THEATER
Kayenta New Play Lab
August 1-26, 2024
The Lorraine Boccardo Theater
“Supporting the creation and development of new work is a vital piece of our vision at the Center for the Arts at Kayenta. Our New Play Lab aims to support artists – both locally and nationally – as they tell the stories of the past, present, and future, for the benefit of us all, as we continue to learn and grow into the ever changing world around us.”
Miranda Wright, Executive Director
We are thrilled to announce the return of the Kayenta New Play Lab, a unique opportunity for theater artists and audiences to converge to create and witness the development of new work. Six playwrights have been selected to participate by a panel of local and nationally-recognized experts. As part of a 10-day development residency, each play will be presented as a staged reading for our summer audiences, followed by engaging discussions and opportunities to meet the artists. This dynamic New Play Lab fosters creativity, connection, and an unforgettable artistic journey. Join us in celebrating new, original work, full of inspiration and camaraderie!
We are happy to have the following playwrights present their work as part of this year’s Lab:
Secondhand Stevie
by Joss Carlisle (Hurricane, UT)
Friday August 9th 7:30pm & Saturday August 10th 4:00pm
Follow Blake, a drag performer who impersonates Stevie Nicks, as he explores his relationship with the world and the people around him.
The Abundance
by Chelsea Sutton (Los Angeles, CA)
Saturday August 10th 7:30pm & Sunday August 11st 4:00pm
After moving to a new corner of suburbia, a broke young mom is lured into a multi-level marketing scheme by her new neighbors and a slick-talking bottle of tonic, and must either claw her way to the top of the pyramid, or lose everything by leaving.
Mama’s Dresses/A Dress For Mama
by Sarahjeen Francois (Valencia, CA)
Friday August 16th 7:30pm & Saturday August 17th 4:00pm
Three sisters gather together to mourn the loss of their mother, and grow closer as they remember her life and memories.
Christmas is Canceled
by Matthew Ivan Bennett (Salt Lake City, UT)
Saturday, August 17th 7:30pm & Sunday, August 18th 4:00pm
A local theater company led by new hot-shot producer and director Fitz gather together to put on an adaptation of A Christmas Carol. Drama heightens and hilarity ensues when small town theater politics get in the way and gossip spreads.
The Caregiver’s Guide
by Jami Brandli (Los Angeles, CA)
Friday, August 23rd 7:30pm & Saturday, August 24th 4:00pm
The Miller family rallies together as they struggle with grief and the pain of the effects Early Onset Alzheimer’s has on their loved ones.
NEVER ASK
by Debora Threedy (Dammeron Valley, UT)
Saturday, August 24th 7:30pm & Sunday, August 25th 4:00pm
Due to unexplained circumstances, old friends Sandra, Jess, and Lance find themselves unexpectedly together again. The friends revisit old memories (and old feelings) and try to figure out why they have been able to reunite.
Kayenta New Play Lab Pass!
Go all in and be part of the development process for all six plays with a New Play Lab Pass. The audience is a critical player in the development of new plays, and each reading will be followed by a feedback session with the audience.
Introducing: Unlocking the Arts
Unlocking the Arts is a series of FREE public discussions led by scholars and subject experts, correlating to the Center for the Arts at Kayenta’s performing arts programming throughout our 2024/2025 season. Take a deeper dive into contemporary dance, theater, and new music through guided forums in discussion around themes presented by our programming.
August 10, 2024 // 2:30pm
Scholar: Scott Knowles, Associate Professor at Southern Utah University
Discussion: Exploring the relationship between urgent social issues and new playwriting.
This event is made possible through a grant from Utah Humanities. Utah Humanities strengthens Utah communities by cultivating connections, deepening understanding, and exploring our complex human experience.
The Kayenta New Play Lab is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.
The Kayenta New Play Lab is sponsored by Douglas Caputo / Desert Dweller at Equity Real Estate