University of Utah Department of Theatre 22/23 Season

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Join us for another exciting season in the theatre.

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he next time you’re outside on a clear night, try to find the North Star. It’s not as bright as you might think. If you’re near a city, it’s even tougher to spot. Still, people have navigated by it for hundreds of years. They called it by different names, of course: Polaris, Qui-am-i Wintook Poot-see, Myōken Bosatsu, al-kutb al-shamaliyy, Stella Maris. Some looked at it by itself and saw the end of a spike around which the sky rotates, or the conqueror of the Great Warrior of Heaven, or the linchpin that holds the world in one piece. Others looked at it along with its neighbors and saw one of the nursemaids of Zeus, hidden from his murderous father in the guise of a bear.

They didn’t see any of this literally, of course. There are no lines in the sky tying the stars together in familiar shapes. To see a constellation requires imagination, and connections—whether between stars, events, characters, or people—can be difficult to see. Sometimes they’re only visible over time, or from a distance, or in darkness. In the end, the big picture is up to us. We connect the dots ourselves through art and stories; we gather in the dark and tell our best tales about the journeys we’ve made and the lights that guide us.

It might be hard to remember, but we didn’t always have GPS-enabled smartphones to help us find our way. Once upon a time we could only look to the stars; since then, we’ve learned to look to one another. It’s only natural: the matter in our bodies was born in stars, after all, except for the occasional hydrogen atom that came from the Big Bang itself. Even in our darkest times, there will be places in the universe that are still faintly lit by the stars we used to be. The way ahead may not always be easy. The connections between us may not always be clear. But that’s what stories are for.

Sydney Cheek-O’Donnell Chair, Department of Theatre

About Us The University of Utah Department of Theatre consists of artists and scholars who provide academic training, engaged learning, and creative exploration for students who wish to pursue careers in theatre, related fields, or advanced graduate education.

We are committed to the highest standards of excellence, embracing equity and diversity, and promoting personal wellness and responsibility.

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The University of Utah Department of Theatre

2022/23 Season

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THE OLD MAN AND THE OLD MOON September 30 – October 9, 2022

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SOMEWHERE: A PRIMER FOR THE END OF DAYS October 28 – November 6, 2022

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IN PIECES: A NEW MUSICAL November 11 – 20, 2022

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THE SWEET SCIENCE OF BRUISING February 17 – 26, 2023

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SEUSSICAL March 10 – 11, 2023

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AS YOU LIKE IT March 17 – 26, 2023

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CABARET April 7 - 16, 2023

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VENUES & PARKING

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TICKETS & INFORMATION

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THE OLD MAN AND THE OLD MOON Book, Music, & Lyrics by PigPen Theatre Co.

September 30 – October 9, 2022 Babcock Theatre Directed by Jamie Rocha Allan

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There once was an Old Man whose job it was to fill the moon…

When his wife sets out to chase a melody from their past, the Old Man vows to follow her across the sea and farther still. With each passing night the moon grows darker and darker—and what happens when it finally runs out of light?

The Old Man and the Old Moon is an adventure for all ages, full of mystery, friendship, and danger on the high seas. It's a rollicking yarn spun from familiar threads; a brand-new folktale filled to the brim with live music, liquid light, and all the magic that stagecraft can muster, brought to shimmering life on the Babcock stage.

ASL Interpreted Performance & Audience Talkback: Friday, 10/7/2022

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SOMEWHERE: A PRIMER FOR THE END OF DAYS

By Marisela Treviño Orta

October 28 – November 6, 2022 Studio 115 Directed by Penelope Caywood

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…What now? …Let’s just be still for a little while and see what happens.

The Earth’s insect population has dwindled to critical levels. As crops fail and society teeters on the verge of collapse, entomologist Cassandra and her brother Alexander prepare to follow the migration of the last monarch butterflies in the world. For them, the future is a little less uncertain: sometimes Cassandra has visions, and they always come true. When they encounter a group of survivors at a remote truffle farm, the pieces of Cassandra's latest vision begin to fall into place.

Poetic, provocative, and timely, Somewhere: a Primer For the End of Days presents a vision of the future where evolution is not only essential, but inevitable.

ASL Interpreted Performance and Audience Talkback: Friday, 11/4/2022

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IN PIECES: A NEW MUSICAL Music & Lyrics by Joey Contreras

November 11 – 20, 2022 Babcock Theatre Directed by Eric Sciotto

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Every time I close my eyes I think of the fork in the road.

In Pieces is a new musical that chronicles the near-misses, triumphs, and tragedies of eight people searching for connection in present-day New York.

Their lives could not be more different, but they’re on similar paths, and their stories will bring them closer to one another than any of them realizes.

Gentle, merciless, and hilarious in turn, In Pieces will strike a chord with anyone who has ever looked for love. As each character navigates the obstacles of dating and romance with no map to guide them, their experiences prove that love has a way of coming to us—or leaving us—in pieces.

ASL Interpreted Performance and Audience Talkback: Friday, 11/18/2022

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THE SWEET SCIENCE OF BRUISING

By Joy Wilkinson

February 16 – 26, 2023 Babcock Theatre Directed by Alexandra Harbold

I’ve had it with romance. Those flowers are already dead when you put them in water. They don’t want to be picked and arranged and left to slowly rot. They want to live.

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Inspired by the real history of female boxing in Victorian London, The Sweet Science of Brusing follows four very different women in their bid to become Lady Boxing Champion of the World. As they spar and train under the tutelage of an eccentric trainer/promoter, all four women find an unexpected sense of freedom and solidarity in the "sweet science."

The stakes for victory soon reach life-changing heights, but a different fight waits for each of them in the world outside the ring. And for women in 19th century England, life rarely plays by Queensbury rules.

ASL Interpreted Performance and Audience Talkback: Friday, 2/24/2023

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From UtahPresents and the University of Utah Department of Theatre

SEUSSICAL Music by Stephen Flaherty | Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens Book by Lynn Ahrens & Stephen Flaherty Co-Conceived by Lynn Ahrens, Stephen Flaherty, & Eric Idle Based on the works of Dr. Seuss

March 10 – 11, 2023 Kingsbury Hall Directed by Penelope Caywood Performed by Youth Theatre at the U

“Oh, the thinks you can think” when Dr. Seuss’ best-loved characters collide and cavort in SEUSSICAL: an unforgettable musical caper for the entire family!

Now one of the most performed shows in America, Seussical is a fantastical, magical, musical extravaganza! Tony winners Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty (Lucky Stiff, My Favorite Year, Once on This Island, Ragtime) have lovingly brought to life all of our favorite Dr. Seuss characters, including Horton the Elephant, The Cat in the Hat, Gertrude McFuzz, Lazy Mayzie, and a little boy with a big imagination—Jojo.

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Seussical is presented by UtahPresents and produced/performed by Youth Theatre at the U in collaboration with the University of Utah Department of Theatre. For tickets and information, visit utahpresents.org.

Sensory Friendly Performance: Saturday, 3/11/2023 SEUSSICAL-THEATRE YOUNG AUDIENCES is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.mtishows.com

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AS YOU LIKE IT

By William Shakespeare

March 17 – 26, 2023 Studio 115 Directed by Robert Scott Smith

ROSALIND I thought thy heart had been wounded with the claws of a lion.

ORLANDO Wounded it is, but with the eyes of a lady.

When Rosalind and Orlando meet, it’s love at first sight, which is fortunate— that’s really all they have time for. Soon after, Rosalind is banished from court on pain of death; meanwhile, Orlando returns home to find his own life in danger. Adopting the name "Ganymede" and disguising herself as a man for safety, Rosalind flees to the forest of Arden with Celia, her loyal cousin, and Touchstone, the court jester.

When she learns that Orlando has also taken refuge in Arden, Rosalind is delighted, but she isn’t ready to drop her disguise just yet. Rosalind has a plan, and it won’t work without Ganymede’s help.

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Featuring some of the Bard’s wittiest characters and most memorable turns of phrase, As You Like It is a classic pastoral comedy as well as a hilarious, thoughtful examination of the roles people play in life and in love. "All the world's a stage," indeed.

ASL Interpreted Performance and Audience Talkback: Friday, 3/24/2023

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CABARET Book by Joe Masteroff Based on the play by John Van Druten and Stories by Christopher Isherwood Music by John Kander & Lyrics by Fred Ebb Originally Co-directed and Choreographed by Rob Marshall Originally Directed by Sam Mendes

April 7 – 16, 2023 Babcock Theatre Directed by David Eggers

…there was a city called Berlin in a country called Germany and it was the end of the world … and we were both fast asleep…

New Year’s Eve, 1929: American writer Cliff Bradshaw arrives in Germany and winds up at the seedy, seductive Kit Kat Klub. That night, Cliff meets Sally Bowles: a wildly charismatic British chanteuse. Less than a day later, they are sharing a one-room apartment. Despite the growing danger and uncertainty surrounding them, Cliff and Sally cling to their dreams and one another, lost in the decadent chaos of 1930s Berlin. Tomorrow may belong to someone else, but for tonight, life is beautiful.

A timeless, uncompromising musical, Cabaret captures the frantic hedonism and despair of a moment between two world wars—when the twilight of the Weimar Republic was a harbinger of the darkness to come.

ASL Interpreted Performance and Audience Talkback: Friday, 4/14/2023 CABARET is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Tams-Witmark LLC. www.concordtheatricals.com

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Venues & Parking

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BABCOCK THEATRE

Pioneer Memorial Theatre 300 S. 1400 East Salt Lake City, UT 84112

Restricted parking M - F (check signage for details) Paid visitor parking (pay at kiosks)

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1395 Presidents Circle Salt Lake City, UT 84112

Metered parking (check signage for details)

STUDIO 115

For more parking information, contact Commuter Services at 801.581.6415 or visit their website: commuterservices.utah.edu.

Performing Arts Building 240 S. 1500 East Salt Lake City, UT 84112

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Tickets & Information Admission Prices* $17.50

General Admission

$12.50

University Faculty/Staff, Seniors aged 60+

FREE

U of U Students with Arts Pass (UCard)**

$7.50

Non-U of U Students

Discounts & Group Purchases For group/bulk purchase discounts, call 801.585.3816 or email us at productions@theatre.utah.edu.

For individual ticket discount information, sign up for our mailing list at theatre.utah.edu. If you already receive emails about our productions, you do not need to sign up again.

* For Seussical tickets, pricing, and information, visit utahpresents.org. ** Currently enrolled U of U students only. Valid UCard required.

Box Office Information Online tickets.utah.edu

Phone 801.581.7100

In Person Kingsbury Hall Box Office 1395 E. Presidents Circle Salt Lake City, UT 84112

Additional Information

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To learn more about the Department of Theatre and our productions, visit us online at theatre.utah.edu or send us an email at productions@theatre.utah.edu.

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NON PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE Price Theatre Arts Building 332 South 1400 East

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PAID SALT LAKE CITY, UT PERMIT NO. 1529