Dixie State College Theatre Program Set to Debut "The Comedy Storm" for Summer Season

Dixie State College of Utah’s Theatre Department will be one of the many campus programs hard at work during the summer season, thanks in part to the launch of “The Comedy Storm,” a new summer theater series to be housed in the Laboratory Theater in the Eccles Fine Arts Center.

The debut season will include three comedies, Black Comedy, Lend Me A Tenor and A Bedfull of Foreigners. The productions will be presented in repertory, with Black Comedy and A Bedfull of Foreigners on Thursday and Friday evenings, respectively, and Lend Me a Tenor on Saturday and Monday nights.

The productions will open on Thursday, June 18th and will run through Saturday, July 18th. The three weekend shows will start nightly at 7:30 p.m., while the Monday shows will begin at 5:00 p.m.

According to DSC Director of Theatre Varlo Davenport, the department has been working to create a niche market in between Tuachan, the Neil Simon Festival and the Utah Shakespeare Festival. He noted that “The Comedy Storm” will feature light comedies, perfect for a summer evening’s entertainment, and will offer an early evening performance on Mondays that will give patrons plenty of time to drive out and see Tuacahn’s production of Annie.

“We have been discussing this for some time and we now have the resources and support to make it happen,” said Davenport. “Dixie State College theatre had a very successful year and as a way to keep our momentum and add to our students’ experience, we are excited to launch this program.”
 
“The Comedy Storm” will consist of a company of about 15 actors and technicians, each of whom will have multiple roles or assignments. “The actor who is in a leading role one night may be the props master or stage manager the next night,” said Davenport. “Summer stock theatre is a great way to find out if you really have a passion for the work and to develop a better understanding of how all the elements of theatre work together.”

The shows will be under the direction of Michael Harding and Varlo Davenport, DSC theatre faculty members, and Andrew Hunsaker. Hunsaker is the performance instructor at Tuacahn High School for the Performing Arts, both he and Mr. Harding have appeared many times at the Utah Shakespeare Festival.

Tickets are available now for just $10. For tickets and further information, please call 435-652-7800 or visit the central campus ticket office at the DSC Avenna Center. Patrons may also purchase tickets prior to each evening’s performance at the Eccles Fine Arts Center Box Office or online at http://tickets.dixie.edu.