Deseret Digest -September 2025

THE DIGEST SEPTEMBER 2025 VOL. 3 / NO. 9

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‘Welcome home’: Deaf Saints return to first chapel built for accessibility

Breaking a language barrier brought my family together

Here's what to know about the Utah Shakespeare Festival plays

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How one woman found new life as a farmer, born of hope and grit Against the odds, a Utah farmer is running cattle, while teaching her young sons and students to love the land CONTINUES ON PAGE 4

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DESERET NEWS | SEPTEMBER 2025

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How one woman found new life as a farmer, born of hope and grit Against the odds, a Utah farmer is running cattle, while teaching her young sons and students to love the land

By Amy Joi O’Donoghue

Deseret News

Jacie Fasselin was on a mountain at dusk, looking for cows.

She and Woodrow — a tall black horse — traversed the ledges looking for the wanderers.

Fasselin did not know what to expect, especially as the darkness enveloped them later that day, and she knew they had to navigate the ledges to get off the mountain.

“He is in his young mind, but we were not going to give up.”

She built a trail of sorts to help them get off the mountain.

Armed with just a spotlight and an untested horse, they began to make their way down.

“I kept expecting him to make mistakes on the switchback,” she said. “I knew if he remained calm we would be all right. If he panics, we would not be all right — not at all.”

It was perilous, but the moment was about faith and putting your trust in something higher than you.

Fasselin said Woodrow turned to look at her and headed off to the left.

“He was just saying: I think we need to turn left here. He was like an old pro. He made the leap like I asked him to. I love his brain. He was a saint.”

On this day in June, Fasselin is fighting another battle. The hay baler is not cooperating.

“It thinks it is going to win. It thinks I cannot figure it out.

But I will.” And she did.

Learning young

Even when Fasselin was a young girl, she had to make hard decisions.

It was not about what school to go to or who to take to the dance.

Which horse will load in the trailer first? That is a hard decision. You get the best one, the rest follow.

This woman of the 21st century grew up without running water. She lived in a single-wide trailer in Nine Mile Canyon, in east-central Utah, to wrangle cattle.

“I was not aware of the sacrifices,” she said. Her father got laid off from the coal mine and her mother took three jobs. She remembers cutting trails with a machete, not playing Mario Brothers.

“My dad did this incredible thing,” she said. “And he started me really young.”

She’s tough and hardy and seems undeterred by the changes that life throws at her. One of those callings is found in Elmo, a community tucked away in Emery County off the less traveled roads. It is simple. And it is down home like Fasselin and it is here where there is little noise, no crowds, nobody watching over your shoulder.

Like a blank artist’s canvas that is big and begging to tell a story, Fasselin is filling in the white tableau with her own colors. She’s drawing outside the lines, but it feels good to her.

Perhaps, as a woman farmer, there is inspiration all around her.

On the Utah Farm Bureau’s website, “thisfarmwife” AKA Meredith Bernard, posted this on Instagram: “Starting is the hardest part. Always. For anything that means anything. The first words to a book, or article or post. The first step to moving from one chapter of life to another,” she wrote.

“To the one reading and watching this who is struggling to start that something on your heart, my heart is begging you to go. Do your thing your way. Will it be hard? Yes. Will you make mistakes? Yes. Will trying ever not be worth it? No.” Fasselin and Bernard don’t know each other, but their stories are similar. Being a farmer and rancher is tough. Being a farmer and rancher as a woman, well, it can be tougher in a traditionally male-dominated tradition.

Despite the challenges, women across the country are called to farm, to ranch, to carry on the tradition etched in small towns and born out of heritage.

Maya Fasselin, Jacie’s sister-in-law, said determination is the common theme with this woman who has grown to be an inspiration for her.

“She is extremely determined and when her mind is made up, there’s no going back. Jacie is the first to help others, find solutions and get the job done.”

In Elmo, where Fasselin lives, the nearest high school is about 20 miles away, but there is a post office in town and the Elmo branch of the Emery County Library is there to serve a population of about 368 people.

That suits this single mother just fine, giving her room and space to flourish. At night, she sings to her boys. They have prayer around the dinner table and in the quiet of the night, determination wraps around this woman like a blanket and she is ready for the next day.

“A really good friend told me, ‘you are going to have an emotional breakdown and then you will wake up refreshed and have a better solution.’”

A life in a place called Elmo, Utah

In Elmo, if you want to talk to someone at the city offices, you can catch them between 10 a.m. and noon on Tuesdays and Thursdays to talk municipal business in this agrarian community founded in 1908.

For Fasselin, this is the place she realized her dream of owning her own ranch and farm, but she never thought that would come to pass.

In the split with her husband, Fasselin thought she would simply end up with pretty horses. He was the rancher and she was the mother, the high school teacher. She had her eyes set on law school.

But life turns and spins, changing a person.

“I got the farm. I chose to stay. I would be in a room wishing I was here. At least the stress of the farm is genuine, the stress of raising my children is genuine. I used to stress life that was not necessary.”

Now, she is running her own cattle, breaking horses, fixing fences, teaching all the time.

“The fact that I am a natural born teacher, I will sail that ship all day. I am really passionate about agriculture literacy.

You do not have to grow up in agriculture to make a difference.”

Jacie’s heritage

She’s pretty sure her ancestors are watching with approving smiles. She drives a guest to a monument to those in her bloodline who came before her, who settled in this area that is part of an eastern swath of Utah in the Upper Colorado River Basin.

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DESERET NEWS | SEPTEMBER 2025

Kristin Murphy, Deseret News Jacie Fasselin talks to her son, Jaxten Pressett, before a cattle run to bring cows down from the mountains in Nine Mile Canyon in Carbon County on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024.

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DESERET NEWS | SEPTEMBER 2025

Kristin Murphy, Deseret News Jace Pressett and Jaxten Pressett lay fence line on their farm near Elmo on Saturday, April 19, 2025.

The marker honors, among others, Billy Winder, who was born in 1888 and lived until he was 90, dying in 1978. It is easy to marvel at the changes he must have experienced, how life crept steadily through a host of transformational alterations in society. Others on the monument are Zina Winder, Fasselin’s great-grandmother and the daughter of Billy Winder. She died a few years ago.

You can see the admiration in Fasselin’s eyes as she talks about this woman and her hardiness.

Fasselin is simultaneously a learner and a teacher with multiple degrees. She’s learning the intricacies of farming and ranching, while at the same time she brings this love of learning to the students she teaches at Carbon High School, where she delivers lessons on agriculture. It is a passion for her, to bring her students along and help them learn about a discipline under threat in an era when land is becoming increasingly urbanized.

“I was born to be a teacher. I am so grateful and thankful I get to teach something I am so passionate about,” she said.

Mapping the dream

Emery County farms are fed by Joe’s Valley Dam and Reservoir, Huntington North Dam and Reservoir, Cottonwood Creek-Huntington Canal, Huntington North Service Canal, and North Canal — all projects engineered by the Emery County Water Conservancy District to capture and deliver water out of the mountains. Both Huntington and Cottonwood creeks are tributaries to the San Rafael River, which is in the upper Colorado River Basin.

The annual precipitation for this area is 8.5 inches a year, while statewide it is 11 inches in this semiarid climate that has been weighed down by more than two decades of what some call a megadrought.

Emery County has tried to get out in front of water issues, with county commissioners approving a tax increase in the early 1990s to pay for an extensive monitoring system to document

both the quantity and quality of the water. More than 50 stations measure water quality and volume at two reservoirs. The district was part of a case study by Campbell Scientific, which developed the monitoring devices and documented their use in the county.

Fasselin knows the value of the finite resource, having tried for years to buy both the land and get water rights. She had the benefit of knowledge on her side, having worked for the Natural Resources Conservation Service, which is under the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Via a joint effort with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, the WaterSMART initiative utilizes targeted funding from the Environmental Quality Incentives Program to conserve water and increase drought resilience.

Under the entire umbrella, it helps farmers and other producers conserve water through local irrigation districts. For fiscal year 2024, Utah was one of 16 states that received nearly $30 million in funding.

Even with the money and the help, it’s been a struggle for this young woman.

“There have been several times where I have had to face Satan,” she said. “I felt like I would be in trouble if I did it incorrectly. ... But as long as I have Ghost and my dog Nix, I’ll make it. I would not have it any other way.”

Ghost is another of Fasselin’s horses, tested, tried and true.

And Nix, the border collie, is a steadfast companion that like any good dog is simply there for you.

Why not walk away and trade work boots for a classroom to learn about the law?

“I ask myself that question all the time. It is as if you have a sickness, and I love it. I love the animals. I love the land and I love the kids.”

There are programs out there to help farmers like Fasselin.

Justin Elsner, a district conservationist with the NRCS field office in North Logan, said while the infrastructure improvements help water conservancy districts and irrigation

companies to save water, farmers and other producers are often left with the exorbitantly high investments of their own to adapt to the new systems in place.

“The agriculture producers, they are kind of stuck with needing to make adjustments now that maybe their open ditch, or their open canal has been put into a pipe and it’s pressurized,” he said. “Now they have to make changes to accommodate that pressurized water, and maybe their old irrigation system can no longer be (workable). With WaterSMART, we can write a proposal to secure funds for what we call the on farm improvements — separate from the Bureau of Reclamation grant.”

That means money to move from flood irrigation to a sprinkler system, a wheel line or a pivot — while improving the water efficiency.

Emily Fife, NRCS state conservationist for Utah, said since the start of this joint-coordination effort, NRCS has invested $4 million in Cache, Morgan, and Summit counties, assisting 64 producers across more than 4,700 contracted acres to reduce drought stress on crops, protect crop health and conserve water.

“Our work is about identifying science-based solutions to complex problems,” she emphasized.

Fasselin, who has a master’s degree in natural resources, set about negotiating to get some money to help in her own quest that started years ago.

“The more information you have the more powerful you can be, the more effective you can be,” she said. “There’s amazing people willing to help.”

But it was no easy task.

The men in charge knew who she was, knew about her roots, but they cast a wary eye at her because of her gender.

“I spent the first 10 minutes talking before I convinced them I was worth listening to. I was young and I was a woman.”

Fasselin’s determination worked.

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DESERET NEWS | SEPTEMBER 2025

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DESERET NEWS | SEPTEMBER 2025 She now owns Desert Lake Livestock, with 120 cultivatable acres where she grows hay to support the 50 head of beef cattle she raises. They summer in the mountain ranges, then usually return to Elmo for the winter or spend those months in the desert. Fasselin rides her horse like she was born on one, deftly guiding the cattle to the desired location. Moving the cattle consists of long days that start early and end late — a ritual she embraces wholeheartedly.

And her approach to farming is saving precious water. In 2023, her operation used 276 acre-feet of water. Last year, growing similar crops and tackling an additional 17 acres of farming small grains, she used only 82-acre feet of water. That counts in the parched Colorado River Basin.

Fulfilling a destiny

Kristin Murphy, Deseret News Jacie Fasselin inspects her new irrigation system near Elmo on April 19, 2025, reducing water use from 276 to 82 acre-feet with grantfunded upgrades.

The land was homesteaded by her family from generations ago so for Fasselin, it feels like destiny was right alongside her in her fight to get the land and the water, to basically get her start.

Fasselin secured a cost share funding investment for a $450,000 system that includes technology like a pivot with solar-powered wheel line, soil sensors and even a weather station with some NRCS funding.

The project was also made possible with money that came from the state’s Agricultural Optimization program, which the state Legislature has used to invest more than $276 million in water saving improvements since its creation in 2019. More than 550 projects have been completed through that funding.

Even with that, it hasn’t been easy. Having a master’s degree does not translate into knowing your way around mechanics, but she’s been learning.

“There’s a massive learning curve,” she said. “My sister-inlaw helps and my brother is mechanically inclined.”

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DESERET NEWS | SEPTEMBER 2025 Still, last fall, she eyed a four-wheeler sitting idle on the property and said she was going to take a go at it with her tools.

Again, it seems like no challenge deters her. She is learning welding, how to assess soil moisture and the list goes on and on.

She and Maya have an inside joke about cows.

“Every time we do something hard or every time we’re covered in hay laying underneath a baler trying to decipher what is wrong with it, we just say ‘we love cows,’” Maya said. “It’s our answer to when anything on the farm gets tough or hard: We love cows.”

The intricacies of farming and water

Since she’s been around farmers her entire life, Fasselin knows the challenges and the many rules, so many of which are unspoken and instinctive.

She follows the “rule of the boot,” which means if your boot sinks more than a quarter of an inch into the ground, your seed bed needs to be firmed up.

It has been a struggle. Highs and lows like an addict who still hangs on to the thing that gets them through the day. In this case, it is land.

“I had this massive amount of change and at the same time planted $10,000 worth of seed. I literally felt like I was going to have a heart attack,” she said. “I went out onto the farm and laid on the ground and cried and I knew it was out of my control. It is easy to get caught up in the moment and then you remember the perspective. If you pray.”

Powering through

She knows, too, that much like energy, the best water used is the water that isn’t, especially given the state’s long-term relationship with drought and the arid nature of the region

she lives in.

Her roots of growing up on farm land with ancestors who did it long before she came along taught her the value of being efficient with the water rights she obtained.

Flood irrigation, she said, is tough and not effective — especially when you’re talking about acres upon acres of land that need the finite resource.

“Flood irrigation is labor intensive,” she said. “Your shovel is your best friend.”

When she used flood irrigation at her ranch, the water seeped deep into the ground, bringing extremely alkaline soil to the top infused with sodium bicarbonate, or salt, unsuitable for planting.

Her system avoids that and allows her to utilize cutting edge technology to track all aspects of her farming and ranching operation when it comes to irrigation. She does that by monitoring a variety of conditions on her phone, even remotely.

The systems pay off.

According to the NRCS, pivot irrigation uses a lot less water — perhaps as much as 30% less, industry estimates say — than flood irrigation. Pivot sprinklers apply water more evenly across fields than flood irrigation. Also, less water is lost to evaporation and there is less risk of soil erosion, fertilizer and chemical runoff, and nutrient leaching — so aside from helping farmers there are environmental benefits and improvement in public health via cleaner waterways.

The hard, good life

As a single mom, farmer and rancher, Fasselin has plenty to do. Her boys, Jace, 10, and Jaxten, 7, are learning early about the culture of having land that you work. There’s crops to be planted and harvested, cattle and horses to be managed. Jaxten

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proudly drives the tractor, but his feet dangle from the seat.

Perhaps it is a throwback to the way Jacie was raised, when her mother would put her in a basket as she drove the tractor.

The ranching life

Both boys know their way around horses, relishing the freedom of the ride, the smells and the bond that comes with an animal that outweighs them by factor of nine or 10. They’re cautious, but they have learned that the hard way with their own mishaps on the ranch.

Fasselin is breaking Boondock, a 2-year-old, for Jaxten. She has another mare, Smoky, who is young and coming up.

At the end of the day, Fasselin gathers the boys around the dinner table. They say their prayers. She never stops feeling grateful.

These experiences that come from ranching and farming embody a way of life she says she hopes will teach her boys about their roots, their history — so one day they can pass it on.

Even with all her daily challenges and learning the rough life of ranching, she never loses sight of being a mother and helping them to learn in the most patient of ways.

For anyone else, this could be frustrating and tiring. But she takes the time to sing songs and cuddle with them at night. It is, after all, the most important job she does — being a mother and role model.

Even though her days always seem to start early and end late, and she gets tired, it’s a good tired and she has no regrets.

“I chose this life 100%.”

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CHURCH NEWS

‘Welcome home’: Deaf Saints return to first chapel built for accessibility Built in Ogden, Utah, with deaf members in mind, the Water Tower Branch building has shaped a global legacy

By Eastin Hartzell

Church News

OGDEN — For more than a century, the Ogden Valley Deaf Branch building has stood as a sacred place for deaf members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

On Sunday, July 27, Latter-day Saints and friends gathered one more time in the restored 1917 meetinghouse — many with tears in their eyes and hands raised in love and testimony.

The historic building, the first Latter-day Saint chapel — and one of the first buildings in the United States — designed specifically for individuals who are deaf, was recently renovated for a new purpose.

It will serve as the meetinghouse for the Church’s Water Tower Correctional Branch — offering a sanctuary for those rebuilding their lives after incarceration.

Before that next chapter moves forward,

“This building is a manifestation of that prophetic vision and mandate.”

this day belonged to the Deaf community whose members once called this building theirs.

“Welcome home,” said Doug Stringham, a member of the Sign Language Board of Accessibility for the Church, his hands emotional and expressive in American Sign Language. “Here was a place different from any other hearing Church you could find.”

Emily Utt, historic sites curator for the Church History Department, said, “For more than 80 years, this place was home for the Deaf community.”

A chapel built by — and for — the deaf

Dedicated in 1917, the Ogden Valley Deaf Branch building was envisioned and advocated for by Church members Max Woodbury and Elsie M. Christiansen, who worked just blocks away at the Utah School for the Deaf.

After years of petitions and letters, President Joseph F. Smith and other Church leaders approved the project and funded it entirely from general Church funds — a rare act at a time when local members contributed for buildings.

Architect Leslie S. Hodgson, known for designing prominent local buildings like Peery’s Egyptian Theater, worked closely with Deaf leaders to design a chapel where communication through sign language could flourish.

Elder Jason C. Jensen, an Area Seventy and

sign language representative on the Church’s Sign Language Board of Accessibility, presided at the meeting and represented the Utah Area presidency. He quoted Doctrine and Covenants 90:11, “Every man shall hear the fulness of the gospel in his own tongue, and in his own language.”

“This building is a manifestation of that prophetic vision and mandate,” he testified.

Elevated pews, sloped floors, natural lighting and wide sight lines make it a sacred and accessible space for Deaf worship.

Utt said, “Starting in the 1840s, there have been deaf Latter-day Saints living in Utah, but they were always in borrowed space. It was never a place of their own.”

This building changed that.

‘This is our home’

For decades, deaf Latter-day Saints traveled from across Utah — and beyond — to worship in this inclusive building.

Every Deaf unit in the Church today can trace its roots to this branch, explained Utt. “The first Deaf Primary, the first Deaf Sunday School, the first Deaf roadshow, the first Deaf banquet.”

Elder Jensen explained there now are just over 25 Deaf units throughout the Church.

Gaye Collins Berg, who first came to the branch as a young girl in the 1950s, recalled walking from the Deaf school dorms to the chapel for Primary, Mutual and Sunday

services. “We had so many social activities,” she said. “It was our life.”

Mark Erwin, who served as branch president for 14 years, explained the building holds generations of memory.

“As soon as I walked in, I felt the history — the spirit,” he said, adding that in this building, his community’s history is etched.

“This is our home,” he said. “I feel this close connection of family and being together and just knowing that we are all the same. We have the same culture, same communications, the same language. It’s just wonderful.”

In 1999, the growing Deaf branch relocated to a larger, more accessible meetinghouse. As second counselor in the branch presidency at that time, Erwin conducted the final meeting in the hallowed building.

“We understood the need to move,” Erwin said. “But there were a lot of hard feelings, lots of tears, as we felt the loss of this building. That time was really, really hard.”

A new chapter of ministry

Since 2001, the building has served a different community: formerly incarcerated individuals — a place where men and women seeking spiritual renewal after prison can gather, worship and heal.

In 2024, though, the building was closed to allow for much-needed refurbishments.

“It’s much more than construction, it’s a restoration,” said Elder Jensen. “Not just of a

DESERET NEWS | SEPTEMBER 2025

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Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News Churchgoers watch a presentation about the history of the original meetinghouse for the hearing impaired during an open house in Ogden on Sunday, July 27, 2025.

building but a legacy.”

As the Deaf community once did, correctional members often feel unseen or forgotten. President Charles Adams serves as the branch president of the Water Tower Correctional Branch. He and his wife, Diane Adams, have watched hearts soften and lives change in that building.

“They call me ‘grandma’ or ‘mom,’” said Sister Adams. “This is the only place where they’re really, truly loved and not judged.”

‘Access to Jesus Christ’

Natural light, raised pews, lighted doorbells instead of chimes — every detail was built for access, explained Elder Jensen, referencing Mark 2 in the New Testament. He described four friends who lowered a paralyzed man through the roof to reach the Savior.

“They uncovered the roof for access,” Elder Jensen said. “Greater access in this building is symbolic of that access to Jesus Christ. This building is much more than a building. It’s a sanctuary.”

During Sunday’s sacrament meeting — the first Deaf sacrament meeting held in the building in 25 years — hands signed as hymns were sung, and tears streamed down faces both old and young.

Darlene Cochran, a third-generation deaf Latter-day Saint, remembered being taught to pay tithing in this building by President Woodbury, the branch’s first leader, who served for

more than 50 years. “He taught me about the gospel. I’ll never forget it,” she said.

She wants deaf Latter-day Saints everywhere to “keep going, keep learning the gospel.”

“Everywhere I go I’m able to see members of the Church that are deaf,” she said. “We’re so lucky to have the gospel. We’re so lucky that we have a church to attend together.”

Legacy lives on

“The best story here is really about the community,” Utt said. “All of us want a place to belong. All of us want to find a group of people, a location that we can call home.”

As the Deaf community continues to grow and worship in new spaces, and as the correctional branch steps into a new season of ministry, the spirit of the building endures — not only in bricks and architecture, but also in hearts, hands and stories.

President Jimmy Adair, current president of the Ogden Valley Branch (Sign Language), stood quietly in the chapel he first entered as a 24-year-old in 1984, acknowledging where the Latter-day Saint Deaf community was then, and now.

“In 1917, this was the first Deaf branch in the world,” he said; now there are sign language wards in Riverside, California; Mesa, Arizona; and Salt Lake City.

Looking around the renovated space, he smiled and said, “God loves everyone.”

“This is our home,” he said. “I feel this close connection of family and being together and just knowing that we are all the same. We have the same culture, same communications, the same language. It’s just wonderful.”

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DESERET MAGAZINE

Breaking a language barrier brought my family together My mother’s native tongue divided us. Until I learned to speak it

By Natalia Galicza

Deseret Magazine

I sat on my hands to stop the fidgeting. My sweaty palms stuck to the leather car seat the whole hourlong drive to Miami Beach.

South Florida’s chaotic freeways and shirt-soaking August humidity are enough to make anyone squirm, but the source of my discomfort was the impending family reunion. I stared out the back window of my parents’ sedan and mentally rehearsed discussion topics — my graduation from college, career plans, thoughts on global affairs — all soupy and uncertain in my head as I tried to translate between my mother’s tongue and my own.

My mom gave my sister and me the customary parental spiel when we arrived outside my aunt’s house: make sure to act polite, say thank you, engage in conversation. The last one especially.

Our grandfather had come to visit from Brazil that summer of 2022, and we didn’t get to see him often. There are certain subtleties that don’t translate over text messages and phone calls. Like the way he tilts his head back when he laughs, or how he smells like the same aftershave he’s used since before I existed. He’s one of the kindest men I’ve ever known, and I can see parts of his face in mine, but I was still nervous to talk to him that night. Mostly because I’d never really had a conversation with him before.

I grew up around three languages: my mother’s native Portuguese, my father’s Hungarian and our shared English. They each sounded like home to me — hers was nasal and musical, his was sharp and taut — but neither of my parents could speak the other’s. We resorted to speaking only English in our household, which left my Portuguese rudimentary at best and my Hungarian nonexistent. “Language is a proxy for identity and access,” says Betty Yu, a professor in the Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences at San Francisco State University. “When children are younger, the family language is a connector, it’s a glue.”

For the first two decades of my life, I didn’t have that glue.

I missed out on moments with my grandparents, second cousins, great-aunts and great-uncles who lived abroad and spoke limited English. I couldn’t joke with them, tell them about my day or discuss my hopes for the future. I felt two-dimensional to my relatives. It forced a wedge between us. I even began to see myself that way. How could I develop my own sense of self

if I couldn’t understand or connect with my family? The answer I eventually settled on — which predated the reunion in Miami Beach, as well as several life-altering decisions to come — was simple: I couldn’t.

“I grew up around three languages: my mother’s Portuguese, my father’s Hungarian and our shared English. They each sounded like home to me, but we resorted to speaking only English.”

Between tongues and ties

Linguists define a heritage speaker as someone who grew up with exposure to a family language that’s different from the dominant or official language in their home country. Spanish and Chinese are the most common heritage languages in the United States, but in a nation where upward of 400 languages are spoken daily, that calculus varies wildly from home to home.

Globalization and immigration have made this mishmash of language and culture more common than ever. Immigrants make up 14 percent of the population, the most in the recorded history of the United States since 1890. And second-generation immigrants — the children of immigrant parents — number around 18 million nationwide, accounting for almost 25 percent

of all children stateside. Many, like myself, find themselves floating somewhere between being secured to their family’s culture yet unmoored from the tongues that create it.

Heritage speakers are often more adept at conveying emotion, understanding tone and pronouncing words than someone learning a language for the first time in an academic setting. But they tend to struggle with incomplete acquisition, or a difficulty mastering technical aspects like grammar. They also commonly experience language attrition, which is the loss of language fluency over time. “You have this three-generation pattern,” Yu says. “The first generation is fluent in their heritage language.

Then the second generation is passively bilingual, meaning they can understand quite a lot, but it’s hard to speak back. And by the third generation, usually in the American context, the family language is lost.”

Language may be the basis of how humans commune with their surroundings — from ordering at restaurants to sharing family histories to asking strangers for directions — but any language can disappear if it goes unused for long enough. My parents used English at their jobs, with their neighbors and with their children because it was their only common denominator for clear communication. I was raised to prioritize my English because it’s what I would need to use at school, to make friends and apply for jobs. I still heard Portuguese when I spent time around my extended family, and I could even understand them.

I just couldn’t confidently respond.

There’s a unique humiliation behind identifying with a lineage and shared history that I couldn’t actually access — to be around loved ones who all spoke, thought and communicated one way when I operated in another. I felt ashamed and guilty and embarrassed all the time. I eventually stopped trying. “We have a love-hate relationship with our home language. We absolutely love it. We’re attached to it, and we have all sorts of positive feelings about it. But at the same time, there’s an insecurity there,” says María Carreira, executive director of the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese. She was the co-organizer of the first national conference on heritage CONTINUES ON PG. 14-15

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“As much as language can open new worlds and expand horizons, its absence accomplishes the reverse. That realization took a quarter of my life to dawn on me.”

languages and co-directs the National Heritage Language Resource Center at UCLA. “It’s not just a sense of insecurity, but there’s a sense of imposter. … That can make a young kid feel very unwilling to pursue the study of their heritage language.”

Even more than the internal shame, there are sociopolitical obstacles to accessing speech. Multilingualism has historically been framed as a threat to American culture and identity.

Precursors to the English-only movement began more than a century ago, when President Theodore Roosevelt wrote, “We have room for but one language in this country, and that is the English language,” in response to a rise in immigration during the rapid industrialization and urbanization of the Progressive Era. Its modern echoes turn up in efforts to enforce English-only speaking in Arizona, mandate that all official communications and publications of the government in Tennessee be produced

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DESERET NEWS | SEPTEMBER 2025 in English, and defund bilingual education programs across the country. “We’re among the most multilingual countries, but also one of the most ideologically monolingual,” Yu says.

“There’s an expectation, whether by punishment or rewards, for people to become monolingual English speakers.”

Today, some 17 percent of foreign-born Americans speak only English at home. That means their children might not be able to access family recipes. They likely can’t listen to music or read books that come recommended by relatives. They miss getting an intimate peek into how a loved one sees the world.

They could not know their relatives at all; unable to see their own family, deeply and truly, and see themselves reflected right back. As much as language can open new worlds and expand horizons, its absence accomplishes the reverse. That realization always lurked in the back of my mind, taking up a quiet corner of neglected mental real estate, but it took a quarter of my life to dawn on me.

Finding voice through language

When I set out to properly learn Portuguese, I knew I wanted (however ironically) to do so separate from my family. At least at first. The idea of trying and failing and trying again seemed significantly less daunting around strangers. So I chose to minor in the language as part of my undergraduate degree. Even just a single semester in, I found myself speaking more and for longer periods of time than I ever had in my life. I also shed a sizable chunk of the shame I’d been carrying around in the process.

If I heard Portuguese outside the classroom, I now felt brave enough to approach the speaker and tell them, excitedly, that “eu também falo a língua, só com um sotaque inglês.” I also speak the language, just with an English accent.

Language courses in high school and college are traditionally

lifelines for students trying to reconnect with their heritage.

In some cases, programs and courses are specifically aimed at the heritage speaking experience, rather than geared toward students with no exposure to their language of choice. The University of California, Los Angeles, for example, offers courses in almost 50 languages and is home to the federally funded National Heritage Language Resource Center. The center researches heritage speakers and has reported that the top two reasons college heritage language learners study their chosen language are, first, to better understand themselves, and, second, to communicate with loved ones.

Yet the ways in which we pursue language are changing. The Modern Language Association estimates fewer than 1.2 million college and university students are enrolled in a language course other than English. That share has dropped by nearly 30 percent in just over a decade. Only 1 in 5 K-12 students and 1 in 12 university students is enrolled in a language course. Meanwhile, more than 116 million users are registered on Duolingo, a popular gamified language learning app, and log on every month.

Regardless of format, we keep reaching toward language as a means of grounding, connection and challenge. This is, in part, because we reap far more than social benefits from the practice.

“We know that children, when they’re in a school setting that supports their culture and doesn’t see them as inferior, are more engaged and more likely to graduate on time. So it’s a great tool for retaining language minority children in school, as well as for ensuring their success,” Carreira says. “As you are learning your heritage language, you are learning skills that will make you a better student and also, in all likelihood, you are increasing professional opportunities.”

It also makes you an arguably better and healthier person.

Learning a language increases empathy and instills a sense of

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purpose. It can also improve cognitive skills like multitasking, as well as lower the risk and slow the effects of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and dementia. Multilingual speakers report stronger communication skills, literacy rates, self-confidence, concentration and creativity than monolinguals. Through MRI scans, researchers have even confirmed they have more neurons and denser grey matter — the goop in our brains that helps us control our movements, memories and emotions.

I can’t yet attest to any added mental clarity or new neurons, but it’s been more than three years since I began speaking Portuguese in earnest. I’ve engaged in political debates and heartened discussions with relatives I had never even spoken to before; I’ve read the poems my grandmother sends me, noticed the type of writing that stirs her and have felt it stir something in me; I’ve read the facial expressions on each of my second cousin’s faces when they’re particularly animated about whatever subject we managed to land on. Their faces contort dramatically with every new sentence, their hands gesticulate wildly in tune — just like mine do. I am still nowhere near fluent, but I’m not afraid to speak up anymore. I can use my own words, however accurate or mangled. And I experience no shortage of self-discovery now because of that.

When I approached my grandfather that summer night in Miami Beach, I swallowed the nerves that tried to wriggle their way out of me on the way over. I smiled at him. He smiled back.

Our cheeks lifted to just the same pitch and our eyes crinkled identically in the same corners. Then, in a manner of speaking, I introduced myself. this story appears in the july/august 2025 issue of deseret magazine. learn more about how to subscribe.

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DESERET MAGAZINE

The great global caregiving crisis The U.S. is aging into a caretaker shortage. So is the rest of the world

By Hikari Mae Hida

Deseret Magazine

What if we live a long life and are abandoned or without funds despite our best efforts?” For Wendy Jane Carrel, a senior care specialist with over two decades of experience who operates the consulting service Wellness Shepherd, this question is a looming reality.

In the parched deserts of Coachella Valley in the early 2000s, she saw the first ripples of a “silver tsunami” — an aging America colliding with a shrinking pool of caregivers and the soaring costs of care.

Back then, she recalls, “The average American couldn’t even afford the cost.” Today, the situation has only gotten worse for both those needing care and those who offer it.

And despite how expensive care is, much of that money isn’t trickling down to caregivers themselves. Caregivers who Carrel has worked alongside often earn poverty-level wages.

Demographers have long warned of a “demographic time bomb” threatening wealthy nations. Experts estimate that by 2060, 155 million Europeans (roughly 30 percent of the population) will be 65 or older. About 45 million are expected to have at least one disability that disrupts daily living, effectively doubling current elder caregiving needs. In Japan, the Ministry of Health is forecasting a need for 2.72 million nursing care workers by 2040. A third of the population is already 65 or over.

One in six Americans is aged 65 or older — an estimate expected to rise to 47 percent by 2050, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

“We are all living longer,” says Joanna Hofman, a senior research leader at Rand Europe. “There are just more of us to take care of and not enough of us to do the caring.”

We haven’t reached the peak of the problem yet. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that demand for personal care and home health aides will soar by 21 percent between 2021 and 2031 — one of the fastest increases for any occupation. Yet, the workforce is already

stretched thin, and Boston Consulting Group warns that by 2030, the resulting shortage could lead to a $290 billion loss per year to the nation’s GDP. This silver tsunami we are facing is already shifting who receives care, who gives care, and where.

Traditionally, caregivers have worked within local environments, providing unpaid or low-paid support in their own communities.

However, as populations age and domestic care work becomes less accessible or less attractive due to low wages, many caregivers find themselves unable to meet the rising needs at home. Many are moving across borders to seek more stable incomes, leaving gaps in local care systems. In the U.S., the rising costs continue to deepen the barriers for families and seniors alike, with an increasing number of people looking to leave the country to live out their final years. Carrel reflects on some seniors living stateside she has worked with, who, while living in the U.S., were forced to make the impossible choice of “choosing between air conditioning and eating in the summer.”

“It’s not just about money,” Carrel says. “It’s about dignity.”

The cost of care

For most of American history, caring for aging parents or frail relatives was a private, often invisible act, carried out in kitchens and bedrooms away from the public eye or conversation, rarely recognized as work. It was simply part of life, of being a part of a family.

The notion of caregiving as a paid profession is a relatively recent phenomenon, born out of seismic demographic shifts and the changing structure of families.

The numbers are staggering. In her book, “The Age of Dignity: Preparing for the Elder Boom in a Changing America,” social activist Ai-jen Poo estimates that 48 million Americans

provide unpaid care for loved ones — a contribution valued at $600 billion, a figure that dwarfs the annual revenues of the nation’s largest corporations. Even today, the vast majority of care is still performed by relatives, with women shouldering most of the burden.

Over time, caregiving that was once seen as a natural extension of family duties and community responsibility was transformed by individualism, urbanization and economic demands — becoming an institutionalized and commercial industry. In the United States, the professionalization of caregiving accelerated in the late 20th century, as home health agencies proliferated and states began to regulate training and certification. The 1987 Nursing Home Reform Act set minimum standards for care in nursing facilities.

But despite this industry shift, commercialized care proved to be inaccessible for many families without causing substantial financial strain. According to a 2024 report from the Kaiser Family Foundation, the median annual cost of a private room in a nursing home is $116,800, while full-time home health aide services top $288,000 — sums that far exceed the median income of $36,000 for Medicare beneficiaries. Nearly 41 million Americans now provide unpaid care to adults, according to the National Alliance for Caregiving, and as the pool of trained professionals shrinks, families are forced to shoulder even more of the burden at the expense of their own livelihoods.

Economic necessity became the overstory of accessing any kind of care, with the demand for in-home, informal care leading to global migration. In Europe, informal caregivers and undeclared migrant workers now provide about 80 percent of elder care. In the U.S., immigrants make up about 25 percent of the home care workforce, according to PHI, a nonprofit research group. Many are women from the Philippines, Nigeria, Jamaica and

Haiti, drawn by the promise of steady work, even if the pay is low and the hours are long.

“Many care workers are still ‘tago ng tago’ or ‘hidden and hiding,’” says Ashlee Monton, who has conducted research about Filipina caregivers in the U.S., making up 1 in 7 immigrant health workers. Compared to back home, wages are high, so many continue to work and live undeclared. And they are willing to work for wages that are far below the costs of institutionalized care.

But there is little upward mobility in the work, and protections are limited, says Hofman. Home health aides, who provide the bulk of hands-on care, earn a median wage of just $16 an hour. In many states, turnover rates for direct care workers reaches 60 percent annually. Additionally, recent changes to visa programs and the tightening of the southern border have made it harder for Latin American and Caribbean workers to fill caregiving jobs.

Some are now leaving, seeking better opportunities elsewhere or returning home, raising fears of an even deeper shortage.

“If we lose that workforce, more Americans will be forced to look elsewhere for care, or find a way to come up with new community solutions,” says Carrel, the senior care consultant.

With fewer hands available, the quality and accessibility of elder care are at risk of unraveling, leaving vulnerable seniors without the support they need. Carrel gives one example of a family seeking out her help, where the children lived far away from their mother and realized that “her funds wouldn’t last as long as her possible lifespan” if she planned on living out the rest of her life in the United States with her family.

Americans seeking long-term or end-of-life care find that living abroad can offer a more affordable and comfortable alternative.

Carrel helps those who cannot afford domestic caregiving services, but have enough

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to relocate to countries with lower costs, primarily in Latin America. European countries are also considered “often based on heritage or past experience.” While costs are rising worldwide, the price for similar levels of care remains generally lower outside the U.S. She recently supported four siblings relocating their mother, who lived in Washington, to a semi-independent living facility in Lake Chapala, Mexico. The siblings take turns visiting their elderly mother, who is “having trouble remembering things,” and Carrel occasionally has a care specialist who works in family care check in on her. In the U.S. today, “you need one million dollars over the life of memory care,” notes Carrel.

In a recent New York Times Ethicist column, the phenomenon of Westerners retiring abroad was described as “migration with permission.” Northern Thailand, for instance, hosts retirement communities that promise comfort and savings compared to American standards. Increasingly, families are exploring these options for their aging loved ones.

Caregiving across borders

The movement of caregivers is not just a one-way journey to the United States. There are some Americans who are moving to countries like Germany to work as caregivers. In Italy, Peruvian women have become the backbone of elder care in cities like Florence, filling a void left by Italians who can no longer afford to care for their parents at home. Croatians cross the Adriatic to work in Italian households, while some Italian retirees, squeezed by the cost of care, move in the opposite direction — to Croatia, where help is cheaper.

Governments are responding by forging new partnerships and formalizing cross-border arrangements to bring in foreign care workers. These agreements set rules for recruiting, training and integrating international

caregivers into national health systems. Japan, for instance, has signed agreements with countries like Indonesia and the Philippines to recruit and support trained caregivers, offering language support and pathways to long-term residency for those who pass rigorous exams.

Similar strategies are unfolding across Europe and North America. Canada and the U.K. have streamlined immigration policies to facilitate the influx of care workers, acknowledging that their aging populations depend heavily on foreign labor. Even in the U.S., where immigration debates remain contentious, thousands of international caregivers continue to quietly fill vital roles in homes, hospitals and nursing facilities.

These agreements do more than address workforce shortages. They highlight a global recognition that elder care is a shared challenge. It transcends borders. As populations age and resources tighten, the movement of caregivers — and the choices about where to receive care — is becoming integral to modern life.

In the years ahead, how nations negotiate and manage the tsunami will shape the well-being of their oldest citizens and the social cohesion of their communities. For Carrel, this includes reexamining and integrating traditional values of compassion, respect and intergenerational support into new caregiving frameworks to ensure aging populations are cared for with dignity and communal solidarity.

“Shouldn’t your departure be just as holy and sacred as when you were welcomed into this world?” she asks.

“Even here,” she adds softly, “dying is a challenge.” this story appears in the july/august 2025 issue of deseret magazine. learn more about how to subscribe.

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FALL GUIDE

What big shows are coming to Utah this year? Here’s the latest Here’s a breakdown, by venue, of big shows to watch out for in 2025

By Lottie Elizabeth Johnson

Deseret News

MAVERIK CENTER • SEP 11: Warren Zeiders • SEP 17: Ice Cube • SEP 18: Megan Moroney • SEP 30: Bring Me the Horizon • OCT 5: Sleep Token • NOV 1: Tony Hinchcliffe • NOV 2: Chelo • NOV 13: Brandon Lake • NOV 20: John Legend OGDEN TWILIGHT SERIES • SEP 17: The Flaming Lips • SEP 25: Polo & Pan RED BUTTE GARDEN • SEP 8: Jon Batiste • SEP 9: Train, with Edwin McCain • SEP 14: OK Go • SEP 16: Hermanos Gutierrez Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP Benson Boone performs "Beautiful Things" during the 67th annual Grammy Awards on Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025, in Los Angeles.

REDWEST MUSIC FESTIVAL • OCT 10-12: Post Malone, Kacey Musgraves and Noah Kahan

Most venues across Utah have already released full concert lineups that extend through the end of the year. Here’s a breakdown, by venue, of big shows to watch out for this year.

SANDY AMPHITHEATER • SEP 13: Mat Kearney • SEP 20: The Tom Petty Tribute Experience with Royal Bliss • SEP 30: Air • OCT 12: Ziggy Marley and Burning Spear

note: this list is not all-inclusive and events are subject to change.

DELTA CENTER • OCT 6: Laufey • OCT 7: Tate McRae • OCT 8, 9, 11: Benson Boone • OCT 23: Eric Church • OCT 25: Maroon 5 • OCT 26: Adam Sandler • NOV 15: Ben Rector • NOV 29: Katt Williams • DEC 5-6: Nate Bargatze ECCLES THEATER • SEP 26-27: My Favorite Murder

• • • • • • • • • • •

SEP 28: Twilight in Concert OCT 17: Alicia Villarreal OCT 18: Ludovico Einaudi OCT 19: Adam Savage OCT 24: Jonathan Van Ness OCT 25: Sal Vulcano NOV 5: David Sedaris NOV 19: Neko Case NOV 21: Fortune Feimster DEC 16: Mat and Savanna Shaw DEC 18-20: A Kurt Bestor Christmas

EGYPTIAN THEATRE • SEP 11-14: Ambrosia with John Ford Coley • SEP 18-20: Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone • OCT 16-1: Marc Broussard • OCT 22-25: The Steeldrivers • NOV 6-8: Bob Schneider • DEC 4-6: Joshua Radin • DEC 23-25: Kurt Bestor

SUMMER NIGHTS WITH THE STARS • SEP 12: Electric Avenue: The ’80s MTV Experience • SEP 13: Atlanta Rhythm Section and Pure Prairie League THE NOORDA | UVU • SEP 12: The Wailin’ Jennys • SEP 26: Henry Yeff aka Reeps100 • OCT 13: 123 Andres • NOV 5: Lea Salonga • DEC 12: La Nueva Generacion, “A Mariachi Christmas” • DEC 16: Utah Symphony, “Here Comes Santa Claus”

TUACAHN AMPHITHEATRE • NOV 6: Night Ranger • NOV 7: Ashley McBryde • NOV 8: Southern Utah Blues Festival • NOV 12: Lillian Breeze • NOV 13: 38 Special • NOV 14: Andy Grammer • NOV 15: Gentri Christmas TWILIGHT CONCERT SERIES | SLC • SEP 12: Big Thief UNION EVENT CENTER • SEP 12: Marina • SEP 13: The Hives • SEP 20: Jessie Murph • SEP 23: Noah Cyrus • OCT 1: Aly & AJ • OCT 4: Morrissey • OCT 7: Mudvayne • OCT 10: Elbow • OCT 16: All Time Low • OCT 18: Flatland Calvary • OCT 20: Lorna Shore • OCT 21: Lord Huron • OCT 24: Niko Moon • OCT 25: Blue October • OCT 26: Marc Rebillet • OCT 27: Viagra Boys • OCT 31: Yung Gravy • NOV 7: Jesse McCartney • NOV 8: Fit For a King • NOV 14: Avatar • NOV 15: Thrice • NOV 29: Lola Young • NOV 30: Say Anything and Motion City Soundtrack • DEC 1: Trivium UTAH FIRST CREDIT UNION AMPHITHEATRE • SEP 20: Thomas Rhett • SEP 27: Breaking Benjamin and Three Days Grace • OCT 1: Conan Gray, with special guest Hemlocke Springs • OCT 12: Judas Priest and Alice Cooper

DESERET NEWS | SEPTEMBER 2025

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DESERET NEWS | SEPTEMBER 2025

FALL GUIDE

10 years ago, the 10-dollar Founding Father became a Broadway star — and this Utahn has been on stage for it all As ‘Hamilton’ celebrates 10 years on Broadway, Thayne Jasperson celebrates his own unique milestone: He’s the sole original cast member remaining in the production

By Lottie Elizabeth Johnson

Deseret News

Right outside Broadway’s Richard Rodgers Theatre, where he has just spent close to three hours on stage helping to tell Alexander Hamilton’s story through nonstop song and dance, Thayne Jasperson has a smile that won’t quit.

The curtains of the sold-out “Hamilton” matinee on this Saturday closed just 30 minutes earlier, but Jasperson has already stepped out of his knee-high black leather boots, neutral-toned trousers and sleeveless waistcoat — the standard outfit for a member of the “Hamilton” ensemble.

Now, in contemporary clothing, Jasperson doesn’t even appear to be remotely tired.

With the youthful energy he exudes, you’d think he was new to “Hamilton,” new to taking part in this musical that quickly cemented itself as a Broadway juggernaut.

It would be a reasonable assumption to make.

It would also be wrong.

Jasperson, a dancer, singer and actor who hails from Provo, Utah, has been in “Hamilton” since the show’s opening night on Broadway with creator Lin-Manuel Miranda — and even well before then, as part of the show’s first workshops and off-Broadway run.

The revolutionary musical about Alexander Hamilton — the “10-dollar Founding Father without a father” — was an instant hit following its official Broadway debut on Aug. 6, 2015. It won the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for drama and a staggering 11 Tonys, including for best musical.

“Hamilton” rapidly evolved into a cultural phenomenon that traveled to the White House, invigorated school history classes and brought new audiences to the theater with its blend of genres that reflected the American melting pot — everything from rap and hip-hop to jazz and traditional showtunes.

And Jasperson has been one of the longest participating witnesses of it all.

As “Hamilton” celebrates 10 years on Broadway, the actor celebrates his own unique milestone: He’s the sole original cast member remaining in the production.

To date, he’s been in more than 3,200 performances (and counting).

But he hasn’t tired of it yet, and he’s definitely not tired.

In front of the century-old theater that houses “Hamilton” on New York’s 46th Street, in the late afternoon heat of late

July, the Broadway actor is now acknowledging every single person who has taken the time to wait for him after the show.

With the white brick and terra-cotta facade as his background, he’s taking selfies, listening to fans’ stories and signing all the yellow playbills that come his way.

Once the last fan has gotten a moment with Jasperson, the actor retreats into the theater.

In about two hours, he’ll step back into his Revolutionary War-era clothes and do it all over again.

‘Hamilton’ and Thayne Jasperson still going strong

Sitting several rows back from the stage where he takes part in eight shows of “Hamilton” over six days per week, Jasperson leans forward in one of the red velvet seats and looks around the theater with a sense of awe that belies the fact he’s here just about every day.

Out of all the Broadway venues, this storied theater has housed the most Tony Award winners for best musicals, per Playbill. That includes “Guys and Dolls,” “1776” and “In the Heights,” another Broadway hit from Miranda that predates “Hamilton.”

The list of musicals that have run at the Richard Rodgers Theatre over 100 years is robust, but “Hamilton” manages to hold the impressive distinction of being the longest-running production to play at the venue, according to Playbill.

“Hamilton” also sits in the top 20 for longest-running Broadway musicals of all time, though it has a long way to climb — roughly 10,000 performances — before it can reach the No. 1 spot held by “The Phantom of the Opera,” which closed on Broadway in 2023 after 35 years.

But the musical is still going strong — and so is Jasperson.

When I mention his upcoming birthday (it was July 27, the day after our interview), he quickly deflects: “Tell them that he says he’s 29 forever.”

To keep the theater magic alive, he doesn’t like to share his age (although he’s aware that the information can readily be found online).

He looks significantly younger than his age, though, and feels that way, too, largely due to the physical demands of a show like “Hamilton” that keep his body toned. (Biking to and from

his home above Central Park every day doesn’t hurt, either.)

Backstage before every single performance, Jasperson can be seen doing pushups and pullups to get ready for 2.5 hours of continual movement. Being in a fast-paced production like “Hamilton” has also made him hyperaware of all the little decisions he makes on a daily basis that could affect his performance.

“Every day I’m thinking about, how do I take care of my voice, my body?” he says.

The deliberateness has served him well. While he has the occasional injury, he feels virtually the same as he did when he stepped into an audition room more than a decade ago to sing — in front of Miranda — “Dear Theodosia” and the James Madison rap portion of “Washington On Your Side” (which, unprompted, he proceeds to flawlessly perform on the spot during our interview).

A few days later, Jasperson got word from Miranda: He was cast as the episcopal bishop Samuel Seabury, a staunch loyalist who decries the revolutionary sentiments of Hamilton and his colleagues.

“I was shocked,” he says of landing the role after just one audition. “We had no idea what this would be. ... And then it grew to be this gigantic thing.”

10 years later, the crowd still goes wild

Broadway has a slow season, typically in the winter months following the new year, Jasperson says.

But over the years, as he’s put on show after show after show, he’s found that “Hamilton” is generally an exception to that rule.

“It sells well,” he says.

The overall gross of “Hamilton” now sits at just over $1 billion, per Broadway World, becoming only the fourth musical in an elite club that includes “The Lion King,” “Wicked” and “The Phantom of the Opera.”

Just this past week alone, the Broadway musical grossed $2.24 million at the box office, according to Playbill.

And in the fall, every single performance for nearly three months — from Sept. 9 through Nov. 26 — is sold out as Leslie Odom Jr., the original Aaron Burr, reprises his role in “Hamilton.”

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DESERET NEWS | SEPTEMBER 2025

Taurat Hossain, for the Deseret News Thayne Jasperson, an actor from Utah, poses for a portrait at the Richard Rodgers Theatre on the set of the musical "Hamilton" in New York City on Friday, July 26, 2025.

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DESERET NEWS | SEPTEMBER 2025

Taurat Hossain, for the Deseret News Thayne Jasperson, an actor from Utah, poses for a portrait at the Richard Rodgers Theatre on the set of the musical "Hamilton" in New York City on Friday, July 26, 2025.

Audiences are still filling the theater, and this recent Saturday afternoon matinee is no exception. A week and a half before the show’s official 10th anniversary, it’s a packed house in the 1,300-seat Richard Rodgers Theatre.

Jasperson’s snooty Samuel Seabury enters about 20 minutes into the production, stepping onto a soapbox to admonish people to “heed not the rabble who scream revolution.”

His cries are in vain — and draw laughs from the audience — as Alexander Hamilton repeatedly interrupts him and eventually declares, “My dog speaks more eloquently than thee.”

This is Jasperson’s shining moment, one he relishes, but his time on stage isn’t limited to this role. As a member of the ensemble, through remarkably intricate choreography, he is continually helping to move the story along.

King George III, in all of his regal glory, remains a total crowd-pleaser. Jarrod Spector’s simultaneously sweet and biting delivery of “You’ll Be Back,” an upbeat number where the king lovingly promises to kill those who rebel against him, has the audience roaring.

George Washington’s presence is more commanding than ever in the hands of Tamar Greene. His Washington is passionate, glistening with sweat as he summons Hamilton to rejoin the Continental Army, all the while battling inner turmoil in the song “History Has Its Eyes On You.” The crowd goes especially wild in the next number, “Yorktown,” when Hamilton and Marquis de Lafayette deliver the line: “Immigrants, we get the job done!”

Throughout this matinee performance, the audience seems to be hanging on every word, every note.

As the curtains close on the first half, the woman on my right, who has traveled here from the Basque region of Spain, looks at me with a wide smile.

DESERET NEWS | SEPTEMBER 2025 “It’s amazing,” she says.

For Jasperson, no show is the same, in part because of the reactions from the crowd.

But he’s also been able to play a few different roles over the years — including hundreds of performances as the scene-stealing King George. His knees were shaking the first time he played the king, and to this day, he remains thankful for the opulent robe that was able to conceal his nerves from the audience.

It’s a lot to keep track of, managing different roles and responsibilities in a fast-paced production like “Hamilton.”

When I ask Jasperson how he’s been able to keep it all straight in his mind for so many years, he seems to sort of surprise himself when he brings up his two-year mission to Argentina for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

“That’s something that I think I don’t always say,” he says.

He was just 19 at the time of his mission, but as he talks, it’s clear the lessons have stayed with him.

“It’s taught me a lot of endurance to help me with the show, because you learn at a young age to live on your own and to keep going,” he says. “Back then, you could only call your family twice a year. So I think that really taught me a lot of endurance.”

The dance and theater training he received in Utah also helped set him up for success, he believes.

Jasperson, a self-described “country boy” who spent much of his childhood in Wyoming, relocated to Utah County during his teenage years and found a vibrant arts scene.

He graduated from Springville High School and Utah Valley University, trained with Odyssey Dance Theatre, danced in “High School Musical,” auditioned and made the cut for “So You Think You Can Dance” and starred as Ren McCormick in a production of “Footloose” at Tuacahn Amphitheatre.

All of that gave him enough confidence to pack his bags and

head to New York City on a one-way ticket.

He still remembers standing in Times Square, uncertain of what was going to happen next, but knowing that it was where he needed to be.

“Utah trains them well,” he says, lamenting that he’s only able to visit once or twice a year.

Not far from where Jasperson spent years preparing for his eventual move to Broadway, in the heart of downtown Salt Lake City, “Hamilton” has also exploded in popularity.

Utah’s capital was one of the first cities to host “Hamilton” when the production began touring nationally. During its initial Utah run, back in 2018, the musical sold out all of its shows within four hours, the Deseret News previously reported. “‘Hamilton’ was a true phenomenon for Salt Lake City,” Angela Vanderwell, general manager of the Eccles Theater, shared with the Deseret News in a statement. “Each performance was absolutely electric.”

Since its 2016 opening, the Eccles Theater has hosted “Hamilton” three times. With each return, the number of people who see the show increases due to longer engagements.

In the past 12 months at the Eccles Theater, more than 370,000 people attended a Broadway show — and roughly 88,000 of those theatergoers attended a production of “Hamilton” during its five-week run last summer, Victor Hamburger, vice president of the mountain region for Broadway Across America, told the Deseret News.

Overall, across three engagements, nearly 250,000 people have seen “Hamilton” at the Eccles Theater.

One of the best audiences “Hamilton” has received in Utah, Vanderwell said, was during a special matinee performance in May of 2018, when more than 2,000 students from 40 Title 1 schools did extra schoolwork through the Hamilton Education

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Program so they could earn a trip to the theater to see the Broadway sensation.

The way the kids responded to the show on that spring afternoon illustrated how “Hamilton” has, in many ways, transformed American history into a pop culture phenomenon.

And that’s something Jasperson still senses, even several years later, as he performs night after night on Broadway.

The phantom of the Richard Rodgers Theatre

There’s a running joke that Jasperson never leaves the Richard Rodgers Theatre.

“The real phantom of the opera.”

“I think he’s stuck.”

“Does he come with the theater?”

These are just a few of the comments fans have made regarding the amount of time Jasperson spends at the historic Broadway venue.

Even Miranda, the “Hamilton” creator himself, recently said that Jasperson “lives in the building.”

Of course, the jokes are hyperbolic, though Jasperson does admit to having slept in his dressing room at least once due to an early flight — and to showering and hand-washing his clothes in the theater. But all of the jokes stem from an underlying truth: Jasperson is inseparable from “Hamilton.”

While having 3,200-plus performances of “Hamilton” under his belt lends itself to an abundance of jokes about being stuck in a time loop, Jasperson’s previous brushes of fame with “High School Musical” and “So You Think You Can Dance” have taught him to savor every minute.

He knows from experience the spotlight doesn’t last forever, CONTINUES ON PG. 30-31

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DESERET NEWS | SEPTEMBER 2025 and that makes him want to give his all for “Hamilton” every single day — even after 10 years.

“I saw what it’s like to be in that life where you get this fantastic moment in the limelight of the United States, and then years later ... nobody remembers,” he says. “I think maybe that’s made it easier to not take it for granted.

“I would never want to regret the time that I have when I can do it, when my body’s capable, when I’m here in this blessing to be part of the original cast of ‘Hamilton,’” he added.

Remembering ‘Hamilton’ mania

Taurat Hossain, for the Deseret News Thayne Jasperson, an actor from Utah, poses for a portrait at the Richard Rodgers Theatre on the set of the musical "Hamilton" in New York City on Friday, July 26, 2025.

Although he no longer remembers the specifics of his first “Hamilton” show, Jasperson does still remember the general feeling of anticipation he felt from those earliest audiences, a palpable excitement that bubbled out of the theater and into the streets.

“I loved how the audience was feeding on the words,” he recalls. “Everybody’s mouths open, eyes huge, just staring and listening intently to every word that was coming out and waiting to see what was going to happen. That was so fun.”

During those early days, tickets were nearly impossible to come by — even for the cast members themselves, Jasperson says.

A steady stream of A-listers and high-profile political figures flowed into the Richard Rodgers Theatre during the first several months of the musical’s run: Jon Bon Jovi, Oprah Winfrey, Beyonce, Usher, former U.S. President and first lady Barack and Michelle Obama, and Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister of Israel.

Oh, and Madonna. But they don’t talk about Madonna.

“She was on her iPad like most of the show, so we were kind of mad at Madonna,” Jasperson said.

DESERET NEWS | SEPTEMBER 2025 In March 2016, several months after the musical’s Broadway debut, the original “Hamilton” cast took the show on the road to the White House. Jasperson and his fellow cast members performed several numbers in the East Room, which houses a large and authoritative portrait of George Washington.

Three months later, “Hamilton” became the second-most awarded production in Tony history with 11 wins (the first is Mel Brooks’ “The Producers” with 12 Tonys).

The musical’s rise to cultural prominence was swift, and Jasperson loved having a front-row seat as he watched it all unfold.

But then, gradually, the cast members he’d shared this oncein-a-lifetime phenomenon with started to exit the theater, and bittersweetness crept in.

Jasperson got a lump in his throat every time a fellow original cast member took their final bow. He’d get so emotional he could barely sing the last number, “Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story.”

During that final song, he’d take a moment to look at the person leaving, to see them standing one last time on the stage.

“I would cry like a baby every time any of them left,” he says. “We were the family that created this. We went through so much together.”

Reuniting with his “Hamilton” family for a special 10th anniversary performance at the Tonys earlier this year — arguably the most talked about moment at the event — brought Jasperson back to the thrill of the show’s earliest days. He was like an excited golden retriever, he says, fervently wagging his tail as he ran in circles around all of his dear friends.

“It felt like you were on top of the world, as it was when ‘Hamilton’ started. It was truly like the universe stopped,” he says. “It was so cool, so magical, truly. Sometimes I think, ‘Wow, Thayne, you have had some experiences in this life.’ And I’m

like, ‘Thanks, God.’” Another “Hamilton” reunion takes place this week, as several original cast members, celebrities and friends of the production are attending the invite-only evening show on Wednesday — the official 10-year anniversary of the musical’s Broadway debut.

Jasperson never imagined he’d still be here after 10 years.

Initially, he figured he’d do “Hamilton” for around two years, starting with off-Broadway and extending through the Tony Awards. But he gets a lot of stage time as a member of the ensemble, and he feels a sense of pride in having originated the role of Samuel Seabury (along with understudying the roles of King George III, John Laurens and Philip Hamilton).

And somehow, even after a decade, the musical still feels new to him.

“There are so many things I feel like I learn every day,” he says. “There’s so many words and lyrics that I don’t even know.

“The reason that I stayed is because the show is so good,” he continues. “It’s always relevant.”

‘I feel like a million dollars’

After 10 years, the “Hamilton” mania still exists, Jasperson says, though it is a bit different than when the musical made its debut.

Now, instead of the awe he witnessed from audiences during those pre-Broadway and early Broadway shows, when it was still largely unknown, there’s a discernible familiarity.

People know what to expect. They know when they’re going to laugh, or cry.

At one point, during the second half of this Saturday matinee, Jasperson looked out into the audience. He couldn’t help but smile as he saw a woman mouthing along to every single word of one of the Cabinet rap battles.

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Moments like these are why he’s so adamant on interacting with every single fan who takes the time to wait for him outside of the theater. It’s the reason our interview started 20 minutes late. This musical means a lot of things to a lot of people, and he wants to acknowledge that.

“The fans are really what keep your heart going, and I think that that’s the secret some people don’t always realize,” he says.

“They traveled all this way, they’re excited to meet you. Even if it’s a little bit more time, I’m excited to do it. I feel like a million dollars when I leave.”

He’ll often sign the yellow playbill, which currently has “Hamilten” printed across the front to commemorate a decade, with the words “Heed not the rabble!” — a nod to his Samuel Seabury character.

He’s not ready to leave Seabury behind just yet, or to exit the doors of the Richard Rodgers Theatre for good — though he has entertained the thought from time to time.

“I would leave if it’s something that I’m excited about and I feel is powerful,” he says near the end of our interview, now in a hallway outside of the auditorium. “I wouldn’t just leave to leave.

I have had other opportunities, but I want it to feel right.”

A few minutes later, he’s heading back into the auditorium where he has a company meeting on stage. After that, he’ll get into costume and prepare to put on his 3,000th and some-odd show of “Hamilton.”

Although he’s lost count at this point, he does still believe each and every show is significant — especially as he’s the single thread stretching through 10 years of this cultural phenomenon.

“I feel so honored to be the 10-year guy,” he says. “I feel so honored that I get to be a part of it, and I never want to take that for granted. I always try to remember every day how lucky really I am to be alive right now, like we say in the show. I really feel that.”

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DESERET NEWS | SEPTEMBER 2025

FALL GUIDE

We saw all of the plays at the Utah Shakespeare Festival. Here’s what you need to know The Utah Shakespeare Festival is back for its 64th season with fresh stories to tell

By Valerie Jones

Deseret News

The Utah Shakespeare Festival is back for its 64th season with fresh stories to tell, including a Tony Award-winning musical, a Shakespearean drama that hasn’t been performed on the festival’s stage for almost 20 years, and a tearjerking play that’s also been made into a movie starring Julia Roberts and Dolly Parton.

We made the drive to Cedar City to see all of the plays. Here’s what you should know about the Utah Shakespeare Festival this year.

‘A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder’

This Tony Award-winning musical is not Shakespeare, but it feels Shakespearean in some of its major themes (which are also explored in many of the festivals other plays this year): identity and disguise, ambition and power, family disputes and, of course, murder.

The light-hearted musical is the story of a young man who discovers he’s eighth in line to inherit an earldom — and decides to murder his way to the front of the line.

In a very Shakespearean twist, Graham Ward plays every member of the family, allowing him to perform an impressive array of death scenes over the course of the production. His range is central to the play, and he carries it off.

The rest of the cast keeps up with his energy, including through many spirited musical numbers. The numbers are all performed well, though the songs themselves are a little forgettable.

Although the story is sometimes light enough that it could veer into being overly silly, the cast keeps things on track to make “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder” one of the most fun performances at this year’s festival. content advisory: “Includes mild sexual innuendo and double entendres” and “multiple murders” that are “presented in a zany comedic and stylized manner.”

“A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder” will run at the Randall L. Jones Theatre through Oct. 3.

‘The Importance of Being Earnest’

In some ways, “The Importance of Being Earnest” appears to be the lightest offering at this year’s festival. In fact, the play’s subtitle is “A Trivial Comedy for Serious People.”

This classic Oscar Wilde comedy deals with themes of disguise and mistaken identity that are similar to “As You Like It” and “The Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder,” but with slightly lower stakes — no one is exiled or murdered, and the thornier plot points are resolved with enough time for tea and cucumber sandwiches.

But don’t be fooled by the lighter tone — it’s a smart production that highlights the play’s witty, rapid-fire dialogue and sharp social satire.

And the cast is more than up to the task.

Rob Riordan and Valerie Martire, in the roles of Algernon and Celia, are charming leads, remaining perfectly likable while each displaying their own particular brands of naivete and self-absorption throughout the play.

Visually, the play is lovely to watch. It has not one, but two beautiful and intricately detailed sets, which are switched out during intermission.

Although it’s a period piece, it feels startlingly contemporary with some of its observations on wealth and class. The festival’s production shows why “The Importance of Being Earnest” still deserves to be considered a classic. content advisory: “This play is suitable for all audiences, and explores the themes of class, deception of double lives, and romantic relationships.”

“The Importance of Being Earnest will run at the Randall L. Jones Theatre through Oct. 4.

Karl Hugh, Utah Shakespeare Festival From left, Alia Shakira as Truvy, Amara Webb as Shelby and Valerie Martire as Annelle in "Steel Magnolias."

‘Steel Magnolias’

If you’ve never seen the movie version of “Steel Magnolias,” then be warned: The story is a tearjerker.

By the end of the preview performance, the theater was filled with sniffles and people wiping their eyes. And deservedly so: The festival’s production is by turns heartwarming, funny and, yes, deeply emotional.

Set in the South in the 1980s (in case the characters’ poofy hairstyles and thick accents aren’t enough to give it away), the story follows six women as they support each other through the highs and lows of their lives — all within the confines of a beauty salon.

Much of the story is dependent on the chemistry of the cast, and they all deliver. The

connection between the characters is palpable, and the actors play off each other well in both the comedic as well as the more emotional moments.

In particular, Olivia D. Dawson gives a complex, layered performance in the role of M’Lynn, and she’s spellbinding in the final scene of the play.

“Steel Magnolias” is definitely worth the watch — just don’t forget your tissues. content advisory: The play explores “themes of grief and loss, medical conditions, and the loss of a child. It is suitable for all audiences.”

“Steel Magnolias” will run at the Randall L. Jones Theatre through Oct. 4.

DESERET NEWS | SEPTEMBER 2025

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34 DESERET NEWS | SEPTEMBER 2025

FALL GUIDE

I’ve been to 37 national parks.

Here are the best ones I’ve seen I started this journey in 2019 and, with a lot of hard work and planning, I’ve made it to 37 national parks so far

By Sarah Gambles

Deseret News

I’m six years into a quest to see all 63 national parks.

When I first set off on this endeavor in 2019, I had only been to two national parks — Yellowstone and Zion. Now I’ve been to 37.

My friend and I went to Bryce Canyon National Park for my birthday in April 2019, and I bought a national parks passport.

The passport’s empty pages begging for stamps, along with the beauty of Bryce Canyon, sparked something in me. I had to see the rest of the national parks to see what made them so special too.

And in six years, with a lot of planning and hard work, I’ve made it to 37 national parks so far.

Which national parks have the best sights and activities?

Which national parks are best?

PRETTIEST SUNSET White Sands National Park had the most memorable sunset for me. The way the light and colors dance along the rim of the white sands is truly breathtaking. honorable mentions: Black Canyon of the Gunnison. When I was there, there was a crowd of about 25 people huddled at a lookout spot. It was cold and windy, but the entire group remained silent until the sun went down — even the kids in the group were quiet. It was a really special and reverent experience.

Here’s what I can tell you about 58% of the national parks.

In my opinion, each of the parks fall into three tiers. The first tier is the “wow, that takes your breath away” tier. The second tier has pretty views or cool hikes, but doesn’t have that same “wow” factor. The third tier might still be worth visiting but might not be so spectacular, especially when compared to the first tier.

Based on my own experience of them, here’s where I would put the 37 parks I’ve seen so far.

FIRST TIER 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

Zion Bryce Canyon Olympic Yellowstone Channel Islands Grand Teton Petrified Forest Carlsbad Caverns Grand Canyon Arches Rocky Mountain Badlands Acadia Dry Tortugas Mesa Verde Shenandoah Capitol Reef

SECOND TIER 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12

Big Bend Everglades Canyonlands Black Canyon of the Gunnison Saguaro Theodore Roosevelt Death Valley North Cascades Isle Royale Joshua Tree Pinnacles Indiana Dunes

THIRD TIER 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08

White Sands Guadalupe Mountains Cuyahoga Valley Great Sand Dunes Biscayne Great Basin Voyageurs Wind Cave

And here are my fully biased, 100% subjective superlatives for the 37 national parks I’ve been to so far.

BEST SCENIC DRIVE Bryce Canyon has my favorite scenic drive. You can see so much just from stopping at the stops along the way and getting out of the car. honorable mentions: Shenandoah, Acadia, Petrified Forest

MOST WORTHWHILE HIKES Zion has the best hikes, in my opinion. The shuttle makes it easy to get around to different hikes and the hikes in Zion are varied in difficulty and experience, so each hike is worth the work. honorable mention: Olympic. If you’re coming from Utah or Idaho like me, then hiking around Olympic feels like a breeze because it’s so close to sea level compared to the elevation levels in Utah.

BEST PLACE TO SPEND DOWNTIME There’s a lot to do in Big Bend — there are hot springs, hikes, kayaking and little shops. It’s also extremely vast, so getting around throughout the park takes some time.

COOLEST CAVE Carlsbad Caverns takes the cave on this one handily. I haven’t been to Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky yet, but I’ve seen all the other parks that have caves, and Carlsbad is definitely the coolest and most cavernous.

BEST PLACE TO SEE ANIMALS IN THE WILD Yellowstone has been the best place to see animals in the wild for me. Seeing the bison in person is quite remarkable. And one day I hope to see a bear. honorable mention: Everglades — seeing alligators up close is a little terrifying but also pretty cool.

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DESERET NEWS | SEPTEMBER 2025

Illustrations by Eliza Anderson, Deseret News

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36 DESERET NEWS | SEPTEMBER 2025 BIGGEST SURPRISES There have been a few that surprised me. Saguaro National Park surprised me because on the drive into the park, I thought, “Did I waste my day coming here?” It was nothing to write home about. But once I pulled into the park, I saw a sea of saguaros dotting my sight lines, and it took my breath away. honorable mention: Badlands.

The message within the junior ranger program makes the parks even more special, with reminders like how to best take care of the park and to pick up trash if you see it. My 7-year-old niece and I did the book in Bryce Canyon once, and it was heartening to see her take her oath seriously.

“Our parks are the best that nature has to offer in the country, and nature has the healing power for all of us,” Fink said.

MOST OVERRATED Pinnacles disappointed me because the pinnacles were so far away that it was hard to see them.

I also missed a turn on the hike we did, so we ended up having to basically do the same hike twice. The caves were also really crowded when I was there, so it was hard to really appreciate the grandeur.

BEST PLACE FOR THE FALL LEAVES Acadia was really stunning with the fall foliage on the backdrop to the water inlets. honorable mention: Shenandoah BEST ISLAND EXPERIENCE Three of the national parks I’ve visited are only accessible by ferry — they include Isle Royale, Dry Tortugas and Channel Islands. Channel Islands had the most to do on the island and was also an incredible ferry ride. Dolphins swim alongside the boat for a good portion of the trip, and we also saw a whale a couple times. Dry Tortugas is pretty stunning with the contrast of the red brick against the blue water and green foliage. To take the trip, you sign up for a historical tour, which is really interesting. sIsle Royale doesn’t have a lot to do for a day trip, so we attended the ranger programs to learn about the moose and birds endemic to the area. The ride to and from the park is on Lake Superior, so it gets pretty chilly.

“My advice on visiting more national parks: You have to be willing to drive. A LOT. Many of the parks are very remote, and sometimes far away from anything else. So get ready with the Taylor Swift playlist.”

My advice on visiting more national parks • • • • •

If you’re hoping to see more national parks, or if you want to see all 63, here’s my advice.

You have to be willing to drive. A LOT. Many of the parks are very remote, and sometimes far away from anything else. So get ready with the Taylor Swift playlist.

You have to be OK with either staying in some interesting, if not slightly sketchy, motels or camping. I’ve done both. And both can get interesting, to say the least.

Most parks are at their peak beauty during the golden hour, so try to get there early or be there for the sunset to see them at their best.

Decide early if and what you want to collect from each park. I buy a magnet from each park I visit, and it’s a fun reminder of the trip and experience I had.

If you do get a parks passport, don’t forget it when you go to the park. I have about 10 glued in stamps in mine because I’ve forgotten mine a lot.

The Junior Ranger program

Another thing I would recommend checking out is the Junior Ranger programs offered at the parks, especially if you’re traveling with kids.

All you have to do is head to a visitor center during office hours and ask the clerk or ranger about their junior ranger program. You will get a packet of activities that you can do either in the visitor center or throughout the park. When you complete what’s required, you take it back to a ranger, and they have you repeat the junior ranger oath. Once completed and approved, you receive a junior ranger badge you can wear with pride and honor.

“It‘s a special program because it builds the foundations of what we hope transforms into not only a love of nature, but, you know, civic duty, or even just as simple as pick up litter,” Matthew Fink, public affairs specialist for Zion National Park, said. “It’s building that foundation, those building blocks to what we hope is a lover of nature, a lover of our national parks, a lover of our country, and somebody who is responsible and loves nature and loves conservation,” he added.

Sarah Gambles, Deseret News A bison eats grass outside the geysers at Yellowstone National Park on May 28, 2021.

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DESERET NEWS | SEPTEMBER 2025

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DESERET NEWS | SEPTEMBER 2025

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EVENTS

CORNBELLY'S SUNFLOWER FESTIVAL 2025 dates: Sept. 13 - 30 time: 10am-10pm location: Spanish Fork A f loral-themed festival featuring sunf lower fields, family-friendly activities, and seasonal fun.

GORDON'S FAMILY FARM FALL FESTIVAL 2025 dates: Sept. 13 - Nov. 1 time: 10am-9pm location: Spanish Fork Enjoy a variety of fall activities on a family farm, including hayrides, corn mazes, and pumpkin picking.

ALICIA STOCKMAN CONCERT date: Sept. 13 time: 7pm location: Eden, UT A live concert showcasing the talents of local musician Alicia Stockman performing her unique blend of folk and Americana music.

2ND SATURDAY SCANDINAVIAN DANCE date: Sept. 13 time: 7:30pm-9:30pm location: SLC A cultural dance event featuring traditional Scandinavian dances set to live folk music.

JONAS BROTHERS: JONAS20 GREETINGS FROM YOUR HOMETOWN date: Sept. 13 time: 7:30pm location: West Valley City A concert by the popular Jonas Brothers, celebrating their music and fan base with a special hometown event.

CARLOS BALLARTA: TLATOANI date: Sept. 13 time: 7pm location: SLC A comedy show by renowned Mexican comedian Carlos Ballarta, known for his sharp wit and humorous social commentary.

RYAN ERWIN COMEDY SHOW date: Sept. 13 time: 7:30pm location: West Jordan, UT Local comedian Ryan Erwin delivers a night of laughter with his hilarious observational humor and entertaining performances.

Brice Tucker, Deseret News A festivalgoer slides down a giant slide through the middle of Oktoberfest at Snowbird Ski Resort on Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024.

AMBROSIA & JOHN FORD COLEY dates: Sept. 13 - 14 time: 8pm location: Park City Enjoy a performance of soft rock classics by Ambrosia and John Ford Coley, legends of the 1970s music scene.

SNOWBIRD'S OKTOBERFEST 2025 dates: Sept. 13 - Oct. 5 time: 12pm-6pm location: Snowbird, UT Continues a festive celebration featuring German music, food, and beverages against the beautiful backdrop of Snowbird.

GRIEG'S PIANO CONCERTO WITH JOYCE YANG OR ORION WEISS date: Sept. 13 time: 7:30pm location: SLC Experience a stunning classical music performance of Grieg's Piano Concerto, featuring acclaimed pianists Joyce Yang or Orion Weiss.

FESTA ITALIANA 2025 dates: Sept. 13 - 14 time: 11:30am-10pm location: SLC Celebrate Italian heritage with delicious cuisine, live music, and cultural performances.

CORNBELLY'S 2025 PUMPKIN FEST (SPANISH FORK) dates: Sept. 13 - Nov. 1 time: 10am-10pm location: Spanish Fork Celebrate autumn with pumpkin-themed fun, including corn mazes, pumpkin patches, and family activities.

MAT KEARNEY - HEADLIGHTS HOME TOUR date: Sept. 13 time: 7pm location: Sandy, UT Join acclaimed artist Mat Kearney for an evening of storytelling and music as he performs hits from his "Headlights" album.

THE DINNER DETECTIVE TRUE CRIME MURDER MYSTERY DINNER SHOW dates: Sept. 13 - 20 time: 6pm-8:30pm location: SLC An interactive dinner show where guests work to solve a hilarious and challenging murder mystery.

DANCING IN THE STARS: A BIG BAND TRIBUTE dates: Sept. 13 - 15 time: 8pm location: Draper, UT A musical tribute to the Big Band era featuring classic tunes and dance performances.

UTAH STATE FAIR 2025 dates: Sept. 13 - 14 time: 10am-11pm location: SLC Featuring attractions, rides, food stands, and exhibits, the Utah State Fair is an annual celebration of culture and entertainment.

GARDEN OF QUILTS 2025 date: Sept. 13 time: 9am-8pm location: Lehi, UT An exquisite outdoor exhibition with quilts from around the world, alongside quilting classes and lectures.

REAL SALT LAKE VS. SPORTING KANSAS CITY date: Sept. 13 time: 7:30pm location: Sandy, UT A thrilling Major League Soccer match featuring Real Salt Lake and Sporting Kansas City.

UTAH ROYALS FC VS. HOUSTON DASH date:: Sept. 14 time: 4pm location: Sandy, UT Another exciting match in women's professional soccer as Utah Royals FC face off against Houston Dash.

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