THE THANKSGIVING PLAY Comes to Wasatch Theatre Company in December

Wasatch Theatre Company continues its 26th season with The Thanksgiving Play by Larissa FastHorse straight from its Broadway run earlier this year.  The show will run first at the SLC Theatre Co-Op at The Gateway and then move to the Regent Street Black Box at the Eccles (after Thanksgiving) for a short run between December 2 and December 4.  

The Thanksgiving Play chronicles a group of four actors trying to produce a historical Thanksgiving play for elementary students.  The problem?  All four actors identify as White, and they can’t find an Indigenous actor to support cultural competency.  The results are a satirical look at our woke culture and our efforts at culturally-relevant work that bypasses some of the individuals who ought to be at the table in the creating process.  

FastHorse has commented that she is occasionally frustrated that her plays with Indigenous characters aren’t produced because theatres struggle to find Indigenous actors.  In response to this, FastHorse decided to write a play with four white-appearing actors in the hope that it would be produced.  Fasthorse said, “We’re here, there are a ton of us, but American theatre is constantly trying to create things abut native people,without actually using native people.”  

Wasatch Theatre Company owns and runs the SLC Theatre Co-Op.  WTC opened the co-op in January 2023 as a way to network and support theatres through the Salt Lake valley and beyond.  Theatre co-ops have been more commonly used throughout the country post-pandemic as a way to sustain theatre companies who may be struggling in the wake of financial challenges since national shutdowns.  

The play will move to the Regent Street Black Box at The Eccles in December.  Wasatch Theatre Company was awarded resident status at the Regent Street earlier this year.  Other Regent Street residents include Sting and Honey Theatre, Utah Contemporary Guitar, and Jaks.  

The Thanksgiving Play features the talents of Hannah Orr, Ethan Hernandez, Kassandra Torres, and NIck Bianchi.  It is directed by Jim Martin.  

Tickets are available at the Wasatch Theatre Company website or through ArtTix. 

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