The intricate narrative of playwright Amy Herzog’s “4000 Miles” presents the dichotomy of old and young. Herzog attacked the worn-out theme of generational gaps with witty dialogue and meticulous timing. These reasons, among many others, are why the Salt Lake Acting Company selected “4000 Miles” as its spring production.
Opening this Wednesday and running until May 4, “4000 Miles” presents the story of 21-year-old Leo, who is traveling cross-country. When walking through New York City’s West Village neighborhood, Leo visits 91-year-old Grandma Vera and decides to live with her.
Austin Grant, who plays Leo, has been acting for three years, and “4000 Miles” is his Salt Lake Acting Company debut. Grant was bit by the acting bug in high school and has continued to pursue the temperamental career. At times, Grant practices method acting, and he has utilized that technique with his role as Leo.
“Being healthy physically is important for the character, and one thing I didn’t do that I might do this weekend is just camp out outside for a few days because my character is on the road. [I want to] get that feeling of isolation outside,” Grant said.
When Grant auditioned, he read from slides and didn’t know much about the character. Since then, he has grown to appreciate Leo and has found shades of his own personality in the character.
“Some things about the character is, for one, I find myself very similar to Leo. He’s a little weird at times. I liked the relationship between him and his grandma. It’s just so interesting to watch them,” Grant said.
Another character, Amanda, is a student at New York City’s Parsons School for Design but grew up in San Francisco. Amanda is only in one scene, though that scene is a pivotal one.
“I feel like she takes all of me. She is so full of energy and so fast. When I first read her scene, I was kind of put off by her. She’s so big and ostentatious, the very opposite of me.” Dixon said. “I’ve really been able to find Amanda’s vulnerability and settle into her sharp honesty. It’s been a fun journey, and now I really love Amanda. She’s quite funny and smart. It’s like getting on a roller coaster with her.”
Lily Hye Soo Dixon plays Amanda. Unlike Grant, Dixon has been acting since fifth grade. Like Grant, however, this production will serve as Dixon’s Salt Lake Acting Company premiere. When acting, Dixon faced the challenge of bringing both sides of the continent together.
“Parts of the process consisted of getting all of the accents right, including mine. I hate to admit it, but I guess I tend to slip into the good old Utah drawl. You know, the lazy ‘T.’ And my voice tends to be kind of low. So I’ve had to focus on speaking in a higher register and use the valley girl talk,” Dixon said.
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