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I am very happy to welcome you to a bold new experience at SLAC, a rock opera unlike anything we’ve done before. This marks the second production I’ve had the privilege of directing beyond Saturday’s Voyeur and our SLAC’s Summer Show. I had a clear vision of what this play could be on SLAC’s stage, and had to say yes to directing it.
Every production begins with a question: Who do I trust to help bring this vision to life? My first call was to musical director Dave Evanoff. Dave and I have been collaborating since 1995; it was my first choreography opportunity. Since then, we’ve spent nearly two decades working together on Saturday’s Voyeur, building a creative partnership and a shared commitment to pushing beyond what’s on the page. We strive to create theatrical experiences that are both imaginative and unforgettable.
From there, the universe delivered an extraordinary cast of professional artists who meet the demands of this challenging piece with passion and heart. They have moved me daily in rehearsals. A design team joins us that can be described as rock stars, whose work elevates this production. I am grateful to be surrounded by such remarkable creative minds.
And at the center of it all is you, our audience. Every choice we make is for you. To our subscribers: you already know how deeply we value you. Your year-round support is the lifeblood of SLAC and makes everything you see here possible. If you’re not yet a subscriber, I invite you to join us. Becoming a subscriber means more than getting tickets; it’s a way to invest in daring, locally created theatre, to champion artists, and to ensure that stories like this continue to be told.
Thank you for being here and for your support.
With love and gratitude,
Cynthia Executive Artistic Director


Kind Act a Day’s mission is to build kinder communities by inspiring daily acts of deliberate kindness



by Troy Deutsch
World Premiere
Sept. 30 - Oct. 25, 2026
The Great Salt Lake is disappearing—and so is this family’s sanity. This comedy follows the eccentric Sharp family as they reunite to sell their late father’s lakeside home. Chaos erupts as they’re forced to confront their legacy and the truth that lies beneath the salty water just outside their window.
by Lucas Hnath
Utah Premiere
Feb. 3 - 28, 2027
What’s really going on in the space just behind and a little above your eyes? The thin place, that fragile boundary between our world and the next. This intimate and surprising séance will have you questioning what you hear and what your mind might be capable of.
By Steven Cheslik-DeMeyer, Tim Maner, and Alan Stevens Hewitt
Utah Premiere
Apr. 7 - May 2, 2027
You know the rhyme. Now hear her side.
In the sweltering summer of 1892, Andrew Borden and his wife are found murdered in their house. The main suspect? Lizzie Borden. This electrifying all-woman rock musical rewrites the narrative. Lizzie cracks open a legend and lets it scream.
World Premiere
June 23 - Aug. 14, 2027
Your favorite summer party is back. Grab your food, pour a drink, and get ready to laugh at the peculiar, the passionate, and the downright perplexing parts of life in the Beehive State. Created fresh each year by Utahns, for Utahns — because no one roasts us quite like we do.
Based on Books and Characters by Mo Willems
Script and Lyrics by Mo Willems and Adam Tobin
Music by Deborah Wicks La Puma
Dramaturgy by Megan Alrutz
Dec. 5 - 29, 2026
When Mo Willems’ characters get together for the holidays, it’s bound to be the biggest extravaganza ever! The Unlimited Squirrels deck the halls and Elephant and Piggie come ready to celebrate! But will The Pigeon join in the festivities, or will he run all the way to the North Pole in search of the greatest gift ever? Terrific tunes, silly stories, goofy gifts, audience antics: it’s all in this brand-new musical party that sleighs!
Stop by the Chapel Theatre during intermission or the Box Office after the show. Call us at 801-363-7522
Go online: www.SaltLakeActingCompany.org/ Subscribe
Current Subscribers can also mail in their renewal form.
Be sure to renew by June 5th to guarantee your seats!

Conceived by and with book and lyrics by Julia Jordan
Music and Lyrics by Juliana Nash
Orchestrations and Vocal Arrangements by Justin Levine
Director/Choreographer
Cynthia Fleming
Music Director Set Designer Lighting Designer
David Evanoff
Sound Designer
Erik Reichert David DeCarolis
Costume Designer Props Designer
Cynthia L. Kehr Rees** Dennis Hassan Arika Schockmel
Fight/Intimacy Director
Adriana Lemke
Production Stage Manager Assistant Stage Manager
Tahra Veasley* Bridgette Lehman
Executive Artistic Director
Cynthia Fleming
Asst. Lighting Designer
Asst. Sound Designer & Audio Engineer
Sara Schwartz Calvin J. Vinson
MURDER BALLAD
Is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.mtishows.com
Originally presented Off-Broadway by MTC Productions INC., Niclas Nagler, Richard Frankel, Tom Viertel, Steven Baruch, Marc Routh, Simone Genatt Haft, Susanne Adamski, Scott M. Delman
Originally presented by New York Stage and Film Company and the Powerhouse Theater at Vassar in July, 2012
Originally produced in New York City by Manhattan Theatre Club, Lynne Meadow, Artistic Director, Barry Grove, Executive Producer on October 31, 2012
Murder Ballad was workshopped as part of Playtime, a program of New Dramatists.
NOTE TO AUDIENCE: Any video and/or audio recording of this production is strictly prohibited.
*Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States. **Represented by United Scenic Artists Local USA 829 of the IATSE.
Salt Lake Acting Company gratefully acknowledges the following foundations and government agencies for their very generous sponsorship . Their support is truly essential to SLAC’s vitality and success .
FOUNDATION AND GOVERNMENT SUPPORT
SALT LAKE COUNTY ZOO, ARTS & PARKS PROGRAM
THE SHUBERT FOUNDATION
TERENCE KEARNS STEPHENS CHARITABLE FUND
NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS
UTAH DIVISION OF ARTS AND MUSEUMS
GEORGE S. & DOLORES DORÉ ECCLES FOUNDATION
MARRINER S. ECCLES FOUNDATION
MCCARTHEY FAMILY FOUNDATION
LAWRENCE T. & JANET T. DEE FOUNDATION
JOHN & MARCIA PRICE FAMILY FOUNDATION
LARRY H. AND GAIL MILLER FAMILY FOUNDATION
JARVIS & CONSTANCE DOCTOROW FAMILY FOUNDATION
ANONYMOUS
B.W. BASTIAN FOUNDATION
SALT LAKE CITY ARTS COUNCIL
SORENSON LEGACY FOUNDATION
SEMNANI FAMILY FOUNDATION
ROCKY MOUNTAIN POWER FOUNDATION
HERBERT I. & ELSA B. MICHAEL FOUNDATION
HENRY W. & LESLIE M. ESKUCHE FOUNDATION
S.J. & JESSIE E. QUINNEY FOUNDATION
Salt Lake Acting Company sincerely thanks the following Corporate Partners who make the 2025/2026 season possible:
ROHA BREWING PROJECT

If your business is interested in becoming a corporate sponsor, please visit the Box Office or contact Erika Ahlin Bird at Erika@SaltLakeActingCompany .Org


This project is supported in part by Salt Lake County’s Zoo, Arts and Parks program, Utah Division of Arts and Museums, with funding from the State of Utah and the Salt Lake City Arts Council.
Sara ...........................................................
Tom.
Narrator ...................................................
Michael ...................................................



COLLETTE ASTLE* (She/Her) is thrilled to be back at SLAC after her debut as Rebecca in Whitelisted. After a long stint of living & performing in NYC, she is happy to have found an artistic home here in Utah at SLAC. In addition to film, TV, commercial, & theatrical acting, Collette is a singer-songwriter, currently producing her sophomore album. Her original rock music is available on all major streaming platforms. “Peace, love, & rock n roll forever baby!” @ColletteAstle
GRAY AYDELOTT (He/Him) Raised in Kaysville, Gray Aydelott’s work spans television, film, and stage. Television credits include co-starring roles on Kingdom, Days of Our Lives, Everwood, and Touched by an Angel, as well as a Top 8 Group Finalist on The X-Factor and a regional finalist placement on American Idol. Gray has appeared as Benny in In the Heights, Seaweed in Hairspray, Roger
Collette Astle*
Latoya Cameron*
M. Scott McLean*

in RENT, Marius in Les Misérables, and Bill Calhoun in Kiss Me, Kate. As a musician and songwriter, he has opened for Harry Connick Jr., The Temptations, Tony Bennett, Brett Michaels, and Cyndi Lauper, and was a songwriter for Universal Records from 2017-2019. Gray is a proud co-owner and singer in Red Hot Revolution, an international corporate event band. He is grateful to tell this bold and powerful story alongside such brilliant talent and vision. Love one another!
LATOYA CAMERON* (She/Her) is thrilled to be back on the SLAC stage! SLAC Credits: R+J: Star-Cross’d Death Match (2015 & 2025), Beloved King (NPSS), You Will Get Sick, Passing Strange, Four Women Talking About the Man Under the Sheet, Form of A Girl, and Stupid Fucking Bird to name a few. Other Credits: Grasmere (Voodoo Theatre Company), Just Add Water, The Clean-Up Project
(named the Utah Review’s Top Utah Enlightenment Moment in 2022), Singing to the Brine Shrimp, A/Version of Events, and Hedwig and the Angry Inch to name a few (Plan-B Theatre Company); Rocky Horror Show (2014 & 2015), Elf the Musical (2013), RENT (Pioneer Theatre Company); Shakespeare in Love, As You Like It, Henry V, Mary Poppins (Utah Shakespeare Festival); The Color Purple, Closer (Wasatch Theatre Company); A Christmas Carol (Denver Center of the Performing Arts); Shelter, the Musical (New York Musical Theatre Festival); HAIR (Egyptian Theater). Directed: Whitelisted (co-directed with Tito Livas), Sankofa, This Journey: Go Back and Get It! (Salt Lake Acting Company & UBLAC); Town Hall (University of Utah); Title of Show, Dreamgirls (The Grand Theatre); RENT (The Ziegfeld Theater). The second season of her podcast Sistas Unscripted with her two sisters is live now (follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook!), a proud member of Actors’ Equity, and signed with Talent Management Group (TMG). Socials: IG: @Loyaness_Roar
M. SCOTT MCLEAN* (He/Him) Off-Broadway: New York Classical Theatre - ‘Angelo’ in Measure for Measure, ‘Macduff’ in Macbeth, and ‘Willmore’ in The Rover. Regional Theatre: Everyman Theatre, Baltimore MD - ‘Gabe’ in Dinner With Friends, ‘Michel’ in Murder On The Orient Express; Denver Center Theatre Company, Denver CO - ‘Fred’ in A Christmas Carol, ‘Happy’ in Death of a Salesman, ‘Mick’ in Grace Or The Art Of Climbing; Merry Go Round Playhouse in Auburn, NY - ‘Emmett’ in Legally Blonde the Musical. Graduate of The American Academy of Dramatic Arts, NY (AOS Degree) and The National Theatre Conservatory, CO (MFA Degree).
JULIA JORDAN (Book & Lyrics) Musicals: Murder Ballad (book and lyrics); Sarah, Plain and Tall (book); The Mice (book, 1 act of Hal Prince’s 3hree). Plays: Boy, Tatjana in Color, St. Scarlet, Smoking Lesson, Dark Yellow, Astrological Quit Claim Deeds, Jones. The Kleban Award for librettist, Francesca Primus Prize, Lucille Lortel Playwriting Fellowship, Man-
hattan Theatre Club Fellowship, Jonathan Larson Award, Heideman Award and two time LeComte Nouy Award, AT&T OnStage Award, The American Spirit Award, three times shortlisted for the Susan Smith Blackburn Award. Her work has been produced at Primary Stages, Actor’s Theater of Louisville, SoHo Rep, McCarter Theatre, Dallas Theater Center, Prince Music Theater, Ahmanson, Studio Dante, Wellfleet, Contemporary American Theater Festival, Salt Lake Acting Company and The American Theater, among others. Her plays have been developed at Sundance, The O’Neill, Ojai Playwrights Conference, Playlabs at the Minneapolis Playwrights Center, Cleveland Playhouse, among others. Jordan is one of the founders of The Lilly Awards and is on the Council of the Dramatists Guild.
JULIANA NASH (Music and Lyrics) was the rhythm guitarist, and singer-songwriter for the band Talking to Animals, which was signed to Columbia and Velvel Records. Her work has been featured in films such as Rob Morrow’s Maze and Eric Schaeffer’s Fall. She is the proud recipient of an MTC/Sloan commission. She is the co-lyricist and composer for MURDER BALLAD MURDER BALLAD was produced at the Manhattan theater club in their 2012-13 season and then transferred to the Union Square Theater in the spring of 2013. MURDER BALLAD was nominated for five Lortel Awards including outstanding musical, Drama League for outstanding musical and the Outer Critics Circle for best musical. Juliana is a graduate of the New England Conservatory of Music. She is a member of the Dramatists Guild and BMI and would like to thank both organizations for their support.
JUSTIN LEVINE (Orchestrations and Vocal Arrangements) earned Tony and GRAMMY Award nominations for his work on The Outsiders. His recent projects include: Moulin Rouge! The Musical (music supervisor, arranger, orchestrator; Tony Award), Shakespeare in the Park’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream (original music; Delacorte Theater; Drama Desk nom), VEVO X LORDE: Melodrama (vocal arranger/supervisor, conceived by
Lorde, Electric Lady Studios), Contemporary Color (music supervisor, conceived by David Byrne, Barclay’s Center and Air Canada Center), Bonfire Night (book, music and lyrics, NAMT), The Weight of Smoke (original music with Matt Stine, choreographed by Doug Elkins for Paul Taylor American Modern Dance, Lincoln Center), Pepper and Sam (co-conceived with Salty Brine, Ars Nova, Joe’s Pub), Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson (music director, co-orchestrator, cast, Public Theater and Broadway), Here Lies Love (music director, Public Theater, National Theatre, Seattle Rep, MassMoca, Broadway), Love’s Labour’s Lost (music director, co-orchestrator, cast, Delacorte), Robber Bridegroom (music director, co-orchestrator with Martin Lowe, Roundabout Theater) and Murder Ballad (music director, orchestrator, Manhattan Theatre Club and Union Square Theater).
CYNTHIA FLEMING (She/Her) (Director/ Choreographer/Executive Artistic Director) has been an integral part of Salt Lake Acting Company since 1998 and was named Executive Artistic Director in 2015. Over the years, Cynthia has lovingly shaped Salt Lake Acting Company into what it is today–creating and implementing SLAC’s Arts Education Programs (Title I Arts Education Program, Professional Theatre Program), deepening SLAC’s commitment to New Play Development through the Playwrights’ Lab, establishing a culture of community through the Making Space for Artists Program, outreach, and partnerships with other organizations. Under Cynthia’s leadership, SLAC has continually set the standard for accessibility, equity, diversity, and inclusion; in 2020, SLAC launched The Amberlee Fund, a capital campaign to make SLAC’s historic building wheelchair accessible. To date, Cynthia has produced over 100 plays.
DAVID EVANOFF (He/Him) (Music Director/ Keyboard) is a multi-Emmy Award–winning composer, arranger, and audio engineer whose work spans film, television, and live production. In 2023, he received top honors at the Cannes Film Festival for Sound Design in a Long-Form Documentary for America
Boxed In, further cementing his reputation for immersive, emotionally resonant storytelling through sound. As the founder and creative director of Sound Designs Studio, David produces original music and soundscapes for films, television projects, albums, and high-profile special events.
ERIK REICHERT (He/Him) (Set Designer) is a Set and Properties Designer based in Salt Lake City. Previous shows Set Designing include SLAC’s Summer Show 2025, Whitelisted, SLAC’s Summer Show 2024, Elephant & Piggie: We Are in a Play!, SLAC’s Summer Show 2023, Sankofa, This Journey: Go Back and Get It!, A Year With Frog and Toad, Stags Leap, The Wolves, The Dance and the Railroad, A Dolls House, Part 2. Asst. Set Designer for Form of a girl unknown. Props Design include, Hairy & Sherri, Sleeping Giant, SLAC Cabaret: Down the Rabbit Hole, Passing Strange, Egress, Elephant & Piggie: We Are in a Play!, Four Women Talking About The Man Under The Sheet. Erik holds a B.F.A. from Cal State Fullerton in Music Composition. He currently works as the Construction Supervisor at SLAC and Traveling Lead & Specialist for Trade Shows across America.
DAVID DECAROLIS (He/Him) (Lighting Designer) is a Japanese-American Lighting Designer excited to make his SLAC debut. He currently resides in Brooklyn splitting his time between nightclubs and theatre. His past design credits include Wish You Were Here (Yale Rep), Love’s Labour’s Lost, Little Boy/ Little Man, Color Boy (Isman Theatre), The Hedgehog’s Dilemma (Yale Cabaret), Form of a girl Unknown (SLAC). He has assisted on Saturday’s Voyeur, Three Little Pigs (SLAC), Today is my birthday, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Yale Repertory Theatre), Seize the King (The Classic Theatre of Harlem). He would like to thank his family for all their support. @thedecarolis| www.daviddecarolislighting.com
SARA SCHWARTZ (She/Her) (Asst. Lighting Designer) recently graduated with her B.F.A. in Performing Arts Design from the University of Utah. She works for the University of Utah’s Department of Theatre as
their lead lighting and sound technician and is a freelance lighting designer in the Salt Lake Valley. Her designs have been featured at West Valley Performing Arts, The Grand Theatre, Kingsbury Hall, Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center, Mid-Valley Performing Arts Center, and many more. Her favorite design credits include Nightfall with Edgar Allan Poe (West Valley Performing Arts), La Bohème (U Opera), and The Addams Family Musical (Backstage Performing Arts). She would like to thank her husband Zach for his unwavering support. You can follow her work at www.skcschwartzdesign.com
CYNTHIA L. KEHR REES** (She/Her) (Sound Designer) has enjoyed working with the collection of theatrical artists that Salt Lake Acting Company brought together to create this production of Murder Ballad. Ms. Rees’ previous collaborations with Salt Lake Acting Company include sound designs for
their productions of The Roommate, You Will Get Sick, Sleeping Giant, Mercury, The Persian Quarter, Winter, Charm, Skin in Flames, and Madagascar. Other theatres where you may have heard Ms. Rees’ work locally include Utah Musical Theatre, Park City Egyptian Theatre Company, and The Grand Theatre. Her regional credits include designs for Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Arena Stage, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, and The National Theatre in Washington D.C.. Cynthia received a BFA in Theatrical Design and Technology from Otterbein College, and an MFA in Sound Design from the College-Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati. Ms. Rees is a member of USA local 829 designers union.
CALVIN J. VINSON (He/Him) (Asst. Sound Designer & Audio Engineer) is excited to be back at SLAC. Some of his favorites from his recent work are: Sunny In The Dark (PTP

Asst. Sound Designer) at SLAC, The School for Scandal (Sound Designer & Composer) with the University of Utah’s Department of Theatre, OMNIA (Lighting & Sound Designer) with Foreground Movement Collective, Machinal (Sound Designer & Composer) with The College of Southern Idaho, and The Deer and The Antelope (A1) with The Ephemerates Theatre Collective. He is currently a Junior in the University of Utah’s Performing Arts Design Program (Sound Design emphasis) after completing his first two years of studies at The College of Southern Idaho. He’d like to thank SLAC and Cynthia Rees for giving him the opportunity to be a part of this amazing production!
DENNIS HASSAN (He/Him) (Costume Designer) Professor of Design and Head of the Graduate Theatre Design Program at Utah State University, Dennis has designed over 300 productions for theatres from Hawaii to Maine. He also designs sets, properties, corporate events, immersive experiences and puppetry. Dennis is delighted to return to SLAC where he has previously designed costumes for Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed, Secret Lives of Mormon Wives in the Salt Lake Hive, Whitelisted, Frog & Toad, Pete the Cat, and sets for Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, Egress, Streetlight Woodpecker, Winter, Fun Home, and Silent Dancer
ARIKA SCHOCKMEL (She/Her/Sir) (Props Designer) is bloody well excited to be back at SLAC, where she first appeared onstage in 2002. Arika is a 2024 Utah Arts Fellowship awardee and has worked extensively in props and costume crafts for theatre, television, and film. She is the Prop Manager for the U of U Department of Theatre and teaches Prop Design and Construction classes. In her decades as a theatre artist, Arika has also designed locally for Plan B, USU, The Grand, U Opera, UFOMT, The Egyptian Theatre, Utah Contemporary, Dark Horse, Voodoo Productions, SLAC, and Lyric Rep to name but a few. Proud member of S.P.M., the Society of Prop Managers. A lifelong theatre artist, other projects include, blood effects consultant, stage management, music, emceeing, film acting,
voiceovers, podcasting, television, and the occasional stage acting gig.
ADRIANA LEMKE (She/Her) (Fight/Intimacy Director) is a Salt Lake City based theatre-artist and movement professional. Previous Salt Lake Acting Company productions include Bat Boy: The Musical, The Roommate, Whitelisted, Hairy & Sherri, Sleeping Giant, Surely Goodness & Mercy, and The Wolves. Other fight and/or intimacy direction credits include The Sweet Science of Bruising, As You Like It, and Julius Caesar (UofU). At the Bottom (Pinnacle Acting Company), Ion (The Classical Greek Theatre Festival), Head Over Heels (The Grand Theatre), Twelfth Night (Salt Lake Shakespeare), Man and the Moon (Good Company Theatre), and Hamlet (Sun Valley Shakespeare).
TAHRA VEASLEY* (She/Her) (Production Stage Manager) Favorite select stage management credits include: Dating Comprehension (CH Productions), The Utah High School Musical Theatre Awards 2025 (Eccles Theatre), The Roommate, The Secret Lives of The Real Wives in The Salt Lake Hive, Whitelisted, Bald Sisters, Can I Say Yes To That Dress? (SLAC), Senior Stages Play Tour Series (Plan-B Theatre Company) Dreamgirls, Noises Off, In The Heights, Fate? ( Grand Theatre) and Eclipsed (KCACTF). Off-Broadway: The Bleeding Class (59E59). Favorite select assistant stage management credits include: The Robertassey, Elephant & Piggie’s: “We Are in a Play!”, Hairy & Sherri, and A Year With Frog & Toad (SLAC), Once on This Island, Mamma Mia!, Cagney, and Sweeney Todd: the Demon Barber of Fleet Street (Pioneer Theatre Company), West Side Story, First Date (Grand Theatre).
BRIDGETTE LEHMAN (She/Her) (Assistant Stage Manager) Recent select stage management credits include: Sunny in the Dark, R+J: Star-Cross’d Death Match, The Robertassey, You Will Get Sick, Close Encounter in the Beehive(SLAC), Radio Hour Ep.17(Plan-B Theatre Co.), The 25th Annual (Good Co. Theatre), Orpheus in the Underworld (Utah Vocal Arts Academy). Favorite select assis-
tant stage management credits include: Bald Sisters, Whitelisted, The Roommate, Bat Boy, The Secret Lives of The Real Wives in The Salt Lake Hive (SLAC). She is also a sound designer, including credits: Five Carols for Christmas, Shrek! The Musical (Ogden Musical Theatre).
MARK D. MAXSON (Guitar) Ogden based guitarist, Mark D. Maxson is excited to be back at SLAC for Murder Ballad. Previously at SLAC he has played guitar for Fun Home and the first production of Bat Boy: The Musical. He has also performed for many productions at the Pioneer, Hale, and The Grand Theatre. Mark was a member of the Dee Dee Darby Duffin Jazz Quintet
DAVIN TAYLER (Bass) is excited to return to the Salt Lake Acting Company having performed here in Fun Home. Other favorite stage credits include: Jesus Christ Superstar, Dreamgirls, Dead Certain, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show with The Grand Theatre; May we All, School of Rock, and Footloose with Hale Center Theatre; Jersey Boys with Pioneer Theatre Company.
KENDALL WHITE (Drums) Kendal has played professionally in the area for over 20 years. Most recently with acclaimed tribute band Toast as well as many theater productions including Dreamgirls, Patsy Cline, and Rocky Horror Picture Show
SALT LAKE ACTING COMPANY is celebrating its 54th Season and continuing its mission to engage and enrich community through brave contemporary theatre. Founded in 1970, SLAC is a not–for–profit 501(c)3 professional theatre dedicated to producing, commissioning, and developing
new works and to supporting a community of professional artists. SLAC has been nationally recognized by the Shubert Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Pew Charitable Trusts, and the Edgerton Foundation, among others. SLAC operates under an SPT Actors Equity Association contract and is a Constituent Member of Theatre Communications Group (a national organization for non–profit professional regional theatres), and the National New Play Network (a national alliance of non–profit professional theatres that champions the development, production, and continued life of new plays).
Founded in 1913, represents more than 51,000 professional Actors and Stage Managers nationwide. Equity seeks to foster the art of live theatre as an essential component of society and advances the careers of its members by negotiating wages, improving working conditions and providing a wide range of benefits, including health and pension plans. Equity is a member of the AFL–CIO and is affiliated with FIA, an international organization of performing arts unions. www. ActorsEquity. org #EquityWorks.
* Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.
**Represented by United Scenic Artists Local USA 829 of the IATSE.
Dan Miller, President; Cynthia Bell Snow, Office Administrator; Jackie Medina, Art Director; Ken Magleby, Graphic Design; Patrick Witmer, Graphic Design/Web Developer; Paula Bell, Dan Miller, Advertising Representatives; Transcript Bulletin, Printer. Printed On “Recyclable” Paper. PLEASE RECYCLE.
The Salt Lake Acting Company playbill is published by Mills Publishing, Inc.,772 East 3300 South, Suite 200, Salt Lake City, Utah 84106 Phone: 801.467.8833 Email: advertising@millspub.com Website: millspub.com. Mills Publishing produces playbills for many performing arts groups. Advertisers do not necessarily agree or disagree with content or views expressed on stage. Please contact us for playbill advertising opportunities. Copyright 2026.
Through the Professional Theatre Program for Emerging Artists (PTP), SLAC provides opportunities for students and early-career theatre artists to gain meaningful, fully paid experience. This production’s PTP participants are:
Sara Schwartz - Asst. Lighting Designer
Calvin J. Vinson - Asst. Sound Designer & Audio Engineer
“I am so excited to be assistant designing my very first SLAC show! As someone who is still getting their start in this industry, I’m incredibly grateful that SLAC and their Professional Theatre Program provides amazing opportunities for young designers like me to work alongside industry professionals in a welcoming and positive environment.”
- Sara Schwartz
“The PTP at SLAC allows me to work and collaborate with amazing designers and creatives in the industry that I otherwise wouldn’t meet until much later. I’m able to learn and grow alongside everyone while I’m still early in the field which has helped further my career so much more than I expected.”
- Calvin J. Vinson

Sara Schwartz and Calvin J. Vinson
Our thanks to the following funders for their generous support of this program:
Terence Kearns Stephens Charitable Trust
The John and Marcia Price Family Foundation
B.W. Bastian Foundation
Our Chapel Gallery is a collective endeavor between community and artists. In keeping with SLAC’s mission to nurture our local, creative community, we celebrate the reinforcements born between the visual and performing arts. Throughout the run of Murder Ballad we are thrilled to showcase artwork by Terence K. Stephens from his “Desert Blooms” collection.
“Florals have long been an obsession with me. They are God’s miracles, especially in adverse climates and conditions. These florals are painted from my yard in Palm Springs and in my neighborhood in Salt Lake City, where harsh climate conditions are extreme in both locations. Yet they manage to survive and surprise us with defiance and grace. All are interesting in their sculptural form and color. Even though I do many forms of art and mediums I will always be influenced by natural selection.”
-Terence K. Stephens




By Olivia Custodio, Austin Archer, & Penelope Caywood
June 24 - Aug. 16, 2026
Does the daily news cycle leave you feeling like you’re slowly losing your grip on reality? If so, then you might already be in The Gaslight Zone.
The Gaslight Zone will transport you into a world where today’s headlines meet satire and a well-timed dance break... So pack your favorite snacks and get ready to laugh!
Planning a group outing? SLAC makes it easy (and rewarding). Purchase 10 or more tickets to get up to 20% off the ticket price.
Make your theater outing a party! Group Space Reservations are available all season long. Book our Green Room or Deck for your pre-show gathering at no extra cost.
Contact the Box Office to learn more or reserve your group today.
Subscribe today and snag your subscriber gift!

Choose a tote bag or t-shirt (while supplies last), featuring original artwork by local artist Katie Mansfield of Tragic Girls Co. Check out her work at @tragicgirlsco.
Subscribe in person, online, over the phone, or by mail—our team is happy to help you secure your spot for a season of plays you won’t find anywhere else in Utah.
Thanks for showing up for local art. We couldn’t do this without you.

Please join us Monday, April 27 at 7 PM for a NPSS free reading of Welcome to Fat School by Olivia Custodio and Kelsie Jepsen.
Welcome to Fat School unpacks one of the last socially acceptable prejudices in America: fatphobia. In a culture where being fat is the ultimate failing, this two-woman show blends comedy, current research, and personal storytelling to confront anti-fatness. The piece invites audiences to rethink everything they’ve been taught about bodies.
Contact the Box Office at (801) 363-7522 or visit our website to book your tickets. While the reading is free, tickets are required to reserve your spot.

Salt Lake Acting Company is a 501©3 non-profit professional theatre, and depends on the generosity of individuals, corporations, and public agencies who make the theatre’s work possible. Thank you for believing in the magic of theatre, and investing in SLAC. The giving tiers below are for donations received from March 20, 2025-March 19, 2026.
For information about SLAC’s Giving Program, or to correct any information below, please call
Erika Ahlin Bird at 801.363.7522 or email erika@saltlakeactingcompany.org.
$50,000 and above
Salt Lake County Zoo Arts & Parks Program
Shubert Foundation
Terence Stephens | in memory of Shaun McCarthey
Utah Division Of Arts & Museums
$10,000-$49,999
Lawrence T. & Janet T. Dee Foundation
George S & Dolores Dore Eccles Foundation
Marriner Eccles Foundation
McCarthey Family Foundation
Larry H. & Gail Miller Family Foundation
John & Marcia Price Family Foundation
Salt Lake City Arts Council
Grant Schettler
Dale Smith & Lynn Keough
$5,000-$9,999
Byron Barkley
B.W. Bastian Foundation
Bryon Benevento
Jerome Bennett
Doctorow, Jarvis & Constance Family Foundation
Wendy Hanson
John Henderson
The Memton Fund
Julian & Anna
Ontiveros
Rocky Mountain Power Foundation
Dale Smith | Veterinary Orthopedic Services
Sorenson Legacy Foundation
Stephanie Steele
Steve Yockey
$2,500-$4,999
Angela Corbett | Author
Pat Fleming & Larry Josie
Lee & Audrey Hollaar
Lisa Killpack & Jocelyn Kearl
Teresa McMillan
Keith Olson
R. Harold Burton Foundation
S.J. & Jessie E. Quinney Foundation
Aquashantina Scheibe
Jason Thomas
Amy & Gage Williams
$1,000-$2,499
Maurine Bachman
Ashley Barkley | In honor of Chelsea Malouf
Beehive Cheese
Jerome, Jewelee & Britain Bennett
Kenneth & Karen Brewster
Michaela Buccola & Martin Eamon Smyth
Debra Buckway
Max Chang & Edee Lin
Steven Davidson
Eggal Foundation
Eric & Shellie Messner Eide
Cynthia Fleming | In memory of Jeff Fleming
Anthony & Katie Fleming
Dorothy & Quintin Foster
Annie Fukushima
Cory & Tamra Gray
John & Ilauna Gurr
Ken & Linda Halaby
Robert & Marcia Harris
Anonymous
Hurdle & McDannell
Randall Huskinson
Tracy Jensen & Curtis Johnson
Kroger
Nick Layman
Kaschmitter/Louie
Family Foundation
Chelsea Malouf
Howard Mann
Theresa Martinez
Marcia Feldkamp & Chuck Norlin
Janet Osborne
Stephanie Pappas & Kristen Dalzen
John Rose & Carolyn
Pedone
Sarah Woolsey & Michael Rubin
Meghan Schott
Cheryl Smith
Alice Steiner
Nancy Stoddard
George Sumner & Tina Hose
$500-$999
Actors’ Equity Foundation
Christine Ann Allred
Mary Navas & Bob
Archibald
Steven Baker
Mike Banks
Aubrey Banning
Arleen Bedingfield
Deepika de Silva & Jeff
Black
Janis Boettinger
Mark Boschert & Maureen Giggey
Jim & Glenda Bradley
Sid Cowand
Deepika De Silva
Joree Felker
Diane Gibson
Barry & Deborrah
Gomberg
Bruce & Erika Granath
Stephanie & Tim Harpst
Dennis Hartley
Daniel Hill
Verna & Thomas
Huiskamp
Julie Jensen
Chris Krueger & Lisa
Thompson
Roger & Julia Lester
Henry & Marilyn Lieberman
Mr. & Mrs. Edward Makowski
The Ninigret Foundation
Dan McKnight
Angela & Joe Micklos
Weston Millen
Randy Morris
Lisa Nichols
Bryce Panzer & Pat Winmill
Anonymous
Christy & James Pickens
Amy Wadsworth & David Richardson
Don & Colleen
Sorensen
Rick Sowles
Bob Staggers
Third Sun Productions
Ray Thomason
Sade Turner
Rick Vance
Vickie Venne
Edwin Wall
$250-$499
Joseph & Barbara Andrade
R Larry & Alicia Ashton
Michele Ballantyne
Mr. Vahe Bandarian
Devin Rey Barney
Sharlene Beck
Roger & Cindy Bon
Steve Brinton
Cynthia Burrows
Michele Catten
Melisa Catten
Connie Charboneau
Penny Dalrymple
John Davis
Sara Delgado
Dirty Jo Punsters
Jennifer Doolittle
Ben & Jamie Doxey
Kroger Facilitator
Douglas & Daniel Gaffin-Tilton
Dr. Spencer & Ann Galt
Christine Greenawald
Anne Harper
Richard Irons & Amy Haselhorst
Matt & Wendy Hobson-Rohrer
Dr. John & Kathleen Howarth
Paxton Johnsen
Richard Justice
Tresa Kehl
Richard & Shirley Knickerbocker
Kit Kobe
Dorothee Kocks
Paul & Melanie Lyon
John Mackey & Leslie Sieburth
Ann Miller
Dr. Michaela Mohr
Adrianne & Marty Moore
Bailee Nebeker
Jennifer Oviatt
Jeff Paris
Kenneth Roach & Cindy Powell
Ericka Prechtel
Glenn Prestwich & Rhea Bouman
Charitable Fund
Helen Reeve
John Robbins & Heather Ambrose
Hal Robins
Lynn Rohland
Greg Ruther & Michelle Pickering
Cuauthemoc Sandoval
Alison Schlisman
Alec Smith
Dr. Mary & Sean Steinmann
Stray Arrow Ranch
Dan Paskett & Richard Thurston
Helga Van Miegroet
Robyn Wedelich
Elaine Weis
Tiffany & Spice Willis
$100-249
Carolyn Abravanel | In honor of Maurice Abravanel
Steven & Beverly Allnatt
Debbie Amundsen
Alan Anderson
Ana Antunes
Barbara Armstrong
Lois & Stephen Baar
James Bach
John Bahouth
Scott & Alyssa Bartlett
Dr. Larry & Amanda Barusch
Margaret Battin
Maryann Bauhs
Lola & Zafod
Beatlebrox
Clisto & Suzanne
Beaty
Todd Rushton & Christina Beckwith
Bruce & Judy Bell
Liz Bell
Debra Beltran
Robert Benda
Ann Bernstein
Linda Bevins | In memory of Earle
Robert Bevins III
Lydia Biegert
Leona Blackbird
Dotty & Rick Blair
Sands & Penny
Brooke
Katherine Brown
Paul & Michelle Bruno
Timothy Buchanan
Ms. Kathleen Cahill
Carolyn Carey
Kyle Andrew & Cody Christensen
Tyrene Christopulos
Anonymous
Dr. Phyllis Coley
Mich Combs
William Connelly
Katie Cox
Frank Cumberland
Rick Curtis
Olivia Custodio
Nicholas Daskalas
Lisa Davis
Rose Ann Milano & Joe Dayney
Klancy De Nevers
Anne Cullimore Decker
Meagan Decker
Greta DeJong
Jack & Joyce Dolcourt
Diane Dreux
Cliff & Sharon Dutcher
Melanie & Jack
Sonja & David Errick
Debra Falvo
Arge Feotis
Lynda Fletcher
Barbara Gelegotis
Mohsen Ghaffari
Bruce Hamilton
Kelly J Hardesty & Bruce J Ellis
Pete Harker
Dennis Hassan
Peter & Chris Helfrich
Mindy Hill
Justin Holman
Russell Huiskamp
Karen Hyde
Jason Irvine
Jean Irwin
Daniel Schelling & Hilary Jacobs
Shannon Huff Jacobs & E Paul Jacobs
Larry Jensen
Dawn Jensen

Maxine & Bruce Johnson
Jason Killinen & Whitney Milligan
Anne Kirchhoff
Scott Kisling
Diane Krantz
Lynne Kraus
Spence Lambert
Ms. Vicky Larsen
Brenda Larsen
Laura Larson
Carolyn & Tom Leitko
Diana Banks & Richard Lemons
Kameron Leon
Laura Lincoln | in honor of Dr. Sean Cunningham
Terry & Wendee Long
Guru Prasad & Kent Losser Anonymous
Miss Lesley Manley
Shannon Markham
Kellie May
John Funk & Tim McGargill
Dudley McIlhenny
Sally McMinimee
Sean McNabb
Michele & Michael McOmber
Cynthia Mecklenburg
Becky Menlove
Heidi & Sarah
Middleton
Pam Mollner
Brenda Moore
Preston & Sandra Motes
Karen Nash
Bounta Nomichith
Jennifer Norris
Anonymous
William & Mary Ann Payne
Victor R & Evelyn Petersen
Michael Pheysey
Zack Phifer
Paula Pinkham
Robyn Player
Val R Antczak & Barbara K Polich
Marilyn Poulsen

Karla Reading
Kristy Reimer
Kandy Richards
Chuck Richardson
Kris Robinson
Genevieve Rosol
Brent Rushton
Terry Russo
Paula Saltas
Evan & Lorraine
Sanders
Janice Davis & Osman
Sanyer
Anonymous
Joan Sebastian
Lucy Sharma
Nia Sherar
David & Kathy Sorensen
Kenneth & Claudia
Sperling
Kim Spragg
Roger, Darlene & Krista Springer
Jason & Ryan
Steadman-Eves
Scott Stites
C.L. Tansimore
Jessica Taverna
Anonymous
Carol Tesch
Mark Thornton
Irwin & Shirley Tobin
Nancy Tripp
Victor Velivis
Denise Vilven
Mr. Henry Whiteside
Megan Willbanks
Carl Wolfram
Mitzi Wood McIver
Dr. Gloria Wurst
Mr. Paul Young
Tod & Mary Young
$25-$99
Tiffini Adams
Adrienne Akers
Alex family
Samantha Allison
Vicki Andersen
Joe Andrade
Stephanie Antes
Austin Archer
Xenia Maritsas
Penny Atkins
Kim Atwater
Stephanie Babalis
Sylvie Backman
Mary Barnes
France Barral
Kara Barton
Anonymous
Miss Jill Beckstead
Elizabeth Bedell
Ms. Selena Benson
Russ Benson
Mrs. Karol Berwald
Benjamin Bombard
Shauna Bona
Emily Bonham
Tim Boschert
Jason Bowcutt
Sherrie Branz
Amy Brass
Jill C. Brass
Anonymous
Aimee Broadbent
Mr. John & Emily Brodie
Rachel Brooks
Darrin Brooks
Barbara Brown
Rebecca Brown
Bill Bruno
Kate & Bert Bunnell
Paula Burns-McEvoy
Timothy Butler
Shamdre Call
Carbondale Clay Center
Megan Carlisle
Jenifer Kiel & Kathryn Causey
Charity On Top
Sara Cicmanec
MaryBeth Jarvis Clark
Carole Clark
Kellie Clement
Anonymous
Carrie Cochran
Susan Coffey
Michael Cooke
Teri Cowan
Jerri Crawford
Anonymous
Jeffrey Curry
Anonymous
Jim Dalrymple
Kathy Davis
Elizabeth Dawson
Kendra Delaney
Susan Dillon
Brittany Duclos
Michele Dunker
Mr. & Mrs. Roberta
Dustin
Larry & Yvonne Eagan
MItchell Eddards
Carol Edison
Anne Bratt Elliott
Mark Ellis
Anonymous
Debra & Mark Elstad
Deborah Empey
Cindi Evans
Anonymous
Cally Flox
Bob Stuercke & Debra Frank
Julie Gale
Dr. Christopher Gamble
Susan Gardner
Wendy Garner
Lynda Geddes
Shahpar Ghodsi
Steve Glaser
Andrea Globokar
Jeremy Goff
Vidya Gopinath
Naanue Gowan
Ms. Lynda Griffiths
Pat Ronneburg & Jayne Guyse
Crystal Haakenson
Gary Hadfield
Alisha Hagey
Kelli Hall
Melani Harker
Christine Harvey
Anonymous
Ruth Hoffmann
Joanne Hook
Mr Bradley Hunsaker
Jordan Hurd
Nicole Hutchings Work
Anonymous
Timothy Jackubek
Elaine Jarvik
Michelle Jean-Mary
Tim Jeffryes
Carmelle Jensen
Martin Scheier & Lisa
Johnson
Katelyn Johnson
Jamie Johnston
Kathryn & Gary Jones
Anonymous
Safia & Lester Keller
Spencer Kellogg | in honor of my son
Dawn Kenton
Tammy Kilbourn
Lucinda Kindred
Jeremy Kroll
Roger Lamoni
Melissa Larson
Pamela Lawler
Linda Lee
Casey Lee
Haley Lemon
Kathy Lewis
Lind Family
Susan & Robert Lollini
Keith Lund
Marika Lyons
Kathy MacGregor
Kathryn Mackay
Mr. Gene Mahalko
Anonymous
Sean Mann
Beth Marcum
Anonymous
Christy Martinez
Karen McCreary
Lisa McDonnell
Mrs. Crystal McFarland
Elizabeth McKnight
Scott McLean
Shelby McLean
Lance McNees
Patricia & Dennis
Mead
Cameron Measom
Laurie Mecham
Anonymous
Janet Miller
Frank Mitchell
Adrianne & Marty Moore
Anonymous
Alice Mulder
Dr John Newman
Marc Nielson
Paul Nipper
Holly Nissalke
Krista Noble
Ron Oakley
Shelly Oda
Mary Ogan
Mel Olney
Rocky Olsen
Karen Ordel
Elissa & William Oshinsky
Ms. Janice Oswald
Marie Otto
Dale W Palmer
Joseph Palmieri
Kristine Pankow
Missy Parish
Rene Parker
David Parkinson
Debra & Eric Payne
Terry & David Peak
Gloria Pitt
Liz Pitts
Joann Price
Carol Quilter
Mary Quinn
Derek Ragner
Rebecca Raybould | In memory of Nancy Parker
Jeanette & Talia Ricci
Jenny Riffe
Janine Rivera
Pam Roberts
Adriana Rojas
David Romleski
Amy Rood
Rynders
Cecily Sakrison
Anthony Saunders
Joanne Sayre & Michele Backes
Harold Sears
Rita Sharshiner
Christy Shaw
Kenneth Shelley
Maureen Shields
Sarah Shippobotham
Chris Simon
Myka Smith
Anonymous
Rikki Sonnen
Kristan Southwick
Mark Spragg
Judy Steiger
Anonymous
Susan Strauss
Kendra Strobel- Yost
Stephanie Stroud
Barbara Svee
Caitlin Swan
Catherine Swanson
Dawn Marie Tabery
Mr. Jon Taylor
Mrs. Candace Taylor
Sue Tice
Emma Tkachuck
Louann Tyler
Sara Mo Vanacht
Anonymous
Linda Venner
Justin Vigh
Sara Wallace
MR WARD
Evy & Donald Warmbier
Tricia Warnken
Mr. & Mrs. Robert & Bonnie Warnock
Alysia Watanabe
Paul Weiss
Todd Wells
Betsy West
Salt Lake Center for Spiritual Living
Martha Whitaker
Paula White
Laural Wilcox
Jody Williams
Stephanie & Park Willis
Steven & Nancy
Winitzky & Challed
Monika Witucki
Jo-Ann Wong
Mrs. Jody Wong
Stephanie Woody
Lorilyn Workman
Karen Zangle
Cathleen Zick
William Zwiebel
Special Thanks: Quarters Arcade Bar-Downtown
Spencer Jolley


Erika Ahlin Bird
Cynthia Fleming Executive Artistic Director
Executive Staff
Nick Fleming
Adriana Lemke Director of Development Director of Ticketing Director of Audience Engagement Senior Staff
Joseph Paul Branca Latoya Cameron John Downing Public Relations & Social Media Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion Accountant & Human Resources Coordinator Dramaturg, & Audience Relationship
Bridgette Lehman
Tahra Veasley*
Emily Sinclair Production Manager Production Manager Accessibility Coordinator, Audience Relationship, & Outreach
Anna Blaes, Noelani Brown, Presley (PJ) Caywood, Kallie Filanda,
Karen-Christina (KC) Jones, Max Ricks, Bryce Romleski, Emily Tatum, Lucy Urquhart, Taylor Wallace, Nan Weber, Akina Yamazaki, Ben Young
Erik Reichert
David Smith
Forest Ethington Construction Supervisor House Electrician Head Electrician
Calvin J . Vinson, Michael Larson, Alyson McMurray, Sara Schwartz, Amber Stafford, Val Tholen Electricians
Steven Baker, Forest Ethington Carpenters
Calvin J . Vinson
Lynn Brisco Sound Mixer Light Board Operator
Abish Noble Nick Fleming Scenic Painter Production & Publicity Photographer
Bridgette Lehman
Susan Pohl, MD Wardrobe House Doctor
54th Season promotional artwork created by Courtney Blair
Salt Lake Acting Company’s mission is to engage and enrich community through brave, contemporary theatre.
Lisa Killpack, President
Vice President of Business Performance, Nu Skin
Michaela Buccola, Vice President Head of Operations, Sundance Institute
Bruce Granath, Secretary MagicSpace Entertainment
Jerome Bennett, Treasurer Principal Broker, Realty Experts
Theresa Martinez, Board Member at Large University of Utah
Stephanie Steele, Board Member at Large Meet Me on 33rd
Sara Urquhart, Board Member at Large Founder, The Divine Assembly, Founding Director of Psychedelics in the Beehive
Byron Barkley Wilson Davis & Co.
France Barral Solara, LLC
Bryon J. Benevento Litigation Partner, Dorsey & Whitney, LLC
Dr. Annie Isabel Fukushima Ph.D. University of Utah
Daniel Hill Owner, Omni Salon + Wellness
Dr. Chelsea Malouf Salt Lake City School District
Bailee Nebeker
American Homestead Furniture, Wallaroo’s Furniture and Mattress
Christy Pickens Nordstrom
Dr. Dale Smith Veterinary Orthopedic Services
Douglas Tilton Vice President of Operations, Dorai Home
Your presence at Salt Lake Acting Company is met with sincere gratitude. You make everything possible.
Tickets:
For tickets call the SLAC Box Office at 801-363-7522 or visit us online at SaltLakeActingCompany.org. Box Office hours are Monday-Friday 11 AM – 5 PM, with extended hours during the run of a show.
Ticket Exchanges:
Season Subscribers can always exchange their tickets, and it’s free! Just call 801-363-7522.
Group Sales:
Discounts are available to groups of 10 or more. Call 801-363-7522 to discuss seating availability or email Info@SaltLakeActingCompany.Org for your party. We’d love to take care of you and your friends.
Emergency
Please identify the exit closest to your seat in case of emergency.
Late Patrons:
Late patrons will be seated by the House Manager at the appropriate time.
We offer various accessible accommodations including: ADA parking, ramped main and rear entry, automatic doors, elevator access.
• ASL-Interpreted Performances
• Open Captioned Performances
• Audio-Described Performances
• Sensory Friendly Performances
• Accessible Seating and Restroom
• Assistive Listening Devices
• Digital Programs
• Sensory Support Tools
• Support Animal Access
For a full overview of our accessibility offerings, please visit SaltLakeActingCompany.org
The use of film, video or audio recording equipment in the theatre during a performance is expressly prohibited.
Please turn off all cell phones.

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We couldn’t survive without you!

