Salt Lake Acting Company Unveils Cast And Creative Team For SUNNY IN THE DARK World Premiere

Salt Lake Acting Company has announced the cast and creative team for the world premiere of SUNNY IN THE DARK, a new work by Utah playwright Elaine Jarvik. The production will mark Jarvik’s fourth world premiere with the company and will run in SLAC’s Upstairs Theatre.

Sunny in the Dark was originally developed during SLAC’s 2023–2024 New Play Sounding Series and will make its professional debut under the direction of Marion Markham, who returns to SLAC after appearing onstage in You Will Get Sick. Jarvik’s previous SLAC productions include Four Women Talking About the Man Under the Sheet, Two Stories, and a man enters.

The cast includes Matthew Ivan Bennett as the Astrophysicist, Alexandra Harbold as Elise, Micki Martinez as AJ, and Paul Mulder as Tom. Making their SLAC mainstage debuts are Coco May Berwald in the title role of Sunny and Jason Andrew Hackney, who will portray Man, Priest, and Dad.

The play centers on Sunny, a 15-year-old grappling with questions about the universe, faith, and her own origins. When a DNA test reveals unexpected information about her past, Sunny’s search for understanding deepens. The work explores themes of mystery, longing, truth, and identity, incorporating elements of science and astrophysics.

The creative team includes Gage Williams as set designer, James Padilla as lighting designer, Spencer Potter as Costume Designer, Jenn Jackson as sound designer, Jessica Graham as props designer, Calvin Vinson as assistant sound designer, Adriana Lemke as intimacy director, Bridgette Lehman as production manager and stage manager, and Tahra Veasley as production manager and assistant stage manager.

Opening night is scheduled for Friday evening, with performances running Wednesday through Saturday evenings and Sundays in the afternoon and early evening. Additional weekday and matinee performances are scheduled during the run.