Jeff Quigley

Review of Sierra Repertory Theatre

We saw State Fair yesterday and man, it was wonder...

We saw State Fair yesterday and man, it was wonderful! We are huge fans of old musical theater, especially Rogers and Hammerstein. SRT NAILED State Fair. We are in absolute awe at how the tiny stage at the Fallon House was transformed into six different scenes to accommodate the story line. The house sounded fantastic - someone has engineered a great blend on the mics (the chorus parts were particularly robust). And then there is the cast...everyone did great, but just a few individuals made the show for me. Gary Martinez IS Abel Frake - such a spot on casting decision. Jerry Lee is a real pro. Such a great voice! I'd love to see him play Judd Frye in Oklahoma. My favorite of the entire production was Taylor Simmons...watch this kid! He's going to go very far. He's got great stage presence, a wonderful voice and this kid can DANCE! Watching him made me think I was seeing a young Astaire. I'd love to see him play Marius in Les Miserables. Don't assume that Sierra Rep is your average homegrown production. This is a quality company doing great stuff!