Stellar acting makes for Plan-B Theatre’s exceptionally good world premiere of Darryl Stamp’s Dumbed Down

In Darryl Stamp’s Dumbed Down, Isaiah (played by Chad Brown)  cares little for literature, especially by white authors. However, he says, “I did kinda liked that Poe dude, because he wrote some dark stuff. I mean that eyeball did sound nasty looking in that one story, but dude snitched on hisself! That was so stupid! … Read more

Putting the soul in learning: Darryl Stamp’s Dumbed Down set for Plan-B Theatre world premiere

Ahead of Plan-B Theatre’s world premiere of Darryl Stamp’s Dumbed Down, which will open this week, audiences should be mindful to see the story not arising primarily from the familiar (and lazy) trope of the school-to-prison pipeline, but to see it on a broader sobering scale of a messy education system with impacts that are … Read more

Fearless, fierce and indomitable in human spirit: The Utah Review’s Top Ten Moments of the Utah Enlightenment in 2025

This year’s selections in The Utah Review for the top ten moments of the Utah Enlightenment in 2025, the eleventh annual edition, stood out for being fearless, fierce and indomitable in human spirit. Wholly liberated, art ensures nothing is erased, censored or compromised. Reiterating the core premise of the Utah Enlightenment: In Utah, there are … Read more

Superlative world premiere of Plan-B Theatre’s Just Add Water is captivating Utah audiences, heightening awareness of Great Salt Lake in uniquely emotional ways

A broad spectrum of emotions animates the superlative world premiere of Plan-B Theatre’s Just Add Water, directed by Penelope Caywood. At one point, the personified Great Salt Lake (played majestically by Latoya Cameron) encounters TBH who represents Brutal Honesty (Isabella Reeder, in a dazzling performance). Her words are painfully too on the nose: Once upon … Read more

A Great Salt Lake Play: Plan-B Theatre’s world premiere of cli-fi dramedy Just Add Water, by Matthew Ivan Bennett and Elaine Jarvik, set to open Oct. 2

EDITOR’S NOTE: For its 35th season, Plan-B Theatre has produced The Great Salt Lake Plays, part of Wake the Great Salt Lake, a temporary art project supported by Salt Lake City Arts Council, Salt Lake City’s Mayor’s Office, and Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Art Challenge. One is Just Add Water by Matthew Ivan Bennett and Elaine … Read more

A Great Salt Lake play: Elaine Jarvik’s Eb and Flo is Plan-B Theatre’s offering for 13th Free Elementary School Tour (FEST) production

EDITOR’S NOTE: For its 35th season, Plan-B Theatre has produced The Great Salt Lake Plays, part of Wake the Great Salt Lake, a temporary art project supported by Salt Lake City Arts Council, Salt Lake City’s Mayor’s Office, and Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Art Challenge. One is Eb and Flo by Elaine Jarvik, which is Plan-B … Read more

Summer review roundup: Twofold (RDT Link Series), Intermezzo Chamber Music Series, Rose Performing Arts Coalition’s Our Carnival of the Animals

TWOFOLD: REPERTORY DANCE THEATRE LINK SERIES In an internationally recognized hub of modern and contemporary dance such as Salt Lake City, nearly every week brings a show that reflects just how high the bar of excellence is pitched when it comes to movement. As part of Repertory Dance Theatre’s Link Series offerings, always worth checking … Read more

A zoological fantasy: annual Performing Arts Coalition show at The Rose set to be Our Carnival of the Animals

Last year’s Pictures at an Exhibition: ReFramed, which the Performing Arts Coalition of the Rose Wagner Center for Performing Arts offered, passed the test of full collaboration with sufficient top honors that the six residential companies decided to dig in with the same spirit but this time with Our Carnival of the Animals.  Last year, … Read more

A very good first weekend at the Great Salt Lake Fringe Festival: second weekend starts July 31 at Trolley Square, The Gateway

The first weekend of the 11th Great Salt Lake Fringe (GSLF) is in the books and the numbers look good: as of yesterday, current sales stood at $16,615. Audience numbers reached more than 1,000, with more than 900 tickets sold and complementary tickets included.   Shows for the second weekend resume July 31 and run through … Read more

A strong lineup of 23 shows set to mark the 11th Great Salt Lake Fringe Festival in downtown Salt Lake City venues at Trolley Square, The Gateway

Starting its second decade, the Great Salt Lake Fringe Festival will feature 23 shows, many from outstanding indie theater companies  in three venues, during the event which will run from July 24 to Aug. 3, in downtown Salt Lake City. The event will take place at the main hall and the black box at the … Read more