A Conversation with Alexis Baigue of Meanwhile Park’s VACATION

“You don’t murder someone you love,” is a favorite line of Alexis Baigue from his currently running show Vacation at Meanwhile Park which closes July 20. Baigue is a vibrant actor with an impressive résumé that spans Salt Lake Acting Company, the Utah Shakespeare Festival, and stages across the country. This summer, Alexis stars in Vacation, a new play featured at Meanwhile Park’s summer double header. We sat down to talk about the joy of new works, the magic of Meanwhile Park, and what makes this dark comedy tick.

UTBA: Alexis, before we dive into Vacation, can you tell us a little about your background in theatre?

Alexis Baigue: I started in high school at West Jordan under Tamra Adams and Kent Burrell—bless them—and eventually made my way through Salt Lake Community College and then spent four years in the University of Utah’s Actor Training Program. In the BFA program I dove headfirst into new works, especially at Salt Lake Acting Company where I did 21 productions. So much of it came from peer pressure—friends roping me into auditions. Luckily for me, instead of something more problematic, my addiction became theatre.

UTBA: So what brought you back to Salt Lake City?

Baigue: Family was a big part of it. I’d worked out of Salt Lake and even out of state for a while—at Utah Shakespeare Festival, Southwest Shakespeare Company, and American Shakespeare Center in Virginia. I even did a very rough Alice in Wonderland off-Broadway at Symphony Space. I have some great stories about that time. But eventually, I came home. And then, after a year of trying to be “responsible” and ignoring my theatre cravings, Jason Bowcutt pulled me back in with Vacation.

UTBA: This is your first time performing at Meanwhile Park, correct?

Baigue: Yes, though I’ve known about it since it started. Jason Bowcutt, who directed Vacation, invited me to join after working with him on a staged reading of Beloved King by J Sylvan, my minister at First Unitarian Church. It was part of SLAC’s “New Play Sounding Series.” I’ve admired Jason for years—he’s one of the most accomplished graduates of the U of U actor training program—and working with him is a joy. He’s brilliant and understands actors in a really rare way.

UTBA: Tell us a little about Vacation. What’s the premise?

Baigue: I play Barrett, a man in his 50s on a getaway with his husband James, played by Dan Beecher. They’ve been together for decades, and they’re vacationing in the Berkshires—idyllic, right? Except I discover James is planning to murder me. It’s dark, yes, but the play is wildly funny. Think The Importance of Being Earnest meets Dateline. There’s absurdity, wit, and more than a little camp. Also, I turn 50 on closing night—so the casting description of “50+” is eerily perfect!

UTBA: You mentioned Dan Beecher. How has that collaboration been?

Baigue: Fantastic. Dan and I have known each other since the ‘90s when he lived next door, but we’ve never shared a scene until now. We actually did a play together in 1999, Summer and Smoke, but had no interaction onstage. So to go from that to a two-hander where it’s just the two of us? That’s a gift. Dan is a generous actor and a hilarious one. We have great chemistry—possibly helped by decades of shared context.

UTBA: As a seasoned performer in both classics and new work, what’s the process like for you when you approach a brand-new script like Vacation?

Baigue: It’s honestly refreshing. I love the classics—I’ve buried myself in Shakespeare and done my homework—but there’s something freeing about knowing the audience hasn’t seen your character before. With Vacation, the playwright Nathan Johnson joined us over Zoom and actually adjusted a few lines to reflect my specific body type. My underdeveloped biceps are now canon! That kind of responsiveness is rare, and it makes the piece feel alive.

UTBA: Does that newness help you connect to the character in a deeper way?

Baigue: I wouldn’t say deeper than classics—if you put in the work, you can connect to Coriolanus or Barrett. But it’s definitely easier. You don’t have to parse 400-year-old syntax or compete with five centuries of precedent. You just focus on telling the truth in the moment. With Vacation, I don’t need a Shakespeare lexicon or commentary. I know what’s being said, and that clarity opens up a lot of playfulness.

UTBA: Meanwhile Park is such a unique venue. How does the outdoor, minimalist setting affect your performance?

Baigue: It’s lovely. We’re essentially performing in Jeff Parrott’s backyard with the back wall of his house as our set. We’ve got a table and chairs, and that’s about it. It reminds me of the Blackfriars Playhouse, where I did many shows—just storytelling and costumes. Our costume designer, Dawn McFarland, nailed the look for us. I even want to buy the clothes at the end of the run! It’s intimate, it’s warm, it’s alive.

UTBA: What’s the emotional takeaway of Vacation for you? Beyond the comedy and camp, is there a core message?

Baigue: Absolutely. Communication. Candor is the soul of this play. It’s a satire about relationships, yes, but underneath it all is a very real warning: You can’t love someone well if you’re not honest with them. The entire plot—this hilariously twisted vacation gone wrong—stems from a lack of communication.

UTBA: What’s next for you after this production?

Baigue: I do a lot of commercial work—camera auditions, that sort of thing. I filmed a movie called Anastasis last fall, which is still in post-production. But theatre is always my home base. No new projects immediately lined up, but I’m open!

UTBA: What advice do you have for folks who want to return to theatre—whether as artists or audience members?

Baigue: Come. Especially now. Theatre is one of the few remaining communal experiences we have. Meanwhile Park is intimate and unique—you’re literally in someone’s backyard. If you’ve been away from theatre, this is the perfect re-entry. And for those who want to make theatre? Get good training. Work with people who push you. And diversify. I’ve had a successful career, but in retrospect, I wish I’d taken more risks and worked in more places when I was younger. Don’t wait.

UTBA: Final thoughts?

Baigue: I’ve been lucky. People believed in me and nurtured me—directors, playwrights, producers. Many people helped me become the artist I am today. Now, as I turn 50, I’m looking for ways to be one of those helpers myself. Meanwhile Park and Vacation are beautiful examples of how generous, joyous theatre can be.