From the Director
Directing a one-person show is quite a bit different than anything I've ever done. I'm lucky that I got to work with one of my best friends from college. He gave me lots of patience and grace in learning how to best support him. Basically, I just had to get out of his way so he could the do the work involved. I hope you enjoy the work as much as I have enjoyed watching it develop and take shape.
This is an important play for our times. I have been blessed to raise a son, who is now 19, who struggles with mental illness and suicidal ideation. I, too, have faced mental health challenges. I think we all have to grapple with this at some point or an other. If the pandemic taught us anything, it's that we should be here for one another. There is a lot of need that has become more prominent and/or evident since 2020. We need to lead with heart and empathy as we interact with one another from this point forward.
Our next season--season 26--is themed Once More, With Empathy. The theatre world, along with the rest of the world post-pandemic, is changing. Theatre doesn't have to be cutthroat, it doesn't need to lack empathy, it doesn't have to be backstabbing. It can be joyful and inclusive, and I want to be part of that. I'm going to prioritize this as our company moves forward.
Finally, I want to dedicate this show to our good friend George Plautz, who passed away earlier this year. I never expected him to go--I never thought about my life without him. It makes me realize how fleeting it all is. We have to to slow down, take it all in, savor those brilliant things. I am not always good at this and commit to doing better. I hope this play inspires you to do the same and maybe even call someone you love on the way home to tell them "I love you."
CAST AND CREW BIOS
Jim Martin (Director) has been with Wasatch Theatre Company since day one. Jim is currently working on his Master of Fine Arts with an emphasis in directing from the University of Idaho at Moscow. He is slated to graduate in early 2024. Jim has directed many shows including most recently George Plautz's The Final Act, Hands on a Hardbody, Caroline, or Change, and the Page-to-Stage Festival. Jim's next project is to bring George's words to life in this year's Page-to-Stage Festival: Short Shorts. Jim would like to thank George for being his friend, his mom for raising him with love and determination, his son Jayden for being himself, his dad for always supporting even when he doesn't understand what the hell I'm doing, and his several pets for the cuddles (Chuck, Rosie, Misty, and Milo).
Directing a one-person show is quite a bit different than anything I've ever done. I'm lucky that I got to work with one of my best friends from college. He gave me lots of patience and grace in learning how to best support him. Basically, I just had to get out of his way so he could the do the work involved. I hope you enjoy the work as much as I have enjoyed watching it develop and take shape.
This is an important play for our times. I have been blessed to raise a son, who is now 19, who struggles with mental illness and suicidal ideation. I, too, have faced mental health challenges. I think we all have to grapple with this at some point or an other. If the pandemic taught us anything, it's that we should be here for one another. There is a lot of need that has become more prominent and/or evident since 2020. We need to lead with heart and empathy as we interact with one another from this point forward.
Our next season--season 26--is themed Once More, With Empathy. The theatre world, along with the rest of the world post-pandemic, is changing. Theatre doesn't have to be cutthroat, it doesn't need to lack empathy, it doesn't have to be backstabbing. It can be joyful and inclusive, and I want to be part of that. I'm going to prioritize this as our company moves forward.
Finally, I want to dedicate this show to our good friend George Plautz, who passed away earlier this year. I never expected him to go--I never thought about my life without him. It makes me realize how fleeting it all is. We have to to slow down, take it all in, savor those brilliant things. I am not always good at this and commit to doing better. I hope this play inspires you to do the same and maybe even call someone you love on the way home to tell them "I love you."
CAST AND CREW BIOS
Jim Martin (Director) has been with Wasatch Theatre Company since day one. Jim is currently working on his Master of Fine Arts with an emphasis in directing from the University of Idaho at Moscow. He is slated to graduate in early 2024. Jim has directed many shows including most recently George Plautz's The Final Act, Hands on a Hardbody, Caroline, or Change, and the Page-to-Stage Festival. Jim's next project is to bring George's words to life in this year's Page-to-Stage Festival: Short Shorts. Jim would like to thank George for being his friend, his mom for raising him with love and determination, his son Jayden for being himself, his dad for always supporting even when he doesn't understand what the hell I'm doing, and his several pets for the cuddles (Chuck, Rosie, Misty, and Milo).