The show begins with a sizzle reel about Stephen Kellogg. It mentions how he has released 18 albums and performed over 3,000 shows. It mentions his book from 2020, Objects in the Mirror: Thoughts on a Perfect Life from an Imperfect Person.  It also shows clips from the documentary about him, Last Man Standing, which was posted on YouTube in 2022. 

After the video finishes, Stephen Kellogg takes the stage to a grand applause. He begins with a quote from a Leonard Cohen poem, “If you don’t become the ocean, you’ll be seasick every day”. He explains that it means you have to go with the waves of life instead of trying to fight them. It leads perfectly into his first song, “Ocean”.

Many of the songs he sings tonight were released with his band, Stephen Kellogg and The Sixers. The band went on hiatus in 2012, but his band mates join him at live shows from time to time. One of those songs that he plays tonight is “Satisfied Man” “Well there’s one thing on earth that no one can touch / It’s the sleep of a satisfied man.”

He talks a lot about his four children during the show. Some of these stories are quite funny. This leads into the sweet song, “It Goes Fast”. “So if I hold your hand too long, or embarrass you in class / Know I’m only hanging on, cause it goes fast”

This tour name is “Sit Down & Stand Up”. In between songs, he tells many stories that include jokes. So, it’s more like storytelling rather than traditional stand-up. It works very well for his singer-songwriter style. He has one part where he talks about death by champagne. He jokes that the audience will be able to say that they heard the joke before it was funny!

He also tells a story about golfing with John Daly. His father-in-law is very excited to meet him. His father-in-law goes up to Daly and says he knows someone who knows him. “Did I fuck her?” says Daly. Taken aback, his father responds, “no, it’s a guy” John responds, “Oh, did he suck my dick?”   

He closes with the perfect ending song, “See You Later, See You Soon”. “See you later alligator, I will see you in the moon.”

See the full setlist here.

Cost of a ticket: $47

PlaylistHQ Economic Rating: Worth It +

Rating Scale: Exceptional Value > Worth It > Half Price > Go for Free > Don’t Bother

Quinn Delaney

Max is traveling every week for work as a consultant. Her husband, Paul, works from home writing. He isn’t happy with all her travel which leads to him having an affair. Soon after this comes to light, they decide to make some big changes. He will become a minister and she will go to a homemaking school to learn how to be the best wife she can be.

Anna Ouyang Moench (Severance, Beef) has written a truly hilarious play. It expertly pokes fun at the homemaking school, which is based on a real place in Fort Worth, TX. This production is expertly done with a fantastic set and on point comedic timing that had the audience laughing uncontrollably!

Joe Edward Metcalfe (Southern Gothic, Recipe for Disaster) displays an impressive range of emotions as Paul. Brittany Burch (The Locusts) is excellent as Max being quite confused and out of place at the homemaking school. Kirsten Fitzgerald (Swing State, Mary Page Marlowe) is strong and powerful as the lead instructor at the school. Alexandra Chopson is so sweet and innocent as the enthusiastic student at the school. Adam Shalzi (Trouble in Mind) is perfectly awkward and funny as the husband to be.

Cost of a ticket: $50

PlaylistHQ Economic Rating: Worth It +

Rating Scale: Exceptional Value > Worth It > Half Price > Go for Free > Don’t Bother

Get tickets now for In Quietness at A Red Orchid Theatre through March 3^rd!

Quinn Delaney

In 1934, Anything Goes first debuted on Broadway. In 1962, there was a revival that added many of Cole Porter’s other songs. In 2012, there was US tour. And now, in January of 2024, the Porchlight Musical Theatre version opens!

Billy Crocker sneaks onto a ship in NYC bound for London. He is trying to win the heart of Hope, who is engaged to Lord Oakleigh. Reno Sweeney is in love with Billy. In addition to this love triangle, there are many more great storylines in this ensemble musical.

This production is very fun. Many of the songs become pop hits that even non theatre fans will recognize. The first of these is “I Get A Kick Out of You”, which was recorded by Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Michael Bublé, and many more. “I get no kick from champagne / Mere alcohol doesn’t thrill me at all / So tell me why should it be true / That I get a kick out of you”.

The next big hit is “Friendship”. This song wasn’t in the original musical, but it was added in the 1962 revival. Disney released a version with Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and Goofy. “It’s friendship, friendship, just a perfect blendship / When other friendships are soon forgot, ours will still be hot.”

And then there is the title track, “Anything Goes” which has been recorded by many artists including Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga in 2014. “When mothers pack and leave poor father / Because thеy decide they’d rathеr be / Tennis pros / Anything goes!”

Megan Murphy (Spamalot) is a powerhouse as Reno Sweeney. Her voice is excellent and she fully commands the stage,  Jackson Evans (The Boys in the Band, Avenue Q) is absolutely hilarious as Lord Oakleigh, who may not be the best match for Hope. Steve McDonagh is so funny as Moonface Martin, the unassuming gangster who is teased for just being Public Enemy #13. Luke Nowakowski is great as Billy Crocker. Gabriel Solis and Ciara Hickey are absolutely hilarious as the mischievous kids running around the ship raising hell.

With a great cast and set, excellent music, and fantastic costumes, this is a production not to be missed!

See the program here.

Cost of a ticket: $73.50 (House Level Back)

PlaylistHQ Economic Rating: Worth It +

Rating Scale: Exceptional Value > Worth It > Half Price > Go for Free > Don’t Bother

Get tickets now for Anything Goes at The Ruth Page Center for the Arts through February 25^th!

Quinn Delaney

Jesse Cook takes the stage solo and jumps right into “Tempest” from his 1995 album of the same name. It’s a rocker and it’s immediately clear the audience is in for a great night of music.  

After playing this song, he talks about how on that first album, he played all the instruments himself. It was a lot of work. So, he decided to play with other musicians going forward. He brings out Marito Marques from Portugal to play percussion with him. They play “La Rumba D’el Jefe” from his 2009 album, The Rumba Foundation. They feed off each other’s energy in a great performance.

He then introduces Matt Sellick on guitar from Thunder Bay, Ontario in Canada. Later in the night, he tells the story about how they met. When Matt was 7 years old, he first heard Jesse Cook’s music and he told his mother that he wanted to learn to play that. So, he began taking guitar lessons. About 10 years later, Matt sends Jesse a recording of him playing. Jesse says it sounds like he plays the songs better than he can. So, he goes to Thunder Bay to kill him, just kidding he says. They do meet and play together and get along very well. Years later, when the guitar position in his band opens up, he invites Sellick to join and he accepts!

Cook then says they need to continue to fill out the sound and he brings out Dan Minchom on Bass Guitar. The now four piece band plays “Virtue” from the 2000 album, Free Fall. It’s very cool to see how the fullness of the music keeps building as they add musicians.  

To introduce the next band mate, Cook dives into the history of flamenco music. He talks about how Andalusia in Spain was under Moorish rule and that the capital was Baghdad. Then he brings out Fethi Najem on violin and mandole, who blends flamenco and Arabian music. They play “Baghdad”, which is also from his debut album.

In the encore, they play “Mario Takes A Walk” from his 1996 album, Gravity. This is his most popular track on Spotify with over 6.7 million streams. The audience is blown away and responds with a huge applause afterwards. Jesse Cook has truly assembled a superb band full of very talented musicians and it makes for a fantastic evening of music.

See a recent setlist here.

Cost of a ticket: $65 and up

PlaylistHQ Economic Rating: Worth It +

Rating Scale: Exceptional Value > Worth It > Half Price > Go for Free > Don’t Bother

Quinn Delaney