Displaying items by tag: Arts Pass

The Pakistani Students Association at the University of Utah (PSA) is teaming up with the U School of Music for an exciting performance that will truly be the first of its kind. 

Shazia Manzoor, world renowned Qawwali singer from Rawalpindi, Pakistan will perform in Libby Gardner Concert Hall on September 17th in an event that PSA’s leaders are hoping will bring a multi-generational audience together in celebration. 

“Shazia targets our parents’ generation but we have also heard her on the radio and TV – so it fit the best of both worlds,” explained PSA president Dua Azhar, a junior majoring in physics. “A lot of us are from the province of Pakistan called Punjab. Shazia’s music is primarily Punjabi folk music. That kind of music is fun for me to listen to, it gets me hyped up.”

Eman Mahmood, a sophomore studying psychology and the treasurer of PSA, shares her enthusiasm. “I’ve been really into Pakistani music lately. I like how she has different genres – some are more classical, some are soulful, and then she has more upbeat pop. I’m really into all different kinds of music, so I like that she has that variety.” 

"I am imagining groups of families laughing and chatting, and enjoying the music. I really hope that a lot of our community shows up."

Bringing an international guest to campus, let alone one with celebrity status, requires quite a bit of organizing: from navigating a 12-hour time difference, to coordinating the schedules of both Manzoor and the five musicians she will travel with. But the group explained that every challenge since they began last fall has been worth it, and has helped them grow. 

“When someone is a celebrity, it feels like we could never work with them,” Azhar said. “But they are just normal people. I feel like, ‘wow, we are really doing this.’” She went on to explain the partnerships that have made the event possible. “We really want to thank the Dee Foundation for providing a majority of the funding for this concert. We also have other amazing sponsors like Utah Humanities Group, Utah Division of Arts and Museums, as well as donations from Pakistani families in our community. We are happy they would support something that we as Pakistani students have never gotten here in Utah – and for everyone in general to gain a new cultural experience.”  

For Taimur Iftikhar, a senior studying economics and PSA’s international relations officer, Manzoor’s concert is a reminder of home. “I was born and raised in Pakistan and haven’t been able to go back since 2019. So, for me, it’s a lot more nostalgic,” he said. “When I was a kid, I listened to her a lot, so it has certain memories associated with it.”

This connection to culture is what excites the students most as they imagine how the night will go.

“I am imagining groups of families laughing and chatting, and enjoying the music,” Mahmood said. “I really hope that a lot of our community shows up. We really need something to bring us all together. Sometimes we can be divided, and this is a great way to bring us all together.”

Azhar added, “We are hoping that this event tells our community, we are one. And for others, whatever stereotypes you might have of Pakistani people are not necessarily true. The best way to come together is to celebrate through music.” 

Shazia Manzoor
Saturday, September 17 @ 7:30p
Libby Gardner Concert Hall 
Click here for tickets! 

Remember, U students get in for free through Arts Pass! Just use your UCard. 

After a two-year hiatus for COVID-19, one of the biggest arts party on campus is back on Library Plaza on Wed. Aug. 31 from 11A-2P.

If you’ve never been, here’s what you can expect: live dance, music, and theatre performances, film screenings, info booths, free food, interactive art, and LOTS of free swag.

Here’s what you’ll do:

• When you arrive, stop at any booth to pick up your Arts Pass-port (we'll just call it your passport)
• Fill up your passport by visiting booths and learning all about how you can connect to and/or study in the arts
• When your passport is full, bring it to the College of Fine Arts booth and redeem it for some sweet swag. Everyone will get a handy crimson lunch tote and the first 250 people will also get a black snap-back hat.

Why do we host this party for U students?

To celebrate all the arts have to offer at the University of Utah, of course. From our famous Arts Pass program that allows students use their UCard to access hundreds of arts experiences on campus each year for free or deeply-discounted prices, to learning about all the majors, minors, grad programs, and non-majors courses in the College of Fine Arts' five academic units (Art & Art History, Dance, Film & Media Arts, Music, and Theatre and our Arts Ed programs.).

One more prize-y thing (kind of a big thing):

Students will have the chance to win a pair of AirPod Pros and an Arts Pass prize pack on 8/31! Check @universityofutah on Instagram on 8/31 for the post about Arts Bash, like it, leave a comment tagging a friend you want to experience the arts with + follow @uofuartspass!

For a bonus entry you can participate in Arts Bash, fill your passport with stamps, and scan your Ucard at the College of Fine Arts booth!

Prize pack includes:
Apple AirPod Pros
Arts Pass Backpack
Water bottle
Notebook
Uarts Hat
Uarts Lunch bag
Student-designed stickers, and more!

The U’s commitment to the arts and creativity

A growing body of research shows that arts experiences can positively impact students’ lives – including enhancing health and well-being, tolerance, empathy, literacy, critical thinking, community building skills, and even graduation rates. Plus, the arts provide us all valuable moments of respite, reflection, and connection.

Join the Department of Film & Media Arts for the F&MAD Spring Showcase this coming Sunday, May 8th! 

The F&MAD Spring Showcase is a juried screening of films and media arts projects made by advanced undergraduate and graduate film students. This event aims to create a professional screening environment where students can celebrate their work and network with local film professionals and media artists. Awards are decided by the jury based on the pool of films and media arts projects screened in the festival. All works screened by the jury receive professional feedback. 

See the details of the showcase below!

FILM PROGRAM [Tentative, subject to change] 

5:00pm | CHECK IN | Filmmakers Check-In at Film and Media Arts Auditorium Hall (Collection of accreditations and swag).

5:15pm | SILENT THEATER | This program will begin at 5:15pm and will run for the entire duration of the event (5:15pm to 9pm).

5:30pm | BLACK CARPET EVENT |

6pm |MAIN THEATER EVENT | Screening begins at the Main Theater (F&MAB Auditorium) Expected Running Time of 90’

7:40pm | Q&A | Please, notify us if you will NOT be attending. Unless otherwise stated, we will assume that you will be present for the Q&A taking place after the general screening.

8:00pm | FILMMAKERS & AUDIENCE MEET AND GREET | Refreshments provided at the Students Commons.

8:15pm | AWARDS CEREMONY | The Awards Ceremony will close the event at the Students Commons area. There will be an Audience Award. 

WHAT IS THE MAIN THEATER PROGRAM?

A program focused on the power of motion pictures in exploring storytelling as a collective experience that is best enjoyed on the big screen.

WHAT IS THE SILENT THEATER PROGRAM?

A program with a focus on films that invite introspection and meditation on human connections. The shorts included here will play in a dedicated area of the Film and Media Arts Building (next to the Auditorium) where audiences will be able to enjoy these works wearing headphones in a single-person setting.

SELECTED FILMS FOR MAIN THEATER PROGRAM [In alphabetical order by film’s title]

• Blood of the Undying by Jackson Rees 
• Devoted by Ki Ozberkmen
• Dwell In Lovers' Eyes by Abraham Francis
• Forfeit by Robert Lin
• Good Luck Kitty by Yein Jin
• Joy by Milo S Sandrowski
• kip's itch by Brinton Douglas
• My Baby by Diana Sovasova, Cayden Turnbow
• The Crimson Bounder by Parker Rawlins
• Toothbrush by Cayden Turnbow

SELECTED FOR SILENT THEATER PROGRAM [In alphabetical order by film’s title]

• A Boy Named Blue by Owen White
• A Scene Unseen by Chloe Hong
• Assa by Alekh Chapman
• Final Project: Late Submission by Minjae Kim
• Implanting Illness by Loren DeGraaff
• Neuro-Prime by Gavin Clements
• REBLOOM by Yuneon Lee
• STRINGS by Duke Ross

JUDGES

Horacio Alcalá is a Mexican film director and screenwriter with a long professional career and a great international impact. His work expands ambitious documentary projects to institutional videos, fiction, series and music videos.

He is a graduate from the European Inter-University in Italy and Germany. His work has been shown all over the world, including the Boston Film Festival, the NY and Tokyo Film Festival and the Palm Springs International Film Festival. After 7 years working for the “Cirque du Soleil,” Horacio is currently established in Madrid. He is currently developing documentary projects for the European Union through the CBC (Cross Border Cooperation) programs and the TESIM program of the European Commission, as well as directing documentary pieces on human rights issues for UNHCR among other projects. Just this past April, Horacio has received the BEST DIRECTOR award for his latest feature film FINLANDIA. 

Mike Olenick makes perverse and puzzling films about the desires of lonely individuals. His films have screened at Fantastic Fest, Fantasia, Palm Springs International ShortFest, and Hamburg International Short Film Festival. He’s won awards at the Slamdance, Ann Arbor, Chicago Underground, and Nightmares film festivals and “The Cure” was a Vimeo Staff Pick. He was a fellow at the inaugural Shudder Labs and he has received numerous grants from the Ohio Arts Council and the Greater Columbus Arts Council. He was recently commissioned by the Wexner Center to make a trailer for the 25th anniversary of Ohio Shorts. For over 17 years Mike worked in the Film/Video Studio at the Wex, where he edited projects for Guy Maddin and Lucy Raven (including “China Town,” which MoMA acquired). He’s edited countless films for Jennifer Reeder (including “Knives and Skin” and “Night’s End”). He’s currently developing his first feature.

Jesseca Ynez Simmons is a filmmaker, educator and experimenter. Jesseca’s short documentaries have been screened at film festivals such as the Austin Film Festival, Hot Docs, Sedona Int'l and St. Louis Int'l. Jesseca regularly collaborates with other filmmakers as director of photography and camera person. Her images have been seen at IDFA, Chicago Int'l Film Festival, DocLisboa, as well as National Geographic’s short film showcase. Jesseca has been recognized by the American Society of Cinematographers for her work on Emerald Ice, a short “docufantasy” about the American Poet Diane Wakoski. In 2021, the Ohio Arts Council awarded Jesseca an Individual Excellence Award in Media Arts for her continued work on docufantasies. Jesseca is currently an Assistant Professor at the University of Dayton and the director of the Dayton Independent Film Festival.

Performing Sondheim’s “Sweeney Todd” with the University of Utah opera program has been a long-held aspiration for director Robert Breault. Beyond its cultural popularity, moody environment, and complex characters, the show allows for broad collaboration and interdisciplinary participation.

“I always try to choose pieces that will allow [U Opera] to include as many students as we can. ‘Sweeney’ has a lot of ensemble work that allows more performers to be part of the storytelling – there are about 40 of us involved,” Breault said.  

To pull off the mighty production that runs this weekend (April 15-16) at Kingsbury Hall, collaborators from all corners of the U’s performing arts units have come together, embracing the idea that “it takes a village.” 

The cast is made up of not just opera students, but those in musical theatre and dance as well. Logistics will be run by Stage Management students in Department of Theatre, led by Amber Bielinski. Music director Jeffrey Price also directed the music in the first Utah production of Sweeney 40 years ago – and was the first to plant the idea of doing the production at the U. The Utah Philharmonia, conducted by School of Music professor Robert Baldwin, provides the score.

It is especially exciting to see faculty from each of the performing arts units lending their particular expertise to elevate the production. School of Dance’s Melissa Bobick brings her ballet eye as choreographer. Department of Theatre’s Sarah Shippobotham serves as both Intimacy Director and as a dialogue coach.

"The idea that we can have this interdisciplinary cooperation in one production mirrors the way it will be in the real world. Stage management, singers, dancers…we all get to know each other, and realize how it all works together."

After an already extensive singing career, James Bobick, who plays the titular role, is pursuing his MM in the School of Music. Working in this way, he says, is an authentic glimpse at how the professional world operates.

“This is about training young musicians, singers, and performers. Whether they become professionals or not, they can use this skill set as they move on in their life and in their careers," he said. “The idea that we can have this interdisciplinary cooperation in one production mirrors the way it will be in the real world. Stage management, singers, dancers…we all get to know each other, and realize how it all works together.”

Although musical theatre and opera often vary quite a bit stylistically, “Sweeney Todd” has been an opportunity for the two disciplines to learn from one another, and get stronger as a result. “The musical theatre students are getting a chance to hear how we sing, and we are learning from their acting,” Breault explained. “We’re singing with mics for the first time, and we aren’t using supertitles. I did this purposely to put the pressure on all of us to improve our diction.”

Undergraduate senior Brynn Staker, who plays Beggar Woman, also spoke to how the character’s dramatic needs were affecting her singing approach. “The accent work has been tricky,” she said. A lot of times when you are singing, your vowels tend to sit in the same place. In this, it’s been different because accents communicate class differences. We’ve had to work to get a brighter sound to convey the same things the accent would convey while we sing.”

There is quite a bit of character work necessary to bring this dramatic tale of revenge home. 

“Sweeney is, like the great operatic characters, complicated, and has more levels of his personality than most people give him credit for,” Bobick said. “This is a real man, with real problems, and real conflict. And as he seeks to resolve them, it’s not a spontaneous impulse – this is fifteen years of brooding over injustice. Fifteen years he has tried to figure out how he can avenge the wrong done to him and his family.”

Staker agreed that the story allows for deeper performance. “I feel like in opera we put on a mask a lot – we sing big words with big sound,” she said.” This show gives us a chance to portray real people in real situations, and allow the audience to connect with them on a vulnerable and intimate level."

Ultimately for Breault, the best thing about "Sweeney Todd" is coming back together after two full years of missing the stage – another reason to more fully embrace collaboration. 

"It’s been over two years since we have had the family feeling in the Voice Box that we had before the pandemic. To have everybody hanging out, to see people spontaneously dancing while working on scenes – I see the joy of finally coming together again. This has been so fun for me as a director."

Attend the tale of Sweeney Todd! 
Tickets on sale now
U Students free with Arts Pass

Apr 15 @ 7:30 pm
Apr 16 @ 7:30 pm
Kingsbury Hall 

This Friday, January 28 2022, the U Department of Theatre opens its latest production, “The Book Club Play.” Written by Karen Zacarias and directed by Penelope Caywood, “The Book Club Play” takes an affectionate look at the people who love books; the books they love; and the heartfelt, hilarious consequences of judging something (or someone) by their cover.

For Ana, everything is going according to plan: good friends, a great job, and a loving husband. When a famous filmmaker selects her Book Club as the subject of his next documentary, what could possibly go wrong?  All they have to do is show up, and a state-of-the-art automatic camera will take care of the rest. No crew, no director, just five friends being their “authentic selves.” But when things get a little too authentic, there’s no way to turn off the camera—and no one to hear them if they yell “cut.” A few unexpected book choices and a provocative new club member could be all it takes for Ana’s plans—and everyone else’s—to spin out of control.

What does it take to create the world for this story? 

Hours of dedicated design work bringing set, lighting, projections, costumes, and sound to fruition – all led by talented students with design emphases. 

Set designer Erin Murphy started her process with taking three passes at the script to gather ideas and inspiration. “The first time is for pure enjoyment, to get to know the characters and plot a little bit. The second time, I go through and look for little indicators of what the playwright would want in the set. The third time was for me to dive into Ana and Rob and figure out what kind of people they are, to figure out what kind of people they are, what kind of house they would live in, and what kind of tchotchkes they would have around,” she said.

After consulting with Caywood, Murphy understood the need for movement within “The Book Club Play.” “It is about a book club, so characters come in and sit down, and talk. Adding movement was important to her, and that gave me lots of ideas to expand on,” she explained. “I thought about how to make a set move in the Babcock, because it is not a proscenium – we don’t have wings. We don’t have space for big set pieces to move on and off. And that’s where the idea of the turntable came.” A rotating set piece remedied the need for movement while still providing the essence of the inside of a home.

The script also requires projections, which is where Ailish Harris came in. “The projections are mainly used to help tell the story and give context,” Harris said. “We leaned toward having them add aesthetic ambiance to scenes, and to help blend the two worlds of theatre and documentary.”

Harris sourced imagery and video clips she felt would augment the show’s ideas. “The imagery and design of it is up for interpretation,” she said.  There are only a few times where it is specific like the ocean, or a waterfall.”

"It was the first time I'd seen the whole play in front of me, and as soon as it was done, I was so inspired to get to work. The energy I got from the director as I shared my ideas, and asked questions, was electric. It's a wonderful feeling to be excited for what you're doing.”

- Lilly Stone, sound designer

Since the set and projections go so hand-in-hand, it is important for the designers to have open collaboration.” The majority of prep work was independent, but through production meetings and class we had frequent conversations about what we were each planning,” Harris explained. “In the tech process we did some color balancing to make it all look like it was in the same world. For example, the window screens were really blue because they are LED computer screens, but the lighting was really warm to create the environment of a person’s house.”

Sound designer Lilly Stone took most of her inspiration from the emotional direction of the play. “Sadness, anger, passion, joy – they all sound different to me, and I want to be able to share those feelings accordingly,” she said. “Sometimes I'll sit up in bed with a tune looping in my head that I just have to write down before I forget it. Sometimes someone will drop something, and I liked that noise, and so I try my best to recreate it.”

Because the play takes place entirely in one home, it was important to lighting designer Nikayla Nielson that the light to feel realistic. “I did a lot of research on what light typically looks like in an apartment at different times of the day and what the quality of light is like,” she explained.

Similarly, costume designer Elizabeth Webb wanted the characters to be relatable. “I wanted the characters to feel very realistic, as if they came straight from their various day jobs and walked onto the stage to the book club,” she said.  “As a result, the look of each character was pulled from people around me in real life, such as my parents, coworkers, and in the case of one character, what I would wear myself if I were her.”

Although each of the students work tirelessly on their individual piece, there are plenty of moments to feed off the energy of the group.

Stone explained: “I think my favorite moment through it all had to have been watching the designer run. It's a stage in the rehearsals where the talent gives a very rough draft of the production for all the designers to watch so that they can start their work. It was the first time I'd seen the whole play in front of me, and as soon as it was done, I was so inspired to get to work. The energy I got from the director as I shared my ideas, and asked questions, was electric. It's a wonderful feeling to be excited for what you're doing.”

Then of course, during tech week, they all finally get to see how their work has benefitted the piece as a whole – a moment of true gratification each of them mentioned as a highlight.

“One of my favorite moments of the process was the first time we saw all the actors together with the set and lights and projections during tech rehearsal. It is exciting to see your work pay off, and to see how excited the actors and other designers are to see the combined efforts of everyone in one cohesive production,” Webb said.

Come see The Book Club Play! 

Jan 28 @ 7:30 pm
Jan 29 @ 7:30 pm
Jan 30 @ 2:00 pm
Feb 3 @ 7:30 pm
Feb 4 @ 7:30 pm
Feb 5 @ 2:00 pm
Feb 5 @ 7:30 pm
Feb 6 @ 2:00 pm
+ online streaming options

For more information and to buy tickets, click here! 
(Remember, students get in free with Arts Pass!)

The School of Dance takes the stage this week with Ballet Showcase {En}compass, featuring a line-up of original works fully choreographed, performed, and produced by students in the Ballet Program in the School of Dance.

“The show explores the dichotomy between the individual and society, with a special focus on reestablishing our relationships in a post pandemic world,“ said the student choreographers.

En{compass}, will feature works from Aubrie Nield, Zephan Holt, AJ Malo, Olivia Huseonica, Mindy Lasko, Hannah Huang, Annastasia Beller, Sarah Rinderknecht, Luna Esmerode, Makenna Ferre, Erin Diehl, Megan Lynch, and Jilli Snow

See Ballet Showcase {En}compass in person or online during four showtimes:
Thursday, 11/18 at 5:30pm
Friday, 11/19 at 7:30pm
Saturday, 11/20 at 2pm and 7:30pm

Hayes Christensen Theatre, Marriott Center for DanceThis is a free performance but seating will be limited to ensure the health safety of both performers and audience.Show will be streamed online here

For more information on the School of Dance or its concerts, please visit: dance.utah.edu.

By Emeri Fetzer 

This week, the University of Utah Department of Theatre will dazzle audience members of all ages with “Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed: The Rock Experience,” a musical adaptation of a children’s book by Mo Willems. Directed by General McArthur Hambrick, with music by composer Deborah Wicks La Puma, the show follows Wilbur, naked mole rat with a knack for style.

The props studio in the new Price Theatre Arts Building has been a wild flurry of labor and excitement, as props designers craft all manner of objects and furniture central in bringing Wilbur's world to life. Props Master Arika Schockmel worked alongside two student assistant designers, Mae Hinton-Godfrey and Sam Dalton, to build rolling root stumps, clothing carts, signs, and a storefront – just to name a few pieces.

Assistant prop designer Mae Hinton-Godfrey initially started her studies at the U in education, and was taking a costume class just for fun. It was when she experienced great success in her first paid job as a costumer that she started seriously considering it as a career. Now, she never wants to leave. Mae Hinton-Godfrey demonstrates one prop

“I have enjoyed seeing the progression from a story book into a fully three-dimensional world with a lot more realism than I had initially expected.”

“Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed: The Rock Experience” is her first foray into props. “I have found that it’s been really helpful to understand the role props plays, filling in the gaps between set and costume. I like seeing where we can support other areas rather than just working in an isolated environment. As a costumer, I tend to try to do everything on my own, and not necessarily communicate with other departments,” she said.

This show has been both more collaborative and more playful than some of those past experiences.

“I am actually really excited for this show because it’s a musical and a kids’ show," Hinton-Godfrey said. "We were going to make a lot of the designs two-dimensional, but it has evolved into some more organic designs. For example, the set is based on some of the beautiful red rock formations here in Utah. I have enjoyed seeing the progression from a story book into a fully three-dimensional world with a lot more realism than I had initially expected.”

Prop artist Sam Dalton is in his final year as a theatre major at the U, then plans to go to grad school for a Master’s in higher education. Besides lending a hand on roots, he was responsible for cue card signs, which he drew free-hand, based on Mo Willems whimsical style. “It was really fun to create the things that get to be sillier, and get interacted with in the show,” he said. “The type face for the signs is called Grilled Cheese!” Sam Dalton shares signage

With most of his design experience in set, Dalton is also having fun discovering the world of props. “This process has helped me understand the nuances,” he explained. “Just because something is a clothing item doesn’t mean it’s costumes. It’s really about how it is being used in the show, and who is using it. It has made it easier to develop relationships with other areas that help when you need something to make the show better.”

Disruptions in the supply chain have made this particular process challenging for the team. But creativity has prevailed, and even revealed some exciting innovations. 

“Items are more expensive right now, and shipping is more expensive and slower, so we had to be very creative and manage our expectations,” Schockmel said. “We had a plan for how we were going to build things, and then it turned out we couldn’t afford it, so we had to go with plan B. Plan B was garbage, which was better. It was faster, easier, and more creative for all the students involved.”

"Props is something you don’t know you like until you do it. All students have to take a lab aspect, so they will work with costumes, set, props, and sound. I try to grab people that enjoy crafts and encourage them to take my class. It is wonderful for problem solving."

Recycling and sustainability are important to the design team. Many would be surprised to know just how many materials in U Theatre’s shows are repurposed or up-cycled.

“Our technical director salvaged baling wire from a house he was clearing. We had to line everything with wire so we could bend it into the shapes we needed. People were bringing us plastic bags, bubble wrap, and we brought things from home,” Schockmel explained.

They were also beneficiaries of a happy mistake. “Two years ago, there was a mistake in ordering paper towels for our building’s machines, and so janitorial staff came, and asked if we would like the paper towels that didn't fit. We said, ‘Oh yes, we would!’ We’ve used thousands of paper towels to paper mâché. And we got our paint from the Department of Film & Media Arts when they shut down a set last season.”

Additionally, Pioneer Theatre Company donated piles of clothes they were cleaning out from their costume department this summer, and a few costume racks that were on their way to the salvage yard. A win-win for everyone.

Department of Theatre curriculum requires that all students take a design element, even if they are focusing on performance. This prepares them for the professional world, where those in theatre wear various hats.

“Props is something you don’t know you like until you do it. All students have to take a lab aspect, so they will work with costumes, set, props, and sound. I try to grab people that enjoy crafts and encourage them to take my class. It is wonderful for problem solving,” Schockmel said.

Come see the amazing work of this team, as well as the entire cast and crew of “Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed: The Rock Experience.” We can’t wait to rock with you!

NAKED MOLE RAT: THE ROCK EXPERIENCE
Babcock Theatre

GET TICKETS 

PERFORMANCE TIMES

Nov 12 @ 7:00 pm
Nov 13 @ 11:00 am
Nov 13 @ 2:00 pm
Nov 14 @ 2:00 pm
Nov 14 @ 5:00 pm
Nov 18 @ 10:00 am
Nov 19 @ 7:00 pm
Nov 21 @ 2:00 pm*
Nov 21 @ 5:00 pm

*Sensory Friendly performance

ASL INTERPRETER
Nov 19 @ 7:00 pm

Remember, all U students get in free with their U Card, thanks to Arts Pass! 

U School of Music's 20th annual Haunted Orchestra is back and spookier than ever with a new theme, “The Demon Maestro of Utah.”

On Oct. 28 and 29, Utah Philharmonia’s family favorite concert will feature chilling Halloween classics by Mussorgsky, Saint-Saëns, Humperdink and Sondheim. 

Students from the School of Dance will also perform during concert adding another level of exciting entertainment. 

Unlike last year, the concert will be in-person as well as live streamed on the School of Music’s Virtual Venue. All members of the orchestra, including the conductor will be dressed in costume. Attendees are encouraged to join the fun and dress up in Halloween attire too. Music starts at 7:30 p.m. MT.

Admission is $12.50 for adults and $6.50 for students and children/faculty and staff/seniors. The event is free for U students through Arts Pass with their Ucard. Tickets may be purchased from Kingsbury Hall Ticket Office, at the door, or by calling (801) 581-7100. For more info visit, tickets.utah.edu.

For the safety of our audiences, artists, and staff, the School of Music asks that all patrons attending performances follow recent CDC guidance, which calls for everyone to wear face masks indoors. We ask that patrons please not attend any show if they have been exposed to COVID-19 or are feeling unwell. We will refund tickets for any patrons who have been exposed to COVID-19 or are experiencing flu-like symptoms.

This week, for the first time since 2020, the Department of Theatre welcomes live audiences back into the Babcock Theatre.

The season opens with “Storm Still” by Gab Reisman, and it promises to be a treat.

“This spirited, rollicking riff on Shakespeare brings the Bard to the backyard, where three sisters have reunited to sort out the mess their father left behind," the Department of Theatre describes.

“In the aftermath of his gradual decline and death, they navigate through paperwork and piles of trash and treasure, entertaining themselves by revisiting an unusual childhood activity: acting out a fast and loose version of King Lear. As they move from scene to scene, swapping characters and costume pieces, the line between fact and fiction begins to blur; their old pastime takes on new significance, and all three find themselves reckoning with their grief, their resentment, and the roles they have been cast in—willingly or not.” 

The ensemble cast features Grace Cawley as Goneril, Victoria Wolfe as Regan, and McKinley Barr as Cordelia. We caught up with the trio, along with Stage Manager Max Erickson, to get the inside scoop.

“It was exciting and fun because everyone knows [King Lear] but now they are seeing it in an entirely different way, which I think is important,” Barr, a junior in the Actor Training Program (ATP), said.

“It’s really interesting the parts of ‘King Lear’ that are in the script,” Cawley, also an ATP junior, explained. “Each of the three sisters have different levels of how true to the text their speech is. In ‘King Lear,’ my character Goneril is an awful person – she’s a traitor, she’s very sneaky, stabs her family in the back...that’s very much not the case in ‘Storm Still’s’ Goneril. She’s much more of a caretaker and older sister. It’s been interesting finding where those departures are.” 

"If anything has shown us how powerful it is – this past year, not having connection and that live experience.  It is a communal art, and it is a human art, something that mirrors our own lives that we take our own experience from, we see ourselves in characters.”

A play within a play, as the cast often calls it, “Storm Still” requires each of the actors to find commonality and distinction between Shakespeare’s storytelling and Gab Reisman’s. An added challenge: not only do they each play a sister, but Lear’s supplementary characters as well.

Victoria Wolfe, an ATP senior, explains: “We all have like four different characters we play, and that has been the most fun. Finding how this one walks, or sits, or where they lead from...trying to figure out each different body you have to become was tough.”

When asked to describe their “sister,” adjectives flow easily from the actors. “Avoidant, but strong,” Wolfe said. Cawley chose “caregiver, peacemaker, eldest.” And finally, Barr describes Cordelia as “independent, the baby, spoiled.”

Another major element of "Storm Still" is the staging, a collaborative effort of massive proportions to create the feeling of an entire life left behind. With the guidance of Department of Theatre Props Master Arika Schockmel, the production team sourced what feels like a garage full of antiques and miscellany.

“It’s been a really fun and wild time to watch these three people play in what almost feels like a landfill sometimes – it’s this big heap of trash, and furniture, and boxes, and they are navigating it so well,” Max Erickson explained. “The stage management team calls itself the Storm Still Moving Co., because we have to move basically an entire house by the end of rehearsal.”

What is perhaps most striking about the show, especially to students of theatre, is its message of how play helps us process even our most challenging moments.

“One thing I find really beautiful about the script is that it is a ritual of grieving, a ritual of loss...trying to have a conversation with someone who’s gone,” Cawley said.

“They are grieving the loss of this turbulent father figure through theatre and play, which is one of the most powerful things about theatre, and especially storytelling. If anything has shown us how powerful it is – this past year, not having connection and that live experience.  It is a communal art, and it is a human art, something that mirrors our own lives that we take our own experience from, we see ourselves in characters.”

We welcome you back to the theatre.
See you there! 

STORM STILL 
by Gab Reisman 
Directed by Alexandra Harbold 

TICKETS HERE

Sep 24 @ 7:30 pm
Sep 26 @ 7:30 pm
Sep 26 @ 2:00 pm
Sep 30 @ 7:30 pm
Oct 1 @ 7:30 pm
Oct 2 @ 2:00 pm
Oct 2 @ 7:30 pm
Oct 3 @ 2:00 pm
Oct 3 @ 7:30 pm

Next week is Arts Pass Dash on the University of Utah campus – and there is more than one reason U students should not miss it. 

Let's spell it out. 

What is Arts Pass Dash? 

Arts Pass Dash is a three-day event where students can visit 16 campus locations to learn about arts offerings at the University of Utah, see pop-up performances, get swag, and enter to win prizes. 

Locations include: The 5 academic units of the College of Fine Arts (Art & Art History, Dance, Film & Media Arts, Music, and Theatre), Utah Museum of Fine Arts, UtahPresents, ASUU, Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute, Pioneer Theatre Company, and more!

1. You could win an iPad Pro. 

Just by visiting one of the 16 locations and swiping your UCard, you are entered in a drawing for prizes – and they aren't shabby. The grand prize? An 11' iPad Pro and Magic Keyboard to go with it. Can you imagine?  

2.  You will get free swag. 

T-shirts. Pop sockets. Hand sanitizer. Treats. Reusable coffee mugs. Tickets. 
Each Arts Pass Dash location will be offering swag and goodies to those who drop by. So you won't just get info, you'll get some awesome takeaways. 

3. You will meet lots of friendly faces. 

One of the best things about the arts at the University of Utah are the wonderful people that make them happen. At Arts Pass Dash, you will meet passionate faculty, staff, and students who can answer your questions and get you excited about what's upcoming this semester. Plus, at some of the featured locations you'll see pop-up performances and demonstrations!   

4. You may discover (or renew!) a creative curiosity. Plus, you will learn how to get involved right away. 

Maybe you are someone that is always on top of the latest opening or show. Or maybe you didn't even know you could take ceramics, or classical guitar, or acting as a non-major. Maybe you are looking for ways to meet new friends or get involved around campus. No matter where you're coming from, you will walk away gaining something from Arts Pass Dash. We are certain it will put a pep in your step. 

5. You will learn how to find the arts at the U, and can therefore take advantage of the full campus experience. 

The arts at the University of Utah are not just for College of Fine Arts majors. No matter what you are pursuing, you can participate in the arts through seeing performances, visiting gallery exhibitions, attending screenings, taking non-major courses, auditioning for an ensemble, and more!

The Arts Pass program makes the arts that much more accessible to students through offering free or deeply discounted tickets. By going to Arts Pass Dash, you'll physically familiarize yourself with campus, meet new people, and set yourself up for a year full of creativity, interaction, and engagement. 

 
Okay, I'm in. What do I do?

HOW TO PLAY:

Visit any or all of the 16 locations on 8/31, 9/1 and 9/2 from 11A - 1P (see the map here!)
Swipe your UCard (each location = one entry)
Learn about arts offerings from each of our participants
Get free swag
Follow @uofuartspass on Instagram to learn who wins

For all the important details, click here. 

We'll see you there. (We hope you WIN!)