After 100 years in Ogden, Peery’s Egyptian Theater celebrates a century of drama, entertainment and community with a production of Elton John and Tim Rice’s smash-hit musical “Aida.”

In this spellbinding and tragic love story, a Nubian princess, Aida, enslaved by the Egyptian captain of the guard, Radames, falls in love with her captor. Radames, betrothed to Amneris, the princess of Egypt, equally falls for Aida without realizing she is the princess of the country he is at war with.

Peery’s Egyptian Theater’s production of this love-centric musical is stunning. The set, dressed by Marilyn Montgomery, is a multidimensional and mobile piece that serves as a ship, dockyard, pyramid, castle, tomb and more. As the crew pivots the structure throughout the play, it is repeatedly transformed through lighting and angling techniques. When the illumination is orange and warm-toned, the audience is transported to the Egyptian desert, immersing them as if they are in the red-skied desert and hot sand, even as the theater remains comfortably cool. The audience reenters the palace or another setting with purple or blue lighting. In a more sinister scene, when the set piece becomes a cell where prisoners are kept, limited overhead lighting and on-stage torchlight create a feeling of eeriness and desolation, of the shadows nearly overpowering the light. This multifaceted set piece impressively carries the audience’s imagination along with the actors and story. Furthermore, the set is painted to match the theater’s proscenium arch, marrying the theater’s original Egyptian decor with this production of “Aida.”

The theater was erected in 1924 by the D.H. Peery estate amid the “Egyptomania” following the 1922 uncovering of King Tutankhamun’s tomb. It is deliberately constructed as one of the only purely Egyptian structures of the Western Hemisphere, with architectural design and hieroglyphics commemorating the stylization of ancient Egyptian courts. The theater’s creaking stage intimacy, Egyptian history and closeness invite the audience in.

Similarly to how this theater celebrates ancient Egyptian architecture, this production of “Aida” honors its creators. In a spunky and playful number for the song “My Strongest Suit,” the costumes worn by the women of the palace and Amneris pay homage to one of the musical’s creators: Elton John. These extravagant and over-the-top pieces are brightly colored, glitzy and glamorous, and showcased in a runway fashion that engages the audience. As Amneris struts on the catwalk, which is extended over the auditorium’s seats from the primary stage, allowing her to get nearer to those watching, she waves and winks at the laughing audience. Her feathered headdress sways with her hips as Allie White delivers a spectacular performance. Her character is a giddy comic relief and a grave warning of heartbreak in equal measure. In the play’s opening, Amneris is displayed in a museum gallery as students and patrons mill about. She steps down from her podium and delivers a harrowing opening song, foreshadowing how the events of the musical darken as it nears its end.

White completely disappears into her role, becoming the princess of Egypt for the night. She acts with Amneris’ motivations, bringing the character to life in an enchanting performance.

White is not the only gifted cast member. Alexsys Campbell’s performance as the lead is nuanced, as she balances her character’s love for Radames with her responsibilities and loyalties to the Nubian people. Campbell is a joy to watch on the stage. Her portrayal of Aida embraces the character’s defiance, and her powerful vocals mirror the strength of the princess of Nubia. She brings Aida’s pain to life, torn between what she wants and who she is. Campbell’s talent is especially apparent in how she engages with her co-stars, deepening the meaning of blocking as she moves fluidly across the stage, embodying the steps of a captive yet empowered princess. In each scene, Campbell coaxes her co-stars into living their roles just as she does. In her character’s interactions with Amneris, Campbell’s and White’s talent for bringing their twist to their characters creates a captivating scene of sisterhood and understanding. Both are naturals on the stage.

Campbell’s scenes with Jordan Strong, who plays Radames, are even more heartrending as the two weave a love story between characters who should be enemies. Strong’s performance is driven by Radames’ internal strife, much like Aida’s inner conflict. Strong’s character holds more power and grapples with abusing it, remaining true to his country while captivated by the lands and princess of Nubia. Strong’s character undergoes the greatest transformation in the play as he struggles to maintain the future his father has created for him and his oscillating feelings. Strong wonderfully captures this subtle shift in character. Strong’s acting is realistic as Radames wavers in his motivations and core beliefs. His transformation culminates near the end of the musical, and Strong’s acting decisions make it believable when Radames makes a fateful decision in the final scenes.

Not only does the immense skill of the lead cast members lend this musical a beating heart, but the ensemble brings their distinct talent to the stage. In dance-fighting sequences, the dancers move with lethal grace. In their role as Mereb, Kaplan Keener brightly plays a character who acts as a ray of hope and support for Aida. Their performance and dedication to playing the role of a loyal Nubian subject instill feelings of optimism in the audience. In another scene, silks drop from the ceiling and two cast members dance, pulling themselves into an aerial sway, moving with the same lazy elegance of snake charmers. In one particularly jarring dance sequence, the actors dancing on stage are mirrored by projections of shadows and silhouettes extending into the audience, dramatizing the experience and drawing the audience further in.

Before curtains on opening night, there was a donor event in which two local Ogden community leaders, Bob and Marcia Harris, were honored. While accepting the 2024 Pharaoh Arts Award, Bob Harris asked the audience: “What do we need to do to make our city a vibrant place … so people enthusiastically want to work here, to live here and to participate?”

Harris quickly answered his question: “One answer is right here where we are: the Egyptian Theater. That is the way you build community.”

And for 100 years, that is precisely what Peery’s Egyptian Theater has accomplished.

In the playbill, the musical’s director, Mark Daniels, is quoted in a director note: “Choosing Aida for the centennial celebration of the Ogden Egyptian Theater was a deliberate and heartfelt decision.” It celebrates the cultural history of Peery’s Egyptian Theater with a play that takes place in Egypt and focuses on community.

Daniels encapsulates this musical’s message of love and its power to overcome division. His directorial vision lends the musical an incredible undertone of love prevailing, even when all hope seems lost. He uses this theme as a guiding force in both the script and movement of the actors. Daniels, who concurrently directed “Kids Act Up,” a summer theater workshop for local kids, dedicates his time to bettering the Ogden community with the same love that he evokes in this production of “Aida.”

Dawn L. Troupe, who played Aida in the first West Coast production of the musical, worked as a guest artist in this production. In a video documenting her collaborations with the cast, Troupe says: “This is not make-believe; it’s real.” And what keeps this production real is the love story centered in the tragedy. It is this persistent faith that love will overcome that parallels Peery’s Egyptian Theater’s ongoing success. This theater, which has faced uncertainty from the Great Depression to COVID-19, continues to act as a space for the Ogden community to entertain and thrive. This musical reminds its audience, “Every Story is a Love Story.” The story of Peery’s Egyptian Theater is a love story composed for the Ogden community. Keep the love alive and enjoy this production of “Aida” and the future shows on this historic and unique stage.

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