Salt Lake Acting Company - Cast and Creative

From Top Left: Joseph Paul Branca, Josh Richardson, Scotty Fletcher, Alexis Baigue, Mariah Del Rio, Chris Curlett, Latoya Cameron, Sean Carter, Niki Rahimi

CREATIVE TEAM BIOS:
J SYLVAN (PLAYWRIGHT | they/she/whatever)
J carved an artistic identity in New England in the 2000s and 2010s as a poet and theater artist, where they wrote and produced shows such as the long-running Sailor Moon Shoujo Spectacular (2013-2019), and Spider Cult the Musical (2016), both at Oberon Theater, the second stage of the American Repertory Theater. Spirituality has been a through line in J's life, and from September of 2017 to May of 2020, Sylvan was a Ministry Fellow at Harvard Divinity School, where they earned their Master of Divinity degree, eventually leading to ordination in the Unitarian Universalist Church. While at Harvard, J wrote the first drafts of Beloved King: A Queer Bible Musical, a full length musical based on a queer interpretation of young King David in the Hebrew Bible. Since then, Beloved King has been developed in partnership with the American Repertory Theater, The Boston Foundation, The Massachusetts Cultural Council, the Museum of Science Boston, Musical Writers Academy, and Salt Lake Acting Company. In 2023, Beloved King won Most Likely to Listen to Cast Album on Repeat at the Musical Writers Festival in Fort Worth, Texas. In 2025, Beloved King will partner with Broadway DNA to workshop and premiere the show in New York City. J currently serves as the Senior Minister at First Unitarian Church Salt Lake City. They live in Utah with their wife and 3-year-old son.

JASON BOWCUTT (DIRECTOR | he/him)
Jason is thrilled to be working on this production with this wonderful team of artists! Previous directing credits includes Fun Home and Four Women Talking About the Man Under the Sheet at SLAC; Singing to the Brine Shrimp, One Big Union, and Adam and Steve and the Empty Sea for Plan-B Theatre; Well for Pygmalion Productions. Jason spent many years working as an actor/director in NYC and theatres across the country, and was a co-founding executive director of the New York Innovative Theatre Awards.

ANNE PUZEY (MUSIC DIRECTOR | she/her)
Anne is a well-known music director, having directed for Hale Centre Theatre, The Grand Theatre, The Ruth, UVU Noorda Theatre, The Parker Theatre, West Valley Arts and Good Company Theatre, among others. She has worked with Merrill Osmond, Alex Brightman, Jessica Vosk , Lauren Molina, Rob McClure, Jeff McCarthy, Jill Santoriello, Will Swenson, Jason Robert Brown, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Maren Mazzie, Kate Baldwin, Ciera Renee, Seth Rudetsky, Betsy Wolfe and Pacek & Paul. She graduated from BYU. She received a Lifetime Service Award from The Utah Theatre Association.  She has been an audition accompanist for Big League Productions, Tuacahn Theatre, the National Touring Company of Cats and Mamma Mia!, pianist at Broadway Evolved in NYC and was a vocal coach for Utah Opera and Symphony.  She is part-owner of Audition Advantage.

JENNIE SANT (STAGE MANAGER | she/her)
Jennie has stage managed over 30-shows at SLAC and is thrilled to be working on another New Play Sounding Series. Credits include You Will Get Sick, Bald Sisters, SLAC’S Summer Show: Close Encounters in the Beehive, and Whitelisted.

CAST BIOS:
JOSEPH PAUL BRANCA (DAVID | he/him)
As a once-upon-a-Catholic, Joey is so happy to tell this story alongside his beautiful partner and artists he adores. At SLAC: Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! The Musical!, SLAC's Summer Show: Close Encounters in the Beehive, SLACabaret: Down the Rabbit Hole, Pete the Cat, Saturday's Voyeur, and Diary of a Worm. He has also worked with: Utah Opera, Good Company Theatre, Plan-B Theatre Company, Hale Centre Theatre, Hale Center Theater Orem, West Valley Arts, Desert Star Playhouse, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Osaka, and Universal Studios Japan. Thank you for sharing this experience. JosephBranca.com | @JosephBranca 

SCOTTY FLETCHER (JONATHAN | he/they)
Scotty is extremely excited to return to the SLAC stage. They graduated from the BFA Acting program at Utah State University back in 2020. Recent credits include: You will Get Sick at Salt Lake Acting Company; Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Zebulun) at the Eccles Theatre; James and the Giant Peach (Ladahlord) at Hale Center Theatre Orem; West Side Story (Bernardo) and In the Heights (Sonny) at the West Valley Performing Arts Center; Beauty and the Beast, The Nutty Professor, The Light in the Piazza, Hello, Dolly!, Treasure Island, and The Little Mermaid (Jetsam) at The Hale Centre Theatre Sandy. You can also find Scotty performing with the Hale Centre Theatre’s educational outreach program, The Story Weavers, and monthly in the Viva La Diva Celebrity Impersonation and Drag Show at Metro Music Hall. Scotty would like to thank their loving partner for all his support, their generous family for all their time, and their professors and mentors for their patience and goodwill. Lastly, Scotty would like to thank their father, Russell, who has always found time to sit through a show or coach a game. 

JOSH RICHARDSON (SAUL | he/him)
Josh has been performing in the Salt Lake area for more than 20-years, and is thrilled to be able to take part in reading this new musical! Recent roles include Gomez Addams in The Addams Family, and Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof, both at Hale Centre Theatre in Sandy, and last year Josh was able to participate in a staged reading of Christmas is Cancelled, a new play by Matt Bennett, here at SLAC. "All my love to Kristi, Spencer, William, Carter, Tristan, and Poppy!" Connect with Josh at www.facebook.com/JoshIsAnActor or at www.JoshIsAnActor.com

LATOYA CAMERON (WITCH | she/her)
Latoya has assisted with developing new plays at Salt Lake Acting Company, Plan-B Theatre Company, Pioneer Theatre Company, Utah Shakespeare Festival, Seven Devil's Conference, Kayenta New Play Lab, Playwrights' Center, New York Musical Theatre Festival, to name a few. She recently performed at SLAC in The Turnaway Play and You Will Get Sick. Other SLAC performances: Passing Strange, Four Women Talking About the Man Under the Sheet, The Cake, and others. She dramaturg for SLAC's Summer Show: A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, and recently co-directed Whitelisted. Grateful to be a part of this process.

MARIAH DEL RIO (MICHAL | she/her)
Mariah is so grateful to be making her debut at SLAC in this fabulously queer production. Previous roles include Magenta in Rocky Horror Picture Show, as Marta in Company, Sally Bowels in Cabaret, and Jessie in Sometimes in Prague. You can catch her performing on weekends with her duo project and neo-soul/funk band Mobius.Wave in Salt Lake. Sending to her parents, bandmates, Vinny, and Sarah for their ongoing support on this crazy artist path. Connect with her and find her performance schedule at @Mariah_DelRio

ALEXIS BAIGUE (SAMUEL/NATHAN | any)
Alice in Wonderland (Symphony Space, NYC), Christmas Carol, Coriolanus, Hamlet, Much Ado, Measure for Measure, Taming of the Shrew, Une Tempête, Pericles, Tempest, Grapes of Wrath, Cymbeline, Midsummer Night’s Dream (American Shakespeare Center); Pinkalicious, Stupid Fucking Bird, Art Dog, How I Became a Pirate, Angels in America, Goodnight Desdemona, Saturday’s Voyeur (SLAC); Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged), Three Musketeers, Romeo & Juliet, Henry IV-1 (Southwest Shakespeare); Oliver!, One Man, Two Guvnors (Pioneer); Dear World (Sundance); Midsummer, Henry V, Much Ado (Utah Shakespeare); Beyond Therapy, Sex Habits of American Women (Pygmalion); Boys in the Band (Wasatch); Jacques Brel’s Alive… (Theatreworks West).

CHRIS CURLETT (JOAB | he/him)
Chris's artistic journey began with a unique foundation rooted in adaptability, having grown up in a military family and lived in various places around the world. His passion for movement started with dance and martial arts, which launched his career as a professional dancer. After years of performing and training all over the nation and beyond, agents encouraged him to explore acting, leading Chris to attend a performing arts conservatory where his love for storytelling was sparked. Now based in Salt Lake City, Chris has built an eclectic career spanning commercials, theater, film, and playwriting. Recently, he added another layer to his artistic and humanistic endeavors by becoming a clinical therapist, where he combines his creative sensibilities with a passion for helping others. Chris is grateful for every opportunity to bring stories to life and connect with audiences on and off the stage.

SEAN J. CARTER (ENSEMBLE | he/him)
Sean is very excited to help bring this new work to life!. He was last seen on the stage as the Adult Man in Spring Awakening with Hart Theatre Company. Some of his favorite credits include Papa Ge in Once on this Island, Belize in Angels in America, and Willie Johnson in Miss Evers’ Boys. Sean has also performed across the Wasatch Front at Salt Lake Acting Company, The Grand Theatre, Hale Centre Theatre, and The Egyptian Theatre (Park City). Thank you to Adison for being my biggest cheerleader. Te amo! Thank you to the entire production team for this opportunity. And a big thanks to you for supporting local art. Enjoy the show!

NIKI RAHIMI (ENSEMBLE | she/her)
Niki is delighted to be back at Salt Lake Acting Company where she was last seen as a Squirelle in Elephant & Piggie’s: "We Are in a Play!" She is a graduate of the University of Utah’s Musical Theatre Program (Class of 2022), Recent credits include Elizabeth Bennet in Pride and Prejudice at The Grand Theatre, Mrs Aouda in Around The World in 80 Days at Hale Center Theatre. She recently played Judith in a movie called Edie Arnold Is a Loser that will come out in 2025. 

JORDAN REYNOSA (READER | he/him/his)
Jordan graduated from Westminster College (‘21) with a BFA in acting and a minor in dance. He is the founder and artistic director of Beyond the Line Theatre Company; they’ve premiered devised theatre, including Fictitious People, The Lady with the Dog, Clown House, produced Ubu Roi, and produced dance works including, In the Horizon of My Mind and VYZEE. Acting credits include: The Fossil Record (Andrew) at An Other Theatre Company, SLAC’s Summer Show: Close Encounters in the Beehive (Zeb), Yoga Play (Fred), Let’s Fix Andy! (Marcus) staged reading, West Side Story (Luis) at the Grand Theatre, Ah, Wilderness! (Richard), Stop Kiss (Detective Cole), Othello (Gratiano), Spring Awakening (Otto), Hotel Cassiopeia (Umbrella). Instagram: @beyondthelinetheatreco, BeyondTheLineTheatreCompany.org

Back by popular demand after more than 20-years, Salt Lake Acting Company, Utah’s Premier Professional Contemporary Theatre, announces the cast and creative team for the upcoming production of Bat Boy: The Musical by Keythe Farley, Brian Fleming, and Laurence O’Keefe; Directed and Choreographed by Eric Sciotto, with Music Direction by Alex Marshall. Running in our Upstairs Theatre from April 9th to May 4th, 2025. Tickets are available here.

This amazing cast is full of well-known faces to the SLAC stage, as well as several newcomers. SLAC alums include Scotty Fletcher (You Will Get Sick, Beloved King) as Pan/etc., Tito Smith Livas* (SLACabaret: Down the Rabbit Hole, Sleeping Giant, Mercury) as Reverend Billy Hightower/etc., Micki Martinez* (SLAC’s Summer Show: Close Encounters in the Beehive, Pinkalicious, Diary of a Worm, a Spider, and a Fly) as Maggie/etc., Justin Ravago (A Year with Frog and Toad) as Clem/etc., and returning from our original production of Bat Boy in a different role, Robert Scott Smith* (SLAC’s Summer Show: Close Encounters in the Beehive, Sleeping Giant, Saturday’s Voyeur) as Dr. Thomas Parker.

Making their debuts on SLAC’s stage will be Julian Decker* (Broadway: Sunset Boulevard, Les Misérables, Nat’l Tour: Love Never Dies) as Edgar/Bat Boy, Timothy Feroah as Rick/etc., Doug Irey as Sheriff Reynolds, Jackie Marshall as Shelley Parker, and Adrien Swenson (Nat’l Tour: Finding Neverland) as Meredith Parker.

From Top Left: Julian Decker*, Timothy Feroah, Scotty Fletcher, Doug Irey, and Tito Smith Livas*
From Bottom Left: Jackie Marshall, Micki Martinez, Justin Ravago, Robert Scott Smith*, and Adrien Swenson

Joining Eric Sciotto (Director, Choreographer) and Alex Marshall (Music Director) on the creative team will be Jo Winiarski (Set Designer), Jesse Portillo** (Lighting Designer), Joe Killian (Sound Designer), Elizabeth Webb (Co-Costumes Designer), Sofia Paredes-Kenrick (Co-Costume Designer), Erika Ahlin (Props Designer), Adriana Lemke (Fight/Intimacy Director), Jennie Sant* (Production/Stage Manager), and Bridgette Lehman* (Stage Manager).

Participants in SLAC's Professional Theatre Program for Emerging Artists will be Jordan Cruz (PTP Assistant Director/Choreographer), Timothy Feroah as Rick/etc., and Justin Ravago as Clem/etc. The Professional Theatre Program for Emerging Artists supplies opportunities to theatre artisans in multiple disciplines to learn and develop their skills in professional productions. To date, SLAC has created more than 150 production-based paid positions for actors, assistant stage managers, assistant directors, and assistant designers. For more information on the program, click here.

Salt Lake Acting Company, Utah’s Premier Professional Contemporary Theatre, announces the cast and creative team for the upcoming World Premiere production of The Robertassey by Kathleen Cahill, originally workshopped in SLAC’s 2018/19 New Play Sounding Series. The show will be Co-Directed by Penelope Caywood and Hannah Keating, and run in our Upstairs Theatre from February 5th to March 2nd, 2025. Tickets are available here. 

Join us for this brand-new comedy about grief. Roberta arrives in Dublin but her suitcase—which contains her father’s ashes— doesn’t. Her trip turns into a magical mystery tour and the lost suitcase becomes a symbol of her life. This lyrical and intoxicating comedy tests forgiveness, love, and our trust in the universe.

This amazing cast of new and familiar faces to SLAC’s stage includes Anne Louise Brings (A Year with Frog and Toad; SLACabaret: Down the Rabbit Hole, Stupid F*cking Bird) as Roberta, Darryl Stamp* (Cozy Mystery Theatre, Amerikin, How to Make a Rope Swing) as Hiker/Bartender; and making their main stage SLAC debuts will be Heidi Hackney* as Carol/Fiona/Irish Woman, and the director of our upcoming production of Bat Boy: The Musical, Eric Sciotto* (Broadway: Something Rotten, Annie Get Your Gun, Aida) as Garth/Aemon.

From Top Left: Anne Louise Brings, Heidi Hackney*, Eric Sciotto*, and Darryl Stamp*.

Joining Penelope Caywood (Co-Director) and Hannah Keating (Co-Director) on the creative team will be Gage Williams** (Set Designer), La Beene (Costume Designer), Jesse Portillo** (Lighting Designer), Cynthia L. Kehr Rees** (Sound Designer), Anna Blaes (Props Designer), Sarah Shippobotham (Dialect Coach), Adriana Lemke (Intimacy Director), Jennie Sant* (Production Manager), Bridgette Lehman* (Stage Manager), and Tahra Veasley* (Rehearsal Asst. Stage Manager).

Joining us as part of SLAC's Professional Theatre Program for Emerging Artists will be Marcia Piña (PTP Run of Show Asst. Stage Manager). The Professional Theatre Program for Emerging Artists supplies opportunities to theatre artisans in multiple disciplines to learn and develop their skills in professional productions. To date, SLAC has created more than 150 production-based paid positions for actors, assistant stage managers, assistant directors, and assistant designers. For more information on the program, click here.

Discounted Group Pricing is available by contacting our Box Office team at (801)363-7522 during business hours, 11 AM to 5 PM, Monday through Friday.

We cannot wait to see you and celebrate the next production of our 53rd Season of brave, contemporary, professional theatre, only at Salt Lake Acting Company, saving theatre one play at a time.

*Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.
**Represented by United Scenic Artists Local USA 829 of the IATSE.

Headshots & Bios for Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! The Musical! By Mo Willems, Tom Warburton, and Deborah Wicks La Puma

Click Here to Access the Digital Version of the Playbill

CAST:
Joseph Paul Branca - Pigeon
Wendy Joseph - Bus Driver
Marc Nielson - Businessman, Hot Dog Vendor, Duckling 1, Airplane Engine
Laurel Morgan - Teenager, City Worker, Duckling 2
Bryce Romleski - Bus Engine, 2nd Pigeon, The Duckling, The Bus, Bus Drivers' Mom, Puppy
Alexa Shaheen - Little Old Lady, Duckling 3

CREATIVE TEAM:
Mo Willems - Script & Lyrics
Deborah Wicks La Puma - Music
Penelope Caywood - Director/Choreographer/Music Director
Dennis Hassan - Set Designer
Jesse Portillo** - Lighting Designer 
Sofia Paredes-Kenrick - Costume Designer
Erika Ahlin - Co-Props Designer
Anna Blaes - Co-Props Designer
Bridgette Lehman - Production Stage Manager
Tahra Veasley - Assistant Stage Manager
Matthew Tripp - PTP Assistant Director
J.S. Peterson - PTP Assistant Set Designer
Cynthia Fleming - Executive Artistic Director

CAST BIOS:

JOSEPH PAUL BRANCA (He/Him) is pleased as punch to return to his Salt Lake Acting Company roots with this year’s kids show! Off the stage, he also works as SLAC’s Director of Communications, and in any other position Cynthia will let him get his hands on. His first children’s production at SLAC was Diary of a Worm, a Spider, and a Fly as Ant in 2016, then in Pete the Cat as Jimmy Biddle in 2019, and NOW he’s overjoyed to be playing Pigeon in this year’s show. Other SLAC productions include last season’s SLAC’s Summer Show: Close Encounters in the Beehive as Zeb the Alien, Yoga Play, SLACabaret: Down the Rabbit Hole, Just for Laughs, and the final production of Saturday’s Voyeur. He has worked with many revered companies across the Wasatch Front and internationally, including most recently: Utah Opera, Good Company Theatre, Plan-B Theatre Company, West Valley Arts, Hale Centre Theatre in Sandy, Hale Center Theater Orem, and Universal Studios Japan among others. In addition to television and voice acting work, he also appears regularly in film, including starring roles in the feature films Dog Valley, the upcoming One Big Happy Family, and the Emmy Award winning Resistance Movement. He is the recipient of several awards for his work, which he will not brag about further here. Thanks to his partner, family, Penny, Cynthia, ADHD medication, and every pigeon he’s ever met. Follow along at JosephBranca.com and @JosephBranca


WENDY JOSEPH (She/They) is an actor based out of Salt Lake City. At SLAC Wendy has performed in SLAC’s Summer Show (‘21, ’22, ‘23); Four Women Talking about the Man Under the Sheet; Hairy and Sherri; and Elephant and Piggie’s: “We Are in a Play!” (‘21, ‘23). She also performed in Plan B-Theatre’s kids show, Squeak. Her most recent work was in Good Company Theatre’s God Kinda Looks like Tupac. Aside from theater, she’s also done several films and short films as well as instructed playwriting for young adults. Wendy enjoys being with her family, traveling, and re-watching the Twilight series for the 100th time.


MARC NIELSON (He/Him) I am thrilled to be joining the wonderful and talented cast of, “Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! The Musical!” Although I do have a teeny-tiny itsy-bitsy little secret. You see I’m not excited because I’m in the show, I’m excited because when no one is looking I’m gonna let that pigeon drive the bus, I’ll even ride in the back. 

Afterwards I’m planning on letting a cat operate a crane, a dog steer a space ship, and an alligator guide a submarine. Some of you might be wondering why I would allow animals anywhere near heavy machinery and unfortunately the answer is that I am a wildly irresponsible human being. You think I would have learned my lesson after my gecko crashed my car but if anything I’ve doubled down harder. 

I just think the world would be better place with dog astronauts and pigeon chauffeurs, no matter what others say. I will not apologize for trying to bring a little more magic and whimsy into this world regardless of how many millions of dollars in property damage it might cause. I am a visionary! 

Anyway…what were we talking about? Oh yes, I’m super excited to be doing the show.


LAUREL MORGAN (She/Her) is excited to be returning to Salt Lake Acting Company after appearing in SLAC's Summer Show: Close Encounters in the Beehive and SLAC's Summer Show: A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood. She is in her senior year pursuing a BFA in the Actors Training Program at the University of Utah and will play Blanche in A Streetcar Named Desire for her capstone project. She has recently been seen as Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Ariel in The Tempest, and Bartley in Old Man and the Old Moon at the University. Laurel also performs in theatrical productions all around the Salt Lake Valley, most recently as Caroline Bingley in Pride and Prejudice (The Grand Theatre), Connie in fate? (The Grand Theatre), Tigger and Owl in Winnie the Pooh (Parker Theatre), and Ursula in Much Ado About Nothing (Parker Theatre).


BRYCE ROMLESKI (He/Him/His) is so excited to be spending another winter at Salt Lake Acting Company in Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! The Musical! Some of his recent credits include: SLAC's Summer Show: Close Encounters in the Beehive, Elephant and Piggie's: "We Are in a Play!", and SLAC's Summer Show: A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood all at Salt Lake Acting Company; and Into the Woods, and Cabaret at the University of Utah. Bryce recently graduated from the University of Utah with his BFA in Musical Theatre and currently works with Youth Theatre at the U. He would like to thank his family and friends for their unwavering love and support! | @BryceRomleski | BryceRomleski.com


ALEXA SHAHEEN (She/They) is thrilled to be making her return to the SLAC stage for Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! The Musical! Alexa’s most recent credits include: Nightmare Cabaret (Lagoon), Celestleigh in Close Encounters in the Beehive (Salt Lake Acting Company), and Sandy Cheeks in SpongeBob The Musical (Kingsbury Hall, Youth Theatre at the U). Alexa is a native Oregonian and currently pursuing her BFA in the Musical Theatre Program at the University of Utah. Alexa is incredibly grateful for their family, friends, and professors’ unwavering love and support through all of her artistic endeavors! 

CREATIVE TEAM BIOS:

MO WILLEMS – Script & Lyrics is an author, illustrator, animator, and playwright. He was the inaugural Kennedy Center Education Artist-in-Residence (2019-2022), and he continues to collaborate in creating fun new stuff involving classical music, opera, comedy concerts, dance, painting and digital works with the National Symphony Orchestra, Washington National Opera, Ben Folds, Yo-Yo Ma, and others. Willems is best known for his #1 New York Times bestselling picture books, which have been awarded three Caldecott Honors (Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!; Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale; Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity), and his celebrated Elephant and Piggie early reader series, which has been awarded two Theodor Geisel Medals and five Geisel Honors. Mo’s art has been exhibited around the world, including major solo retrospectives at the High Museum (Atlanta) and the New-York Historical Society (NYC). Over the last decade, Willems has become the most produced playwright of Theater for Young Audiences in America, having written or co-written four musicals based on his books. He began his career as a writer and animator on PBS’ Sesame Street, where he garnered six Emmy Awards (writing). Other television work includes two series on Cartoon Network: Sheep in the Big City (creator + head writer) and Codename: Kids Next Door (head writer). Mo’s recent TV projects include the live action comedy special Don’t Let the Pigeon Do Storytime! and an animated rock opera special based on Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed, which originally premiered on HBO Max. In April 2023, Mo will celebrate the 20th anniversary of Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! with the publication of Be the Bus: The Lost & Profound Wisdom of The Pigeon (Union Square Kids, April 4, 2023), a humor book for adults, and Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! 20th Anniversary Edition (Hyperion Books for Children, April 4, 2023) including an exclusive board game. His papers reside at Yale University’s Beinecke Library.

DEBORAH WICKS LA PUMA – Music is a composer, music director, and orchestrator, and one of the most produced Theatre for Young Audiences artists working today. Some of her most popular musicals include Ella Enchanted (based on the book by Gail Carson Levine), Oliverio: A Brazilian Twist, and Einstein Is a Dummy with playwright Karen Zacarías, and the off-Broadway hit She Persisted (based on the book by Chelsea Clinton) with playwright Adam Tobin. Deborah has created three musicals with bestselling children’s author Mo Willems: Elephant and Piggie’s: “We Are in A Play!”; Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed: The Rock Experience, and Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! The Musical!. On the small screen, she has worked with Willems on the adaptation of Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed: The Underground Rock Experience (released in 2022 on HBO Max), and the upcoming animated series Unlimited Squirrels. As a music director and orchestrator, she has worked with major regional theatre companies across the country, including the Guthrie, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, South Coast Repertory, La Jolla Playhouse and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. She received her MFA from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, and her bachelor’s degree from Stanford University. Her honors include an Off-Broadway Alliance Award for Best Family Musical, the Jane Chambers Playwriting Award, an NEA New American Works Grant, two Parents’ Choice Awards, and a Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Musical Adaptation. A proud Mexican-American and “Navy brat” who grew up in Brazil, Portugal and California, La Puma is a member of TYA/USA, ASCAP and The Dramatists Guild. Mother to three daughters and Mimi the Cat, La Puma lives in Southern California with her PR agent and loving husband, Chris.

PENELOPE CAYWOOD - Director/Choreographer/Music Director (She/Her) is excited to return to Salt Lake Acting Company for another children’s show! Recent directing credits include the Utah premiere of Yoga Play (SLAC), the world premiere of Fremont Junior High is NOT Doing Oklahoma! (Good Company Theatre), and The Book Club Play (University of Utah). Her past SLAC Theatre for Young Audiences projects include Elephant and Piggie's: "We Are in a Play!", A Year with Frog and Toad, Pete the Cat, Pinkalicious, The True Story of the Three Little Pigs, Diary of a Worm, a Spider, and a Fly, Art Dog, Cat in the Hat, Click Clack Moo: Cows that Type, How I Became a Pirate, and If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. Penelope also serves as the Artistic Director of Youth Theatre at the U and as an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Theatre Teaching, where she loves creating opportunities for young talent to shine. Special thanks to SLAC, Cynthia, Jennie, and the entire design team for their creativity, support, and dedication to bringing this production to life.

JESSE PORTILLO** - Lighting Designer (He/Him) Jesse Portillo is lighting designer based in Los Angeles, and an Associate Professor of Theatre at Cal Poly Pomona. Previous SLAC credits include Passing Strange, Pete The Cat, Saturday’s Voyeur, Climbing with Tigers, and Harbur Gate among many others. Additional credits include productions for South Coast Rep, Pioneer Theatre Company, Arizona Broadway Theatre, Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre, Ancram Opera House, LOOK Musicals, New Century Dance, Repertory Dance Theater, Samba Fogo, PURE Theatre, Mobile Opera and Plan-B Theatre Company. He holds an MFA from Indiana University, and has previously served on the faculty of the University of Utah and the College of Charleston. He is a member of United Scenic Artists Local 829, and an active member of the United States Institute for Theatre Technology, where he is the Co- Commissioner for Lighting Design and Technology. He is a founding member of La Gente: The Latinx Design Network, and works to make all aspects of live entertainment more diverse, equitable and inclusive by deploying anti-racist approaches in all aspects of his work.

BRIDGETTE LEHMAN - Stage Manager (She/Her) is happy to be back at SLAC for another holiday season! Favorite Stage Management credits include Hairy & Sherri, A Year with Frog and Toad, You Will Get Sick, SLAC's Summer Show: Close Encounters in the Beehive (SLAC), Sherlock Holmes and The Final Problem (Plan-B Theatre and KUER), and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Good Co. Theatre). Favorite Assistant Stage Management credits include SLAC’s Summer Show: A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, and Whitelisted. She is a Weber State alumnus with her BA in Theatre Arts/Sound Production and Recording.

TAHRA VEASLEY - Assistant Stage Manager (She/Her) is excited to be back at SLAC for the kids show for a third year in a row! Favorite select Stage Management credits include Whitelisted (SLAC), The Bleeding Class (59E59), Bald Sisters (SLAC), Can I Say Yes to That Dress? (SLAC), and Sankofa, This Journey: Go Back, and Get It (SLAC), Senior Stages Play Tour Series (Plan-B Theatre Company), In the Heights and Noises Off (The Grand Theatre), and Eclipsed (Studio 115/KCACTF). Favorite Assistant Stage Management credits include Elephant & Piggie's: "We Are in a Play!", Hairy & Sherri, A Year With Frog & Toad (SLAC), Once on This Island, Mamma Mia, Cagney, and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (Pioneer Theatre Company). 

DENNIS HASSAN - Set Designer (He/Him) is a Professor of Scenic Design at Utah State University, Dennis has designed over 180 productions for theatres from Hawaii to Maine.  He also designs costumes, properties, corporate events, immersive experiences and puppetry. Favorites include costumes for Macbeth, My Fair Lady, Winter’s Tale, Dido and Aeneas; sets for Fun Home, August Osage County, Light in the Piazza, Sweeney Todd, Tales of Hoffmann; and puppets for Shockheaded Peter, Little Shop of Horrors, Issun Boshi and Beauty and the Beast. He has an MFA in theatre design from The Ohio State University. Dennis is delighted to return to SLAC where he has previously designed costumes for Whitelisted, A Year With Frog & Toad, Egress, Pete the Cat, and sets for Streetlight Woodpecker, Winter, Fun Home, and Silent Dancer. 

ANNA BLAES - Co-Props Designer (She/Her) is pleased to be working with SLAC again after having Co-Designed Props for SLAC's Summer Show: Close Encounters in the Beehive, Bald Sisters, SLAC's Summer Show: A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, and A Year with Frog and Toad. She has previously done Props for A Night to Dismember and Sympathizer at Great Salt Lake Fringe. Film: Set Dressing for Enactment by Bridger Roberts. BFA Theatre Design from the University of Utah, ABlaesDesign.com.

ERIKA AHLIN - Co-Props Designer (She/Her) is so excited to be on the creative team for this production. She has designed previously at SLAC for SLAC’s Summer Show: Close Encounters in the Beehive, Bald Sisters, You Will Get Sick, SLAC's Summer Show: A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, and Assistant Props Design for Yoga Play. She has been working administratively with the SLAC since 2012, and is currently Director of Development. In her free time, Erika plays bass in NADEZHDA.

SOFIA PAREDES-KENRICK - Costume Designer (She/They) is delighted to be costuming Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! The Musical! at Salt Lake Acting Company! Sofia was recently seen on the SLAC stage in last year’s TYA show Elephant and Piggie’s: “We Are in A Play!” as Squirelle 1, which sparked her joy for children’s theater. She was recently nominated for a Regional Broadway World Award for her costume work on Tooele Valley Theatre’s production of Arsenic and Old Lace and is the Costume Coordinator for the Youth Theatre at The U program. Sofia is so excited to be putting two of their biggest passions together for this production, and give young audiences a colorful and fashionable show!

MATTHEW TRIPP - PTP Asst. Director (He/They/She) - is PUMPED to be back at SLAC, this time as Assistant Director! Matthew has previously appeared at SLAC as an actor in their last two children’s shows, Elephant and Piggie's: "We Are in a Play!" and A Year with Frog and Toad. For the last three years, they’ve taught drama under Penelope Caywood (the director of this show!) at the University of Utah and Wasatch Elementary through the University's Youth Theatre and Drama Residency programs. They’re also a part of the Story Weavers at Hale Centre Theatre, bringing theater to schools and communities that don’t readily have access to it. They consider themselves very lucky to have found their niche as a teaching artist, serving the community through education and children’s theater.

J.S. PETERSON – PTP Asst. Set Designer (He/Him) is excited to work with the Salt Lake Acting Company for the first time. He is a scenic designer from Idaho, with a passion for creating immersive environments for audiences. His recent credits include The Tempest at Utah State University and Disney's Descendants at Dare to Dream Children's Theatre. One of his favorite aspects of scenic design is model making. Whether it's building intricate scale models or designing full sets, he loves the process of bringing ideas to life.

​​CYNTHIA FLEMING - Executive Artistic Director (She/Her) has been on the administrative staff at Salt Lake Acting Company since 1998. During this time, she has overseen multiple departments including Marketing, Communications, Development, Production, and Audience Services. In 2015, Cynthia was named to her current role as Executive Artistic Director. Prior to arriving at Salt Lake Acting Company, Cynthia performed in the Broadway, National, and International companies of the original run of A Chorus Line, directed by Michael Bennett. Cynthia remains a working artist in the theatre and continues to direct and choreograph works both at SLAC and elsewhere. Those credits include SLAC’s Summer Show: Close Encounters in the Beehive, SLAC’s Summer Show: A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, SLACabaret: Down the Rabbit Hole, #SLACabaret, Silent Dancer, Saturday’s Voyeur (16 years as Choreographer, 7 as Director/Choreographer), Bat Boy, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, as well as guest directing the MFA Playwrights’ Workshop—a partnership with the Kennedy Center’s American College Theatre Festival, Stanford University, and the National New Play Network. She has also served as a visiting professor for the University of Utah’s Musical Theatre program. Outside of her theatre-related pursuits, Cynthia is a member of the Women’s Democratic Club of Utah, as well as 100 Women Who Care SLC. Cynthia is proud to serve SLAC and its mission to engage and enrich the community through brave, contemporary theatre.

SALT LAKE ACTING COMPANY – Salt Lake Acting Company is celebrating its 53rd Season and continuing its mission to engage and enrich community through brave contemporary theatre. Founded in 1970, SLAC is a not-for-profit 501(c)3 professional theatre dedicated to producing, commissioning, and developing new works and to supporting a community of professional artists. SLAC has been nationally recognized by the Shubert Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Pew Charitable Trusts, and the Edgerton Foundation, among others. SLAC operates under an SPT Actors Equity Association contract and is a Constituent Member of Theatre Communications Group (a national organization for non-profit professional regional theatres), and the National New Play Network (a national alliance of non-profit professional theatres that champions the development, production, and continued life of new plays). 

**The Lighting Designer for this production is represented by United Scenic Artists Local USA 829 of the IATSE.

Salt Lake Acting Company, Utah’s Premier Professional Contemporary Theatre, announces the cast and creative team for the upcoming addition to our celebrated tradition of professional Theatre for Young Audiences productions, Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! The Musical! By Mo Willems, Tom Warburton, and Deborah Wicks La Puma, and Directed, Music Directed, and Choreographed by Penelope Caywood! Running in our upstairs theatre from December 6th to December 30th, 2024. Tickets are available here. 

A team full of familiar faces to the SLAC stage, hop on board for an unforgettable ride with the Pigeon in this feather-filled extravaganza based on Mo Willems’ bestselling books. The Pigeon is back and he’s ready to take the stage! With an innovative mix of actors, puppets, and feathers, this production brings the beloved characters to life like never before. You won’t want to miss this bus!

This excellent cast of SLAC all-stars includes Joseph Paul Branca (SLAC's Summer Show: Close Encounters in the Beehive, SLACabaret: Down the Rabbit Hole, Pete the Cat, Saturday's Voyeur) as Pigeon, Wendy Joseph (Elephant & Piggie's: "We Are in a Play!, SLAC's Summer Show: A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, Hairy & Sherri, Four Women Talking About the Man Under the Sheet) as Bus Driver, Marc Nielson (SLAC's Summer Show: Close Encounters in the Beehive) as Business Man, Hot Dog Vendor, Duckling 1, and Airplane Engine, Laurel Morgan (SLAC's Summer Show: Close Encounters in the Beehive, SLAC's Summer Show: A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood) as The Bus, The Bus Engine, The Duckling, 2nd Pigeon, and Bus Driver's Mom, Bryce Romleski (Elephant & Piggie's: "We Are in a Play!", SLAC's Summer Show: Close Encounters in the Beehive, SLAC's Summer Show: A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood) as City Worker, Teenager, and Duckling 2, and Alexa Shaheen (SLAC's Summer Show: Close Encounters in the Beehive) as Little Old Lady, 3rd Pigeon, and Duckling 3. If you think the character names are fun and goofy, just WAIT until you see the show.

From Top Left: Joseph Paul Branca, Wendy Joseph, Marc Nielson, Bryce Romleski, Laurel Morgan, and Alexa Shaheen.

Joining Penelope Caywood (Director, Music Director, Choreographer) on the creative team will be Dennis Hassan (Set Designer), Jesse Portillo** (Lighting Designer), Joe Killian (Sound Designer), Sofia Paredes-Kenrick (Costume Designer), Erika Ahlin (Co-Props Designer), Anna Blaes (Co-Props Designer), Jennie Sant* (Production Manager), Bridgette Lehman (Stage Manager), and Tahra Veasley (Asst. Stage Manager).

Joining the cast and creative team as part of SLAC's Professional Theatre Program for Emerging Artists will be Matthew Tripp (PTP Asst. Director), and J.S. Peterson (PTP Asst. Set Designer). The Professional Theatre Program for Emerging Artists supplies opportunities to theatre artisans in multiple disciplines to learn and develop their skills in professional productions. To date, SLAC has created more than 150 production-based paid positions for actors, assistant stage managers, assistant directors, and assistant designers. For more information on the program, click here.

Penelope Caywood on PBS Contact
You can check out director extraordinaire Penelope Caywood's recent interview on PBS Contact with Mary Dickson to hear more about what you can expect from this blast of a production by clicking here!

Give your loved ones (and yourself!) the gift of theatre this holiday season by joining us for Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! The Musical! Children Tickets for $17 and Adult Tickets for $27 are currently available both online or by contacting the Box Office at (801)363-7522, discounted group pricing is also available, please let our Box Office staff know if you would like more information.

We cannot wait to see you and celebrate the next production of our 53rd Season of brave, contemporary, professional theatre, only at Salt Lake Acting Company, saving theatre one play at a time.

*Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.
**Represented by United Scenic Artists Local USA 829 of the IATSE.

THE TURNAWAY PLAY
by Lesley Lisa Green

PANELISTS:
Josephine Holubkov
Jackie Morgan
Representative Angela Romero
Annabel Sheinberg (Moderator)
Erica Torres

CAST LIST:
Latoya Cameron– Serena, Angel, Kiara
Jazmin Delgado – Luisa, Sofia, Martina
Adriana Lemke – Rhonda, Amy, Brenda
Tracie Merrill-Wilson – Dr. Foster

PRODUCTION TEAM:
Director – Cynthia Fleming
Production/Stage Manager – Jennie Sant
Lighting Designer – Elliot Moore
Projection Programmer – Bridgette Lehman 
Hat Designer – Erika Ahlin

BIOS:

PANELISTS:

Josephine Holubkov
Josephine Holubkov grew up in Salt Lake City and was interested in reproductive justice and political activism from a young age. While attending West High School, Josephine was on PPAU's Teen Council for two years, serving on the Teen Council Advisory Committee for one year. 

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Josephine worked the 2020 election as a grassroots organizer with Planned Parenthood North Central States. In college, she worked as a Communication and Consent Educator (CCE) for three years, and was promoted to be a Project Coordinator during her senior year, where she developed a community-centered framework of survivor support. After receiving her B.A. in Linguistics from Yale University, Josephine is now preparing to apply to veterinary school, and plans to continue advocating for survivors and racial and reproductive justice while pursuing her career.

Jackie Morgan
Jackie Morgan is a seasoned political strategist, with years of experience working on political and issue campaigns, public affairs, and legislation. She has worked in Utah politics for over 10 years, helping numerous campaigns, candidates, and causes including as the Deputy Communications Director on the Mike Weinholtz for Governor campaign, Volunteer Director on Better Boundaries, and Campaign Manager or Senior Advisor for more than 25 local candidates. She most recently served as the National Campaigns Director at Stand for Children where she worked with nonprofit and advocacy organizations to drive educational equity and racial justice across the country. Currently, Jackie is a Senior Partner at Elevate Strategies, where she focuses on helping Democratic candidates in Utah make meaningful progress and change. Through Elevate, she leverages data-driven strategies, mentoring, and support to reshape Utah’s political future.

Representative Angela Romero
Representative Angela Romero represents House District 25 in the Utah State Legislature and is currently the House Minority Leader. She heads the first all-female House minority leadership team in the Utah State Legislature.

At the state legislature, Representative Romero has been a champion for women and children. Representative Romero works on legislation for victim’s rights, human trafficking, and sexual assault and domestic violence prevention. During her service, Representative Romero successfully passed the Prison Rape Elimination Act and the Statewide Sexual Assault and Interpersonal Violence Prevention Program appropriation request of 3.6 million dollars. She also worked diligently to secure funding to end the rape test kit backlog. Representative Romero also sponsored legislation creating Utah’s Murdered and Missing Indigenous Relatives Task Force.

Outside her legislative capacity Representative Romero works with local government, overseeing community programs and initiatives in the Division of Youth and Family Programs, including supervising the YouthCity Government Program and My Brother’s Keeper. Representative Romero is dedicated to ensuring youth have access to the political process and civic engagement.

Annabel Sheinberg
Annabel Sheinberg is a member of The Turnaway Play Team with a long history of working to advance sexual and reproductive freedoms in Utah.  She has a special interest in projects focused on youth development, community organizing, non-profit management and promoting democracy and justice. During her career she worked in several states including 15 years with Planned Parenthood Association of Utah. She is thrilled to partner with SLAC in bringing The Turnaway Play to Utah for the first time.

Erica Torres
Erica Torres is dedicated to uplifting and empowering communities through a strong commitment to social and reproductive justice. She strives to create meaningful change through education and community engagement. With a background in Public Health focused on community health, Erica brings over 15-years of experience in women's health, including a decade specializing in abortion care, contraceptive counseling, pregnancy options education and community health education.

Currently, she serves as an instructor at the University of Utah's School for Cultural and Social Transformation, where she teaches Reproductive Justice. Additionally, she works as a Community Engagement and Training Specialist at the ASCENT Center for Reproductive Health within the Family Planning Division of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Utah; a role that she is also able to sprinkle in some research to keep her work exciting and impactful.

ACTORS:

Latoya Cameron
Latoya Cameron (she/her) is thrilled to be part of this important reading at SLAC during such a crucial time. She is an actor, singer, writer, director, and an Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Dramaturg. She recently co-directed Whitelisted which is currently in performances in the Upstairs Theater at SLAC (if you have not seen it yet, you do not want to miss it! If you have, THANK YOU and come again with some friends). You might have seen her at SLAC in: You Will Get Sick, Passing Strange, Four Women Talking About the Man Under the Sheet, Form of A Girl, Stupid Fucking Bird to name a few. Other stages: The Clean-Up Project (named the Utah Review's Top Utah Enlightenment Moment in 2022), Singing to the Brine Shrimp, A/Version of Events, Mama, Ruff!, Different = Amazing, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, (Plan-B Theatre Company), Rocky Horror Show (2014 & 2015), Elf, the Musical (2013), RENT (Pioneer Theatre Company), Shakespeare in Love, Treasure Island, As You Like It, Henry V, Mary Poppins, Much Ado About Nothing (Utah Shakespeare Festival), The Color Purple, Closer (Wasatch Theatre Company), A Christmas Carol (Denver Center of the Performing Arts), Shelter, the Musical (New York Musical Theatre Festival). Directed: Whitelisted (co-directed with Tito Livas), Sankofa, this Journey: Go Back and Get It! (Salt Lake Acting Company and UBLAC collaboration), Town Hall (University of Utah), Title of Show (The Grand), RENT (The Ziegfeld Theater). Thank you for being here tonight.

Jazmin Delgado
Jazmin Delgado (she/her) graduated last May with a BFA in musical theater from the University of Utah! Previous credits include Natasha u/s in Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 (Pioneer Theatre Company), Annabeth u/s in The Lightning Thief (Babcock Theatre), Juniper in Smoke and Mirrors (Lagoon) and Teresita in West Side Story (West Valley Arts). Jazmin would like to thank SLAC for the opportunity and she dedicates this show to the upcoming election. Instagram: @jazmin.viquez

Adriana Lemke
Adriana Lemke (she/her) is a Salt Lake City based theatre-artist and movement professional. She was last seen on SLAC’s stage in the NPSS reading of Burst by Rachel Bublitz. As fight and intimacy director, her work has been part of SLAC’s productions of Whitelisted, Hairy & Sherri, and Sleeping Giant. Some of her favorite acting credits include Fabiana Cunningham in The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, and Des-Neiges Verrette in Les Belles Soeurs.

Tracie Merrill-Wilson
Tracie Merrill-Wilson (she/her) is always grateful to work with SLAC, and is excited to be among this amazing group of artists. Previous SLAC credits include The Wolves, Rapture Blister Burn, Ice Glen and the 2010 Fearless Fringe Festival (SB Dance’s Yoga Confidential and The Harvey Girls). Other favorite local and regional works include: PG Anon, One Big Union, Lady Macbeth, and Di Esperienza with Plan-B; Eleemosynary, Selma 65, Cheat, and Stop Kiss with Pygmalion; Rings at The Grand Theatre; Dracula at PTC; Rare Bird at the U; The Rainmaker at Hale; Metamorphoses and As You Like It at the Clarence Brown Theatre; La Bete and The Tempest at Theater at Monmouth; and three Shakespeare tours (Taming of the Shrew, Othello, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Romeo and Juliet). Film and TV credits include 127 Hours and Disney Channel’s Den Brother. A member of AEA, she received her MFA from UT-Knoxville and a classical degree from Weber Douglas Academy in London. Tracie also takes great pride in being involved in readings to develop new plays. Endless love to her family, and huge thanks to her Dad for hours spent running lines. 

Salt Lake Acting Company, Utah’s Premier Professional Contemporary Theatre, announces the cast and creative team for the upcoming Regional Premiere of Whitelisted by Chisa Hutchinson, the first production of our 53rd Season of Shows. A haunting comedy first workshopped in SLAC’s 22/23 New Play Sounding Series. Rebecca Burgess is living her life when weird, supernatural sh*t starts happening to her for no reason she can think of. Of course, the fact that she can't think of the reason is probably why it's happening. This heart-pounding, suspenseful, highly theatrical piece is a cautionary tale that considers the possibility of cosmic justice in the absence of social justice.

Our talented cast includes exciting familiar faces alongside several SLAC debuts. The show will run in our upstairs theatre from October 2nd to October 27th, 2024. Tickets are available here. Making up the cast, SLAC alumnus include Dee-Dee Darby-Duffin* (Passing Strange, Mercury, The Overwhelming) as Yvette, and Eliyah Ghaeini (A Year with Frog and Toad) as Ryan. Enjoying their Salt Lake Acting Company debuts will be Collette Astle* as Rebecca, Jacob Barnes as Diego, and Betty Kalunga as Maya.

From Top Left: Collette Astle*, Jacob Barnes, Dee-Dee Darby-Duffin*, Eliyah Ghaeini, Betty Kalung; Poster by Courtney Blair

Whitelisted will be co-directed by Latoya Cameron and Tito Livas, joining them will be Jennie Sant* (Production Manager), Erik Reichert (Set Designer/Construction Supervisor), Dennis Hassan (Costumes Designer), Jesse Portillo** (Lighting Designer), Joe Killian (Sound Designer/Engineer), Tanner Sase (Props Designer), Taylor Wallace (Dramaturg), Adriana Lemke (Fight/Intimacy Director), Tahra Veasley* (ASM/Run of Show Stage Manager), Bridgette Lehman (Run of Show Asst. Stage Manager), David Smith (House Electrician), Ivy Frampton (Lead Electrician), and Korbin Hand (Asst. Lead Electrician)

Joining the cast and creative team as part of SLAC's Professional Theatre Program for Emerging Artists will be Lynn Brisco (Asst. 2nd ASM), Betty Kalunga (Maya), and Emma Lovan (Asst. Costume Designer). The Professional Theatre Program for Emerging Artists supplies opportunities to theatre artisans in multiple disciplines to learn and develop their skills in professional productions. To date, SLAC has created more than 150 production-based paid positions for actors, assistant stage managers, assistant directors and assistant designers. For more information on the program, click here.

Co-Directors Latoya Cameron & Tito Livas

Join us for the first production of what promises to be our most riveting season yet! Single Tickets and Season Subscriptions (Starting at just $121!) are currently available both online or by contacting the Ticketing Office at (801)363-7522. We cannot wait to see you and celebrate the opening production of our 53rd Season of brave, contemporary, professional theatre, only at Salt Lake Acting Company, saving theatre one play at a time.

*Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.
**Represented by United Scenic Artists Local USA 829 of the IATSE.

A HERO'S JOURNEY
A New Play for Young Audiences
By Hannah Keating and Niko Krieger

This reading is performed as a part of SLAC’s New Play Sounding Series and in conjunction with KID SISTER Theatre Collaborative. 

CHARACTERS:
ONE/BOY – Camden Barrett
TWO/GIRL – Aly Carter

PRODUCTION TEAM:
Director: Niko Krieger
Asst. Director: Hannah Keating
Stage Manager: Bella Dixon
Set Designer/Graphic Designer: Makena Chatlin
Sound Designer: Ben Worstell

BIOS:

Camden Barrett (ONE/BOY): [they/them] recently graduated from the University of Utah with a BFA in Theatre as part of the Actor Training Program (ATP). Recent acting credits: Everybody (Usher, God, Understanding/dir. Robert Scott Smith) and As You Like It (Rosalind/dir. Robert Scott Smith) at the University of Utah. Recent directing credits: Radiant Vermin (Director) at Salt Lake Acting Company as the inaugural production of SLAC’s Making Space for Artists Program with Flying Bobcat Theatrical Laboratory. Most recent research projects include King Lear, as a collective ATP senior project (Director, and Co-Collaborator with Multi-Disciplinary Design Alumna Angela Rauf), and Because We Can’t Sew, a Design + Theatre independent study of Paula Vogel’s The Baltimore Waltz with Angela Rauf (co-mentored by assistant professors Alexandra Harbold and Steven Chodoriwsky). Camden is the co-founder and co-artistic director of KID SISTER Theatre Collaborative, a non-profit organization based in Salt Lake City. Camden was recently accepted to the MFA Advanced Theatre Practice course at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and will be based in London starting in the Fall (2024). For more information visit: www.camdenbarrett.com. 

Aly Carter (TWO/GIRL): [she/they] is a recent graduate from the University of Utah’s Actor Training Program. Recent credits include The Department of Theatre productions Dancing at Lughnasa (Chris) dir. Sarah Shippobotham; The Tempest (u/s Alonso) dir. Melinda Pfundstein; The Sweet Science of Bruising (Nancy) dir. Alexandra Harbold; a collective Senior Capstone Project KING LEAR (Goneril/intimacy coordinator) dir. Camden Barrett, and KID SISTER Theatre Collaborative’s Kite Flyer and Everything is about Something. 


Niko Krieger (Director/Playwright): [he/him] is currently studying at Rose Bruford College to receive his MFA in Contemporary Directing by next fall. Most recently, he directed undergraduate students in an abridged version of Pomona by Alistair McDowall. While growing up in Maryland, he performed in a children’s theatre company that sparked his love for theatre. After studying theatre at the University of Utah, Alexandra Harold helped him find true joy working behind the scenes. He cannot believe the generosity and support of all his collaborators, friends and family as KID SISTER Theatre Company closes out their 3rd year of summer adventures. A special thanks to Caden, who let him escape to the mountains for the ENTIRE summer and to Camden who continues to amaze him on this wild adventure together as KID SISTER moves to London! @okayniko

Hannah Keating (Playwright/Asst. Director) [she/they] is so grateful to be back at SLAC for the New Play Sounding Series, and to work in collaboration with the KID SISTER “dream team.” A Hero’s Journey is Keating and Krieger’s second script together – they presented a reading of their first project Moon Beach at Good Company Theatre last year – continuing a tradition of creating to survive “the dog days of summer.” Keating’s recent credits include: Asst. Director/Choreographer: SLAC Summer Show: Close Encounters in the Beehive; Asst Director: The Book Club Play (UofU); Choreographer: Something Rotten! (CenterPoint Academy); Performer: Elephant and Piggie’s: We Are In A Play (SLAC), 42nd Street (CenterPoint Theatre), A Year With Frog and Toad (SLAC), Something Rotten (Pioneer Theatre). BFA/BS University of Utah ‘22. www.HannahKeating.com / @iamjustkeating

Bella Dixon (Stage Manager): [she/her] is a graduating senior in the stage management program at the University of Utah. Her past credits at the U include: Dancing at Lughnasa (Studio 115, SM), The Sweet Science of Bruising (Babcock Theatre, 1st ASM), The Old Man and The Old Moon (Babcock Theatre, 2nd ASM), and Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed: The Rock Experience (Babcock Theatre, PA) Some of her outside credits include: Big Brother: Season 25 and Season 26 (Production Support PA), Ballet West: Dracula (Capitol Theatre, SM Intern), Ririe-Woodbury: Groundworks (Rose Wagner PAC, SM Intern). She would like to thank everyone for supporting her throughout this theatrical journey! Portfolio: www.BellaDixon.com

Makena Chatlin (Set Designer): [she/her] Makena is a multimedia artist from Boise, Idaho, currently based in Salt Lake City, Utah. Her passion for music has developed her interest in the fusion of visual and performance art. While her primary expertise lies in illustration, she delights in experimenting with a variety of artistic mediums. Her work seeks to merge artistry with innovation, pushing the boundaries of how art is experienced and interpreted. Outside of creating posters, album art, and background visuals for musicians, Makena plays in her own punk rock girl band, 4PLAY. Makena’s art goes beyond mere visuals, creating bold, immersive experiences that captivate and provoke.

Ben Worstell (Sound Designer): [he/him] Ben loves creating sounds and music. He is a current member of the music collective 909 WorldWide with a compilation album releasing Sept 9th 2024. https://www.909worldwi.de/

​​

Cast and Creative Team for Sunny in the Dark
From top Left: Jennica Anusua; Dan Beecher; Matthew Ivan Bennett; Alvaro Cortez; Brenda Hattingh Peatross; Ainslie Shepherd; Ben Young; Elaine Jarvik, Morag Shepherd

Bios:

ELAINE JARVIK: (PLAYWRIGHT) most recent play at the Salt Lake Acting Company was Four Women Talking About the Man Under the Sheet in 2021. Previous plays at SLAC include Two Stories (2015) and (a man enters) (2011, co-written with her daughter Kate Jarvik Birch). Other plays include productions at Plan-B Theatre — An Evening With Two Awful Men, Based on a True Story, and Marry Christmas, as well as the children’s play River. Swamp. Cave. Mountain. — and The Coming Ice Age for Pygmalion Productions. She is a former newspaper reporter and current drummer with “The Distractions.”

MORAG SHEPHERD: (DIRECTOR) is one of the producers of Sackerson Theatre and the artistic director of Immigrant’s Daughter Theatre. She is a member of the Plan-B writers lab, where her play My Brother the Vampire, and Not One Drop (David Ross Fetzer grant recipient) has performed. Her play Worship recently performed with the Utah Arts Alliance (The Utah Review top moment of 2023); her play Do You Want to See Me Naked (Critics Choice Award, and Best Solo Performance) has performed in Salt Lake City, Tucson, and The United Solo Festival in New York City. Her site-specific play, Cherry Wine in Paper Cups performed outside the Salt Lake City library summer 2020, and her immersive play, A Brief Waltz in a Little Room performed throughout 2019 in Salt Lake City (The Utah Review top ten moments of 2019). Recent directing credits include Last Lies of My Mad Mother by Julie Jensen, The Beauty Queen of Leenane by Martin McDonagh, Melancholy Play by Sarah Ruhl, Body Awareness by Annie Baker, and Let the Right One In by Jack Thorne. 

JENNICA ANUSUA: (AJ) is an actress, musician, writer and director with a Masters in global mental health and a passion for supporting those who have survived complex trauma and violence. She loves the notion of the journey - from travel and cultural immersion to examination of the internal emotional landscape. Jennica is deeply passionate about the way we as humans connect, and believes that storytelling is both integral to who we are and has immense power to heal and build community. She is thrilled to return to the SLAC stage for this project and work alongside other brilliant artists. Recent credits include Yoga Play (SLAC), Night of Wrath, Mystic Mishap the Series, Falling for Christmas (Netflix) and Royal Façade.

DAN BEECHER: (TOM) has been acting in Salt Lake for well over 30 years. He attended the University of Utah’s Actor Training Program, and has since acted with most companies in the valley. SLAC audiences last saw him in Hand to God.

MATTHEW IVAN BENNETT: (ASTROPHYSICIST) has worked with SLAC, Pioneer, Pygmalion, Sackerson, Wasatch, Utah Shakespeare, and Plan-B Theatre. Since 2005, he’s premiered over 20 plays with Plan-B, including 13 radio plays with KUER’s RadioWest. Last year, his play From June to August was the Official Selection at Meanwhile Park. His one-person play Eric(a) won the Best Drama award at the United Solo Festival in New York. Twice he’s contributed to Great Plains Theatre Commons and was a finalist at the O’Neill for Let Down Your Hair (also workshopped at SLAC). He’s worked with Omaha Community Playhouse, The Constructivists in Milwaukee, and his short plays have appeared in Seattle, Toronto, NYC, and DC. His poetry has been published with Sugar House Review, Western Humanities, Utah Life, and unearthed. His feature film The Whole Lot (dir. by Connor Rickman) was an Official Selection at the Philadelphia Independent Film Festival in 2022 and at several others. Matt is a recent alum of Futurescapes and is a member of the Dramatists’ Guild. His next projects are: Mother of the Maid at Pygmalion; In Your Dreams at Sackerson; and, an absurdist comedy of his, Non, will play at the Great Salt Lake Fringe Festival this summer.

ALVARO CORTEZ: (MAN/DAD/PRIEST) is a local actor both in film and theatre based in Salt Lake City. A 2020 pandemic graduate from Westminster College in the B.F.A program. Alvaro started in his actor training since his Junior year at Hillcrest High in Midvale, Utah. Where he was first able to learn and work on his craft with dedicated faculty. Most recent work was in the Alliance Theater in the The Fringe Festival/The Classical Greek Theater Festival in The Bacchae (Dionysus) And a one man show of The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey. Other show credits have been Romeo and Juliet (Tybalt) & Much Ado About Nothing (Don Pedro), as well as The Memory of Water (Mike), The Zoo Story (Peter), and The Christians (Elder Jay) at Westminster College.

BRENDA HATTINGH PEATROSS: (ELISE) is excited to be a part of today’s reading and to be working with this group of local theatre collaborators in particular, many of whom she has had the pleasure of working with before. Eight years ago she acted with Daniel Beecher (playing Tom) in Stage Kiss, her first SLC production. Most recently she appeared as June in From June To August by Matthew Ivan Bennett who will be appearing as the brilliantly quirky astrophysicist in today’s reading. Brenda also appeared as Phyllis in Body Awareness at Pygmalion Productions, directed by today’s multi talented director/playwright/producer Morag Shepherd. Brenda acted in the multi-media play A Brief Waltz featuring playwrights Matthew Ivan Bennett and Morag Shepherd and in Shepherd’s play Poppy’s In The Sand. A year ago Brenda had the pleasure of doing a staged reading opposite the talented Ben Young in another play written by Matthew Ivan Bennett. Brenda is always excited to work with playwright Elaine Jarvik, whom she has done some readings with as well as understudying a part in one of Jarvik’s plays performed here at SLAC. Collaboration has always been at the heart of what Brenda enjoys about acting and today’s reading is no exception. How lovely to be able to work with all these talented people again! 

AINSLIE SHEPHERD: (SUNNY) is in 8th grade and enjoys painting, drawing, soccer, and crocheting. She recently played Chloe in Worship with Immigrant’s Daughter Theatre, and she also appeared in Sackerson’s production of A Brief Waltz in a Little Room. Ainslie is very thrilled to be Sunny in Sunny in the Dark. 

BEN YOUNG: (READER) is a graduate of the University of Utah’s Actor Training Program. Previous credits include Climbing With Tigers (Algernon) and You Will Get Sick (1) with Salt Lake Acting Company; Gruesome Playground Injuries (Doug) with Wasatch Theatre Company; Big Love (Constantine), Our Country’s Good (Phillip/Wisehammer), The Odyssey (Odysseus) with the University of Utah’s Theatre Department; My Brother Was a Vampire (Callum), River. Swamp. Cave. Mountain. (JJ), Alli and #3 (#3) with Plan-B Theatre Company.

Salt Lake Acting Company is proud to announce the cast and creative team for the upcoming World Premiere production of SLAC's Summer Show: Close Encounters in the Beehive by Olivia Custodio, David Knoell, and Penelope Caywood. Join us for this hilarious new take on life in Utah. When two aliens are sent on a mission to Earth, they're not quite sure what they will find. However, their instructions are clear: determine if Earth is worth saving by observing its people and their lives. Only problem - they've landed in Salt Lake City where the people are..........unique. SLAC's Summer Show is back with a comedic out-of-this-world romp in the Beehive State as we follow our intergalactic friends and their close (maybe a little too close) observation of the Jorgensen family.

This fantastic and funny cast is made up of several SLAC all stars and exciting new faces to our stage. The show will run in our upstairs theatre from June 26th to August 18th, 2024. Tickets are available here. Making up the cast, SLAC alumnus include Joseph Paul Branca* (SLAC's Summer Show: Down the Rabbit Hole, Saturday's Voyeur, Pete the Cat), Micki Martinez* (Pinkalicious, Diary of a Worm, a Spider, and a Fly), and Robert Scott Smith* (Sleeping Giant, Saturday's Voyeur, Climbing With Tigers). Making their Salt Lake Acting Company debuts will be Melody Baugh, Noelani Brown, Nate Ginsberg, Marc Nielson, and Alexa Shaheen. 

Understudies for the production, appearing as part of the Understudy Program at SLAC, will be announced shortly. The Understudy Program at SLAC is essential to allowing us to elevate, nurture, and employ emerging actors, as well as allowing seasoned performers the opportunity to stretch their creative muscles, all while widening and deepening our local artistic community.

From Top Left: Melody Baugh, Joseph Paul Branca*, Noelani Brown, Nate Ginsberg, Micki Martinez*, Marc Nielson, Alexa Shaheen, and Robert Scott Smith*. 

SLAC's Summer Show 2024 will be directed and choreographed by Cynthia Fleming, joining her on the creative team will be Zach Hansen (Music Director), Erik Reichert (Set Design), Jesse Portillo** (Lighting Design), Heidi Ortega (Costume Design), Joe Killian (Sound Design), Erika Ahlin (Props Design), Jennie Sant* (Production Stage Manager), and Bridgette Lehman (Stage Manager).

Joining the creative team as part of SLAC's Professional Theatre Program for Emerging Artists will be Anna Blaes (Asst. Props Design), and Hannah Keating (Asst. Director/Asst. Choreographer). The Professional Theatre Program for Emerging Artists supplies opportunities to theatre artisans in multiple disciplines to learn and develop their skills in professional productions. To date, SLAC has created more than 150 production-based paid positions for actors, assistant stage managers, assistant directors and assistant designers. For more information on the program, click here.

Join us on Saturday, August 3rd for THE PARTY, Salt Lake Acting Company's annual fundraiser to help support all of our wonderful programming! Tickets are available now, and more information on what you can look forward to will be released shortly!

*Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.
**Represented by United Scenic Artists Local USA 829 of the IATSE.