Get ready to feel the love with the University of Utah Department of Theatre.
Opening Friday, November 11 through November 20 2022, “IN PIECES” is an exciting contemporary musical by award-winning songwriter Joey Contreras, directed by Eric Sciotto. Told entirely through song, “IN PIECES” chronicles the near-misses, triumphs, and tragedies of young adults searching for connection in present-day New York.
“’IN PIECES’ is a song cycle with a collection of songs that all involve eight characters. It's little snapshots of their lives as young adults growing up, and understanding what love is, understanding heartbreak, understanding how relationships develop in a really complicated way,” said Alex Marshall, music director for the production.
“The audience can expect a lot of singable lines, recognizable grooves and feels, and something that they can connect to that feels a little bit more contemporary."
Although the contemporary style of the music is demanding, stretching performers in new directions, it is particularly relatable to students because as Marshall put it, “it's music that's in their ears. It’s things they hear on the radio, more so than in the golden age of Broadway.”
Many classic musicals carry the stamp of the performers that have embodied the roles over time. For a new musical like “IN PIECES,” the cast can come with entirely fresh eyes.
“It's about creating their own vision of who these characters are and how they represent their stories through music,” Marshall said. “I think it's important for these young artists to explore new work because ideally they'll move into the career of being theater performers and get the opportunity to create new work.”
He added, “I also think this piece is wonderful because it's written by a BIPOC composer, and it's written for gender fluid or identity conscious casting – so we can recognize stories that aren't the traditional white bodied stories that we see in musical theater history. We can see modern understandings and contemporary social structures that help us tell stories that apply to us.”
So, what can spectators look forward to?
“The audience can expect a lot of singable lines, recognizable grooves and feels, and something that they can connect to that feels a little bit more contemporary,” Marshall said. “It’s a way for them to investigate their own relationships and investigate their own lives in a way that maybe challenges some of their expectations or understandings about how we relate."
IN PIECES
Babcock Theatre
Nov 11 @ 7:30 pm
Nov 13 @ 2:00 pm
Nov 13 @ 7:30 pm
Nov 17 @ 7:30 pm
Nov 18 @ 7:30 pm
Nov 19 @ 2:00 pm
Nov 19 @ 7:30 pm
Nov 20 @ 2:00 pm
Nov 20 @ 7:30 pm
Talkback and ASL interpreter November 18th!
Free admission for U student with Arts Pass, and free admission for high school students with valid ID.