Odyssey brings joy to the weary world

Deseret News (Salt Lake City), Dec 11, 2004 by Scott Iwasaki Deseret Morning News

"JOY TO THE WORLD," ODYSSEY DANCE THEATRE, Thursday, Rose Wagner Center, also tonight and Dec. 16-18 (355-2787).

Anyone you know have the case of Scrooge-itus?

Just take them to Odyssey Dance Theatre's annual holiday show "Joy to the World" and their sickness will be cured.

The Orem-based, award-winning dance company has come into its own with this variety show, which features live music, dance, humor and some seriousness.

Brett Raymond & the B Band -- pianist Raymond, bassist Eric Wallengren, guitarist Tom Hopkins, drummer Rick Senese, saxophonist David Halliday and back-up singers Melissa Petty and Jason Celaya -- along with David Osmond, Mindy Lilyquist and Joslyn Petty (Melissa's sister), cover the live music side of the show.

Osmond charms the audience with his deliveries, as does Lilyquist. (There were times Thursday when the notes were a bit misaligned, but it wasn't hard on the ears.)

Some of the other musical selections include Osmond singing "Silent Night" and serenading the audience with "All I Want for Christmas Is You."

Lilyquist takes on "Jesus Love Is Like a River." She also sings a Latin version of "Sleigh Ride" and a reverent version of Amy Grant's "Breath of Heaven," both of which are highlighted by Odyssey Dancers. While "Breath of Heaven" is pretty straight-forward, she had some trouble Thursday night catching her breath for the syncopated demands of "Sleigh Ride."

Then there is the dancing.

The flowing "Three Ships," the subtle "O Come O Come Emmanuel" and the Fosse-inspired "Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer" are full of eye- pleasing patterns. The irreverent tap number "Nuttin' for Christmas" will have the audience laughing out loud. But the real crowd pleaser is the all-too-short "Breaktime at Macy's."

The dancers don Santa and elf suits and hip-hop their way across the stage to the Commodore's "Brick House," Wild Cherry's "Play that Funky Music" and the Village People's "Macho Man."

There are a handful of new works making their debut this year. Raymond and the band crank out a swinging original tune, "Feels Like Christmastime." The dancers wield flashlights in a little pattern during Louis Armstrong's " 'Zat You Santa Claus?" and sock-hop it up to the Brian Setzer Orchestra's "Jingle Bell Swing."

Thursday's performance did have some opening-night glitches. A couple of times the microphones cut out and there were a few long pauses between the numbers.

However, "Joy to the World" is an entertaining way to bring the Christmas spirit to those who are, say, holiday impaired.

E-mail: scott@desnews.com