OREM — In response to Utah Valley State College's new four-year degree offering in theater, the UVSC Department of Theatrical Arts for Stage and Screen is sponsoring national award-winning playwright Mahonri Stewart's show, "Rings of the Tree."
The play is Stewart's senior project, the first such project to be approved by UVSC, making it a major milestone in the department's progress.
"Rings of the Tree" is the story of Diana Applesong, a Victorian who, in consequence of experiencing a tragic life, has shut out the world. Protecting herself in the folds of her mansion while keeping only the company of her servants and a couple of other necessary associates , she has lived the life of a hermit. Yet when a group of young explorers enters into her life, she embarks upon a journey of self-discovery and revelation that rocks the protective layers of her life.
"The story is intimate and epic at the same time," said playwright Stewart. "It has characters whose inner worlds are everything to them, but who have been so shaped by surprising outside events that they have a difficult time coping with the inevitable consequences of life. It starts out with many of the earmarks of my previous shows, but then takes a dramatic shift from my other plays."
"Rings of the Tree" is directed by Sarah Stewart. Stage manager is Tiffany Shaw.
The play stars Jamie Dennison, Jordan Cumming, Mahonri Stewart, Sara Preston, Penny Omer, Daniel Whiting, Bryn Dalton, Bryce Bishop and Matthew P. Davis.
If you go
What: "Rings of the Tree"
Where: Blackbox Theater, Gunther Trades Building, Room 631, UVSC Orem Campus
When: 7:30 p.m., Sept. 6-8; 2 p.m. Sept. 8
Cost: $5
Phone: 863-8797