Director Tami Anderson is thrilled to be directing the play Tent Girl for Wasatch Theatre Company. From Salt Lake City, UT, she had always loved telling stories and imagined her life as a novel writer, until one day she realized that the story she was writing was not a novel after all, but a movie and she never looked back. She has crewed on a variety of film projects, including as a director on a short film anthology called the Happiness Experiment, directing the 1st episode. Tami was also a co-writer and co-producer on the 2010 award-winning feature film, Action!!! She also directed The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife for the Daytona playhouse. She received her Master of Arts in Film, focusing on screenwriting in 2018. She is wrote and directed her play, Watch Me Disappear, adapted from her original screenplay of the same name, for her the 2022 Great Salt Lake Fringe Festival. Tami is a proud mom to Xander and Theo, has a wonderful daughter in law, Scottie and two freaking adorable grandbabies, Evaliea and Nona.
Theo is very excited to support his mom in her endeavors. He has been a stage manager and assistant stage manager for other productions that his mom has done, including Watch Me Disappear, The Seagull, Home of Truth and A Sharp Infectious Silence. He is a dog groomer at PetSmart where he gets to play with puppies all day.
Jady Brooks is delighted to be working with the amazing cast, crew, and director of Tent Girl! Following a role in Teacher Truths, and participating in the 24 hour Theater Festival as well as the Page to Stage Festival, the Fringe Festival, and the Wasatch Improv Festival, Jady feels all the feelings about the wonderful Salt Lake theatre community, and would like to thank them for hours upon hours of fun, and the opportunity to enjoy live shows. In addition, she would like to thank her family and friends for their support. Special thanks to Tami for trusting me with this powerful show and Wasatch Theatre Company for the chance to perform an amazing role (again!), it’s been a joy.
Amanda Caraway is thrilled that WTC chose to produce the world premiere of her play, Tent Girl. She studied theatre history and dramaturgy at San Diego State and worked as a dramaturg at the Utah Shakespeare Festival. Amanda's play, Monologues from a Movement, premiered at The Great Salt Lake Fringe Festival in August of 2022. She hopes this is just the beginning of her playwriting adventures.
ELLA FRANK is a Freshman in the Actor Training Program at the University of Utah. Originally Ella is from Rochester, Minnesota. While there, she performed at the Rochester Civic Theater in Steel Magnolias (Annelle) and in The Diary of Anne Frank (Anne Frank). She also performed for Mayo Stage Door as an ensemble member in Mamma Mia. She is excited to make her debut in this wonderful new space!
Lainie King dedicates this performance to the families that know, and the families that may never know, with a heartfelt wish for healing and closure. She is thrilled to be working with such a stellar cast and director. Her favorite stage roles include, Mrs. Dunning in “Knuckle,” M’Lynn in “Steel Magnolias,” Marmee in “Little Women,” and Mrs. Paddy in “The Curious Savage.” Her film work includes a supporting role in the feature indie film, “The Rehearsal,” and a number of student and indie short film projects. She is represented by Elevate Talent Agency (SLC) and thanks Bill, her biggest fan, for his love and support!
A veteran of the Box, this is Adam McGrath's first show working with Tami Anderson. In a past life, he appeared as Edgar in King Lear and Cassio in Othello with New World Shakespeare, and various roles in the Open Syrup. He most recently played the Foley Artist in Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death. In his spare time, he wonders how he still manages to fool people into casting him in their shows as he has no formal training, only the aspiration of someday becoming a Blue Man in the Blue Man Group.
Geoff Richards--Tent Girl is Geoff’s third go-round with WTC, having previously being cast in Baby Love/Hide for the 2021 Page To Stage, and Cubed for the 24 Hour Festival earlier this year. Geoff has been in productions and short films in and around the Salt Lake area over the last few years, and is always happy to return to the stage when the opportunity arises
Sierra Shepard is currently studying education at western governor’s university, as well as working full time at a school in park city. Outside of education, Sierra has also discovered a love for acting in recent years. Sierra is beyond excited to be in tent girl portraying the role of Megan, and grateful to have been trusted with such an important story. Sierra would like to thank the director Tami for giving her the chance to be in such an amazing show and working with her again, and her castmates for their support as she learned her role.
From the Playwright--Amanda Caraway
People have always been drawn to scary stories, murder mysteries, and true crime. I'm a fan myself, and sometimes a story sticks with you. That happen with Tent Girl. After I first heard the story, I dreamed about it and couldn't stop thinking about it. The Crime Junkie podcast I listened to glossed over many aspects of the case—likely because those facts have been lost over time. I felt compelled to tell the unknown stories of the families who were so deeply impacted by this crime and the errors committed by law enforcement. Because the real Tent Girl was likely a victim of domestic violence, I felt compelled to shine a light on that as well. It is far too common (domestic violence is still the number one cause of death for women in the U.S.), and we must constantly denounce it and show victims they are not alone. Speak out before it's too late!
People have always been drawn to scary stories, murder mysteries, and true crime. I'm a fan myself, and sometimes a story sticks with you. That happen with Tent Girl. After I first heard the story, I dreamed about it and couldn't stop thinking about it. The Crime Junkie podcast I listened to glossed over many aspects of the case—likely because those facts have been lost over time. I felt compelled to tell the unknown stories of the families who were so deeply impacted by this crime and the errors committed by law enforcement. Because the real Tent Girl was likely a victim of domestic violence, I felt compelled to shine a light on that as well. It is far too common (domestic violence is still the number one cause of death for women in the U.S.), and we must constantly denounce it and show victims they are not alone. Speak out before it's too late!