SALT LAKE CITY — Vampires, eternal love, and melodrama: Wasatch Theater Company’s latest show A Dozen Roses: A Modern Gothic has it all. Opening just in time for Valentine’s day, A Dozen Roses is a satirical show that explores the humor and the toxicity behind undying love. Written and directed by Selah De Gering, this story explores how a relationship can evolve over the centuries, and how many chances it takes for love to succeed.
A Dozen Roses begins in ancient Rome, with Alaricus’s dying wish to protect his wife Rosalia. Cursed to live forever as a vampire, Alaricus becomes Eric and commits his never-ending life to the pursuit of Rosalia’s reincarnations. With every era of time, Eric finds his Rose and begins their romance with a clean slate, only to lose to her to plague, suicide, and other mortal conditions. His desperation to protect her morphs into dominion, doting, demeaning, and finally despair. How many lifetimes are required to finally get it right?
Toxic vampire love stories are nothing new, and Selah uses her satirical melodrama to poke fun at the many tropes audiences have become used to. Her original show provides a commentary on what relationships should and shouldn’t look like, pulling from societal expectations in different periods of time. One of the more fascinating aspects of A Dozen Roses is seeing how the same arguments play out with different versions of Rose. Though Eric gets a fresh start with every reincarnation, he often makes similar mistakes which ultimately lead to the same tragic end.
Mitch Tyler played Eric with gusto and panache. Tyler managed the sometimes aloof, sometimes wildly obsessive vampire persona with ease. His movements and speech alluded to grace born from centuries of wisdom. He was calculated and deliberate when the relationship was going well, but showed a more feral side when things began to devolve. There were moments when he stuttered, but they didn’t detract from his overall performance. Autumn Cazier played Rose with an astute sense of comedic timing and body language. She helped the comedy of the play to shine.
Kobe Black played Henry (a male reincarnation of Rose) with a similar care. Black utilized his expressions expertly as he went through a range of emotions. It was easy to tell where his character was at mentally without it being overdone. Black and Tyler worked well together, using smaller movements and touches to convey the love felt between them. Melodrama can sometimes come across as silly and there were moments with exaggerated blocking during a fight scene or excessive hand gestures that almost broke my suspension of disbelief. However, the pair’s earnest acting helped to elevate the play without losing the humor of it and brought me back to the world of the play.
DeGering handled costume and prop design, with help from Allyn Fry for stage management and Rebecca Summerstay for lighting. The set design was a basic living room set up that remained constant. Props were used to signify a change of setting, for example a typewriter was used during the 1950s, a lava lamp was introduced during the 1970s, etc. The props chosen were stereotypical items from each era, which helped cement the setting without requiring larger set changes. As set and costume changes took place in the dark or within the wings, it was clear to see the teamwork at play between the three actors. They moved seamlessly, assisting one another swiftly and easily. With productions that lack a larger crew to help out, it is important that everyone participates so things run smoothly. It was evident that this group worked well together, which may seem a minor thing, but it made the entire show that much smoother.
Costumes were kept relatively simple but again very evocative of the various time periods covered. It was enjoyable to see how Tyler’s outfits worked for the time periods but also subtly hinted at him being a vampire, such as when he wore red or how his outfits seemed more sophisticated than his peers. There were also makeup choices that set Tyler apart as a vampire. He wore red contact lenses that really intensified his gaze, along with fake fangs. Though it was clear these elements weren’t natural, Tyler wore them casually, integrating them into his character easily.
A Dozen Roses is a perfect casual Valentine’s show. You can laugh as it pokes fun at the vampire lover storyline while pondering what it takes to maintain a real relationship. The ever changing time periods provide a fun backdrop for a love story that transcends time itself. DeGering has crafted an enjoyable show that doesn’t take itself too seriously.
MORE INFO: A Dozen Roses: A Modern Gothic is currently playing at the Regent Street Black Box at Eccles Theater (131 Main St, Salt Lake City, UT 84111), presented by Wasatch Theatre Company. Performances run February 12–15, 2026, with evening shows at 7:30 PM and a 2:00 PM Sunday matinee. Tickets are $25. For the most up-to-date performance details, tickets, and company information, visit the Wasatch Theatre Company website (wasatchtheatrecompany.org) or follow @wasatchtheatrecompany on social media.