This Saturday, March 22 at Millcreek Commons, 801 Salon, a local arts nonprofit, will present an immersive mystery dance show directed by Ashley Jian Thomson with Deseret Experimental Opera, in collaboration with 2 Books Trilogy jazz band and Walter Mirkšs Cinematography.
“The show will provide a unique, interactive art experience for our community, one that is both accessible and captivating.”
–Roxanne Gray (U School of Dance MFA ’25), 801 Founder/Director and Event Sponsor
In “Fastenings,” audience members are immersed in the fictional, haywire town of Salt Bolt City. They play the role of junior detectives summoned to assist Detective Button Upper, who has received an urgent call from Mayor Nut about a townsperson who has stolen the baker’s secret donut recipe. The level of participation depends on what seat the audience chooses: the front row allows them to directly interact with the cast by holding props or being invited to act in a scene, while the other rows may only require shouting out a phrase or clapping when instructed to do so.
University of Utah College of Fine Arts students, alumni, and faculty/staff make up a majority of the cast and crew with additional support and representation from Westminster University (who generously provided rehearsal studio space), Southern Utah University, Utah Valley University, and Salt Lake Community College. The collaboration across campuses and the intertwining of artistic disciplines provides an experience beyond the classroom and allows the artists to work together in a professional capacity.
“When I was a student I remember wishing there were more collaborative opportunities between the different art programs (for example, like the dance, music, visual art, and film programs), and this collaboration is doing exactly that!”
–Daniel Rei Cohen (U School of Dance BFA ‘23), Performer
The event also features a free community writing workshop, hosted by Under the Umbrella, and a local artist market, featuring artwork, handmade crafts, donuts (a necessary foodstuff), and more.
Filming screendance at Loki Coffee Co. | L to R: Ashley and Carly with the playback monitor posing outside ; Walter filming the dancers framing with the barista; Walter capturing shots of Jason and Sam performing inside
Artists from the U include:
- Ana Gellert (Ballet BFA ‘23) - Assistant & Props/Set Artist
- Ari Hassett (Modern BFA '18, Biomedical Engineering BS ‘18) - Performer/Dancer
- Ashley Jian Thomson (Ballet BFA ‘18, Communications BS ‘18) - Choreographer/Director
- Carly Schaub (Modern MFA ‘15) - DEXO Board Member, Performer/Dancer
- Daniel Rei Cohen (Ballet BFA ‘23) - Performer/Dancer
- Derek Coombs (School of Music student) - Composer/Musician
- Jason Dreher (Jazz Performance ‘24, MM student) - Composer/Musician
- Jazmin Gallegos (Art Teaching BFA ’15) - Artist/Vendor
- Lya Yang (Art BFA ’17) - Artist/Vendor
- Meagan Bertelsen (Modern BFA ‘15) - Performer/Dancer
- Michaela Gerard (Ballet BFA ‘16, Psychology BS ‘16) - DEXO Board Member and Volunteer
- Molly Korzep (Ballet BFA ‘17, Communications BS ‘17) - Lighting/Technical Supervisor
- Roxanne Gray (Modern dance MFA) - 801 Founder/Director and Event Sponsor
- Sam Brings (Jazz Performance BFA ‘23) - Musician
- Sarah Rinderknecht (Ballet BFA ‘23, Accounting BS ‘23) - Performer/Dancer
- Walter Mirkšs (Film MFA ’18) - Cinematographer, Post-Producer
- Yucheng Cui (Department of Film & Media Arts student) - Grip and Assistant Camera
This production is put on by the community and for the community. Audiences can look forward to seeing glimpses of local business, Loki Coffee Co., where the cast filmed screendance excerpts. These film clips, shot by Film & Media Department faculty Walter Mirkšs and assisted by student Yucheng Cui will help the junior detectives work through clues to identify the culprit aka donut recipe stealer. The music tracks that accompany the films were recorded by 2 Book Trilogy, a jazz band formed by School of Music graduates Jason Dreher and Sam Brings with student Derek Coombs. This team effort truly takes community art and performance to another level and shows the positive power of artists working together to create something grander than their individual parts.
“It excites me that the Salt Lake City community will, with no cost to them, get a chance to witness performers from different artistic mediums working together to create this unique production. Working together we add value to our artistic community, on top of strengthening our resumes with a one of a kind group project.”
–Jason Dreher (Music BFA ‘24, MM ‘26)
See 801 Salon no. 37: “Fastenings” on Saturday, March 22nd at Millcreek Common, 6th Floor (1354 E Chambers Ave, Millcreek).
/ Free to attend with suggested $15 donation to the artists. RSVP FOR SHOW HERE /
kid-friendly event:
3:30pm – writing workshop for kids/teens, presented by Under the Umbrella Bookstore
4:30pm – performance
evening event:
6:30pm – writing workshop for adults, presented by Under the Umbrella Bookstore
7:30pm – performance
*Millcreek Common is an ADA-accessible venue and offers free parking. If you have additional accessibility requests, please send us a message at: