Audition time slots will be from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. The first hour, 1:00 – 2:00 p.m., is reserved for AEA (Equity) actors only. AEA MEMBERS ONLY may email Elizabeth Williamson atelizabeth.williamson@ptc.utah.edu for an appointment beginning Friday, September 17, 2010.

Non-equity members must sign up in the office, Room 325 of the Roy W. and Elizabeth E. Simmons Pioneer Memorial Theatre, located at 300 South 1400 East, Salt Lake City, beginning Friday, September 17, 2010 at 12:00 noon.

All roles are available; auditions will be held for actors ages 18 and up. The script and sides will be available in the office beginning Friday, September 17, 2010 at noon.

The rehearsal dates are from December 27, 2010 to January 13, 2011, and the show runs from January 14, 2011 to January 29, 2011. The production will be directed by Jeff Steitzer.

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Pioneer Theatre Company operates under an agreement between the League of Resident Theatres (LORT) and Actors Equity Association, the Union of professional actors and stage managers in the United States. Pioneer Theatre Company, Utah’s only fully professional theatre, performs at Roy W. and Elizabeth E. Simmons Pioneer Memorial Theatre, located on the University of Utah campus at 300 South and 1400 East in Salt Lake City, easily accessible by TRAX light rail. Free parking is also available and the theatre is equipped with an elevator, handicap parking, hearing assistance devices and other easy-access features.www.pioneertheatre.org

I’ve heard people say that you should have watched 800 dance performances before you begin as a critic.  I’d only seen about 250 when I began.  I’ve heard other people say you should have been watching dance for twenty years.  I’d been going frequently for less than two.  A friend of mine said the other night that “There’s no such thing as a good young critic.”  Her point was that a critic who’s only seen three Ophelias doesn’t know enough, whereas someone who’s seen 20 does.  Well, even now that I’ve seen more than twenty Ophelias, I still don’t agree.  I would rather read a fresh critic coming new to the art form with all his/her wits than an old-fart critic who’s tedious to read.   Those ideas about experience propose that a critic must be an expert.  I, however, believe that criticism begins not in knowledge but in ignorance.  You can’t prepare for a new ballet, a new dancer, a new play, a new work of music, a new trend.  Expertise won’t help you with the new; but an open mind will.  And actually you can’t prepare for the qualities that will make your 300th “Swan Lake” different from the previous 299.  My second answer, however, may seem to contradict my first.  A critic should use all the experience he/she has.  I’ve always thought historically, and I happen to have a very detailed and extensive memory, so I’ve always made a lot of use both of research and experience.  For me, criticism is certainly the first stage of history, and I go on re-thinking a great many of the past performances I’ve seen, even after more than thirty years.

The article excerpt above was taken from the free arts digest “You’ve Cott Mail.”

What do you think?

Yoga Confidential is a semi-autobiographical piece where we follow Stephen Brown himself on a quest to discover “the true meaning of yoga in America.” Brown stars in the show alongside Daniel Beecher and Tracie Merrill who play a variety of roles, including 1/3 of Stephen. Stephen’s quest is initiated by a visit from Merrill playing both the ghost of yoga past and the ghost of yoga future (according to the script they were understaffed) and what follows is an episodic journey through the different forms of yoga and how they interface with American pop culture.

All in all the play is good. I was worried at the onset of the piece that I would miss a lot due to my general ignorance pertaining to the yoga phenomenon, but the script explains things simply and humorously so anyone can enjoy it. The characters were in a state of constant fluidity and switched from one role to another instantaneously, so each actor played around 4-5 roles according to my count.

The script had me laughing quite hard several times and I definitely enjoyed it, but at the same time it was apparent that this was a new work. There were several moments which dragged on too long and consequently lost some of their humor.  I felt that the overall focus of the piece got lost somewhere in the middle and was not regained until the final moments of the piece. One particular moment when the text lacked clarity was during the Toxic yoga mantra sequence when the pessimistic Toxic Yoga Guru broke into a sort of freestyle rap. I thought the idea was clever, but the rap lasted a good 5 minutes and went on so long that I felt myself, along with much of the audience, disinterested in the less-than-precise hip hop parody.

Another moment where I felt the focus was completely lost, almost to the point of pain, was when the character Rob (Beecher) went on some sort of hallucinogenic trip caused by eating too many Altoids and went to the publisher of Yoga Journal in Las Vegas and uncovered some sort of murderous conspiracy against everything good in the world. Included in the scene was a Scooby Doo-eqsue chase sequence and the murder of a TV show host. It was very confusing, wasn’t overly hilarious and the director allowed the sequence to run far too long. The sequence did very little to further the plot and left me with the taste of stale, poorly timed humor in my mouth. Despite these obvious flaws, however, the script is in a good place and now needs some editing to refine it even more so it can reach the potential that it has.

All three of the actors gave a good performance, but they each definitely had moments of slippage as well. Some of their commitment to different characters felt forced rather than honest and some jokes were clearly being played simply for laughs. Also a handful of dropped and botched lines caused moments to lose their intended flavor. I do not know what sort of acting experience these three had (there were no bios listed other than Brown’s), and perhaps it was just an off night, but the acting was not necessarily on par with that of previous SLAC productions I’ve seen. Though maybe that’s just part of the fring

In the end, Yoga Confidential is a good show. It’s funny, it’s witty and its mode of storytelling is unique and interesting. I’m very glad I was able to attend the Fearless Fringe Festival and I applaud all those involved in such a terrific endeavor for up and coming works. As ever, it was an enjoyable night at SLAC.

Yoga Confidential will also be showing September 10th and 11th @ 8:00 PM in The Sugar Space. Visit TheSugarSpace.com for details.  For more information on the Salt Lake Acting Company visit SaltLakeActingCompany.org or call 801.363.7522.

December 2007: Wessels is finishing finals during his last week in the Utah Actors Training Program at University of Utah.  He is looking forward to his upcoming move to New York City where he is going “to make it as an actor, playwright, or waiter.”  His plans are suddenly derailed by a cancer diagnosis.  Nearly three years later, “a recession worthy, script in hand, more than a reading, not quite a performance, lights, sound, action packed, magical two hours of leukemic musical memoir fun” is produced as part of Salt Lake Acting Company’s Fearless Fringe Festival.

When I first heard about a musical about cancer, I thought this could be terribly good or terribly bad.  While it could still use some polishing, it was terribly good. It reminds me of what an early version of the recent Pulitzer prize winning musical Next to Normal may have looked like.

The ability of Wessels to weave in humor in this difficult subject was brilliant.  I can’t be funny even if the situation is funny, so I am impressed when one can genuinely be funny without having to resort to being crass or crude.  That’s not to say that there were not any crude moments (I loved the Hand character), but most were appropriate and delivered with perfect comedic timing.  One of my favorite lines had to be when 18-year-old Sam, gets a glimpse into his future and finds out he is writing a musical. He quickly says, “Wait, I write musicals? Oh s—, am I gay?” These quick lines are punctured throughout the show and provide much comedic relief to the production.

While there were many moments of honest humor, there were moments that felt shallow.  Perhaps the emotions in some areas are still too raw and throwing humor at it is the best that can be done right now, at least, that is what it felt like. The Donnie and Marie bit, while providing a little humor, did little for the story line and derailed the emotion completely.  The cancer song at the beginning was too much, but could be great if scaled down and the Dr. Char song was just way over the top.

The songs preformed by Wessels were right on (“Mt. Dew”, “Funny”, the “Good News”  just to name a few) and one would think that is where he might have a hard time (assuming they hit close to home).  He did amazing.  Whether the song called for humor or fear, he delivered the emotions clearly and was in touch with the character. He brought so much honesty and knowing that the story is about him just added layers to the production. I do worry that another actor may not be able to bring the same emotion to the show.  As an audience member, knowing this was his story was very much a part of the experience.

I feel like the acting of Darlene Casanova (Mom) and Kim Blackett (Dad) was amazing.  The staging during the “We’re Sorry” song was fantastic.  I didn’t feel that Casanova had the musical voice for these songs but that didn’t stop me from tearing up (the only time I teared up) as the parents struggled with the possibility of remission in the end.  Casanova’s performance with Kelsie Jepsen (Death) was breathtakingly emotional.  I left the theater wanting to call my mom and dad.

All of the actors are worth mentioning.  Elise Groves was so good that it took me late into the second act to realize she was the only blonde in the show; she pulled off the multiple roles seamlessly.  Kelsie Jepsen played  looming death with style and just enough creepy.  Benjamin Brinton was a riot as Hand, it is amazing to me how much personality he put into 5 fingers. Riley Soter was just cute and aggravating enough to piss you off. He was sincere in his ability to toy with Sam but in an unintentional, can’t hate him way. Aric Johnstone was lay-on-the-floor funny as Greg and I could have watched his spicy interactions with the others all night.  I really did love all of the actors and all the characters they played in this show.

Most of the music was amazing and I could provide commentary on what I loved about so many of the pieces. I would love to get a recording of this soundtrack (I have already found some of it on YouTube). Personally, I could have dealt without the carried out notes during many of the musical numbers. I am not even sure what you call them–where one hums, or sings Di Di or Ohh Ohh, so on and so forth. But I still loved it and will continue to look for a recording of this until it is produced.

While I won’t spoil it for any, the line where the title (and thus the meaning of the title)  is proclaimed by Wessels, will probably stay with me for life.

I saw Lion King at Capital Theater the night before I saw sam i was.  It took  15-20 seconds to get the whole audience up for the standing ovation at Lion King.  The audience was on their feet at sam i was before the lights were able to come back up.  This is a testament to the power and beauty of this production.  While it was only a two night limited engagement, I suggest people pay attention, because this show will come back around and when it does, I will be first in line to see it again.

Sam I Was played August 27th and 28th, 2010 at the Salt Lake Acting Company as part of the Fearless Fringe Festival.  For more information on this production visit SaltLakeActingCompany.org.

Playing thru August 28, 2010

Community theatre can sometimes be a wildcard.  Oftentimes we go because we know someone in the cast and that generally overshadows any weaknesses in music, design or acting.  But community theatre is huge in Utah.  Most cities have formed their own arts councils and still more are simply host to a few individuals bent on making it happen. Murray City is a strong case for the quality productions that can come together from a neighborhood of talent.

The story follows the courtship and marriage of backwoodsman Adam Pontipee and his six brothers to Milly and a gaggle of six girls from the town.  The script, while somewhat antique, is still very humorous as Milly attempts to domesticate these wild men so they can properly woo and wed as well.

Kelly Griffiths (Adam) has an incredibly tone to his voice and he carries it well throughout the show.  Julie Nelson Blatter (Millie) provides an equally strong melody to the mix, though somewhat jazzier that expected.  The pair are excellent on stage and complement each other nicely.  Their acting is average, which is to be expected at most community productions, but I never doubted their commitments to the roles.

Adam’s brothers were played by Benjamin Plowman (Benjamin), Josh Lloyd (Caleb), Jon Scott (Daniel), Kent Lloyd (Ephraim), Brett Higley (Frank), and Josh Durfey (Gideon).  This bunch is a lot of fun.  Their energetic execution of the acrobatic choreography by Tracee Conde Walker was thrilling.  More than once I was incredibly nervous that someone was about to dance or leap accidentally into the pit.  Really, when imagining six lumberjacks dancing in the forest one can only hope it would be so exciting.

The boys’ sweethearts were played by Natalie Fortie (Dorcus), April Kimball (Ruth), Adi Shewell (Liza), Liz Hebdon (Martha), Mary-Martha Jackson (Sarah), and Alexa Steed (Alice).  I appreciated the technique displayed in each of their dance numbers.  Particularly enjoyable was their performance during the town dance.

Lorraine Brighton-Smith’s costumes well suited the production.  Dave Newton’s set design was both functional and appropriate for the space.  I was particularly pleased with the quilts prop designer Marla Smith-McKinney matched to each couple.

Overall this production an enjoyable evening in the Murray City Park.  I recommend arriving early in order to snag the best seats.  No need for blankets to sit on, but you might want to bring one along to keep warm.

Seven brides for Seven Brothers plays through Saturday, August 28, 2010.  Tickets are $6-8 and can be purchased at the gate the night of the performance.  For more information visit Murray.Utah.gov.

Playing thru September 26, 2010

SALT LAKE CITY – The Lion King is playing at the Capitol Theatre. Director Julie Taymor has brought depth and sincerity in her stage adaptation of the simple yet enjoyable animated film. The amazing visuals, puppetry and music will coax the most fastidious patron to love the show.

The Lion King was a natural choice for Disney to bring to Broadway following its monumental success as an animated feature film. The story is based loosely on Hamlet, only with lions. Set in the African Savannah, this hit on the Great White Way racked up six Tonys in 1998 including Best Musical, Best Scenic Design for a Musical, Best Lighting Design for Musical, Best Choreography, and Best Direction of Musical.  Each of those awards is worth noting because each of those awards recognizes an element of the production that is actually carried into the touring company.  Salt Lake City really has a wonderful opportunity to see the best of Broadway on our local stage.

While the original film dealt little with the tragedy inherent in the story, director Julie Taymor has brought some much-needed development to the script.  Her changes add depth and color to an already entertaining story.  What’s more is her direction has clearly carried over into the design of the show, particularly in the costume, mask and puppet design.  Over 200 puppets grace the stage including birds, hyenas, lions, zebras, giraffes (performers on two pair of stilts) and a life-size elephant manned by three puppeteers.  The whole experience rarely resembles a Main Street USA performance and instead echoes more Asian theatrical practices.

The script itself does not escape the occasional corniness expected from a Disney film, but considering the attention that Taymor has brought to the entirety of the production we can trust those echoes of childish humor and structure must be her attempts to direct the performance at the whole family and maintain a sincere representation of the film while still moving forward with her original adaptation.

Broadway's Award-Winning Best Musical

Particularly impressive were the performances of Brenda Mhlongo as the shaman baboon Rafiki, particularly in “He Lives in You.”  Equally engaging and emotionally striking was Syndee Winters performance as the lioness Nala in “Shadowlands.”  If only the male actors sincerity could have matched the sincerity and depth of these two women.

Dionne Randolph (Mufasa) and Adam Jacobs (Simba) delivered solid, but flat performances.  Nick Cordileone (Timon) and Ben Lipitz (Pumba) were perhaps the two characters most directly translated from the film to the stage.  Their performances met all expectations of the comedic duo.

Strongest of the male actors were Tony Freeman (Zazu) and J. Anthony Crane (Scar).  Freeman’s puppetry and voice were incredibly engaging and Crane’s villain provided a strong sense of danger and tragedy to the piece.

Utah audiences have to see this production.  It will blow you away.  Design, music, acting, directing and story: it’s got it all.

The Lion King plays through September 26, 2010, at the Capitol Theatre in downtown Salt Lake City.  Tickets are still available and start at $74.  More information can be found at ArtTix.org.

Playing thru October 2, 2010

OREM — When I told people I was going to the Hale Center Theater Orem to watch The Girl, The Grouch and The Goat, people said, “The Grouchy Girl and the Goat?” or something like, “The Grouch and the Who? Never heard of it. Is that a new Sesame Street Musical?”

This Girl, Grouch, Goat is a hilarious musical fable set in rural ancient Greece which tells the story of a grouchy widower, played by Chris Brower, whose only daughter, played by Aly Rutter, is “changing” into a woman. As she grows up, the widower becomes afraid he will lose her to a young suitor. Also, the Grouch owns the only well still giving water after a twenty-year drought. The townspeople are convinced that they must sacrifice a goat to get it to rain again.

The story by Jack Helbig and the music and lyrics by Mark Hollmann, Tony award winner (“Urinetown The Musical”), is told in a style not unlike a Shakespearean comedy but without the fancy language. It is a boy meets girl story.  True to Greek drama it has a chorus of narrators, who in this case are slaves played by David Smith and Paul Hill. These two are a combination of Laurel & Hardy and Tim Conway & Harvey Korman.  The nine-member cast, accompanied on keyboards by Melissa Thorne, is filled with talent. The parts are smartly written, very witty and playful but especially delightful is the way director Neal Johnson and these fine actors put together this production.

My husband and I along with the whole audience laughed out loud. The cast sing, they dance and their comedic timing is perfection. The songs are catchy. The characters are relateable and lovable. What father hasn’t thought about locking his teenage daughter in her room and putting bars on the windows? And what’s a Greek story without some gods and goddesses to interfere with mortals falling in love and wreak a little havoc as they add some comic relief.

The show is fast-paced with truly athletic dancing, jumping, fighting, and falling into wells. I kept wondering if costumer, Anne Swenson, will need to keep her sewing kit handy to bring in some waistlines during the course of the run.

The ending song dragged on a bit, there is even a line by one of the characters that says something like, “Let’s wrap this up, we’re almost finished with the story,” which I thought was apropos. But besides that, I wouldn’t change a thing. I especially liked the vaudevillian musical number “Wild Goat.”  Overall, however, it was an astoundingly entertaining show which the whole family will enjoy; I encourage you to go see The Girl, The Grouch and the Goat.

The Girl, The Grouch, and the Goat plays at the Hale Center Theater (225 West 400 North, Orem) most evenings except Sundays through October at 7:30, with two 3 PM Saturday matinees.  Tickets are $13.50-19.50.  Visit  www.haletheater.org for more details.

Joe Debevc, Jay Perry and April Fossen at the Zuni Pueblo in Zuni, New Mexico, the setting of SHE WAS MY BROTHER

PRESS RELEASE – Lamana (Joe Debevc, Plan-B’s MIASMA) is a Zuni two-spirit, born a man but identifying as a woman and accepted as such within the tribe, recognized as a religious leader. Tullis (April Fossen, Plan-B’s MIASMA, the last five SLAMs) and Wilson (Plan-B’s FACING EAST, GUTENBERG! THE MUSICAL! and all five RADIO HOURs) are two Victorian anthropologists, conducting the first enthnographic study of the Zuni people.

These three lives connect in unexpected ways in this exploration of love, gender identity and cultural assumption.  Based (loosely) on historical fact.  Part of Transgender Awareness Month.

Joe Debevc, Jay Perry and April Fossen at the Zuni Pueblo
in Zuni, New Mexico, the setting of SHE WAS MY BROTHER.

DATES, VENUE AND TICKETS

• October 28-November 10, 2010
• Studio Theatre, Rose Wagner | 138 W 300 S, SLC
• Running time 90 minutes | No late seating
• Thursday-Friday at 8pm | Saturday at 4pm and 8pm | Sunday at 2pm
• Tickets $20 ($10 students) | 801.355.ARTS or http://planbtheatre.org

CREATIVE TEAM

• Playwright Julie Jensen
• Directed by Jerry Rapier
• Sound by Cheryl Ann Cluff
• Set by Randy Rasmussen
• Stage Managed by Jennifer Freed
• Costumes by Phil Lowe
• Lighting by Jesse Portillo

RELATED EVENT: BENEFIT PERFORMANCE

More than 30 local non-profits have been the beneficiary of our Benefit Performances Program since its inception in 2001.  For SHE WAS MY BROTHER, the benficiaries are Transgender Education Advocates of Utah/Transaction (T tickets are $20 and available by contacting TeenaMarie Scuderi at teaofutah@yahoo.com for the preview on Wednesday, October 27 at 7pm in the Studio Theatre at the Rose Wagner).

RELATED 20^TH ANNIVERSARY FREE EVENT:

RADIO HOUR MARATHON

Plan-B and KUER have partnered on RADIO HOUR the past five years. This Halloween brings the RADIO HOUR MARATHON featuring all five RADIO HOURs (RADIO POE, THE HITCHHIKER & ZERO HOUR, LAVENDER & EXILE, FRANKENSTEIN, ALICE) broadcast on KUER on Sunday, October 31 time TBA.

RELATED 20^th ANNIVERSARY FREE EVENT:
SCRIPT-IN-HAND SERIES

Readings 40-minute excerpts of two new plays-in-progress: WHAT ARE YOU? by Matthew Ivan Bennett and an adaption of THE SCARLET LETTER by Jenifer Nii on Wednesday, November 3 at 7pm in the Studio Theatre at the Rose Wagner.  Email jerry@planbtheatre.org to RSVP.

Audition time slots will be from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. The first hour of both time slots are reserved for AEA (Equity) actors only. AEA MEMBERS ONLY may email Elizabeth Williamson at elizabeth.williamson@ptc.utah.edu for an appointment beginning Friday, September 10, 2010.

Non-equity members must sign up in the office, Room 325 of the Roy W. and Elizabeth E. Simmons Pioneer Memorial Theatre, located at 300 South 1400 East, Salt Lake City, beginning Friday, September 10, 2010 at 12:00 noon.

All roles are available; auditions will be held for actors ages 18 and up. There will be no open call for childrens roles. Auditions will be held in Room 245 of the theatre. Initial auditions will be singing only. Auditioners should prepare a song appropriate to the show and the genre, and bring sheet music. An accompanist will be provided.

Irving Berlin’s WHITE CHRISTMAS is based upon the Paramount Pictures film written for the screen by Norman Krasna, Norman Panama, and Melvin Frank. Music and lyrics by Irving Berlin. Book by David Ives and Paul Blake. The first rehearsal is November 8, 2010, and the show runs from December 3, 2010 to December 24, 2010 (extra week with weekday matinees added). Directed by Paul Barnes; Choreography by Dirk Lumbard; Musical Director Michael Horsley.

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Pioneer Theatre Company operates under an agreement between the League of Resident Theatres (LORT) and Actors Equity Association, the Union of professional actors and stage managers in the United States. Pioneer Theatre Company, Utah’s only fully professional theatre, performs at Roy W. and Elizabeth E. Simmons Pioneer Memorial Theatre, located on the University of Utah campus at 300 South and 1400 East in Salt Lake City, easily accessible by TRAX light rail. Free parking is also available and the theatre is equipped with an elevator, handicap parking, hearing assistance devices and other easy-access features.www.pioneertheatre.org

Playsing thru September 6, 2010

PROVO — Romeo and Juliet is the second of a summer-long double feature from Utah Shakespeare in the Park (the first was Much Ado About Nothing, in June). And, while Romeo and Juliet is an enjoyable evening of theater—how can an outdoor production of a Shakespeare classic be anything else?—it does have its problems.

Meg Fee, as Juliet, is definitely the standout in the cast.  Her poise, confidence, and emotional authenticity help keep the show alive (even if she does look a bit mature to be playing a 14-year-old). Cameron Bench, as Romeo, is not as finely trained an actor as his co-star, but he brings much of the same energy and conviction—and the two leads have enough chemistry to make the classic romance feel genuinely romantic (something far too rare in the many Romeo and Juliet productions I’ve seen). Lawrence Fernandez, playing dual roles as Lord Capulet and Friar Laurence, is the other highlight of the cast. Though not all of Fernandez’s choices with either of these characters worked for me, he has a commanding presence, an excellent sense of physicality, and a strong voice (he even sings briefly—a nice little rendition of “Strangers in the Night”). His dedication to the material and the production is palpable.

Where the play suffers most is in the direction. The key to Shakespeare tends to be in the language, and the cast had a general problem of rushing over their lines. The blocking, too, is often sloppy, and the actors rarely make clear choices in their use of their space; as a result, it’s sometimes hard to know where to look. The sparse set is made up of two black blocks—but, strangely, those blocks are almost never used. Some of the actors speak in affected English accents; most don’t. The use of a guitar player and a violinist for musical underscoring allowed for a few of the very best moments in the show, but too often the musicians came across as timid, as if unsure when they should or shouldn’t be playing.

There are a handful of modernizations sprinkled throughout the show—a handgun in the midst of a swordfight, the inclusion of a Lady Gaga song at the Capulets’ party, etc.—but these moments are rare, and, consequently, a little jarring. There are also a number of unorthodox interpretations and adaptations of the script, which worked to varying degrees. I was excited, for instance, to see Mercutio played by a woman, but disappointed when the character wasn’t explored much beyond that. I found the juxtaposition of the two scenes where Juliet and Romeo each learns of his banishment (playing them simultaneously, as if cross-cut for film) quite moving and effective. On the other hand, the affair between Lady Capulet and Paris felt rather out of place (and, rather than providing additional motivation for Lady Capulet’s character, it instead turned her into some of a one-dimensional villainess).

Ultimately, Utah Shakespeare in the Park’s Romeo and Juliet feels like it’s not entirely sure what it wants to be–a rather traditional production of a well-known classic, or a bold new reinterpretation. There are a lot of good ideas, and a number of obviously talented people involved, but there doesn’t seem to be any overarching concept or vision to tie everything together. Too often, the choices on the part of the actors or director feel unmotivated, unclear, or uncommitted—and, because of that, it was sometimes hard for me to commit as an audience member. Still, while at times uneven, there’s lots to like in this Romeo and Juliet—and any show where I can sit in the grass and eat dinner while I’m watching is a show I want to be at.

The Utah Shakespeare in the Park production of Romeo and Juliet plays at 7 PM various outdoor locations (Pioneer Park, Memorial Park, and the BYU Duck Pond) in Provo, August 27-29, and September 2-4, 6.  Visit the Utah Shakespeare in the Park web site for more details.  Admission is free.