Josh Petersen

On one side: an accused murderer, a patient in a mental hospital and a spiritual medium whose newfound faith could either be a spiritual awakening or a clever trap.

Oda Might

Plan-B Theatre

Nov. 7-17

Thursdays and Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m.

Tickets and info here.

On the other: an accomplished psychiatrist whose race, gender and sexuality inform her work, even when those same identities cause others to underestimate her.  

In Camille Washington’s new play Oda Might, these two characters collide in a psychological thriller that explores spirituality, race and the twisting nature of truth. As the Patient and the Doctor learn more about each other, they question who to trust — and find that in surprising ways, they may not be so different after all.

Orderly (Flo Bravo), Patient (Dee-Dee Darby-Duffin) and Doctor (Yolanda Stange) in Oda Might. (Photo by Rick Pollock, Courtesy Plan-B Theatre)

Though the play is set in the 1990s, Washington had contemporary issues in mind when writing it — she has talked about the play’s connection to identity politics and the Black Lives Matter movement.

The play stars Plan-B alums Dee-Dee Darby-Duffin as the Patient and Yolanda Strange as the Doctor, with Flo Bravo making her Plan B debut as the Orderly. This production is directed by Cheryl Ann Cluff. Like every play at Plan B, Oda Might is written by a Utah playwright, and promises to fulfill this company’s mission to produce boundary-pushing theatre exploring important social issues.

Read more of Salt Lake Magazine’s theater coverage here.

Right now, there’s not much for journalists to laugh about. In an era of constant layoffs, corporate takeovers and endless accusations of “fake news,” it feels like the whole industry is in a mood spiral. 

What: The Lifespan of a Fact
When: Nov. 1 – Nov. 16
Where: Pioneer Theatre Company
How: Tickets are available here.
See more Utah theater coverage here.

It’s surprising then, that a play asking complicated questions about journalism and ethics could also be a lively comedy. The Lifespan of a Fact, now playing at Pioneer Theatre Company, can’t solve any of the industry’s crises. It can, however, make you appreciate these journalists while laughing at their foibles. 

Emily Penrose (Constance Macy) is a magazine editor looking for her next great story. She finds it in an inventive essay by John D’Agata (Ben Cherry) that describes the suicide of a teenage boy in Las Vegas. It seems like everything’s falling into place. But when Emily asks a young intern named Jim Fingal (John Croft) to complete a standard fact check, he finds dozens of errors, both big and small. John is more concerned with emotional potency than factual exactness — he makes a clear distinction between “accuracy” and “truth.” Jim, meanwhile, thinks that every fact must be totally proven, and he investigates even the tiniest minutiae with obsessive vigor. These opposing viewpoints kick off a spirited and often emotional debate over ethics, integrity and the nature of truth. 

Constance Macy (Emily Penrose), Ben Cherry (John D’Agata), and John Kroft (Jim Fingal). Photo courtesy Pioneer Theatre Company.

This appealingly small-scale play zips by in 90 minutes with no intermission, confined to three characters and one long weekend. The script relies on strong performances from its three central actors, and luckily this cast has an easy chemistry. Croft brims with neurotic energy, and his particular brand of anxiety might be, ahem, relatable to certain audience members who are young, underpaid and trying to prove themselves in the magazine industry. (I wouldn’t know.) Macy is an appealing straight woman, and Cherry has fun with his character’s wit and snobbery — he is a wiseass that puts equal emphasis on both parts of that word. 

Even as they deal with serious subject matter, playwrights Jeremy Kareken, Gordon Farrell and David Murrell keep a light hand — The Lifespan of a Fact is more Neil Simon than Spotlight. John and Jim’s lively debates are frequently funny, but they also contain real substance.  John and Jim are obsessive about their opposing points-of-view, but by the end of the play, they both seem equally valid. Both characters are interested in finding the core truth of the essay, and their back-and-forth reveals that truth is not always black-and-white. The President is still wrong — there’s no such thing as alternative facts. But The Lifespan of a Fact reminds audiences that there’s plenty of fun to be had in the shades of grey.

Even if you’re not a fan of haunted houses — or raiding the kids’ candy bowl after dark — there are still plenty of grown-up Halloween options, from parties to movies to art classes, that promise a scary good time.

The Flood: It’s Raining Men
utahpridecenter.org

Whip out your cheetah print for this Noah’s Ark-themed party, which should be an animalistic night of biblical proportions. Plus, all proceeds will go to the Utah Pride Center, which provides services for the LGBT+ community in Utah. The event, hosted at Soundwell, starts at 9 p.m. on Oct. 26.

Gods and Goddesses Halloween Party
avenuesyoga.com

Why let trick-or-treaters have all the fun with costumes? Dress to impress for this themed party, with a costume contest, specialty cocktails and tarot card readings, all inside the Avenues Yoga studio. The party starts at 8 p.m. on Oct. 26.

The Haunted Hustle
thehauntedhustle.com

If you’re like me and only run when somebody’s chasing you, this paranormal 5K is a dream come true — or a worst nightmare. With zombies, killer clowns and a “tunnel of terror,” you won’t even have time to be scared of all the jogging (*shudders*). Registration is now open for the Oct. 25 race at Sugar House Park.

Paint Nites
yaymaker.com

Unleash your tipsy Bob Ross at HandleBar, where an instructor provides a step-by-step guide to make your own creepy creation. They provide the art supplies, HandleBar provides the drinks and you provide your own (lack of?) artistic talent. Paint Nite starts at 7 p.m. on Oct. 21 and 22. See yamaker.com for details and locations. 

Tower of Terror 2019
saltlakefilmsociety.org

Every October, Salt Lake’s Tower Theatre hosts this annual horror film series highlighting ridiculously entertaining cult classics. This year, they are featuring “Rabid,” a 1977 film about a botched plastic surgery that sparks a zombie infestation. (Utahns should beware.) They are also screening “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” throughout the month — plus on Nov. 2, Barry Botswick, who starred in the film, is coming for a signing and Q&A. 

Urban Lounge Punk Rock Halloween
theurbanloungeslc.com

Headlined by California pop-punk band Starcrawler, this concert also features local bands covering appealing throwbacks — 90s TV will perform The Strokes, Major Tom will perform The Ramones and Static Replica will perform The Misfits. The 21+ event starts at 8 p.m. on Oct. 21 at The Urban Lounge.

Vault of Nightmares
monaco-saltlakecity.com

Kimpton Hotel Monaco is pairing with Nightmare on 13th to create Vault of Nightmares, a unique Halloween pop-up bar with themed cocktails like “Here’s Johnny,” complete with candy glass shards, and “The Basic Witch,” which combines pumpkin puree and vodka. The bar will be open from Oct. 17-31. 

Viva La Diva’s Trick or Treat DIVA!
thevivaladivashow.com

Gaga and Dolly and Cher (oh my!) This year-round drag tribute to our most fabulous female celebrities is hosting special Halloween shows, featuring spooky twists on audience favorites and a special homage to “Hocus Pocus.” Sashay away to Metro Music Hall on weekend nights throughout October.

Read more of our arts and entertainment coverage here. And browse other events here.

What do A Midsummer Night’s Dream, menstruation and a string of mysterious deaths in the woods have in common? (I’ll give you a hint: the answer is not “a high school theatre kid’s stress dream.”) In her new play, Form of a Girl Unknown, Charly Evon Simpson combines all of these elements and more into a completely unique coming-of-age story. The show will run at Salt Lake Acting Company from Oct. 16 to Nov. 17.

Photo courtesy Salt Lake Acting Company

Form of a Girl Unknown

Salt Lake Acting Company – Chapel Theater

Oct. 16 – Nov. 17

Wednesdays – Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., Sundays at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m.
Additional performances on Oct. 22, Nov. 2, Nov. 9 and Nov. 12

Tickets and info here

The play follows 12-year-old Amari (Amanda Morris), who is navigating pubescent dramas both typical (like backstabbing friends, distracted parents and changing bodies) and not (like those pesky killings in the woods). 

Simpson previously workshopped the play at Salt Lake Acting Company. Now, Form of a Girl Unknown will have its world premiere on the same stage. “I left Salt Lake City last summer hoping the play would some way, somehow make its way back to SLAC … and now the dream is coming true,” Simpson said.

This play is entirely focused on the perspective of a young black girl, which is still depressingly rare. The play, however, should still be relatable to anyone who had a tough time growing up — so, pretty much anyone. “It is about the transition — the awkward transition — between childhood and adulthood,” said director Melissa Crespo.

Read all of our theater coverage here.

In the very first moments of Charly Evan Simpson’s new play Form of a Girl Unknown, 12-year-old Amali (Amanda Morris) explains directly to the audience that she’s getting her first period. The scene might inspire empathetic pangs of recognition for any audience member with a vagina. Amali’s response, however, is anything but typical.

What: Form of a Girl Unknown
When: Oct. 16 – Nov. 17
Where: Salt Lake Acting Company Upstairs Theater
How: Tickets start at $32 and are available here.

Amali reacts to her first period not with embarrassment and dread, but with curiosity. Though she immediately recoils from her mother (a quietly affecting Latoya Cameron,) to both the audience and her best friend Finn (Bradley Hatch,) she is endlessly fascinated. Though all of the period-talk makes Finn queasy, Amari can’t help herself — her observations come out in an uncontrollable flow. (I’m sorry.) 

The cast of “Form of a Girl Unknown” Photo courtesy Salt Lake Acting Company

These unexpected reactions are everywhere in Form of a Girl Unknown, which takes familiar coming-of-age tropes and twists them into something wholly unique. Amali is a brainy but awkward adolescent — she whizzes through Shakespeare plays but only spends time with Finn after a fight with her ex-best-friend Marina (Daisy Allred). At home, Amali feels misunderstood by her overworked mother and perpetually eye-rolling older sister Charise (Aalliyah Ann). As Amali’s life gets more confusing, she becomes fascinated by two dead children whose bodies were found in the woods, developing an obsession that begins to alarm the people around her. 

In the past few years, a new wave of films and TV shows, including Eighth Grade, Lady Bird, Pen15 and Big Mouth, have reframed narratives about teenage girls, telling stories with emotional candor and sexual frankness. Like these projects, Form of a Girl Unknown is a very funny story that takes its characters seriously. Amali, in all her idiosyncrasies, defies stereotypical portrayals of black girls in pop culture, and the play treats her larger-than-life emotions with compassion and complexity. 

Amanda Morris in “Form of a Girl Unknown” Photo courtesy Salt Lake Acting Company

As Amali, Morris effectively anchors the play. Normally, I have an allergic reaction to adult actors playing children, but Morris is completely convincing in the role — fifteen minutes in, you’ll forget that you’re not watching an actual 12-year-old. The creative team is equally effective. Director Melissa Crespo’s fluid staging complements Amari’s irrepressible energy, and Shoko Kambara’s clever set constantly contracts and expands into cramped bathrooms and vast forests. 

Form of a Girl Unknown is so breezy and funny, you almost don’t notice the big ideas it subtly tackles, like poverty, mental illness and queer identity. You probably didn’t grow up exactly like Amari. But if you grew up at all, you will find something to relate to in this winning play.

See more Utah theater coverage here.

Now playing at Pioneer Theatre Company, an unassuming new musical feels like it’s trying to capture America itself. It’s not just the red, white and blue costumes. Cagney, which ran Off-Broadway in 2016, spans from New York to L.A., communist conspiracies to patriotic principles, Uncle Sam to Shirley Temple. It uses a distinctly American art form to tell a distinctly American story, in all its star-spangled contradictions.

Robert Creighton (Cagney) and Matt Crowle (Bob Hope) in Cagney at Pioneer Theater Company. Photo provided by PTC

What: Cagney
Where: Pioneer Memorial Theatre, University of Utah Campus
When: Runs through Oct. 5, 2019
How: Tickets and info here.

The musical follows the life of James Cagney, outlining his rise from a poor Irish kid in Manhattan to one of the most distinctive stars of Hollywood’s Golden Age. In 1919, Cagney (Robert Creighton) auditions on a whim for a spot in the chorus of a vaudeville show. Soon, he is touring the country, performing with his new wife Willie (Jessica Wockenfuss), until he gets a fateful call from Hollywood. Cagney becomes one of film’s most reliable tough guys, but soon conflicts behind the scenes eclipse the drama on screen. Cagney spars with Jack Warner (Darrin Baker), the head of Warner Bros, over creative freedom and financial compensation.

The musical is anchored by an old-school star performance by Creighton, a quadruple threat. His acting capably recalls the real-life Cagney’s most famous moments, including this beautifully bizarre act of citrus violence. His singing voice was consistently lovely. His energetic dancing was the show’s real highlight ­— in one show stopping moment, Cagney has an extended tap dance battle with Bob Hope (Matt Crowle). Creighton even wrote some of the show’s score. (The music is a mix of classic songs and convincing pastiche from Creighton and Christopher McGovern.) Some people hog all the talent.

Cagney is a deeply nostalgic musical, and its pleasures are borrowed from bygone eras of both Broadway and Hollywood. The musical was well received by the heavily septuagenarian crowd, though anyone could appreciate Cagney’s simplicity and eagerness to please.

See all of our theater coverage here.