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The Cake

by Bekah Brunstetter

February 6 - March 10, 2019

Details

Playwright Bekah Brunstetter
Director Justin Ivie
Play Dates February 6 - March 10, 2019
Show Type Utah Premiere
Cast Latoya Cameron*, Joe Crnich, Carianne H. Jones*, Betsy West
Other Notes
"The Cake" is presented by special arrangement with SAMUEL FRENCH, INC.

*Member of Actors' Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States

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Description

Della is the best baker in her politically red town, but now she’s faced with a decision that pits her faith against family. Will she bake a wedding cake for two women – one of whom is as close as a daughter? The culture wars have never been so delicious.

CONTENT ADVISORY: This play contains adult themes.

News & Reviews

Creative Team

BEKAH BRUNSTETTER (Playwright) hails from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and currently lives in Los Angeles. Plays include THE CAKE (Ojai Playwrights Conference), GOING TO A PLACE WHERE YOU ALREADY ARE (South Coast Repertory), THE OREGON TRAIL (Portland Center Stage Fall 2016, O’Neill Playwrights Conference; Flying V) CUTIE AND BEAR (Roundabout Commission) A LONG AND HAPPY LIFE (Naked Angels Commission), BE A GOOD LITTLE WIDOW (Ars Nova, Collaboration, The Old Globe), OOHRAH! (The Atlantic Theater, Steppenwolf Garage, the Finborough Theater / London), NOTHING IS THE END OF THE WORLD (EXCEPT FOR THE END OF THE WORLD) (Waterwell Productions), HOUSE OF HOME (Williamstown Theater Festival) and MISS LILLY GETS BONED (Ice Factory Festival.) She is an alumna of the CTG Writers Group, Primary Stages Writers Group, Ars Nova Play Group, The Playwright’s Realm, and the Women’s Project Lab. She is currently a member of the Echo Theater’s Playwright’s group. She has previously written for MTV (Underemployed; I Just want my Pants Back) ABC Family’s Switched at Birth, Starz’s upcoming series American Gods. She is currently a Co-Producer on NBC’s hit drama, This Is Us. BA UNC Chapel Hill; MFA in Dramatic Writing from the New School for Drama.

JUSTIN IVIE (Director) is ecstatic to be part of such an outstanding company for THE CAKE - his first full production as a director for SLAC. He has previously directed SLAC’s readings of GRANT & TWAIN and BANG-BANG (PAUSE) BANG. Other directing credits include JACOB MARLEY’S CHRISTMAS CAROL (OurSpace Theatre Co), ARTHUR MILLER’S THE PRICE (The OtherSide Players), DRIVING MISS DAISY, PORTRAIT OF A CARGIVER, and numerous seasons of SENIOR STAGES and THE SENIOR THEATRE PROJECT (all for Walk-Ons, Inc.) As an actor, Justin has performed professionally for three decades (and counting) on stages across Utah. SLAC audiences may recognize him from his work as Dev in STUPID F*CKING BIRD, Jones in TOO MUCH MEMORY, and as a ten-time cast member of SATURDAY’S VOYEUR. A proud member of Actors’ Equity, Justin has also stage managed six recent productions for SLAC (STREETLIGHT WOODPECKER, WINTER, HAND TO GOD, MERCURY, FUN HOME, THE WOLVES.) An alumnus of Weber State University, Justin went on to earn his MFA in Acting at Northern Illinois University. He’s taught theatre and communications at LDS Business College, NIU, Triton College, and Weber State. Justin also designs scenery, props and theatrical masks, writes an occasional play, and sometimes even plays his banjo (when he's pretty sure no one is listening).

SHANNON ROBERT (Scenic Design) is a proud member of USA 829 and Scenic Design Professor at Clemson University. She holds and MFA in Scene Design from Florida State University. Previously at SLAC, Shannon designed the set for HARBUR GATE and participated in two Playwrights’ Labs. As Spoon Group Productions manager and Scenic Charge, she fabricated props and painted Broadway productions of THE GRINCH, GREASE, XANADU, LEGALLY BLONDE, INHERIT THE WIND, THE PIRATE QUEEN, CORAM BOY, THE COLOR PURPLE (2006), JERSEY BOYS, SPAMALOT, and HAIRSPRAY. At Technical Theatre Solutions, Shannon did scenic work for the national tours of CINDERELLA, IN THE HEIGHTS, SOMETHING ROTTEN, and MAMMA MIA. Shannon has designed for Aurora Theatre, Cincinnati Shakespeare, Theatrical Outfit, The Tennessee Williams Festival (Provincetown), Actor’s Express, Mill Mountain Theatre, New Stage Theatre, and multiple universities. She served as design consultant for Albert and Associates Architects for The Saenger Theatre renovation and designed the Upstate Children’s Museum featured climbing sculpture. Shannon is the Former Associate Artistic Director and Scene Designer in Residence for The Warehouse Theatre in Greenville, SC. She has won Atlanta’s Suzi Bass Awards for best set design for a musical for MARY POPPINS, IN THE HEIGHTS, AND THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME. She is one of 51 American designers whose work will be exhibited in the American Transformations exhibit in the 2019 Prague Quadrennial.

SPENCER POTTER (Costume Design) is an Assistant Professor of Theatre at Westminster College and a freelance costume/set designer working between the Western and Mid-Atlantic regions. Spencer's design credits include: Salt Lake Acting Company (costumes) – HIR, THE TRUE STORY OF THE THREE LITTLE PIGS. Shenandoah Conservatory Winchester, Virginia (costume) – THE ROADS TO HOME, DIE FLEDERMAUS. The Lyric Repertory Company Logan, Utah (costumes) THE ODD COUPLE, (set) WAIT UNTIL DARK, SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN, NOISES OFF, AND THEN THERE WERE NONE, TONS OF MONEY, THE WOMAN IN BLACK, and STEEL MAGNOLIAS. Tuacahn Ivins, Utah (costumes) – THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE, ALADDIN (asst.) Cape May Stage Cape May, New Jersey (set): BILLY BISHOP GOES TO WAR, BUYER AND CELLAR, THE WHIPPING MAN, THE SEARCH FOR SIGNS OF INTELLIGENT LIFE, RED HOT PATRIOT, BLITHE SPIRIT, HOW TO MAKE A ROPE SWING. spencerpotterdesign.com

JARON KENT HERMANSEN (Light Design) is a Salt Lake City based lighting & projection designer. Theatre credits include: CLUE, ALTAR BOYZ, STEEL MAGNOLIAS, ART, RED, THE FOREIGNER, MURDER FOR TWO (The Cape Playhouse, MA); THE MUSIC MAN, THE WIZARD OF OZ, SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF (Sundance Eccles Theater, UT); ELEEMOSYNARY (The Brooks, CA); THE KING’S MEN, PRIVATE EAR, HEDDA GABLER, THE WEIRD PLAY (Rose Wagner Theater, UT); BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN, SONDER, A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE (Found Spaces, UT); THE BRIDGE (Kingsbury Hall, UT). Jaron has sat on the Board of Directors for the United States Institute of Theater Technology Intermountain Desert Region, is a lecturer at Utah Valley University, and the Technical Director for the Waterford School. Jaron is a nominee of the USITT Young Professionals Rising Star award.

JESSICA GREENBERG (Sound Design)'s work as a lighting and sound designer has taken her to many venues around the country with diverse projects in theatre, dance, and opera. Previous SLAC productions include MR. PERFECT, STUPID F***ING BIRD, BULL SHARK ATTACK, and SURELY GOODNESS AND MERCY. New York designs include productions with La Mama Experimental Theatre Club, The Adjusted Realists, ART New York, 59E59, Red Fern Theatre, Castillo Theatre, and Epic Theatre Ensemble Education Programs. Locally, she frequently works with SB Dance Company. Jessica serves as Assistant Professor of Theatre Design at Weber State University in Ogden, UT and is a member of USA 829. She is a recipient of the Design Arts Utah Juror's Award and the WSU Outstanding Mentor Award. www.jessicagreenberg.com

ADRIANNE MOORE (Dialect Coach) has served as dialect coach on many previous SLAC productions including HAND TO GOD, SURELY GOODNESS AND MERCY, STREETLIGHT WOODPECKER, TRIBES, GOOD PEOPLE, VENUS IN FUR, BLOODY BLOODY ANDREW JACKSON, RED, ANGELS IN AMERICA, CHARM, THE CARETAKER, SKIN IN FLAMES, I AM MY OWN WIFE, POLISH JOKE, and MEMORY OF WATER. Directing credits for SLAC include RAPTURE, BLISTER, BURN, 4,000 MILES, HOW TO MAKE A ROPE SWING, CIRCLE MIRROR TRANSFORMATION and HOLD PLEASE. Adrianne has also coached dialects for the American Players Theatre, Utah Shakespeare Festival, Pioneer Theatre Company (most recently CHARLES III), Utah Contemporary Theatre, The Egyptian Theatre Company, Pygmalion Theatre, Old Lyric Repertory Company, and Tuacahn Center for the Performing Arts. Film includes THE REDEMPTION OF SARAH CAIN and the AMC pilot GALYNTINE. Adrianne is a member of the Voice and Speech Trainers Association.

JENNIE SANT (Stage Manager) Previous shows at SLAC include SATURDAYS VOUYER 2018, HIR, SURELY GOODNESS AND MERCY, REYKJAVIK (reading), PLAYWRIGHTS LAB 2016 & 2017, HARBUR GATE, BULLSHARK ATTACK, STUPID F***ING BIRD, TWO STORIES, BLACKBERRY WINTER, I’LL EAT YOU LAST: A CHAT WITH SUE MENGERS, VENUS IN FUR, MANNING UP, PERSIAN QUARTER and, ANGELES IN AMERICA I & II. Other credits include, Odyssey dance company THRILLER, The Petite Palace WONDERLAND and PRINCESS WENDY, COPA Theatre, ANNIE, Pioneer Theatre Company, NEXT TO NORMAL, LES MISERABLES, THE PRODUCERS, PAINT YOUR WAGON, DOUBT, A MIDSUMMER NIGHTS DREAM, THE FOREIGNER and VERTICAL HOUR. She has also worked for Salt Lake Shakespeare and Utah Contemporary Theatre.

ABBIE HAGEN (Assistant Costume Design) is ecstatic to be working on THE CAKE, her first production with SLAC! Abbie is a freshman studying Technical Theatre at Westminster College with an interest in Costume Design. Her previous Westminster Theatre credits include SCHOOL FOR SCANDAL (Assistant Costume Designer) and MEN ON BOATS (Run Crew). In her free time, she enjoys crocheting, playing cello, and dancing poorly in public spaces. Abbie currently works in the Westminster Costume Shop as a Costume Technician and looks forward to becoming more involved in the Utah theatre community in the future!

DAMIEN POELMAN (Assistant Light Designer) is a technical theatre major at Weber State University and has worked on productions such as WHERE WORDS ONCE WERE, CRIPPLE OF INISHMAAN, and RUTHLESS. With an emphasis in lighting, Damien has designed an assortment of shows from dance concerts to plays. He is excited to work on this show with the Salt Lake Acting Company, and to learn more about the technical theatre world.

GRACE HEINZ (Assistant Sound Design) is an aspiring stage manager and sound designer. She worked as sound engineer and did production audio for A FAIRLY POTTER CHRISTMAS CAROL at the Ziegfeld Theatre. She began studying stage management on THE CLASS OF ‘94 at Weber State University where she also was the Assistant Sound Designer for THE CRIPPLE OF INISHMAAN.

Press Release

THE CAKE Press Release (PDF)

Photo Gallery

Click to enlarge image 1.jpg

Betsy West in Salt Lake Acting Company’s production of THE CAKE by Bekah Brunstetter (dav.d daniels/ dav.d photography)

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