Posts by Jerry Rapier

This post also appears in the current issue of Catalyst Magazine.

True abortion stories gathered by Planned Parenthood Association of Utah from Utahns who have had abortions. A co-production of An Other Theater Co., Plan-B Theatre, PYGmalion Productions, and Planned Parenthood Association of Utah.

Birthday Suit(e). Birthday Suit. Birthday Suite. We don’t know which company will read it which way. But we do know we’ll have a great time figuring it out with you as we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center!

The truth is simple: If I want to see myself represented, I need to represent myself.

This post also appears in the current issue of QSaltLake.

This post also appears in the current issue of QSaltLake.

Today marks two years since Eric left us. It seems almost impossible that it’s been that long.

We are honored to have been Eric’s artistic home. It seems appropriate to share today that Eric’s entire body of work (well, the plays we could find copies of – his laptop remains an enigma!) has been published by Leicester Bay Theatricals and is now available as THE COLLECTED PLAYS OF ERIC SAMUELSEN.

64 plays
8 volumes

Four of the eight volumes feature introductions from members of the Plan-B family: Artistic Director Jerry Rapier, Playwrights Melissa Leilani Larson and Matthew Ivan Bennett, and Educator Colleen Lewis.

Read on for the full text of each.

We miss you Eric.

Our contribution to the evening is the world premiere of “Stranded,” a 10-minute play by Brandan Ngo, a member of our Theatre Artists of Color Writing Workshop. Commissioned as part of the national Play at Home initiative early in the pandemic, “Stranded” is a wacky comedy about isolation, enbarrassing memories, and imaginary friends.

It’s hard to be an outsider. In a state like Utah, it feels like there’s no shortage of opportunity to stand out for all the wrong reasons. Having a name that’s hard to pronounce, speaking a different language, darker skin, not being part of the dominant religion, having opinions that oppose the mainstream; it adds up.

Over our 15-year relationship with playwright Matthew Ivan Bennett, we’ve had a lot of fun with radio drama, revisited Utah’s complicity in the Japanese internment through BLOCK 8, explored the art and life of Leonardo da Vinci in DI ESPERIENZA, opened our hearts to the impact of terminal cancer in MESA VERDE, explored the transition…