Brilliance and Breakdown: PROOF at Fellowship Theater

SALT LAKE CITY — MadKing Productions’ staging of David Auburn’s Proof at the Fellowship Theater in Salt Lake City’s Gateway Mall offers a deeply moving exploration of the human condition and the delicate balance between genius and madness. With a sharp script and emotionally charged performances, the production invites audiences to examine the complexities of human connection and self-doubt.

 

The narrative follows Catherine, who has spent years caring for her father, Robert, a once-brilliant mathematician grappling with mental illness. After his passing, she is forced to confront her own fears regarding her mental stability, the pragmatic concerns of her estranged sister Claire, and the intentions of Hal, a former student of Robert’s, who discovers hundreds of notebooks filled with potentially groundbreaking work. Auburn’s script interweaves intellectual depth with emotional nuance, challenging audiences to consider whether love and trust, much like mathematical theorems, can ever truly be proven.

Context and Historical Significance

Proof premiered in 1999 at the Manhattan Theatre Club before moving to Broadway, where it won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the Tony Award for Best Play in 2001. The play was widely praised for its intelligent script, emotional depth, and sensitive portrayal of mental illness. At the time of its debut, discussions around mental health were far less visible in mainstream discourse, often carrying a significant stigma. The play’s success helped bring these conversations to the forefront, challenging audiences to reconsider assumptions about genius, mental illness, and familial obligation. Over the past two decades, the landscape of mental health awareness has evolved significantly, with greater advocacy, increased access to resources, and a cultural shift toward destigmatization. This contemporary lens allows productions like MadKing’s Proof to resonate in new and profound ways, reinforcing the play’s enduring relevance.

However, this shift in mental health awareness also highlights how Proof may feel somewhat dated in its approach to these issues. Catherine, as a character, is ultimately a flawed representation of how to handle mental health concerns, with the play focusing more on the fear of inherited mental illness than on seeking support or treatment. Where Proof excels, however, is in its raw portrayal of the complexities of human emotions mixed with trauma. The scene between Catherine and her father (Robert) perfectly captures the urgency and despair of helping a loved one through a mental health crisis. As I watched, I realized that Catherine, as the daughter, was placed in the impossible position of having to play the parent to her father, recognizing that he was no longer mentally stable as he begged her, “Don’t leave me.”

Direction and Performance

Director Kristina Stone, with Assistant Director Sara Goldberg-McRae, brings an intimate and thoughtful approach to the material, ensuring that portrayals of mental illness remain authentic and humanizing. Their vision cultivates a space where grief, doubt, and the struggle for self-definition unfold with poignant realism. According to the Director’s Note, Stone’s directorial approach is rooted in her passion for storytelling and personal connection to theatre. She views Proof as more than a play—it is a conversation about the intersections of mental health, grief, and the search for certainty in an uncertain world. The result is a production that is both intellectually stimulating and profoundly human.

Intimacy Director Liz Whittaker fosters a safe environment for the actors, allowing them to fully inhabit the vulnerability and raw emotion of their characters.

A unique feature of this production is its dual ensemble casting, named after pioneering women in STEM: the Katherine Johnson Cast and the Judith Love Cohen Cast. This decision highlights the play’s thematic engagement with intellectual achievement and the underrecognized contributions of women in science and mathematics.

The Judith Love Cohen cast performed the day I attended with compelling performances across the board. Emma Johnson playing Catherine (Annabelle Durham alternating as Catherine) captures the character’s fragile resilience with intensity and depth. Jim Dale as Robert (Mike Durham alternating as Robert) brings warmth and pathos to the role of a brilliant mind unraveling. Stina Spalding as Claire (Bridgette Long alternating as Claire) portrays the practical, emotionally strained sister with a balance of exasperation and care, while Percy Cordero as Hal (Dane Braddy alternating as Hal) infuses his performance with charm and a quiet yearning for validation.

Design and Venue

The Fellowship Theater is a new space for MadKing Productions, and while it provides an intimate setting for the play, it can be tricky to locate as it sits between The Gateway’s Megaplex theater and Tucanos location. Audience members should plan ahead to ensure they find the venue easily. Additionally, the performance I attended was disrupted by outside noise and music, which made it difficult to stay fully immersed in the show—a frustrating issue given the strength of the cast’s performances. Parking at The Gateway can also be hectic on weekends, so arriving early is strongly recommended.

Conclusion

MadKing Productions’ Proof is a powerful, thought-provoking experience that lingers. With strong direction and nuanced performances this staging breathes fresh life into Auburn’s celebrated work, offering audiences an emotionally resonant reflection on love, genius, and the desire for understanding.