Salt Lake Acting Company - The Exit Interview

By Thomas Gibbons

A free Reading April 22, 2013
7:00 pm

The Salt Lake Acting Company joins the National New Play Network, and over 25 partnering theatres across the US, in celebrating NNPN's 15 anniversary with a nationwide theatre event: a staged reading of NNPN's first Rolling World Premiere, Permanent Collection by Thomas Gibbons.
THis reading also celebrates the 10th Anniversary of the Continued Life of New Plays Fund, which supports three theatres that choose to mount the smae new play within a twelve-month period.  The result is a "Rolling World Premiere".

COMPANY

THOMAS GIBBONS (Playwright) is playwright-in-residence at InterAct Theatre Company in Philadelphia, which has premiered eight of his plays: Pretending to America, 6221, Axis Sally, Black Russian, Bee-luther-hatchee, Permanent Collection, A House With No Walls, and Silverhill. Other plays include The Exhibition and Homer. His plays have also been seen at the National Playwrights Conference at the Eugene O’Neill Theatre Center, off-off-Broadway at Blue Heron Theatre, Northlight Theatre, Florida Stage, Unicorn Theatre, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, New Repertory Theatre, Florida Studio Theatre, Arizona Theatre Company, Center Stage, Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati, Kirk Douglas Theatre/Center Theater Group, Aurora Theatre, Madison Repertory Theatre, Roundhouse Theatre, and many others. He is the recipient of seven playwriting fellowships from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, the Roger L. Stevens Award from The Fund for New American Plays, the Barrie and Bernice Stavis Playwriting Award, the NAACP Theatre Award, two Barrymore Awards for Outstanding New Play, and a Pew Fellowship in the Arts. Permanent Collection was the pilot selection of the National New Play Network’s Continued Life of New Plays Fund, and A House With No Walls was a subsequent selection. Both plays, along with Bee-luther-hatchee, are published by Playscripts.

BRIEN JONES (Sterling North) is thrilled to again be part of the cast supporting the Salt Lake Acting Company's New Play Sounding Series (NPSS). He has been featured in the cast for prior NPSS readings including GRANT & TWAIN (Harrison Terrell), THE OVERWHELMING (Joseph Seromba), FRANKINCENSE (the Reader), and COURTING DISASTER (Kaman Holmes).
Brien has also had the good fortune to appear in several Salt Lake City theater productions including MISS EVERS' BOYS (Dr. Brodus) with the EttaGrace Black Theatre Company at The Grand Theatre, CAROLINE, OR CHANGE (The Bus), LOVE! VALOR! COMPASSION! (Gregory), and BOYS IN THE BAND (Bernard) with Wasatch Theatre Company, MASTER HAROLD...AND THE BOYS (Sam), A SOLDIER'S PLAY (C.J. Memphis), JITNEY (Turnbo), and HOME (Cephus Miles) with People Productions SLC, and A RAISIN IN THE SUN (Joseph Asagai) with the University of Utah Babcock Theatre.
Brien's "big boy job" is the Executive Vice President for Business Development and Continuing Education for an international association of business valuation and financial forensic analysts. He dedicates this performance to his stepfather the Rev. C.C. Hines and his mother Annie Hines who always challenged and encouraged him to discover how freeing it is to speak for himself ... what he believes.

TONI BYRD (Ella Franklin) has been acting and directing in the Salt Lake Valley for over 30 years. Her recent acting credits include Tituba in THE CRUCIBLE, Sadie Delany in HAVING OUR SAY, Louise Seger in ALWAYS...PATSY CLINE. Toni was last seen in a reading of Kurt Proctor's A TURQUOISE WIND at SLAC. She is the cofounder of the EttaGrace Black Theatre Company.

KENT HADFILED (Paul Barrow) is thrilled to be appearing with Salt Lake Acting Company for the first time and working with his U of U schoolmate Robin Wilks Dunn. Pioneer Theater Company credits include THE ODD COUPLE (Roy), DIARY OF ANNE FRANK (Nazi Officer), 12 ANGRY MEN (Juror #2), world premiere of Charles Morey's THE THREE MUSKETEERS (O'Reilly), and as one of the first PTC interns. Graduate of the University of Utah's Actor Training Program; member Chautauqua Conservatory Theater Co. under the direction of Michael Kahn and Rebecca Guy; AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS (Fogg) Meat and Potato Theater Co.; DEAD MAN'S CELL PHONE (Gordon) Wasatch Theater Co.; KING LEAR (Kent), PROOF (Robert) guest artist Utah State Theater; INTO THE WOODS (Cinderella's Father) Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theater; ST. GEORGE AND THE RELUCTANT DRAGON (Dragon) Unicorn Children's Theater; NOISES OFF, ARSENIC AND OLD LACE, CASH ON DELIVERY, RELATIVE VALUES, AN INSPECTOR CALLS, CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF and more during the course of 8 seasons with Old Lyric Repertory Co.  Kent is a proud member of Actor's Equity.

TOM JACOBSEN (Alfred Morris) "If only I looked as young as that old headshot!  It is a pleasure to be back at SLAC."  It has been since the mid 90's that Tom has performed at Salt Lake Acting Company.  He is excited to once again work with beloved friends on a familiar stage.  "It doesn't get better than this."

ANGELA TRUSTY (Kanika Weaver)

STEPHANIE HOWELL (Gillian Crane) has appeared in BORDERLANDS, THE END OF THE HORIZON, THE ALIENATION EFFEKT, and BASH with Plan-B Theatre Company. She has also acted in all 9 (soon-to-be 10) 'SLAMs (Plan-B's annual 24-hour-hour theatre festival.) Other local credits include ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST, BIG RIVER, FORUM, and SOUTH PACIFIC at Pioneer Theatre Company. Additional favorite roles include Cassie in A CHORUS LINE, Amy in COMPANY, and Susie in W;T. Stephanie is a graduate of Northwestern University with a degree in Theatre Arts and is a member of Actor's Equity. Film/television credits include: DAYS OF OUR LIVES and PECULIARITIES. Stephanie is also an aerialist and has performed locally with Revolve Aerial Dance.

DIRECTOR

ROBIN WILKS-DUNN is pleased to be back at SLAC again after directing last season's DOTTIE: THE SISTER LIVES ON!  She recently directed LAST LISTS OF MY MAD MOTHER and THE GOOD BODY for Pygmalion Theatre Company. Robin is script supervisor, co-writer and director for a children's touring show for the Intermountain LIVE campaign and will direct it again for the Spring tour. Robin has directed several staged readings at SLAC, most recently David Kranes' THE LAST WORD. Other productions she has directed at SLAC include the premiere productions of BOOM, PEARL, ONE LAST DANCE and NAPOLEON'S CHINA. She reads scripts for the Sundance Theatre Lab and works as Outreach and Education Coordinator for Kingsbury Hall.  Robin's work has been seen on stages across Salt Lake Valley for years and hopefully for many years to come!