The revival of the long-dormant TheatreWorks West, the stage version of an acclaimed Japanese film classic and a young people's production of a recent Broadway musical are among this week's new stage offerings.
"ONCE ON THIS ISLAND," a Caribbean-flavored musical loosely and symbolically based on Hans Christian Anderson's fable, "The Little Mermaid," will play May 14-19 in the SCERA Showhouse II in Orem.
Nearly 100 students from the SCERA Youth Theatre will take part in the production, a 1990 Broadway show created by playwright/lyricist Lynn Ahrens and composer Stephen Flaherty, who have also coauthored several other Broadway favorites, including "Ragtime," "My Favorite Year," "Lucky Stiff" and the hit animated film "Anastasia."
Director Laurel Barham selected the show for SCERA's Youth Theatre program because it is part of the new Broadway Junior Collection, which takes major shows and adapts them for younger performers.
The musical tells tells the legend of a romance between a young, orphaned peasant girl, Timoune (a role shared by Sarianne Carlson and Haley Johnson) and a wealthy city boy named Daniel (Dustin Harding), whom she saves from certain death but cannot marry because of the island's societal traditions.
Except for Harding, all major parts are double cast, including Nicholas Frandsen and Dustin Bolt as Agwe, God of Water; Cassie Knell and Candace Kanahele as Asaka, Goddess of the Earth; Chelsey Ramsey and Katie Belnap as Erzulie, Goddess of Love, and Adam Gardner and Justin Duckwitz as Pap Ge, the sly Demon of Death.
Performances are 7:30 p.m., Monday-Saturday. Tickets are $8 for adults and $4 for children. For reservations, call 225-2569 or 225-2787. Tickets will also be available at the door beginning at 6:45 p.m. on performance nights.
"RASHOMON," a unique Japanese point-of-view drama directed by Rodger Sorenson, will be presented May 16-June 2 in Brigham Young University's Margetts Theatre. "People are human, and we all have weaknesses" is the theme of "Rashomon," according to Sorenson. "The production emphasizes that — while we all make mistakes and choose things that don't work — through hope, faith and generosity we can overcome these shortcomings.
"For those of us in the Western culture, 'Rashomon' explores cultural and moral differences. Although it is an Oriental play, it makes us realize that all human beings are just as valuable as we are," Sorenson said.
To help achieve this underlying element of accepting differences, Sorenson has added signers for each of the roles. The story of "Rashomon" is told through nine characters, each accompanied by a signer.
"The signer and voice character complement each other and enhance the story," said Sorenson, who noted that the play also features Bunraku, the highly stylized Japanese form of puppetry.
Voice actors are Jesse Harward as the priest, with Doug Stewart as the woodcutter, Amy Jensen as the deputy, Dax Craven as Tajomaru the robber, Seth Estrada as the husband, Shelly Graham as Kinume the wife and Amy Jensen and Yumi Himenoas the medium.
Sign actors are Scott Thorsen as the priest and the husband, with Jeremy Webber as the woodcutter and medium, Sarah Price as the deputy, Daniel Edwards as the robber and Sarah Vogel as the wife, medium and wigmaker.
Performances will begin at 7:30 p.m. with one Saturday matinee at 2 p.m. on May 26.
Tickets are $8 for the general public and $7 for BYU identification card holders (students, faculty or staff). For reservations, call 378-4322.
THEATREWORKS WEST, previously based at Westminster College and Trolley Square, is setting up shop in the new CenterStage space at the Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Utah, 361 N. 300 West.
For its debut in the new "black box" style venue, TWW will present Diana Son's "Stop Kiss," running May 18-June 10. First presented at the Joseph Papp Public Theatre in New York City, "Stop Kiss" is centered around two women who become targets of a brutal hate crime. The drama was nominated for an Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Off Broadway Play, the John Gassner Playwriting Award and was finalist for the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize.
Performances are 7:30 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. All tickets are $12.50. Tickets may be purchased in advance at the center or by credit card at www.glccu.com. Call 539-8800, Ext. 20, for further information.
"CASTLES & DRAGONS," an original musical fantasy, opened this past weekend at the Villa Playhouse Theatre, 239 S. Main, where it continues through May 21.
The locally written Spotlighters musical features lyrics and script by Anna Murdock, who is also directing the production, and music by Cami Jensen and Beverly Thomas.
The cast includes Kurt Christensen as King Arthur, Megan Green as Guenevere, Shannon Knowlton as Morgan LeFey, Brandon Johnson as Sir Lancelot and Andrew Maynes as Merlin.
Other performers include Stephen Shunn, Zeke McMullin, Ezra McMullin, Bronzson Woods, Jordan Roberts, Keri Shunn, BriAnne Timmons, Ashlee Head, Bethany Kartchner, Krista McEntire, Kiera Cook, Erin Murray, Amanda Muhlestein, Sarah Ogden and Tami Andrews.
Performances are 7:30 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays and Mondays. Tickets are $5 for adults, $4 for students and senior citizens and $3 for children, 11 and under. For reservations or more information, call 489-3088.
Information on stage productions or auditions must be submitted at least three weeks in advance. Compiled by Ivan M. Lincoln, Deseret News theater editor, 236-6017. Send material to Deseret News, P.O. Box 1257, Salt Lake City, UT 84110 (Attn: Ivan Lincoln), or send it via e-mail: ivan@desnews.com or fax to 237-2550