SALT LAKE CITY — Saturday’s Voyeur, presented by Salt Lake Acting Company and celebrating its 40th anniversary, is like the prequel to The Book of Mormon musical. It’s full of raucous satire and wit, angry rants, and addresses deep, painful issues. The music is a montage of famous songs from musicals, made into parodies to fit this show. This year I heard tunes from many of my favorite musicals, including Fiddler on the Roof and Chicago. I loved the intimate set, with the audience seated on three sides and the actors coming down the aisles and often breaking the fourth wall.
Show closes September 2, 2018.
The story (written by Allen Nevins and Nancy Borgenicht) follows the lives of multiple Mormons after they die through their experience in the afterlife. It addresses issues most prevalent in ex-Mormon groups that have still not been resolved and they want the Mormon church to address. The issues include homosexuality, male dominance and patriarchal leadership, sexual abuse, murder, adultery, baptism for the dead, and polygamy, just to name a few. It is full of heated arguments spoken and sung, ending in an epic win for ex-Mormons, as they show Joseph Smith getting eternal punishment and justice.
Cynthia Fleming‘s direction was phenomenal. I loved the way she had the timing just right for all the hilarity to ensue. One of the best parts was when everyone was playing a family doing the Mormon traditional Family Home Evening, with all the cliché items like a flannel board for the story of the creation. Each of the six children had a cell phone and would pull it out whenever mother wasn’t looking, especially during prayer. At one point the screen behind the set showed what they were texting to their friends. Fleming also did wonderfully at putting emotion into the songs, like when actors sang about wanting a revolution so women can be equal to men, I could feel the anger emanating from the stage.
Heidi Ortega did such a wonderful job designing costumes I have to mention her. She made Devin Rey Barney, who played Pit master Chuc, wear the most fantastic array of goth and steam-punk attire, complete with a muzzle-type mask. And when Thorla (the mother) entered the stage in her pink flowered 1970’s dress with her short curly wig, I about died. But best of all was the Angel Moroni, dressed as a drag queen, with a sparkly gold tube-top dress and huge pleated gold cape that looked like wings as he lifted both arms. The long blonde Legolas wig was the perfect touch.
I was amazed with the quality of acting and singing throughout the night. I had seen various actors from this show perform lead roles in other shows and the energy that was pushed out to the audience was so powerful. Robert Scott Smith was especially fantastic in his role of Joseph Smith. He entered through the audience and interacted with a few, including myself, kissing my hand as he passed. His “praying” was hilarious, with him chatting as if to a work colleague, and complaining about those condemning him.
Aaron Eskelson was an excellent choreographer for this show. There movements were so funny and powerful, and it was fun to see each actor have the chance to “show off” and do something more, like when Hayley Cassity fell gracefully down into the splits or when Mikki Reeve did a back walkover. The women played so many roles; it was fun to see how they changed with each role. For example, when Olivia Custodio went from the hard angry Ursula-like Heavenly Mother who wanted justice for women, to the bi-polar housewife Thorla, who was softspoken and smiling one second and the next screaming like a banshee, I was nearly in tears from laughing.
As I was watching Saturday’s Voyeur, I felt like it would be a great experience for anyone who has had pain from any kind of organized religion. I appreciated it being so open on subjects that are often avoided in polite society, especially the LDS Church. The show could be very cathartic for those who have been hurt to have all the issues stated clearly, and not only to be heard, but understood and apologized to in musical form. (Well, maybe not apologized to, as Justin Ivie‘s character, Brother Bishop, who states, “The Church never apologizes.”) However, the play also seemed like a revenge piece. There were times I found it too negative and angry for my enjoyment, but the quality of the performances was so good that often made up for it with all the familiar music and great choreography to enjoy. Still, there were some very dark moments that didn’t seem to have a resolution, like when Toynetta Mortenson (played by Amanda Wright), was sexually abused and was ridiculed by her friends for it, while never getting any justice. Also, I wish Saturday’s Voyeur had story had more story and less complaining to it. One example is when they reached the Evita parody song, “Don’t Cry for Us Provo, UT,” though funny, seemed like overkill. I mean, I get that people need to be heard, but as far as art goes, this song ranted more often than it entertained.
This cast and creative team of Saturday’s Voyeur is full of spectacular talent. First-time patrons at Salt Lake Acting Company should make sure to arrive early, as parking is a bit confusing and the theater is set back from the street in a suburban area and behind a white house. Obviously, this production is for mature audiences. Yet, there are so many hilarious tidbits in Saturday’s Voyeur that patrons may need to plan ahead to see it twice. Or just come back every year. Hey, it’s tradition.
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