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"Earnest or campy? 'Wicked City Blues' can't seem to choose"

By Brandon Griggs

The Salt Lake Tribune

07/28/2005

"...Not surprisingly, the villains are more interesting...while Perry Lambert gets perhaps the show's biggest laughs as Lars' apelike hit man, Harry..."

"...At a time when so many theater companies are recycling tried-and-true favorites, UMT deserves credit for taking a chance on a promising new musical..."

Inset L to R: Ginger Bess Simons, Vanessa Cheney, Perry Lambert,

Liz O'Donnell, Jessica Perry

UTAH STANDARD-EXAMINER

— July 23, 2005 —

"Cast hits right notes as dead bodies pile up".

By: Nancy Van Valkenburg

"...It's 3-for-3 at Utah Musical Theatre. Every production of the 2005

summer season has been a winner, and that includes Wicked City

Blues in its world premiere as a fully staged production..."

"...See it now, at Utah prices, or wait a few years and see it at

New York City rates."...

"...Perry Lambert was convincing both as the straight-up

Lieutenant McNaulty and as not-too-bright psycho hit man

Harry the Zipper. Sample lyric about the Zipper: You're not a

dumb gorilla, you're the real magilla..."

Wicked City' is snappy, sassy"

By Ivan M. Lincoln

Deseret Morning News

Sunday, July 17, 2005

"...Wicked City Blues," a snappy, sassy and thoroughly enjoyable send-up

of the "film noir" mystery genre, is a great ride through the dark streets and

glitzy night clubs of a big city..."

"...This Utah Musical Theatre production is the fully staged world premiere

of an energetic show that has "off Broadway" stamped all over it. And

that's where the creators hope it's headed..."

"...Two major standouts in the troupe, each of whom plays two roles, are

Justin Ivie as Charlotte's missing husband, Johnny, and sleazy nightclub

owner Lars Vanderbeck, and comedian Perry Lambert as police Lt. Bill

McNaulty and Lars' very busy hit man, Harry the Zipper...."

"...The basic story is, of course, a mystery, and by the time the show ends there's a fairly high body count — the majority in Lars and Harry's comical duet about the latter's expertise with a sharp knife..."

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E-mail: ivan@desnews.com