Posts Tagged ‘religion’
March of the Salt Soldiers
Relatable local play shows at Centre Stage
Originally published in the UVU Review on Sept. 15, 2008.
Catching a production like UVU’s March of the Salt Soldiers is a rare opportunity; if you are reading this newspaper, the script was written specifically for you. There will be a character you can relate with, and the subject of the dialogue directly effects you.
James Arrington, a professor at UVU, teamed up with local playwright Mahonri Stewart under the commission of the Utah Sesquicentennial Committee to create a play about the Utah War. What they came up with is a well-presented conversation about issues of church vs. state in Utahan history from a Mormon, non-Mormon, and ex-Mormon point of view.
The play begins by forcing you to think about the Utah War — but not in an overbearing way. Even though it is contemporary theater, the actors won’t be asking you to make any verbal contributions. This initial mental stimulation serves to warm the audience up to the intellectual dialogue during the body of the play.
The authors did a particularly good job in writing something that was both informative and interesting. The script transitions gracefully between hard information about “Buchanan’s Blunder” and plot and character development. The interpersonal relations of the characters prove that the issues of church vs. state and Mormons vs. non-Mormons that lead to the Utah War are still problematic today.
At about forty minutes into the production, it starts to feel a bit long. The actors keep it rolling at a good rhythm, but with so much dialogue and so little visual interest, it is difficult at times for the audience to remain engaged. There is an intermission at around 8:30, and the second act will keep you interested.
All of the acting in the show is good, but there were a few standouts: Benjamin A. Sansom as Dr. Orson Z. Young in particular played his character with a breadth of believable emotion. Lawrence M. McLay portrayed his part with a peaceful Southern wit, especially excelling in comedy. Hank Florence as Dr. Maxwell A. Weismann played an ideal opposing force to Sansom, making every line sound like it was the first time he uttered it.
Near the conclusion of the play, there are a couple plot devices that seem unnatural and unnecessary, but that are used to bring around a tidy conclusion. This may have been a gift to the audience — for Utahan audiences are notorious for liking stories tied up in a bow at the end. The topic of the play, however, would have been better served if the action was inconclusive and the audience members had to tie that bow themselves.
The play shows at Centre stage in the first floor of the Student Center. The seating isn’t raised, so get there early if you don’t want to stare at the back of someone’s head for the evening. And if you have problems sitting for a long time, bring a pillow: The chairs aren’t padded.
More information
March of the Salt Soldiers shows at UVU’s Centre Stage on Sept. 18 and 19 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $6 to $10 and can be purchased at Campus Connection
Meet me at the corner of India and Peru
14th Annual Llama Fest at the Hare Krishna Temple.
Originally published in the UVU Review on 7/14/2008.
There is a subculture in Utah Valley that gets the attention it deserves only once a year at the Llama Fest. This small society is, of course, made up of llama owners and llama lovers.
At first it may sound strange. After all, what is there to do at a festival devoted solely to llamas?
Plenty, it turns out. For the fourteenth annual Llama Fest at the Hare Krishna temple in Spanish Fork, there will be obstacle courses, races, food, wool demonstrations and live performances by local bands.
Llamas in Utah lead a life of luxury compared to their cousins in South America. Here, they may be used as sheep guards or light load-bearers, but are mainly found as pets or wool-providers. If you have never seen one in person before, this could be a rare learning opportunity. After all, llamas aren’t often held in zoos.
If you’re not interested in the life of a llama, the festival is still a good excuse to see the beautiful temple and sample the exotic food. This year, food booths will offer Latin American staples from chili to bread pudding.
In case you’ll ever consider attending the free yoga classes, tours, or stress sermons the temple offers, the festival can also be a good excuse to scope out the grounds and make yourself comfortable there. Saturday, July 19, the festivities will start at 4 p.m. at 8628 S Main in Spanish Fork. Admission is $3 for adults and $1 for children. For more information, visit www.utahkrishnas.com
How to become a saint
Published in The College Times on March 31, 2008.
1. You’ve got to have patience. The official process can take decades, or even centuries, which most likely means that you won’t see much of it during your lifetime.
2. Technically, you have to be dead for five years before the official process can begin. So you’ll have to align your life in the meantime so that when you finally do die, you’re all set for sainthood. It’s like zipping up your purse and tying your shoes before you get on a roller coaster. You’ve got all that time while you’re waiting in line to prepare, and if you don’t, your shoes will fall off and the contents of your bag will fly everywhere and you will be too late to take control of it.
3. Be sure to write about how fabulous you are in your journal, and make sure that your local bishop will eventually get a hold of it. If he deems your life significant and devoted to God, then he should follow procedure and fling you up to the next rung in the ladder.
4. Here’s the tough part: miracles. Many think that you must create miracles while you’re alive, but really they are usually done posthumously. This unfortunate obstacle obviously makes the route much more difficult. Try to convince people to pray to your spirit to help them in hard times, because if you haven’t made two posthumous miracles, you’re pretty much screwed.
5. Your life must be devoted to God. Now, you’re welcome to interpret this however you’d like. Whether it’s preaching a message, or helping those around you, you’ve got to find some cause (that the Pope would approve of) and devote yourself to it entirely.
6. Sometimes you can beat the system. Mother Theresa was promoted to sainthood before she even died — because of the outcry of the people. Before there was a specific procedure for canonization, saints were made by popular opinion.
7. It doesn’t hurt to be baptized as a Catholic. In fact, actual this is most likely one of those unwritten rules.
8. If all else fails, take a cue from King Henry VIII and create your own religion. Then you can make yourself and all of your friends into saints. You could play this to your advantage even more by canonizing the pizza delivery boy instead of tipping him.
A Crash Course in Faith
New Play Group produces Thorns and Thistles
Published in The College Times on September 29, 2007.
New Play Group, a fledgling theater troupe based in Provo, produced a quartet of short plays exploring how faith is created and how it is tested, according to a recent press release.
“This is one of my favorite productions of the year,” said James Goldberg, artistic director. “We feel it’s important for LDS playwrights to have a chance to write their own religious experiences using their own religious terminology.”
It is rare to find an LDS-based play that is not simply a reproduction of ancient religious texts. Here, audiences can follow a modern story, finding their own contemporary opinions of faith, hope and charity along the way.
It is too late for students to catch Thorns and Thistles, which played through the end of last week. However, New Play Project is something to keep an eye on in the future.
According to their Web site, New Play Project, which describes its members as “pioneers in values-driven theater,” will be producing America starting Nov. 30. It’s another anthology about what America does right, wrong and what’s “just plain silly.”
New Play Project is not only looking for actors for their plays, but scripts, as well. They provide local writers with a channel for their work, as long as the scripts align with the theme of the show.
They are also interested in local directors, dramaturges, stage management and designers.
For more information, visit their Web site at www.newplayproject.org
