People getting tied into knots of dismay about uncomfortable topics certainly isn’t unique to Utah. But fortunately for Plan-B Theatre Company, there are enough instances statewide every year to generate an evening of five new plays.
In 2009, the company combined its annual “let’s put on a show in 24 hours” Slammed event with its annual censorship-themed And the Banned Played On fundraiser to create an evening of five plays based on real instances of head-shaking policy decisions from the preceding 12 months—written, cast and staged over one 24-hour period. The result ranged from the merely intriguing to the borderline brilliant (Matthew Ivan Bennett’s “Terms of Use,” pictured). And since Utah isn’t losing its misplaced expressions of outrage any time soon, there’s plenty of new material for 2010.
Playwrights Bennett, Deborah DeVos, Jennifer Nii, Julie Jensen and Tim Slover will get the task this time of drawing inspiration from headline-grabbing Utah events of 2009-2010, including the infamous Main Street Plaza gaykissing arrest, the controversy over showing public-school students an address by President Obama and the Utah Legislature addressing a “wolf ban.” Over the course of one whirlwind day—with the assistance of talented local actors including Kirt Bateman, Teri Cowan, Daisy Blake and CityWeekly.net contributor Deena Marie Manzanares—those randomly distributed topics will become brand-new theatrical experiences for your entertainment, amusement and edification. X96’s Bill Allred and KUER’s Doug Fabrizio return as hosts/ringmasters for this showcase of impromptu creativity born of parochial thinking.
Plan-B Theatre Company: And the Banned Slammed On @ Rose Wagner Center Jeanne Wagner Theatre, 138 W. 300 South, 801-355- ARTS, May 1, $25-$40. PlanBTheatre.org
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