Salt Lake Acting Company’s (SLAC) annual summer show is buzzing to bring Salt Lake City something fresh, new and full of absurd laughter.
“The Secret Lives of the Real Wives in the Salt Lake Hive” opens on June 27 on the SLAC stage and will run until Aug. 17. Written and produced by Austin Archer, Penelope Caywood and new addition Olivia Custodio, this year’s summer show is a parody of everyone’s latest favorite reality show. But also not far from the truth of Salt Lake City’s lore.
SLAC’s summer show has been ongoing for decades, sharing love and laughter with the Salt Lake surrounding community. This year’s show is promised to “be the can’t-miss party of the summer.” If you’ve found yourself binge-watching “The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City” or “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,” then this is the perfect show for you to sit back, relax and sip with your friends, family or romantic partner.
Cast members include current University of Utah students Kaden Conrad, Rachel Johnson, Tori Kenton and Harrison Tim. Noelani Brown is also a returning member on the SLAC stage. She plays Parlor Christiansen and a Real Housewife “that you’ll be familiar with,” she said.
“It feels special to be in Summer Show because when the show closes, that’s it,” Brown said. “No one else will ever play this role.”
Brown said the summer show is timely. The script is written for the moment, so it can only be used once, which isn’t a typical attribute of theatrical productions. The process is always changing, and there is also improvisation involved as things change throughout rehearsals.
“A typical ‘issue’ with summer shows is remaining relevant,” Brown said. “So, if something happens in the news that changes how a line sounds, you’re often handed new script pages to re-rehearse.”
However, she described this challenge as being rewarding. This process and this show sound like the perfect opportunity for any actor to gain skills that they couldn’t get elsewhere. Speaking with SLAC in the past, they take pride in their quick process and ability to turn around a show in a short amount of time. It’s what makes the summer show a magical experience to be a part of. And why SLAC has been successful with it for so many years. This is a reason Brown came back to the SLAC stage.
“I’ve loved being a test audience to the bits that didn’t even make it in the show, because those are golden too,” she said.
Audiences will see characters they know and recognize, along with some surprises along the way. “The Secret Lives of the Real Wives in the Salt Lake Hive” is ready to bring audiences a space to laugh at the world that surrounds them.
“I hope audiences just get a kick out of the show and feel some levity and catharsis for the night,” Brown said. “It’s not much stranger than reality, but it is way more fun.”
The show opens this weekend on June 27 and will run until August 17. Tickets are on sale now at their website here. They range from $45 to $55, depending on seating. The theatre also offers a $20 student discount ticket price. If you’re in search of a cheap date night, family outing or something to kill time before fall semester, SLAC’s summer show just might be the fit for you.
