The styles of dancing in “Thriller” run the gamut from classic ballet to hip-hop, but Yeager’s hoofers have obviously mastered all of those techniques.
While the show has evolved somewhat over the years, the old favorite dance routines are still there. After all, “Thriller” wouldn’t be “Thriller” without “Curse of the Mummy,” “Dem Bones,” “Salem’s Mass,” “The Lost Boys” and – of course – “Thriller.”
The show’s new material included some vaguely disturbing comedic bits by veteran performer Emily Hayes Perucca, breathtaking traipse choreography by performers from Aeris Aerial Arts and some video interludes. With the exception of the videos – which were funny, but seemed to interrupt the show’s tempo – the new elements were all welcome additions to “Thriller.”
While “Thriller” is a crowd-pleaser from start to finish, a few high points in the production demand kudos. One of those was a hilarious parody of Romeo and Juliet with Nick Hambrecht and Darby Jones portraying the Frankenstein monster and his bride in a stumbling ballet. The trio of Diego Ballesteros, Tommy Green and Peiter Mortensen devoted their considerable talents to an unforgettable comic pantomime of another day at the office for maniac killers. Finally, Matisse Seal performed stunning feats of acrobatics while literally tying herself in knots high above the stage of the Ellen Eccles Theatre.
Although “Thriller” is being now being staged at multiple venues across the Wasatch Front, it’s strictly a Halloween event. That means the clock is ticking if you want to catch the Odyssey Dance Theatre performing at its best.