P.G. ANON DigiPlaybill
Part of our 2021, 30th anniversary, COVID-19-Aware, Zoom-Rehearsed, Audio-Only, Fully-Virtual Subscription Series.
If P.G. ANON were a film, it would be rated PG-13; if it were a TV show, it would be rated TV-14.
P.G. ANON SETTING
Three stories about three women in three acts.
One too old, one too young, one not up to the task, all newly pregnant. It’s a time before any decisions, a time they are alone, living in two heads, one deeply buried in the present, the other threatened by future turned upside down.
Act I: Pauline, 2016
Act II: Tiffany, 1996
Act III: Sheila, 1991
Total run time is 1 hour, 5 minutes.
P.G. ANON was rehearsed via Zoom in 10 homes across six zip codes. At no point was an actor asked to leave her home. Vocal tracks were recorded on Tascam lav mic recorders fashioned into home recording studios, thanks to the genius of David Evanoff. Seven vocal tracks were recorded independently and simultaneously. Many a pause was taken for sketchy internet, barking dogs, vibrating phones, showering spouses, loud neighbors, electronic notifications, neighborhood traffic, electronic notifications, airplanes, birds, and more dogs. Many a mini-SD card was placed in an envelope or Ziploc bag and taped to a door by an actor for contactless retrievals. Those vocal tracks were then downloaded and synced at Counterpoint Studios (again, David Evanoff). Director and sound designer Cheryl Ann Cluff then dropped her sound files into a Sound Forge file of the now-synced vocal tracks. David and Cheryl Ann then finalized placement and sound levels, the results of which you are about to hear!
P.G. ANON CREATIVE TEAM
Playwright Julie Jensen
Director and Sound Designer Cheryl Ann Cluff
Ensemble Latoya Cameron*
Ensemble Lily Hye Soo Dixon
Pauline April Fossen
Ensemble Tamara Howell
Ensemble Tracie Merrill*
Sheila Sydney Shoell
Tiffany Emilie Starr
Dramaturg Charisse Baxter
Graphic Design Aaron Swenson
Rehearsal Sound Technician Joe Killian
Mic Technique Coach Jay Perry
Sound Engineer David Evanoff
*Appearing through an Agreement with Actors' Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.
Plan-B Theatre is an Associate Member
of the National New Play Network.
PLAN-B STAFF
Artistic Director Jerry Rapier
Managing Director Cheryl Ann Cluff
Education Coordinator Sharah Meservy
Resident Stage Manager Jennifer Freed
PLAN-B BOARD
President Benjamin Brown
Trustee Rebecca Chavez-Houck
Managing Director Cheryl Ann Cluff
Trustee Chris Curlett
Trustee Lily Hye Soo Dixon
Trustee Jesse Nix
Treasurer Rick Pollock
Artistic Director Jerry Rapier
Secretary Kay Shean
Trustee Paul Tew
P.G. ANON SPECIAL THANKS
Playwright Julie Jensen would like to thank the innumerable women who shared their stories; Tara Mallen, artistic director of Rivendell Theatre in Chicago, who commissioned the play and helped to develop it; Christy Summerhays, who directed the Script-In-Hand Series of the play at Plan-B; Charisse Baxter, who functioned as dramaturg; and actresses in both Chicago and Salt Lake City who helped develop the play. She is also indebted to Plan-B Theatre, its Lab, its artistic director, Jerry Rapier, and particularly to production director and sound designer Cheryl Ann Cluff, and the cast of seven women - all talented and patient, generous and inspiring - for making this journey.
P.G. ANON WHO'S WHO
PLAYWRIGHT JULIE JENSEN
has written more than 30 plays, all of which have been professionally produced. Among them:
WINTER premiered at Salt Lake Acting Company. It was named a rolling world premiere by National New Play Network, with productions at Rivendell Theatre in Chicago and Central Works Ensemble in Berkerley, CA.
MOCKINGBIRD, commissioned by and premiered at Kennedy Center, won the David Mark Cohen National Playwriting Award, the Alliance of Theatre Educators Outstanding Play for Young Adults. Produced by a dozen professional theatres nationwide, including PYGmalion Theatre. Published by Dramatic Publishing.
TWO-HEADED has been produced at the Women’s Project in New York, Anson Ford Theatre in Los Angeles, Rose Theatre in London, Berkshire Theatre Festival in Massachusetts, Salt Lake Acting Company, and Pygmalion Theatre. It won the LA Weekly Award for Best New Play, and named one of the best productions of the year by The Washington Post. Published by Dramatic Publishing and Smith and Kraus Publishers.
Jensen’s relationship with Plan-B Theatre has been long and fruitful. The company has produced two of her plays, SHE WAS MY BROTHER and CHRISTMAS WITH MISFITS. She is an original member of The Lab, taught an eight-week playwriting class to launch the Theatre Artists of Color Writing Workshop, and her playwriting curriculum, Playwriting with Young People, is available to K-6 teachers statewide.
DIRECTOR AND SOUND DESIGNER CHERYL ANN CLUFF
co-founded Plan-B in 1991 and has served as Managing Director since 1995. She has designed sound for nearly every Plan-B production since 2000, including all 14 episodes of RADIO HOUR, which she also directed. Her directing credits include Julie Jensen’s CHRISTMAS WITH MISFITS, Melissa Leilani Larson's THE EDIBLE COMPLEX, Jennifer Kokai and Oliver Kokai-Means’ ZOMBIE THOUGHTS, Elaine Jarvik’s RIVER.SWAMP.CAVE.MOUNTAIN, BASED ON A TRUE STORY, and AN EVENING WITH TWO AWFUL MEN, and Camille Washington's ODA MIGHT.
ACTOR LATOYA CAMERON* (Ensemble)
is full of joy to be back at Plan-B Theatre, where she has been seen in SINGING TO THE BRINE SHRIMP, NOT ONE DROP, MAMA, A/VERSION OF EVENTS, HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH, and the Free Elementary School Tours of DIFFERENT=AMAZING and RUFF!. Other theatre: FORM OF A GIRL UNKNOWN, THE CAKE, STUPID FUCKING BIRD, and R+J: STAR CROSS'D DEATH MATCH (Salt Lake Acting Company); CANDY AND DOROTHY (In The Now Productions); AS YOU LIKE IT, SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE, TREASURE ISLAND, HENRY V, MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, MARY POPPINS, and FIDDLER ON THE ROOF (Utah Shakespeare Festival); A CHRISTMAS CAROL (reading), RENT, THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW, ELF: THE MUSICAL, THE MUSIC MAN, and A RAISIN IN THE SUN (reading) (Pioneer Theatre Company); A CHRISTMAS CAROL (Denver Center of the Performing Arts). She is thrilled to be part of this production with this incredible team of artists. She wants to thank Plan-B for providing a way to keep their artists employed and safe during this unprecedented time.
ACTOR LILY HYE SOO DIXON (Ensemble)
is honored to be performing in P.G. ANON. Her previous work at Plan-B Theatre includes SINGING TO THE BRINE SHRIMP, RADIO HOUR EPISODE 13: TROLL, and (IN)DIVISIBLE. Other recent credits include MERCURY and 4000 Miles at Salt Lake Acting Company. Hye Soo feels lucky to sit on the board of Plan-B Theatre and hopes to continue to support the community and the arts. She graduated with her BFA in Classical Acting from Southern Utah University. She currently teaches theatre and loves hanging out with her son and their dog Chewie.
ACTOR EMILIE EVANOFF (Tiffany)
is so excited to be part of the Plan-B family again this year. She has previously appeared in Plan-B's VIRTUE, AN EVENING WITH TWO AWFUL MEN, and THE ICE FRONT. As a successful starving actress in Utah, she has performed all over the state. Other credits include THE DIARY OF A WORM SPIDER AND A FLY and MR. PERFECT (Salt Lake Acting Company), COWBOY MOUTH (Good Company Theatre), CLOSER (Wasatch Theatre Company), and the LIVE WELL SCHOOL TOUR (Intermountain Healthcare). Emilie is grateful to continue to work on the cutting edge of Utah theatre.
ACTOR APRIL FOSSEN (Pauline)
has appeared in many Plan-B productions, including THE AUDACITY, THE WEIRD PLAY, ONE BIG UNION, PILOT PROGRAM, NOTHING PERSONAL, SUFFRAGE, MESA VERDE, and SHE WAS MY BROTHER (also by Julie Jensen). Recent local credits also include MERCURY, BULL SHARK ATTACK, and BLACKBERRY WINTER (Salt Lake Acting Company); A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE (Grand Theatre); STAGE KISS (Wasatch Theatre Company); AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY (Silver Summit/Utah Rep); WOMEN OF TRACHIS (Classical Greek Theatre Festival); and LOVE, ANN (Pussycat Productions. April holds a Bachelor’s degree in Theatre Arts from UC Berkeley.
ACTOR TAMARA HOWELL (Ensemble)
recently had the privilege of appearing in FOUR WOMEN TALKING ABOUT THE MAN UNDER THE SHEET (still waiting for COVID-19 to allow the full run to continue), STAG'S LEAP (also Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse), and TWO STORIES (Salt Lake Acting Company. Other recent roles include WAIT!, MARY AND MYRA, REMINGTON AND WEASEL, and MOCKINGBIRD (PYGmalion Theatre Company), IN THE HEIGHTS (Good Company), and TITUS ANDRONICUS (Pinnacle Acting Company). Tamara earned her BFA in Theatre from the University of Utah and is currently pursuing her Master's. She is also Jr. High School theatre teacher.
ACTOR TRACIE MERRILL* (Ensemble)
has previously appeared in Plan-B's ONE BIG UNION, LADY MACBETH, and DI ESPERIENZA. Other local productions: THE WOLVES, THE ICE GLEN, and RAPTURE, BLISTER, BURN (Salt Lake Acting Company); ELEEMOSYNARY, SELMA 65, CHEAT (also by Julie Jensen), and STOP KISS (PYGmalion Theatre); RINGS (Grand Theatre); and RARE BIRD (University of Utah). Tracie received her MFA from UT-Knoxville and classical degree from Weber Douglas Academy in London. Huge thanks to Julie, Cheryl, and Jerry!
ACTOR SYDNEY SHOELL (Sheila)
is excited to be working with Plan-B Theatre. Her previous credits include WHITE SAVIOR, WAIT! (also by Julie Jensen), RED BIKE, and ELEEMOSYNARY (PYGmalion Theatre Company); THE LOWER DEPTHS and TITUS ANDRONICUS (Pinnacle Acting Company); SCHOOL FOR SCANDAL, CLYBOURNE PARK, and TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA (Westminster Theatre); and ION (The Classical Greek Festival). Syd received her BFA in performance from Westminster College and spends her summers white water raft guiding at Holiday River Expeditions.
DRAMATURG CHARISSE BAXTER
is delighted to be working with Julie Jensen and Plan-B Theatre. She has worked as a production and literary dramaturg for Pinnacle Acting Company, Hale Centre Theatre, the Blueprint Collective (Canterbury, UK), and several Utah high schools. Charisse is currently a graduate student at BYU, researching modes of adaptation, and where she most recently served as dramaturg and script adaptor for an online production of AN IDEAL HUSBAND, which was honored at KCACTF.