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HIR

by Taylor Mac

February 7-March 11, 2018

Utah Premiere

Description

Chaos reigns in this comedy about the most dysfunctional family in America. A dishonorably discharged vet returns home to a mother liberated from an oppressive marriage, a sister on “mones” in the process of transitioning, and a father asleep in a clown costume. And nobody is doing the dishes anymore.

News & Reviews

Creative Team

TRACY CALLAHAN (Director) is happy for the opportunity to direct Taylor Mac’s play HIR. Past directing projects at SLAC include last season’s WINTER by Playwright in Residence Julie Jensen, VENUS IN FUR, MANNING UP, COURSE 86B IN THE CATALOGUE, SIX YEARS and HOW I LEARNED TO DRIVE.  Tracy is a freelance director and actor in the Salt Lake Area. She has been the Head of the Acting and Directing Program at Weber State University for the past 23 years where she has directed more than 40 productions. Tracy’s interests include new play development, and working with young artists with disabilities through the VSA program at The Kennedy Center For Performing Arts.

JESSE PORTILLO** (Lighting Design) is happy to return to SLAC for his ninth season. Previous SLAC productions include THE TRUE STORY OF THE THREE LITTLE PIGS, DIARY OF A WORM, A SPIDER AND A FLY, CLIMBING WITH TIGERS, STREET LIGHT WOODPECKER, TWO STORIES, RED, THE PERSIAN QUARTER, HOW TO MAKE A ROPE SWING, and A YEAR WITH FROG AND TOAD. Other design credits include productions for Plan-B Theatre, Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theater, Pioneer Theatre Company, Arizona Broadway Theater, Egyptian Theatre Company, LOOK Musical Theatre, Idaho State University, Baylor University, Millikin University and Mobile Opera. Portillo holds an MFA in Lighting Design from Indiana University, and is an Assistant Professor at the College of Charleston. **He is a member of the United States Institute for Theatre Technology and United Scenic Artists Local 829.

CARA POMEROY (Set Design) is a graduate from the University of Utah Theatre department where she earned a BA in Theatre Studies with a focus on Scenic Design.  Her recent credits include BULL SHARK ATTACK for Salt Lake Acting Company, THE OTHER PLACE, and KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN for Utah Repertory Theatre Company and PERDIDA at The Grand Theatre. She works as a carpenter and scenic painter for Pioneer Theatre Company.

JENNIFER JACKSON (Composer/Sound Designer) is excited to return for another season with SLAC. Previous design and/or original music credits include ROMEO AND JULIET (Yale Repertory Theatre); HAND TO GOD, HARBUR GATE, BULL SHARK ATTACK, STREETLIGHT WOODPECKER, BLACKBERRY WINTER, TWO STORIES (Salt Lake Acting Company); TWELFTH NIGHT, THE LAST FIVE YEARS, A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM, HENRY IV, PART I (Salt Lake Shakespeare); ION (Westminster College) and THE ORPHAN (Children of an Idle Brain Theatre Company - of which she is a founding member). Her sound installations have been exhibited at the Yale University Art Gallery and the University of Utah. Jennifer holds a MFA from Yale School of Drama and is on the faculty of the University of Utah Department of Theatre where her credits include LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST, THE TWO NOBLE KINSMEN, GOOD KIDS, and SCHOOL FOR LIES. jenjacksonsound.com

JANICE JENSON (Props Design) has worked at Salt Lake Acting Company for the past 6 years as stage manager, Company Manager, and Associate Producer and currently serves as SLAC's Producing Director. Janice is a proud member of Actor’s Equity Association and has stage managed over twenty shows at SLAC, including the last six SATURDAY’S VOYEUR’s. Previously, Janice has worked at Park City’s Egyptian Theatre, Dark Horse Company Theatre, Plan-B, and Tuacahn Center for the Arts. In 2008 Janice was selected as a USITT Stage Management Mentee, where she stage managed THE HISTORY OF DRAG. Janice is a graduate of BYU in Theatre Arts Studies and recently graduated from Westminster College with her Masters of Community Leadership.

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

ADRIANA LEMKE (Fight Director) is happy to be fight directing for Salt Lake Acting Company again after her last production here, SURELY GOODNESS AND MERCY. She is certified through Dueling Arts International and The Society of American Fight Directors. Adriana is grateful for the opportunity she had to be assistant fight director to Chris DuVal in Utah Shakespeare Festival’s 2015 season and Pioneer Theatre Company’s THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO and THE LAST SHIP. As fight director, Adriana has worked on several other shows including ION with The Classical Greek Theatre Festival, TWELFTH NIGHT with Salt Lake Shakespeare, HAMLET with nextStage Theatre at Sun Valley Shakespeare Festival, PICNIC with The Grand Theatre, and HAMLET: ALL FEMALE with The University of Utah and Flying Bobcat.

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

EMILY CHUNG (Assistant Sound Design) is an aspiring sound designer studying at the University of Utah. In the past she has worked on productions at Judge Memorial Catholic High School including THE GOOD DOCTOR, GREASE, HARVEY, IN THE HEIGHTS, and THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK.

MAURI HEFLEY (Assistant Costume Design) is in her second year at Westminster College pursuing her B.A. in Performance with a minor in Civic Engagement. Some of her theatre credits include BELLWETHER (Light Board Operator), LUNA GALE (Light Board Operator), CLYBOURNE PARK (Run Crew) and SPRING AWAKENING (Assistant Stage Manager) all at Westminster College. Mauri is excited for the opportunity to partake in the University Professional Theatre Program through Salt Lake Acting Company and would like to thank her professor and mentor Spencer Potter.

MARTIN C. ALCOCER (Assistant Lighting Design) is excited to be back at SLAC as a part of the University Professional Training Program! He is currently in the Stage Management program at the University of Utah and will graduate this spring. Previous credits include lighting design for LOVE LABOUR’S LOST (UTheatre), HOW LONG CAN YOU STAND ON THE TRAIN TRACKS, (Sackerson/Flying Bobcat) and assistant lighting design for HARBUR GATE and STREETLIGHT WOODPECKER (SLAC). As stage manager his most recent credit is STEEL PIER (UTheatre) and as assistant stage manager he recently worked on NEWSIES (Pioneer Theatre Company) and SATURDAY’S VOYEUR 2017  (SLAC). He would like to thank his friends, his family, and girlfriend for their continued support.

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

**The lighting designer of HIR is represented by United Scenic Artists Local USA 829 of the IATSE

Press Release

HIR Press Release

Playbill

HIR Playbill

Photo Gallery

Panel Disscussion

Free Panel Disscussion: From A to Ze - An Exploration of Gender & Domestic Violence

March 11th @ 3:30 pm

Panelists:

Jake Van Epps, Ph.D is the Coordinator of Testing and Assessment at the University of Utah Testing Center and a Staff Psychologist at the University Counseling Center. Jake is also an Adjunct Instructor in the graduate programs at the Department of Educational Psychology at the University of Utah. In addition to his clinical and academic work, Jake is on the Leadership Committee of the LGBTQ Affirmative Psychotherapists Guild of Utah. In his advocacy role at the Guild, he is active in developing safe resources for community members seeking counseling and training, and he strives to increase competency of Utah therapists working with sexual orientation and gender diverse populations.

Jenn Oxborrow is the Executive Director of the Utah Domestic Violence Coalition, a private, non-profit organization federally recognized as the statewide authority for best practices to support people impacted by domestic violence in Utah. In addition to her work in advocacy and direct service, Jenn has worked as a therapist in private practice serving adults and children with a history of trauma, victimization and serious behavioral health disorders. Prior to joining the Utah Domestic Violence Coalition, Jenn served as an administrator with the Utah Department of Human Services in the Divisions of Substance Abuse and Mental Health and the Child and Family Services. Jenn has lived in Utah for over 12 years, and is a graduate of the University of Utah where she completed her graduate degree in Forensic Social Work and supported research about the quality of life in older adults who are living with serious, persistent mental illness. She is an active volunteer with the statewide Crisis Intervention Stress Management team, debriefing first responders after traumatic incidents. She shares a love of the outdoors with her two children and they have too many pets to count on one hand.

Lucas Fowler (he/him/his) serves on the Board of Transgender Education Advocates (TEA) of Utah. He works at a local software company as a Software Engineer. Lucas has been an activist for the last 10 years, getting his start mostly in the political realm, before deciding that he wanted to focus his efforts more within the local queer community. He also has volunteered with the Utah Pride Center, Utah Pride Festival, and Equality Utah over the past few years. When he has any free time, he's probably reading Star Wars books to his 2 year old granddaughter.

Kristjane Nordmeyer, Ph.D (Moderator) is an associate professor of sociology at Westminster College in Salt Lake City. Her teaching and scholarship focus on gender, sexuality, and research methods. She has published academically on intimate partner violence and the application of feminist teaching pedagogies to study abroad experiences. She presents regularly on issues related to gender and queer identities in her local community as well as at national academic conferences. Dr. Nordmeyer’s current scholarly work focuses on queer women’s experiences with sexual assault in college. Her work appears in Sexuality & Culture, Teaching Sociology, and Contexts, among other publications.

This panel has received funding from Utah Humanities. Utah Humanities empowers Utahns to improve their communities through active engagement in the humanities.

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