Story by J. Michael Call, Standard-Examiner staff 

Weber State University is about to embark on a mammoth journey as it prepares to host the weeklong Region 8 presentation of the 44th annual Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival.

“It’s like eating an elephant,” quipped Jim Christian, director of musical theater studies at WSU. “But it’s a really great opportunity for us.”

The festival, beginning Tuesday on the Ogden campus, is a massive undertaking involving several universities and colleges in Utah, Southern California, southern Nevada, Arizona and Hawaii. The event serves as a springboard for universities going on to compete at the national festival in April at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.

Gregg Henry, KCACTF artistic director, is grateful to WSU’s faculty and staff for its willingness to take on such a gargantuan event.

“It’s such a many-tentacled beast that it is sort of an act of extraordinary generosity for a school to open its doors to 1,200-plus people over the course of a week and give us a place to celebrate student achievement,” Henry said.

The regional festival includes 11 full-scale productions, as well as a number of 10-minute plays, scenes, workshops, scholarship competitions, exhibitions and a variety of other activities. The majority of activities will take place in the Browning Center and Shepherd Union Building.

The Region 8 festival is the largest in the nation in terms of the sheer numbers of productions it involves, Henry noted. It also offers up a wide spectrum of theater.

“It’s pretty thrilling,” Henry said. “It’s an enormous benefit for the students who participate to just get to see the full spectrum, whether it’s new student writing or classic musicals or a classic play reinterpreted, or whatever it may be.”

Participating productions and universities include “Xanadu” (Weber State University), “The Elephant Man” (Brigham Young University), “The Bald Soprano” (Scottsdale Community College), “Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead” (Citrus College), “The Unseen Hand” (Los Angeles City College), “Cesar and Ruben” (Santa Monica College), “Eurydice” (Utah Valley University), “Suddenly Last Summer” (California Lutheran University), “The Dramatization of 365 Days” (California State University Fullerton) and “The Cover of Life” (Concordia University).

The festival provides not only an excellent opportunity for students, but also for Top of Utah theater lovers who want to see some top-notch productions. Individuals can register for either the entire festival or a day pass.

‘For die-hards, it’s a pretty exciting chance for exposure to the range and richness of the work being done in the region,” Henry said.

That’s show biz

Behind the scenes next week, WSU technical director John Bizzell will be diligently scrambling with his crew to make sure festival participants have the most seamless experience possible. “Seamless,” it should be noted, is a relative term — as anyone who has ever been involved in theatrical production understands.

While audiences are watching one show on stage, Bizzell will be managing an entirely different production backstage. He probably won’t get to enjoy the shows from the audiences’ vantage point, but doesn’t seem to mind.

Some of the casts and crews, many of whom have never seen or used WSU’s facilities before, will have only a few hours to unload their sets, costumes and props, adjust lighting and sound, set up their scenery, get into makeup and costumes and, perhaps if they’re lucky, even run a quick rehearsal.

“And the craziest part is that people want to do it,” Bizzell said with a chuckle.

Bizzell has been coordinating the festival with the various universities involved and trying to accommodate their individual needs as much as possible.

“We have to worry about not having log jams at the loading dock and making sure that people understand that this is how the facility operates and works and what they can and can’t do,” he said.

For example, one of the shows, Utah Valley University’s production of “Eurydice,” uses water onstage. The play is a modern spin on the Greek myth.

“Water is always a problem,” Bizzell said. “Not only do we have to get the water in, but we also have to get those people’s clothing dry between shows, because they are doing two or three shows that day.”

Meanwhile, Santa Monica College wanted to be able to dig a hole onstage in its production of “Cesar and Reuben” by Ed Begley Jr.

“It took quite a few emails to try and square away what they were meaning,” Bizzell said.

Like WSU’s theater department, California State University Fullerton is also a college that “thinks big,” Bizzell said. He anticipates that its ambitious production of “365 Days,” based on the book about the real-life experiences of a Vietnam medic, will require a lot of maneuvering and well-executed logistics to get things just right.

“Our technicians are going to get a real good run for their money. While they’re going to get worn out, I think they are going to enjoy it,” Bizzell said. “It is always interesting meeting all these people and finding out how other places work. It’s going to be interesting for us, too, because we have gone to so many festivals now, we get to see the other side of it finally. I’m looking forward to that.”

On its own turf

Indeed, WSU is no stranger to the KCACTF scene, having participated in several previous festivals.

“Weber is a powerhouse in the region and they always have been,” Henry said. “I’m actually looking forward to seeing them on their home turf.”

Henry cited previous WSU productions, such as “The Musical of Musicals, The Musical,” “MacBeth” and “Sleepy Hollow” as examples of WSU’s outstanding representation at previous KCACTF competitions.

“They are blessed with a really strong faculty and, obviously, they attract some really terrific students,” Henry said.

The current crop of students includes the cast of the hugely popular production of “Xanadu,” the fun-filled musical romp through bad ’80s movies. That show is being presented tonight and Saturday in three encore performances (see our 10-Day Planner in the centerspread for details), as well as three times Wednesday during the festival itself.

In addition to his work as festival liaison and “fire chief,” as he refers to role, Christian has also been back in rehearsals this week getting his “Xanadu” cast back on it wheels. He credits the collective effort of the WSU faculty and staff for their work preparing for the festival.

“There are just so many things that go into it — the productions, the workshops, the staffing, the transportation, the hotels, the food, the facilities — it’s a massive undertaking,” Christian said. “The biggest challenge is capturing the overarching vision of the entire thing all at once and being able to subdivide it down into workable components from moment to moment.”

With some theater magic and a lot of hard work, Christian, Bizzell and Henry expect festival participants can anticipate some rich, exciting and rewarding experiences next week on the Ogden campus.

“It’s a celebration,” Henry said. “And in this day and age, for a group of like-minded individuals to get together and celebrate the fact that they are achieving the arts as their life, that’s an act of bravery.”

PREVIEW

• WHAT: Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival
• WHEN: Tuesday-Feb. 11
• WHERE: Browning Center and Shepherd Union Building, Weber State University, 3848 Harrison Blvd., Ogden
• TICKETS: Weeklong passes for all events and workshops, $95; single-day passes, $35
• REGISTRATION: Visit www.kcactf-8festivalinfo.org to register. A registration table will also be set up in the lobby of the Browning Center. Visit www.kcactf.org for general information about the festival.

HOW TO GO

Want to see a show at the regional competition of Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival?

First, you’ll need either a $35 day pass or a $95 festival pass. Understand that Weber State University’s Browning Center will be a flurry of activity, and that seating is first come, first served.

The three theaters in the Browning Center will be running shows from the participating universities simultaneously during the festival. On Wednesday, for example, WSU presents “Xanadu” three times in the Eccles Theater, Brigham Young University performs “The Elephant Man” twice on the Austad Auditorium stage and California Lutheran University stages “Suddenly Last Summer” twice in the Allred Theater.

Festival attendees who want to see a specific performance should arrive 30 to 45 minutes early for that particular performance. Afternoon shows will be easier to get into, said John Binkley, Region 8 KCACTF chairman, because many of the students attending the festival will be involved in workshops and other festival activities during the day.

Seating is limited, depending on the size of the theater.

“Obviously, it would be easier to see a show in the Allred than the Eccles since the Allred seats 300 and the Eccles seats about 150,” Binkley said.

Binkley also noted that the shows in the larger Austad Auditorium will actually seat only 120 for the festival since the theater is being converted into a black-box-type theater, with the audience seated on the stage and the curtain drawn.

THE SCHEDULE

Eleven full productions are presented during the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival next week in the Browning Center on the Weber State University campus, 3848 Harrison Blvd., Ogden.

There are several other events and activities for festival participants. Visit www.kcactf-8festivalinfo.org/page6.html for a complete online schedule.

• Utah Valley University’s (Orem) “Eurydice,” 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Tuesday, Allred Theater.

“Eurydice” portrays the ancient Greek story of Orpheus’ famous trek into the Underworld to bring his love, Eurydice, back from the dead. The myth is traditionally told from Orpheus’ point of view. However, this version by Sarah Ruhl is told from the viewpoint of the leading lady.

• Weber State University’s (Ogden) “Xanadu,” 11 a.m., 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Eccles Theater.

Based on the cult film, “Xanadu” tells the story of a Greek muse named Kira who comes to Earth in 1980 (disguised in roller skates, leg warmers and an Australian accent) to inspire what the gods call truly great work and discover the meaning of the universe’s greatest secret: the gift of “Xanadu.” Kira meets the artist Sonny, who needs her help in achieving his greatest dream: a fantastical roller disco.

• Brigham Young University’s (Provo) “The Elephant Man,” 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Austad Auditorium stage.

Throughout history there have been individuals who inspire others. Joseph Merrick — dubbed “The Elephant Man” — lived with a hideous and debilitating disease. Found in a freak show, subjected to cruel crowds, then admitted to a London hospital for scientific observation, Merrick lived surrounded by ugliness. This production of the Tony-winning play by Bernard Pomerance uses inventive staging, masks, movement and music.

• California Lutheran University’s (Thousand Oaks) “Suddenly Last Summer,” 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Allred Theater.

“Suddenly Last Summer” by Tennessee Williams is a one-act play that opened off-Broadway in 1958 as part of a double bill with another of his plays. Willliams wrote it after beginning a period of psychoanalytic treatment, and it may have served as a type of exorcism of his inner demons. The famed playwright explores the nature of insanity, desire, voyeurism and the inherent danger in humanity’s search for truth. The play is intended for mature audiences.

• Concordia University’s (Irvine, Calif.) “The Cover of Life,” 1 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Austad Auditorium stage.

When three young war brides in rural Louisiana move in with their mother-in-law while their husbands fight in World War II, Life magazine sends its top female reporter to do a “women’s piece” about them. What the reporter finds changes her and the women forever. Filled with charm and fun, “The Cover of Life” is a deeply affecting story about the struggle for self-worth and love.

• California State University Fullerton’s “The Dramatization of 365 Days,” 4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Eccles Theater.

Based on the book by Ronald J. Glasser, the play follows the real-life experiences of a medic in the Vietnam War. The story focuses on the interaction between one badly burned soldier and the doctor’s conficted attempts to save his life.

• Brigham Young University and the SCERA Center for the Arts present “The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey,” 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Allred Theater.

This is a concert staging of the moving tale of Jonathan Toomey, a reclusive carpenter in a small Appalachian village. Toomey’s life is changed when he meets an eager boy and his widowed mother who are searching for a new Christmas crèche.

• Los Angeles City College Theatre Academy’s “The Unseen Hand,” 12:30 p.m. (female cast), 2:30 p.m. (male cast), 5:30 p.m. (female cast) and 7:30 p.m. (male cast) Feb. 10, Austad Auditorium.

This 1969 science-fiction work by Sam Shepard is said to have influenced Richard O’Brien’s stage musical “The Rocky Horror Show.” The play takes place in a desert wasteland in Southern California. The pop-influenced piece features three broken-down cowboy desperadoes, a space alien refugee, a cheerleader and more.

• Citrus College’s (Glendora, Calif.) “Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead,” 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Feb. 10, Eccles Theater.

Wonder whatever happened to the beloved “Peanuts” gang? This parody follows the gang a decade later, addressing the dramas and angst of their adolescence. Drug use, suicide, eating disorders, teen violence, rebellion and sexual identity collide and careen toward an ending that is both haunting and hopeful.

• Santa Monica College’s (California) “Cesar and Ruben,” 12:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. Feb. 11, Allred Theater.

“Cesar and Ruben,” a musical by Ed Begley Jr., chronicles the life of the civil rights leader Cesar Chavez through music, imagery and a conversations with slain Los Angeles Times reporter Ruben Salazar, who often wrote about Chavez. The show mixes humor and drama, music and dance, history and personal struggles, with songs in both English and Spanish by Sting, Ruben Blades, Peter Gabriel, Carlos Santana and more.

• Scottsdale Community College’s (Arizona) “The Bald Soprano,” 12:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. Feb. 11, Eccles Theater.

“The Bald Soprano” is a romp through language and the futility of meaningful conversations. The play tells the story of the Smith family as it follows and is followed by its Englishness through “stultifying eroticism, bewildering impropriety and ghastly anti-climaxes.” The production uses emerging technologies such as voice-modulating software and other digital age gadgetry.

— Information provided by the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival