Ogden-At the end of each school year, the Weber State University Theatre Department puts on Innovation Theatre, which is a conglomerate of student-led work. Each time I have attended, it has been a delight to see the culmination of theatrical education on display, and this year is no exception. The evening was comprised of five separate productions, all written and directed by students, and each production shows the depth and strength of storytelling that these students have gained during their time at WSU.
Starting with We Could Be Great directed and written by Taylor Garlick, the players simply credited as A played by Brian Stuart and B played by Bee Higgins, follows the two as they navigate different disabilities that impede their functioning, though working together could make them great. The fun dark humor mixed in with the deeper meaning brought a good start to the evening, helping usher in the understanding that this evening is meant to be one of thinking and deeper understanding.
Next was Shadow directed and written by M Rayburn, which was my personal favorite of the evening. As a trauma therapist, this made total sense in my mind. What is nice about an evening like this is having a variety of plays allows for there to be something for everyone, where each audience member can walk away with a favorite. I was deeply impressed with the delicate addition of movement in the piece, especially between the Shadow, played by Cearah Larry, and the Child, played by Grac Maria Hernandez. I have no idea of author Rayburn knows anything about the field of Drama Therapy, of which I am a studying practitioner, however this piece felt very much like an exercise right out of something I would work on with a client trying to heal childhood trauma. It was a beautiful piece of art and healing.
After Eden written and directed by Carson McFarland, was an intriguing take on the traditional biblical story of Cain, played by Jason Donker, and Abel, played by Garrett Taylor. Because the tale is well known within many different religious circles, the strength of this particular part of the production lies in how the writer, director, and players helped the audience look at it a different way. It does not feel like much of a spoiler to say that Cain kills Abel, yet trying to see into why and how was a fascinating approach.
Shriek 3, written and directed by Kaplan Keener, started out as a fun and nostalgic look at the 80s and 90s horror flick, but opened up into a deep look into mourning and loss. The elements of video, along with the props of VHS, recording and projections added a great deal to this part of the production. As a child of the 80s and 90s, I appreciated the level of detail in these areas. When the story took a stronger turn, and delved into how the two siblings, Dylan, played by Mei Flint, and Jordan, played by Beckham Westenskow, were dealing with a significant loss, I was impressed with Keeler’s intricate writing of such a delicate topic. Being able to weave humor into such topics is a skill that takes a long time to develop, yet this short vignette did so with surprising ease.
Rounding out the evening was Clear Sky Entertainment, written by Spencer Sanders, a sci-fi production with some of the most interesting costumes and hair of the night. Costume design was credited to a team of Tabitha Sublette, Brianna Sumens, Mary Abbott, Chloe Painter, and Aly Gibby for the entirety of the productions. Within the production of Clear Sky two rich business types, played by Airi Saito as Julia and Owen Scott as Gregory, as they indulge in some of the worst behavior in humanity, taking advantage of performers Chastity, played by Zack Allred, and Destiny, played by Calvin Gidgiddoniah Hamilton. The story by Sanders was haunting in its current relevancy, watching the performers be taken advantage of for pure merriment of others, without any thought of pain or suffering.
The two hours spent thinking about how these students put together these projects, showcasing their learning and development gave me so much hope and joy for the future of the theatrical world in Utah and beyond. I continue to be proud of the quality levels of theatrical genius on display in this state.
Innovation Theatre plays April 4, 5, 9-12 at 7:30pm and April 12 at 2pm at the Eccles Theatre in the Val A. Browning Center on the Weber State University Campus, 3950 W Campus Drive, Ogden, Utah, 84408. An ASL Interpreted performance will be April 10th. Tickets are $13-18. For more information see https://www.weber.edu/theatre/theatre-season.html
