Pioneer Theatre Company Play-By-Play Series
The development process for new plays—including events like Pioneer Theatre Company's annual Play-By-Play Series—allows attendees to be a crucial part of making a play the best possible version of itself. "A big part of development for me is sitting in the dark and watching the audience watch the play," says Utah playwright Matthew Ivan Bennett. "Not just where they laugh, but they get quiet, too. ... Breakthroughs are hard to have without feedback. ... When you get feedback, you better understand how to highlight and enliven what's causing other people to feel, think twice, laugh, and cry."
Bennett contributes one of the three works receiving script-in-hand staged readings for the 2023 Play-By-Play Series: Will It Go Round, a cycle of short works addressing civil-rights fights over a span of more than 50 years. "I ... chose the multiple-story format because I wanted to avoid conclusions," Bennett says. "Because Will It Go Round is not a single story, there's no eleventh-hour realization that might otherwise appear in a realist social-issue drama. Rather, this is what you might call 'small plates theatre,' giving the audience a taste, a snapshot, a personal framing, and then moving on."
Bennett's play is joined by Kaaron Briscoe's How Can I Help You? and Catherine Treischmann's The Dust People. The three plays will be performed at varying times June 9 – 11. Tickets are $10 per show/$5 for PTC season-ticket holders, or $25 for admission to performances of each of the three shows. Visit pioneertheatre.org for the full schedule, to purchase tickets and additional event information. (Scott Renshaw)
Ogden Arts Festival
One of the great pleasures of the summer season is the chance to get out and about to local arts festivals, to experience the work of local, regional and national artists and simply celebrate the act of creation. And while the big event of the Utah Arts Festival is just a couple of weeks away, there's no need to wait even that long for your opportunity to support artists.
The Ogden Arts Festival presents more than 100 local and regional artists at its festival grounds, many of whom are brand-new to the event. While you're perusing all of the work in painting, mixed media, sculpture, textiles, jewelry and more, you can also enjoy a wide range of performing artists on multiple festival stages. Music headliners include Imaginary Friendz, Dearth of the Earth, Giants in the Oak Tree and Sammy Brue, while several official festival buskers perform throughout the event. Additional scheduled performing artists include African folk dance, Ballet Folklorico and chamber music, plus a brand-new spoken-word stage. You get all of that, plus kids' activities, aerial arts, live theater performance and plenty of vendors offering great food options. And don't forget the annual Plein Air Quick-Draw Competition, with cash prizes.
The 2023 Ogden Arts Festival runs June 10 (12 p.m. – 9 p.m.) and June 11 (12 p.m. – 6 p.m.) at Ogden's Union Station (2501 Wall Ave.). Tickets for adults are $5 advance, $10 at the gate, and include admission for both days; 18 and under are free. Visit givebutter.com/oaf2023 for tickets; visit ogdenartsfestival.com for additional event information. (SR)
- Dee & Cory Productions
"Drunken Shakespeare:" The Taming of the Shrew
High-school English classes probably steered a lot of Americans toward the notion that Shakespeare plays were strictly highfalutin, capital-A "Art." That ignores the history of these works as experiences that appealed to the "groundlings," who enjoyed the puns on sexuality and bodily functions. And it's part of the purpose of Mad King Productions' "Drunken Shakespeare" shows to bring these plays back to folks who otherwise might feel intimidated by them, with shortened versions, modern settings ... and yes, a chance of inebriated performers.
The lighthearted conceit, according to Mad King Productions co-founder Carleigh Naylor, does not require all cast members to imbibe, but begins with a group bending of the elbow on stage, followed by moments throughout the show when designated cast members will be drinking even more; audience members can donate to the company in Act II to add another drink for someone. "We have had many memorable moments," Naylor says. "Christopher Madriaga was playing Touchstone in As You Like It last August when he stumbled into one of our set trees. He started karate-chopping it, then kicked it over loudly exclaiming, 'Yeah, fuck you tree!' ... Our shows are set up to interact and speak to the audience a lot. We encourage laughing, and light heckling of the actors to help them 'get their shit together.'"
Mad King Productions' "Drunken Shakespeare" production of The Taming of the Shrew runs June 9 – 18 at the Alliance Theater (602 E. 500 South, Trolley Square), with performances at 7:30 p.m. Friday – Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $20 general admission; visit madkingproductionslc.com for tickets and additional event information. (SR)
