Salt Lake Acting Company - behind the scenes

Tell us about yourself and your relationship to SLAC!

Hi, I’m Penny, and I’ve been fortunate to work with SLAC for over a decade directing their Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA) productions. It’s been a joy to collaborate with the incredible SLAC team to create magical, meaningful experiences for young audiences and their families. Beyond directing, I’m a professor of theatre at the University of Utah and the Artistic Director of the Youth Theatre program. I’m passionate about theatre education and love how SLAC celebrates the power of storytelling for all ages.

What is Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA)? What is the importance of this type of work and how have you, in your experience as an educator, seen it impact young artists?

TYA is theatre specifically created for children and young people, designed to captivate their imaginations while addressing themes that resonate with their experiences. Its importance lies in its ability to plant seeds of empathy, creativity, and curiosity. As an educator, I’ve seen firsthand how theatre helps young artists find their voices, build confidence, and understand the world around them. TYA is often a young person’s first encounter with live performance, making it a magical, formative experience that can inspire a lifelong love for the arts.

You've directed innumerable children's shows at SLAC, as well as Yoga Play, and will be directing The Robertassey in the spring. What are the differences, strengths, and weaknesses between directing TYA and non-TYA shows?

Directing TYA is a thrilling challenge because it’s not just for children—it’s truly theatre for all audiences. I approach these productions with the same care and respect as adult shows, knowing grownups will be in the audience too. My goal is to craft a performance that’s engaging and thought-provoking for everyone.

TYA shows are like full-length musicals condensed into 50-minutes, demanding incredible precision, creativity, and energy from the cast and crew. The biggest difference is the audience: children respond with a raw honesty and immediacy that challenges us to be authentic and dynamic. While adult productions can delve into abstract themes, TYA embraces the joy of pure storytelling, connecting emotions, and sparking curiosity. Ultimately, it reminds me why I love theatre—it’s about wonder, imagination, and community, leaving a lasting impact on every audience member.

After directing so many of the children's shows at SLAC, how do you keep it fresh every time? What can audiences expect from this show that makes it unique from past children's shows?

Each TYA production at SLAC is an opportunity to push creative boundaries and explore new ways to engage our youngest audiences. For Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!, we’re doing something we’ve never done before: using a puppet as the main character throughout the entire show, manipulated Avenue Q-style, where both the puppet and the puppeteer are visible. While we’ve included puppets in past productions, they’ve always been supporting elements or brief moments. This time, The Pigeon takes center stage in a fresh, dynamic way that highlights both the artistry of puppetry and the charm of Mo Willems’ hilarious and heartfelt character.

Mo Willems once said, “Empathy is the key to all of this.” That spirit drives this production, as audiences see The Pigeon wrestle with big feelings of frustration and the desire to prove himself. This musical is a celebration of finding your “thing,” packed with humor, heart, and surprises for everyone in the audience.

Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! The Musical! runs through Dec. 30, 2024. You can purchase tickets and find more information about the show here.

Note: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this production has been postponed to a timeslot TBA.

From March 12 through 20, Salt Lake Acting Company is pleased to present the world premiere of FOUR WOMEN TALKING ABOUT THE MAN UNDER THE SHEET by Elaine Jarvik. 

On the morning of February 21, 1895, the day after the great man died, Susan B. Anthony shows up on his widow’s doorstep. She is there to grieve — but is she also feeling guilty? FOUR WOMEN TALKING ABOUT THE MAN UNDER THE SHEET is an exploration of feminism and race, asking “what compromises should you make in pursuit of a cause?”

Get a sneak peek into a recent rehearsal featuring actors Colleen Baum, Latoya Cameron, Susanna Florence, Tamara Howell, and Yolanda Stange in the gallery below.

Tickets are now on sale and can be purchased here or by calling 801-363-7522.

Yolanda Stange, Colleen Baum, Tamara Howell, and Susanna Florence (Photo: McKenna Frandsen Photography)

• Yolanda Stange, Colleen Baum, Tamara Howell, and Susanna Florence (Photo: McKenna Frandsen Photography) Yolanda Stange, Colleen Baum, Tamara Howell, and Susanna Florence (Photo: McKenna Frandsen Photography)
• Collen Baum, Susanna Florence, and Latoya Cameron (Photo: McKenna Frandsen Photography) Collen Baum, Susanna Florence, and Latoya Cameron (Photo: McKenna Frandsen Photography)
• Susanna Florence (Photo: McKenna Frandsen Photography) Susanna Florence (Photo: McKenna Frandsen Photography)
• Yolanda Stange, Collen Baum, and Susanna Florence (Photo: McKenna Frandsen Photography) Yolanda Stange, Collen Baum, and Susanna Florence (Photo: McKenna Frandsen Photography)
• Yolanda Stange (Photo: McKenna Frandsen Photography) Yolanda Stange (Photo: McKenna Frandsen Photography)
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If you don’t remember (or never saw) Ibsen’s original A DOLL'S HOUSE, don’t worry: there’s absolutely no need to study up on the 140-year-old Norwegian play to enjoy PART 2. Even if you are familiar, here are some facts about the setting:Plaque marking the former site of Henrik Ibsen's apartment in Bergen, Norway. Photo: Joshua Black

• Nora, hitherto an extremely submissive wife, left her husband Torvald and their 3 children at the end of the first play
• Divorce was practically unheard of then. Only 7 cases were recorded in the 1880s in Norway, a country of 2.2 million people
• Protestant sensibility, in an effort to combat some of the effects of industrialization, had made the marriage contract and the family unit priority number one in civilized society
• There were very few rights for women in Norway (or Europe, or America for that matter) at the time. A woman was considered her father’s property until she was married, at which time she became the property of her husband

The moment Nora leaves her husband and family is the most famous part of the original story, and has been referred to as “the door slam heard round the world.” Nora’s actions in the play reverberated in the hearts of audiences, for good or for ill, and ushered in a cultural shift that had been brewing at the time – and that we’re still trying to figure out how to live with today.

When the original play premiered, audiences were shocked. They weren’t even used to hearing a play performed with realistic dialogue (they were used to metered verse at the theatre), let alone seeing a woman who shakes off her most sacred duties to marriage, family, and a happy ending. No one expected to see Nora slam the door on Torvald and her children – but slam it she did, sending a shockwave of realization, and action, on the part of oppressed women in Western society.

So sit back, and enjoy the continuing conversation – it’s one we’re still discussing, and likely will be for, oh, at least 20 or 30 more years.

- Heather Nowlin, 

Dramaturg, A DOLL'S HOUSE, PART 2

Kathleen Cahill's world premiere Jazz Age romance runs April 10 through May 12th

Salt Lake Acting Company presents the world premiere of SILENT DANCER by Utah-based playwright, Kathleen Cahill, beginning April 10th. The play recieves its premiere following several developmental workshops both at SLAC (including a New Play Sounding Series reading in March, 2017) and Sacramento’s B Street Theatre.

Set in the tumultuous world of Manhattan in the 1920’s, SILENT DANCER is being billed as a “groundbreaking dance/play/romance about dangerous love, secret identities, criminals, silent movies, and the most famous couple in New York.” In it, Cahill populates an original story about an aspiring dancer with real-life historical figures—F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald, as well as infamous gangster Jackie “Legs” Diamond.

Mikki Reeve as Rosie Quinn in SILENT DANCER. Photo: Joshua Black

• Mikki Reeve as Rosie Quinn in SILENT DANCER. Photo: Joshua Black Mikki Reeve as Rosie Quinn in SILENT DANCER. Photo: Joshua Black
• Savannah Roberts in Salt Lake Acting Company’s SILENT DANCER. Photo: Joshua Black Savannah Roberts in Salt Lake Acting Company’s SILENT DANCER. Photo: Joshua Black
• McKenzie Barkdull in Salt Lake Acting Company’s SILENT DANCER. Photo: Joshua Black McKenzie Barkdull in Salt Lake Acting Company’s SILENT DANCER. Photo: Joshua Black
• Austin Archer in Salt Lake Acting Company’s SILENT DANCER. Photo: Joshua Black Austin Archer in Salt Lake Acting Company’s SILENT DANCER. Photo: Joshua Black
• William Richardson as Michael Quinn in Salt Lake Acting Company’s SILENT DANCER. Photo: Joshua Black William Richardson as Michael Quinn in Salt Lake Acting Company’s SILENT DANCER. Photo: Joshua Black
• Alice Ryan and Mikki Reeve as Zelda Fitzgerald and Rosie Quinn in Salt Lake Acting Company’s SILENT DANCER. Photo: Joshua Black Alice Ryan and Mikki Reeve as Zelda Fitzgerald and Rosie Quinn in Salt Lake Acting Company’s SILENT DANCER. Photo: Joshua Black
• Makayla Claussen, Jorji Diaz, McKenzie Barkdull, and Savannah Roberts in Salt Lake Acting Company’s SILENT DANCER. Photo: Joshua Black Makayla Claussen, Jorji Diaz, McKenzie Barkdull, and Savannah Roberts in Salt Lake Acting Company’s SILENT DANCER. Photo: Joshua Black
• Austin Archer in Salt Lake Acting Company’s SILENT DANCER. Photo: Joshua Black Austin Archer in Salt Lake Acting Company’s SILENT DANCER. Photo: Joshua Black
• Darrell T. Joe as Perry in Salt Lake Acting Company’s SILENT DANCER. Photo: Joshua Black Darrell T. Joe as Perry in Salt Lake Acting Company’s SILENT DANCER. Photo: Joshua Black
• Noah Kershisnik as F. Scott Fitzgerald in Salt Lake Acting Company’s SILENT DANCER. Photo: Joshua Black Noah Kershisnik as F. Scott Fitzgerald in Salt Lake Acting Company’s SILENT DANCER. Photo: Joshua Black
• Alice Ryan as Zelda Fitzgerald in Salt Lake Acting Company’s SILENT DANCER. Photo: Joshua Black Alice Ryan as Zelda Fitzgerald in Salt Lake Acting Company’s SILENT DANCER. Photo: Joshua Black
• Austin Archer as Jackie “Legs” Diamond in Salt Lake Acting Company’s SILENT DANCER. Photo: Joshua Black Austin Archer as Jackie “Legs” Diamond in Salt Lake Acting Company’s SILENT DANCER. Photo: Joshua Black
• Alice Ryan and Noah Kershisnik as Zelda and F. Scott Fitzgerald in Salt Lake Acting Company’s SILENT DANCER. Photo: Joshua Black Alice Ryan and Noah Kershisnik as Zelda and F. Scott Fitzgerald in Salt Lake Acting Company’s SILENT DANCER. Photo: Joshua Black
• Alice Ryan as Zelda Fitzgerald in Salt Lake Acting Company’s SILENT DANCER. Photo: Joshua Black Alice Ryan as Zelda Fitzgerald in Salt Lake Acting Company’s SILENT DANCER. Photo: Joshua Black
• Jorji Diaz in Salt Lake Acting Company’s SILENT DANCER. Photo: Joshua Black Jorji Diaz in Salt Lake Acting Company’s SILENT DANCER. Photo: Joshua Black
• Makayla Claussen in Salt Lake Acting Company’s SILENT DANCER. Photo: Joshua Black Makayla Claussen in Salt Lake Acting Company’s SILENT DANCER. Photo: Joshua Black
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Costume Designer: Nancy Hills | Assistant Costume Designer: Ally Thieme

SILENT DANCER runs April 10 through May 12. Tickets can be obtained via tickets.saltlakeactingcompany.org, in person at the SLAC box office, or by calling 801.363.7522.