the mommy avenger

Last night we were treated to a delightful performance with Utah Valley Symphony and Broadway renowned talent Jeremy Jordan at Orem’s own SCERA Shell Outdoor Theatre. How we were graced with such an amazing show kind of has me baffled. Just last week, we saw Jeremy Jordan live on stage in Little Shop of Horrors in New York City. Believe it or not, he actually took a 2 day hiatus from the show to come to Utah of all places and entrance the audience here with his incredible vocals. It makes me wonder what his connection to Utah is, but I’m not going to question it too much, because, whatever the reason he was in town, we were better off for it!

If you haven’t been to SCERA Shell Outdoor Theatre in Orem, you are missing out on a gem of a venue. This outdoor stage offers a very intimate and scenic way to take in a performance as the sun goes down and the stars begin to shine. It is absolutely lovely and there is no bad seat to be had. You can opt for reserved seats or you can purchase general admission tickets that allow you to either bring a low chair (or rent one from the venue) or a blanket to lounge on while listening to world class entertainment.

Jeremy Jordan is best known for his Tony and Grammy-nominated portrayal of Jack Kelly in Newsies on Broadway, as well as his many roles on television including series regulars on CW’s “Supergirl”, NBC’s “Smash” and Disney’s “Tangled.” Most recently, he starred as Seymour in the New York production of the iconic Little Shop of Horrors. Next up, Jeremy will star as the tenacious record industry giant, Neil Bogart, in the new feature film, Spinning Gold. Other films include The Last 5 Years opposite Anna Kendrick, Joyful Noise with Queen Latifah and Dolly Parton, American Son with Kerry Washington, and Newsies live on stage. Additional Broadway credits include Bonnie & Clyde (Theatre World Award), West Side Story, Waitress, American Son, and Rock of Ages. He has guest starred on numerous television shows, including “The Flash,” “Elementary” and “Law and Order SVU.” Jeremy’s concerts and cabaret shows have won awards and acclaim worldwide. He is also the lead singer of Age of Madness, a new rock band which launched last year. While he is currently performing as Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors in New York City, next on his schedule, he will be in The Great Gatsby at one of our favorite theaters, The Paper Mill Playhouse in New Jersey.

Last night, the theme was Broadway and we heard lots of favorites from across the years, including “Something’s Coming” from West Side Story, “Santa Fe” from Newsies, and “Bring Him Home,” from Les Miserables. All favorites of mine! Jeremy’s voice was strong and powerful, clear and wonderful. I was very impressed with his range for “Bring Him Home”, as that is an extremely difficult song to sing and he did it so well.

I was also extremely impressed with the Utah Valley Symphony as they accompanied him and then took over the stage without him in parts to play songs from Les Miserables and Phantom of the Opera. They were very talented and I would come back to see them again, a group that was not on my radar before.

Together, they offered us a night a gorgeous music that will not soon be forgotten. It was an absolute treat to be there and listen to it all. This was such a rare occasion, I am so glad we didn’t miss it!

You might be surprised to hear how many great acts come to SCERA Shell Outdoor Theatre each summer. Each season live theater, concerts, and outdoor movies are all part of the schedule. There is non-stop entertainment to be found here. While the season is coming to a close, there is still one more concert to be held here–Grammy nominated duo Thompson Square will be performing September 4th. Be sure to visit SCERA.org for more information about the upcoming concert, as well as information about the upcoming indoor theater season.

^{*we were invited to facilitate a feature, all opinions are my own*}