BWW Reviews: Paragon Theatre's REASONS TO BE PRETTY

While beauty is only skin deep, words however; can cut like a knife and leave a wound that may never heal. This superficial theme is featured in Neil LeBute's play entitled reasons to be pretty.

While the show really hit the ground running right out of the gate and continued that way though the first act, it seemed to loose its drive and putter out by the end of the show. Unfortunately, I do not think that is one of Neil LeBute's strongest works. I did find it fun how each scene had an awkward moment for the characters to deal with. It is also interesting to note that each member found redemption in the end, with the exception of one who got what he deserved.

The entire ensemble did an excellent job, but two actors really stood out. Desiree Gagnon as Steph, the insecure girl who finds her own inner beauty, and Brandon Kruhm as Greg, who humorously suffers from "foot in mouth" disease throughout the entire show.

The set was very minimalist (just tables, chairs, benches and 2 columns), but scenic designer Taylor Dykstra and lighting designer Evan Roby really gave each scene its own element. I especially appreciated how the simplicity of the two columns could increase or decrease the dimension of the set. The sound design, by Jarrad Holbrook, was filled with angst and tortured love songs that were totally appropriate to the show.

reasons to be pretty is currently running until February 26^th. For tickets of more information, contact the box office at 303-300-2210 or visit www.paragontheatre.com.

Michael Mulhern has lived in Denver and been active in it's theater scene for over 10 years. He is originally from Wiesbaden, Germany and graduated with a BFA in Theater Performance from the University of Wisconsin-Superior. Currently he performs in one to two shows a year and is a proud member of the Denver Gay Men's Chorus. Some of Michael's favorite performances include - Lend Me a Tenor, Guys and Dolls, The Shadow Box, Buried Child, and Jeffrey. He is proud to represent Denver and it's growing theater community on BroadwayWorld.com!

More Articles by This Author...