KUTV Community

As the theater season comes to a close all around town, some of the finest performances now come out of the woodwork to close up shop

Case in point, the returning finale to Salt Lake Acting Company's season... Saturday's Voyeur. Taking a look over the prior year's worth of events, the play presents a comedic look at the moments that have affected us both as a state and a nation... from a slightly shifted point of view. I got a chance to chat with several cast members, as well as the writer for this year's show. We talk acting, working for SLAC, the play, and a number of other topics.

Steven Fehr, Jesse Pepe, Jacob Johnson, Shannon Musgrave, Kent Harrison Hayes, Allen Nevins and Arika Schockmel

http://www.saltlakeactingcompany.org/

Gavin: Hey guys, first off, tell us a little bit about yourselves.

Steven: My name is Steven Fehr. I was born and raised in Utah, although I've lived in California, Nevada, and France, and Belgium as well. I've been acting professionally for about 14 years now. I have a BFA in Acting and Directing from Utah State University and an MFA in Theatre-Performance from UNLV. I've worked at many of the local theatre companies here in Utah and have also worked at theaters in Nevada and California as well.

Jesse: My name is Jesse Pepe. I recently turned 19 and just finished my freshman year at Weber State University. I am a diehard Utah Jazz fan (and am very disappointed in their season this year). I also love math and science.

Jacob: My name is Jacob Johnson. I am originally from Grantsville, Utah, a sleepy little town about 30 miles west of Salt Lake, the next valley west over the Oquirrhs. I grew up there in a family of 8 children, of which I am the youngest boy. I have two younger sisters. I graduated from the University of Utah with a BA in Theatre. I lived in Los Angeles for about five years, and have been living back in Salt Lake for nearly two years.

Shannon: I grew up in North Ogden, graduated from Weber State University in Musical Theatre and am now living in SLC. I like eggs over-easy and coffee black. I’m scared of butterflies.

Kent: I’ve been acting since I was, well... born. But in a more formal setting since I was about ten. I grew up in Bountiful, UT, which had a fantastic summer theatre program and I was hooked. I’ve had a great life performing (mostly in Utah and California) and ran a successful audio / video post production facility in Los Angeles for many years. But the roar of the grease paint and smell of the crowd was just too hard to resist, so the company was sold and I returned to the happy life of a starving actor three years ago... and I’m having a GREAT TIME!

Arika: My name is Arika Schockmel and this is my 7th Saturday's Voyeur.  I am an Equity actress (the Actors Union) and a working artist. Besides being the oldest woman in this years show (having usually been one of the youngest) I am also the only married member of the cast. My husband Christopher Glade is also a local Equity actor and has been in several past Voyeur's as well.   I am a new business owner, having recently opened an art gallery and artist's boutique at SLAC called Commodity del'Arte.  Some of my interests include travel, literature, art, comedy, music, camping and gardening.

Gavin: What inspired you to take an interest in theater?

Jesse: I was actually just kind of thrown into my first theatre class. My counselor in 9th grade said I needed another art elective and put me into this beginning level theatre class. The rest is history. I had been planning on going to Stanford to become an engineer since about the age of 11. All of the pieces were in place, but I knew my heart wasn’t in it. I felt I had fallen into theatre for a reason, and that a very good career path lay ahead of me if I followed my instincts. So far, I am extremely happy with the choice I made.

Kent: My siblings. I’m the youngest of five and all of them were involved with the theatre, either on stage or back stage. Guess it’s in my blood.

Shannon: I loved Dolly Parton from the tender age of 3 and I’m pretty sure that’s what sparked my interest in performing. When I got to college, I took an Intro to Acting class from Tracy Callahan and I knew that theatre was what I had to pursue.

Arika: My mother claims I have been doing it all my life, since I was the bath and diaper changing demonstration baby in the hospital as a newborn.  I can't remember choosing to be in theatre, it always just seemed to be a good way to communicate. I think I was three when the bug really bit me, however.   I have been acting ever since. 

Jacob: Nothing really ever inspired me to take an interest in theatre; I grew up in theatre. My parents have been acting as long as I can remember. My earliest memories are in theaters. My father has performed in 30+ shows at Hale Center Theatre (where I also got my start) and my mother has numerous television and film credits. I never decided to become an actor; it is what I have always been. There was never any question in my mind.

Steven: As a kid, I was teased a lot because I wasn't very good at athletics and because I was somewhat of a loner. Since I didn't have very many real friends, I created imaginary ones and often used my imagination to entertain myself as well as cope. When I was six or seven years old, I saw the touring production of the musical, Annie, and I was immediately intrigued by the idea of performing. I wanted to do what the performers in that show were doing. It had quite an impact on me. In third grade I was cast as one of the leads in a play we were doing, and I immediately felt that acting, singing, and performing were things I was not only good at, but which improved my self-esteem. My parents also took us kids to the theatre quite often in my childhood, and I grew to develop a great love and appreciation for theatre. Growing up, I was involved in musical groups and community theatre. By the time I was in high school, it was very clear to me that acting was what I wanted to do as a career. Fortunately, my parents supported that notion all the way.

Gavin: How did you first get involved with the Salt Lake Acting Company?

Allen: I've has been writing for Saturday’s Voyeur the last 19 years. I came to the Salt Lake Acting Company in 1989 as the Literary Manager, and in 1990 I formed a writing and business partnership with then SLAC Marketing Director, Nancy Borgenicht. In 1993, our partnership, Saturday’s Voyeur, Inc., became the management company and the Executive Producers of the Salt Lake Acting Company, for which we received the UAF Mayors Award for the Performing Arts and also the Governors Award for the Arts. As Executive Producers we expanded and re-built the Upstairs Theatre, designed and built the Chapel Theatre as an alternative performing space, unionized SLAC’s acting pool and re-instituted Saturday’s Voyeur as the annual summer fundraiser for the Salt Lake Acting Company. In our 12 years as an Executive Producer, the Salt Lake Acting Company produced over 70 full-length plays, 40 public readings, and developed multiple new works for the American stage.

Kent: I was encouraged to audition for SATURDAY’S VOYEUR, in it’s third year (you do the math... or, rather, don’t), by my dear friend, Robert Proctor, who happened to play the father in VOYEUR for years. I will ALWAYS be thankful for his encouragement and for the amazing experience that production gave me. And, of course, to have been cast as one of the FIRST tap-dancing, queer missionaries.

Arika: With 2002's Saturday's Voyeur. It has felt like home ever since.

Shannon: I’d seen a few plays at SLAC and loved them. Last summer I started working in the Box Office during the run Saturday’s Voyeur and have since been privileged to become part of SLAC’s new Communications and Audience Development Team. This is the first show I’ve been in at SLAC and I’m loving every second of it. It’s a wonderful place to work.

Gavin: How did you hear about “Saturday's Voyeur”, and what was the audition like for you?

Jacob:  I first auditioned for Saturday's Voyeur in 2002. I really didn't know what it was about, other than my mother saying it was naughty. I just thought it would be fun. I heard from many friends who had seen or appeared in it that it was a riot. So, I went and auditioned. I got called back, but I showed up at the callback completely unprepared. They expected us to have a song and a monologue prepared, but I didn't know. I either was not told or didn't listen. I'm gonna err on the side of me and say I wasn't told. So, I had to pull something out of my ass. I sang the song I sang at my original audition (I know, quite lame) and did a humorous, filthy Rowan Atkinson monologue I remembered from high school. Needless to say, I didn't think I got it. I didn't hear anything for 3 weeks, so I just went on with my life. But then, Nancy Borgenicht called me and said she was sorry it took so long, but they wanted me in the show. "Great," I said. Then, she said it paid $500 bucks a week. I said, "Hmm, you're gonna have to give me some time to think about it... I'll do it."

Steven: Saturday's Voyeur is the first show I have done at Salt Lake Acting Company. I have seen several shows here and have always been impressed with the types of shows they choose to do and with the high-caliber of acting and writing I have witnessed. I've always wanted to work here, but it wasn't until I auditioned for Saturday's Voyeur that I got the opportunity to do so.

Jesse: One of my wonderful professors at Weber State, Tracy Callahan, was the director of SLAC’s Six Years earlier this season, and needed a young man for the show. The part was Michael Granger, and he made a total of two 30 second appearances in the second act, along with an extremely hefty line…the word “Dad.” I was so grateful for the opportunity, not caring one bit about how much stage time was involved. It was such a great experience, but I felt like I had more to offer than my savvy one word, and decided to audition for SLAC’s next show Dark Play or Stories for Boys. I didn’t think much would come from it, but I wanted them to see that I was interested in doing more shows there in the future. I ended up landing the lead role of Nick. It was a massive undertaking and I was pushed incredibly hard, but the experience I gained was something I felt very few 18 year olds have had the chance to receive.

Gavin: Alan, where did “Saturday's Voyeur” originate from?

Allen: Saturday's Voyeur is a corruption of the title of a hugely popular LDS musical play from the 70's, called Saturday's Warrior. It was a propaganda piece about a large "perfect" Mormon family's journey from pre-mortal existence, down to Earth [read planet Utah] and their various trials and "tests of faith." The original creators of Saturday's Voyeur. Michael Buttars and Nancy Borgenicht thought it might be interesting to create a story about another "perfect" family and their journey through life in Utah. Well as you can imagine, in the Saturday's Voyeur world not everything was as "perfect" as LDS Church promotional material of the time had lead us to believe. In many ways it's not unlike this years show where we have a soap opera segment that features Utah County's most dysfunctional family, the "Freebes."

Gavin: Is it a challenge rewriting and adjusting it year to year?

Allen: The challenge. Yes, well the initial challenge is to identify what news stories will continue to have currency from the time you start writing to the time it's performed before an audience. That's a period of seven or eight months. Experts tell us that our memories of events, even fairly major events, begin to evaporate after a mere 60 days, so the challenge is to predict what will still have legs down the road. Otherwise, as a dramatist, you have to jog people's memories with exposition, and for a fast paced production like Saturday's Voyeur that can be death. The other challenge is to make the repetitive sameness of Utah's ultra-right seem, well, less repetitive. I'm constantly being told at parties or at the supermarket, "Well I guess the Legislature gave you plenty to write about this year!" or my personal favorite, "You'll never run out of material in this State!" The problem is most of the petty ruffians in the Legislature ALWAYS say the same thing, always cloaked in a kind of Mormon speak, 'code' phrases like "family values" "pre-dominant lifestyle." As heavy handed as they are, their rhetoric never elevates to the level of what I would call "drama". The exceptions are guys like Butttars, and sometimes Wimmer and Noel, who just can't help "sharing" what's on their minds. The other problem is, we already know what's on their minds: Guns, other people's lifestyle choices, guns, taxing other people's lifestyle choices, guns, how to get "vouchers" back on the ballot, and most importantly, how to neuter the "liberal press." Sadly, I think a lot of the drama of the Legislature is hidden in closed Republican caucus rooms and we only get to see it when it somehow leaks out. We have a long tradition of "closed doors" in Utah with both the Church and the State. On the one hand, I suppose that's what makes a show like Saturday's Voyeur possible for thirty one years, on the other hand, this lack of transparency doesn't readily lend itself to "dramatic" interpretation. Yes, it's a challenge.

Gavin: What inspired the focus of this year's topic?

Allen: Radio and the 'Great Depression' of the 30's. This year when the writing process started, we had the financial meltdown of Wall Street, the banking fiasco, the collapse of the housing market, and for all we knew last December, the potential collapse of “the Rule of Law.” If General Motors could talk about bankruptcy anything was possible. People losing jobs, people losing their homes, people losing their retirement, people under stress. The worst crisis since the “Great Depression” was what was on everybody’s lips and mind. When faced with that prospect, what’s really funny anymore? I knew what I wanted to say; I just didn’t have a vehicle to say it. I wanted to say, that we are experiencing a time of great social re-adjustment. Everything about our lives is going to change from this point on. Our buying patterns, our assumptions about what constitutes a “traditional family,” our “values” if you will, are all in question and in flux just as they were in the 30’s. So I started to think about a radio show, not a real radio show, just a shadow of a radio show (As the iconic Paul Harvey, who died this year, used to say, “ a new fashioned’ show) a nod to those tumultuous days of the ‘Big’ depression when we really did hit the floor, yet somehow we made it through. And my message this year is that we will make it through this also. Our radio show features a serial type soap opera that runs throughout the play. This imaginary and over the top ‘play within a play’ is peopled by Utah Valley’s most dysfunctional fictional family, the Freebes. Their dramatic arc is the transition from “what was” to what “is” and then finally to what could “possibly be.” The unfortunate “Hard Times” they are confronted with, both financial and ethical, force them to cast off the affectations and expectations of the past and move into the future. The “radio show” conceit of this year was a nod to history, a way to remind us that we’ve been here before. And though the world is changing, we should take a hard look at the writing on the wall, embrace it, and then get on with it. The fact is that even Main Street isn’t mainstream anymore.

Gavin: How did John come to be in charge of directing it?

Allen: John Caywood interviewed with me for a project we were doing at SLAC in 2004, Edward Albee's, The Goat: or Who is Sylvia. He didn't get that "Goat" job but I figured that anybody who wanted to direct a play about a man having an affair with a goat probably had the stomach and a sense of irony that was developed enough, to deal with Saturday's Voyeur. The subject that year was [coincidentally] the Utah State Liquor Commission coming down hard on the "Dead Goat" a private club in Arrow Press Square that wanted to be strip club. The LDS Church and their unofficial organs, the State Liquor Commission and the Zoning and Planning Division of Salt Lake City, of course had a much different idea about land use in the "shadow of the Temple" and the Salt Palace Convention Center. So John got "The Goat" job after all, it was a different "Goat" job than he was looking for but thankfully he's been doing it ever since.

Gavin: For the actors, how did you hear about it, and what was the audition like for you?

Steven: Well, I've known about Saturday's Voyeur for quite some time now. I've lived in Utah for most of my life, and they've done it so many years now. Also, I've had many friends who have done the show and heard about many of their experiences. This was the first opportunity I really had to do it. I thought my audition went very well, although I was, of course, nervous. One thing I've always appreciated about the audition process at Salt Lake Acting Company is that they try to make it as nerves-free and comfortable as possible for the actor. It makes for a positive auditioning atmosphere, and Salt Lake Acting Company remains one of my favorite places to audition. There were a lot of funny, talented people at the callback, so I felt very fortunate and blessed to be among them and even more so to have been cast.

Arika: I had known SLAC's cutting edge reputation and traveled from Logan to see plays there when I was in High School. At USU I met some people who had been in Voyeur, but I hadn't ever seen it. I first auditioned for Saturday's Voyeur in 2000 and was called back. I remember being terrified!  All these hilarious people!  All the experience in that room!  What would I sing?  What joke should I tell? (I labored over that one!) I received a very nice phone call from SLAC Producer and Voyeur author, Nancy Borgenicht, who told me I was not being used that year but encouraged me to audition again. I was unsure I was a proper fit for the show anyway.  I saw the production in 2001 and that seriously renewed my interest.  I knew it was a show for me! I tried again in 2002 and was cast. The rest is history.

Jesse: I had known about Voyeur ever since November of last year, and had been planning on auditioning for it ever since I got involved with SLAC.

Jacob: Well, I can't speak for everyone, but the process of getting VOYEUR up is quite daunting; much different than any other piece of theatre you see. Brenda Cowley, a longtime VOYEUR alum who helped write the piece this year, put it this way: "You know, you take about 2 years to write a full-length musical. VOYEUR is written, re-written, workshopped, staged, and mounted all in about 5 months total." That is a lot of work. It's hard on Al & Nancy. It's hard on the production team. It's hard on the actors. You really don't know what you're dealing with until that first day. And even then, the changes are NON-STOP. There isn't a day that goes by where lines don't change, songs get cut, songs get added, songs get moved. Instead of having an out-of-town tryout to see what works and what doesn't, the rehearsal process IS the tryout. So, you have to have performers who are talented, professional, malleable, not egotistical (I know, no ego is a tall order when you're dealing with actors) and, above all, have a good sense of humor and a good attitude. Those last two traits are key. You have to lose your own identity and become a part of the process and the ensemble. It's never about one person; it's about everyone. Which is what VOYEUR is about: Us. The people of Utah and what it means to live in this unique place.

Shannon: I first saw Saturday’s Voyeur in 2006. Then last year, when I started working at SLAC, it really hit me just how important a show like this is for Utah. In our very unique culture, it’s so great to have a show like Voyeur that really serves as an outlet for the minority here. The audition was a blast. The callbacks were particularly fun; we took turns reading a number of different scenes and everyone read for just about everything. Men were reading as women, women as men, and everyone brought something different to the table.

Kent: Last year, a year after closing the business in California, a friend here in Utah sent me an e-mail telling me about the auditions for VOYEUR’S 30th anniversary show. So I drove up for the audition and miraculously got cast! And, again, last year’s production was another terrific experience for me... one for which I’ll always be grateful. THIS year (fortunately) I was sent SLAC’s audition notice and high-tailed myself up to Salt Lake for the audition, which was great fun. Singing (and telling a joke... part of the audition process) for the “powers that be” can be nerve-racking, but they already knew that I was a “few cards shy of a deck”, from working with me in ‘08, so they were kind... AND generous, as they chose to cast me once again. Part of what I loved about this year’s audition, though, was waiting out in the hall and hearing the amazing vocals that were drifting out from other actors’ auditions. Wow. Some talented people are here in the land of Zion!

Gavin: What has the process been like for all of you from start to final product?

Arika: I can't speak for other people, but each Voyeur I've done has been a whirlwind from start to finish!  You never know what will happen, changed, be cut, or added next!  It's all magic and mystery and blood and sweat.  It gets in your bones and under your skin, but in a good way.

Jesse: Wow…Where to start. This is such an incredible experience. It is so different from anything I have ever done. It has forced all of us to take massive risks on stage, while at the same time finding the true honesty within the characters. I couldn’t ask for a better cast. Everyone is so talented, humble, and supportive of one another. It has been a secure and productive environment from day one, and will continue to be so until this show is over.

Shannon: This rehearsal process is like nothing I’ve ever done before. It was so awesome (and a little scary) to be given a script which we were told from the get-go would change and morph and be cut and rewritten. It’s awesome to be so involved in the evolution of a script. Our cast and creative team are so talented and supportive of each other. Every day we experiment and play and work and create. It’s exhilarating.

Steven: Saturday's Voyeur's process has been an interesting (and fun) one. The piece is continually evolving throughout rehearsals,and things are sometimes changed, rewritten, edited, and/or reshaped. Ultimately, it's for the good of the show, and the changes certainly improve the flow of the show and cause it to be tighter and have a clearer through line, but it is, admittedly, frustrating sometimes as an actor to memorize and re-memorize things. However, that little inconvenience is a very small price to pay for a polished and tight finished product. Fortunately, I knew what to expect, nor is it the first time I've done a show of this nature, so I've felt prepared throughout the process. What I've really enjoyed is how talented and funny my fellow cast mates are. It's always great to work with a solid group of people, and this cast is no exception. The creative team behind the scenes has also been a pleasure to work with as well.

Kent: Saturday's Voyeur is a VERY unique theatrical process for everyone involved, I think. Other than a host of familiar tunes (well, most of them were familiar to me!), the challenge of creating an entirely new musical, top to bottom; erasing original song lyrics from your memory and replacing them with new, show-specific lyrics; learning / memorizing a script that (for timing, content, plot, etc.) continues to morph throughout the rehearsal process; choreography, etc.; AND all in a five week time period (many shows of this nature take MONTHS, or longer, to develop) I am continually amazed and impressed that ANY group of people is able to accomplish it all. But accomplish it we do and as it all comes together before opening, it’s a thrill to know that I’m a part of not only a terrific cast, but a truly amazing, thought-provoking, well-loved theatrical heritage.

Gavin: Is it more or less challenging doing a musical that a standard play?

Jacob: I wouldn't say musicals are more difficult to do than a straight play. Logistically, they can be. It's just the obstacles are different. VOYEUR is definitely harder to mount than just any old musical, like say, THE SOUND OF MUSIC. With any old musical, you know how it should feel and look. With VOYEUR, you have to try many different approaches in rehearsal to fine-tune it and figure out what needs to be said and the best way to say it. It's fun as hell, though. Why do you think I keep coming back year after year? I wouldn't waste my time with it if I didn't LOVE it. I love every minute of it. Rehearsal, performance, the cast. Brenda Cowley and Jeanette Puhich always called it "Summer Camp." That's a pretty accurate description, and a hell of a selling point for someone with an acute Peter Pan Complex like me.

Kent: Hmmm... that’s a tough question. Each genre has it’s challenges and advantages. Lyrics are, for me, easier to memorize, because there’s a tune to associate with each word or syllable with. And, of course, there are genres within each genre (comedy, farce, drama, etc.) that allow an actor to explore entirely different vistas within the characters they’re given to portray. I guess, in the end, though I might find one show less “demanding” than another, I, more often than not, will gravitate to the more demanding / challenging roles, as I feel those will help me grow as an artist. I guess I just have to face the fact that I love to DO IT ALL!

Arika: In my experience it all depends on the musical or play.  But Voyeur is sort of neither.  It is a musical in the since that songs are used to propel the story, but it's a birth, a work in progress, which is much harder than it looks.  I still don't know how Al and Nancy wright this thing every year!  The process takes a lot of trust between the writers, production staff, director, music director, choreographer and actors.  We all pull together to create this thing.

Steven: I really think it depends on the show. Obviously, musicals can be more challenging from a technical standpoint (music, choreography, set changes, costume issues, etc.), but a straight play can be equally challenging from a thematic or emotional point-of-view. For example, I've been in dramas that were much more challenging emotionally or from a language standpoint, but I've also been in musicals that are so intricate in their use of music, choreography, and set changes that they can be a great challenge as well. I just think it depends on each individual piece.

Shannon: I think both are equally challenging. And Voyeur is in a category all its own. It’s definitely a challenge, but a very rewarding one!

Jesse: Musicals definitely have to be more challenging. Some people tend to think that musicals don’t go as deep in character work as standard plays, which is sometimes true. But a trait of a good musical is one that carries the character development and depth of a standard play, along with all of the other elements that a musical offers. Acting is very, very tough. But acting while you’re singing and dancing…come on! It’s no cakewalk.

Gavin: What are your thoughts going into opening week?

Jesse: I CAN’T WAIT!! I’m so excited to see the audience response to this show. Getting an audience in front of us is such a huge necessity in terms of how the final product of this show is going to turn out. They will be dead silent at some things that we thought were a riot in rehearsal, and they will laugh there heads off at some things that we never expected to be funny. The audience is the final element of this show, and will tell us how to cultivate our humor further as the summer continues.

Jacob: Just humbled to be surrounded by such talented people. Not just the cast, who are all WONDERFUL, but the whole production staff: John Caywood, Cynthia Fleming, Kevin Mathie, Keven Myrhe, Al Nevins, Nancy Borgenicht, Brenda Cowley, Brenda Van der Weil, John Geertsen, Sarah Mohr, everyone is just so awesome. They all make me pee my pants laughing! Sometimes, I just sit there and giggle for no reason. Actually, it's because I'm thinking to myself, "I can't believe they pay me to do this s#!%!"

Shannon: I feel like we’re going to be very ready. The process, while ever-changing and evolving, has also been very progressive and steady. We’ve got a great show and I can’t wait to share it with audiences!

Steven: I'm happy with the direction in which we're headed. The show is in good shape; I'm proud of everyone involved with it; and I believe our audiences will enjoy it very much. At this writing we still have some polishing to do, but I feel we are in excellent shape for where we are. I'm also glad to be working with such a great group of people because it's a relatively long run, and it makes such a difference when you're working with people you enjoy both on and off stage.

Arika: Woah.  How will this all come together?  It's a mystery.

Kent: Excitement. I have always loved opening a show and find it difficult to face the inevitable closing week. (Thankfully that’s a LONG way off.) After working with such a talented group over the weeks of rehearsals (actors, director, choreograph, musicians, stage managers, costume, set, lighting and sound designers, and the great tech crew), I am in awe and humbled to be included and can only look forward to the months ahead.

Gavin: When this play is done, what's the next project for all of you?

Steven: I wish I knew what my next project was. These past two years I've been very fortunate to have been cast in many great productions and have worked fairly steadily. This is the first time in a while that I don't have another job lined up. That's the life of an actor sometimes. I do have some auditions coming up, though, so I am hopeful that something will come my way soon. In the meantime, I will be using my free time to get a much needed operation on my knee and to spend time with loved ones in Las Vegas.

Kent: I have auditioned in Los Angeles, Seattle and here in Utah for the fall season. Who knows...? But whatever my next project might be, I will be grateful and anxious to return to the stage.

Jesse: Well I’m definitely going to keep auditioning all around Salt Lake, just to make sure my face gets seen. I would love to do more shows at SLAC this year! My professors at Weber have cautioned me about doing too many outside shows during the school year. Weber has an incredible season lined up for next year, and I wasn’t around much this year. I would definitely be more than content staying up there all next year and participating more. I know the outside opportunities aren’t going anywhere.

Jacob: I dunno. As an actor, you do what you can. It's difficult to constantly work in this city. It's difficult anywhere. I've been lucky enough to work constantly since I got back from California, which I find slightly ironic. I'll do whatever I have to, which will entail waiting tables until the next gig comes along.

Arika: Besides, husband, yard, house, working on Commodity del'Arte, making more art and anything else I may have let slip over the past 6 weeks?  I'm not sure.  Hopefully I will be back to working front of house at SLAC if another play or Stage Management job does not come my way.  But I will probably need a vacation first.

Shannon: I actually don’t want to think about this play being done. I’m going to miss being with this amazing cast everyday! But I’ll get to go back more full time to my fabulous job with SLAC’s Communications team. I’ve got some auditions coming up and lots of bike riding, baking, and basking in the sun to do.

Gavin: Aside from the obvious, is there anything you'd like to plug or promote?

Jesse: The arts in general, including theatre!!! Everyone should be more active theatre-goers! Theatre can say the things that people are afraid to speak. More young people need to get involved in the arts in some way or another. It is vital to our way of life, yet sometimes it goes unnoticed and is extremely under-appreciated. The arts have more potential to inspire than any other aspect of our culture. Don’t let it die.

Steven: Nothing specifically, although I would encourage people to frequent their local theaters, whether they be community or professional. I highly recommend Salt Lake Acting Company, Pioneer Theatre Company, Plan-B Theatre Company, and an old favorite of mine, the Old Lyric Repertory Company in Logan, but there are so many wonderful places to see theatre in the area. Just support good theatre. I'd also like to take a brief moment to promote myself. If anybody needs an Equity actor come September, I am currently available.

Jacob: My dad, Ron Johnson, is performing in UTAH-HOMA at the Off-Broadway Theatre. After you've seen me in VOYEUR, go see him. He's awesome!

Shannon: Nothing off the top of my head. Just support the arts anytime you can!

Kent: I would never be so shameful as to plug Saturday's Voyeur ‘09, running from June 3^rd through August 16^th, at the Salt Lake Acting Company, here in this blog. :-) Never. But I WILL say that I am also a working artist (photo collages, photography, multi-media work) and that some of my pieces can be seen in the gallery and shop at the Salt Lake Acting Company. PLUS I recently won an award for writing a short-film screenplay (which I’ve been asked to expand into a full-length feature) and I’m also completing a novel, as well as a book of poetry (which will accompany a group of ink drawings by the French artist, Youdi). Lots of other irons in the fire, but I’m mostly just loving life.

Arika: Did I mention I am the owner/director of Commodity del'Arte and Acting Artists Gallery, generously hosted by SLAC in their greenroom and across the hall and featuring the art of local theatre artists, including members of Saturday's Voyeur, present and past?  The Boutique is open one hour prior to showtime and at intermission.   The Gallery is open during normal Salt Lake Acting Company business hours.  Come see jewelery, clothing, oddities, art, knicknacks and antiques and find that perfect peice for your home while helping local theatre folk afford to stay in theatre! Check us out at Commoditydelarte.blogspot.com or on Facebook for more information!  Thanks for letting me plug!

With the current set coming to a close, Plan -B has put on what some are calling one of its best seasons. But before the curtain goes down for five months the group has one last performance to give, and what a show it will be.

“And The Banned Slammed On” will take two prior concepts featured by the company, meshing them together, and putting them on for a one-night showing this coming Saturday. With both the unknown and the unpredictable looming in the air, anyone who has a ticket is pretty much guaranteed a unique experience. I got to chat with Jerry Rapier again as he was in the midst of preparing for the play.

Jerry Rapier

http://www.planbtheatre.org/

Gavin: Hey Jerry, how have things been since we last chatted?

Jerry: Things are great with Plan-B - all three plays this season - all by Matthew Ivan Bennett - enjoyed sold-out runs!

Gavin: Let's start off with SLAM. Where did the idea come from for the format of it?

Jerry: We totally stole it from a theatre in the Midwest. Theirs was called BLITZKRIEG. We just thought it'd be a lot of fun. We didn't really think beyond the first year.

Gavin: How do you pick and choose the directors and writers for the project?

Jerry: I keep an eye out all year for people that might be a good fit for this event. Ideally we have a mix of newbies and people who've been through it before.

Gavin: What's the process like from start to finish for it?

Jerry: The evening before the event, we meet with the playwrights, assign them a cast and title, and let them see the production elements they have to work with. This year, we'll also assign them an instance of censorship that's taken place in Utah over the past year as their inspiration. We give them a style guide to ensure the plays are really 10 minutes long and send them off for an all-nighter. They must turn in their scripts at 9am on Saturday the 30th - by 9:45 the directors and actors are informed which piece they'll be working on; the playwrights are sent home to sleep; and we begin rehearsal. Panic usually sets in at 3:30 when we break for lunch. No matter what, the show goes up at 8pm!

Gavin: How has it played off to audiences over the years?

Jerry: All five years of SLAM the show was sold out. The feedback has always been positive. Even when one of the plays is crap the audience is right there with us - I think the audience shares the same adrenalin rush the actors onstage are experiencing!

(Photo by David Newkirk)

Gavin: Going to the other side of it, where did the idea for BANNED come from?

Jerry: In early 2003, we realized our company was in need of an annual fundraising event. But we didn't want to do something predictable or ordinary. So we hit on this idea of having local luminaries reading excerpts from banned literature, altering with performances by actors. We wanted it to be an event clearly tied to our mission as a theatre company.

Gavin: How do you go about choosing the specific songs and scenes for each performance?

Jerry: We added music the third year. Both with music and literature, I would research all year long to find pieces that fit together. And fairly regularly people who enjoyed the event would share information with me. Then it was just a matter of whittling it down to show-length. Sadly, there's never been a shortage of material.

Gavin: If you were to size up both of these performances, how would you compare the two against each other in terms of experiences and audience?

Jerry: Since both events have been part of our season subscription, about half of the audience each year is the same for both events. However, there are a lot of people who just come to one or the other each year so I'm excited to see how they feel about our conjoined event!

Gavin: Why did you decide to combined both of them for a one-shot night this year?

Jerry: To keep either event from getting too predictable or lame.

Gavin: How did you go about choosing this year's participants?

Jerry: I started with inviting everyone who'd acted for us this season. And there are some people that have had an open invitation to participate in SLAM. And I wanted to have all female directors, which we've done several times. Doug Fabrizio and Bill Allred both have a long history with AND THE BANNED PLAYED ON so I was glad they were available to host again.

Gavin: What exactly will Bill, Doug and Terry be doing for this show?

Jerry: Bill and Doug will be setting up the evening, sharing 9 instances of Utah censorship that have occurred since last May. Terry Wood will read his commentary about Divine Strake that many feel led to his termination in December.

Gavin: Can you give us a hint yet as to what we'll see this year, or is it still up in the air?

Jerry: Following Bill, Doug and Terry, you'll see the world premiere of five 10-minute plays inspired by incidents of Utah censorship. Maybe a train wreck. But a guaranteed good time. And of course there's a cash bar.

Gavin: A little on Plan-B, you already have the next season planned out. What's can we expect to see next year?

Jerry: Three world premieres by Utah playwrights! We'll be officially announcing the season at AND THE BANNED SLAMMED ON!

Gavin: Aside from the obvious, is there anything else you'd like to plug or promote?

Jerry: Our 2009/10 season information will be online on May 31^st.

So for a change of pace, we're gonna take a look at something I was personally doing this past week, and I got some photos to show you. ...No, not that. Not that either. I might show that someday, but not today. Nah, this week we're talking about the 48 Hour Film Festival.

Thursday afternoon my pal Tony calls me up and says "Hey, you wanna enter 48 Hour?" Mainly because the film he was working on had to take a week-hiatus from other people working on this festival too. I thought it would be fun so I agreed, to which he said "Good, because I already paid the entry fee." Come Friday night after I got done covering Stroll I'm met with an ecstatic phone call. "Hey dude, for our category, we got Western or Musical! ...Nah, I'm just screwing with you, we got Film de Fem." So evil.

Sitting down over food we thought about what we would do. I could tell it was going well because Tony's opening pitch was "Do you remember Sleepaway Camp? Let's do something like that. We'll get Savannah to play the dude." ...Yeaaaaaaaaaaah, let's not. After an hour of discussion (which at one point involved us contemplating adult film works), we thought up our idea revolving around schizophrenia and we were on our way. Five hours of writing, one hour of prop shopping, an hour of sleep in a bean bag and a hoodie, and we were on our way.

Before filming even began, Tony broke a chair in my apartment. A short backstory, he's filmed here before, and has a habit of moving things around for equipment and shot purposes... stuff that should never move in my home unless I'm moving out. So the first few hours were a tad on the nerve-racking side to say the least. We got our fun cast together of Savannah and Rachel for apartment shots with Lisa and Cameron popping by to help and support. As always the ultimate all-around crew leader Holly brought everything over... including a jib! And Beau ready to put his best boom mic skills to work.

Due to the work schedule I keep I was only able to work the first 24, and the last few shots of the day required filming at a business across town. But the day at my place was awesome. Everything went off without much of a hitch, even had time to take a break and paint to show some of the lead characters talent. Nothing else broke, everything looked cool, and before I knew it they were off and I was asleep.

The only part I didn't like before showing was that because it was a rush, I didn't get to see the final product until Thursday night. I would ask Tony how it turned out and all I would get was “Oh, its good dude.” ...And then he'd just look at me with a half grin with nothing else to say, because he thought it would be funny. ...It wasn't... Went out on Wednesday and got tickets to all the showings and the awards party for Saturday. The first night was frustrating to say the least, the people at the Megaplex messed with the audio so that it was only coming out of the speakers behind the screen, out of fear that our films would blow their precious surround sound speakers. All the while we can hear the rumbling from Terminator next door, but not a lick of dialog from half the films. Why oh why this was even held at the Megaplex (a place I personally view as a local hinder to the film industry), I'll never understand. They need to move back to the Tower, or at least Broadway next year.

Finally came time for ours, playing in the 8PM showing to a packed crowd. Over the course of two days, without pointing out anyone specific, we've seen some of the best and worst in pressurized film making. A lot of awesome tricks I'd love to know how they were done, and a lot of mistakes that will ultimately be lessons for the future. An awesome yet stressful experience to be had.

Coming back from the awards, a bit of the bitter-sweet. We didn't win anything, but I'm not bummed over it. What I was bummed about was the overall feeling from it. No awards (not even envelopes) for the winners, bad lighting so you couldn't see who won, and even one group who apparently refused to show up won an award in a category where the "use of prop" wasn't even noticeable. Clearly there was some odd happenings with the judging and selection, to the point where even winners were confused.

The afterparty was nice, though confusing. Good drinks, nice food, at one point it felt like we were being rushed like cattle to "dance outside" while they had the section cleared off.  Again.. Megaplex... not a festival-friendly place. Management of the complex was not friendly either. If you're going to shut down a room for a festival, that means the film you put in there must be terrible and not doing business. So hey... maybe you should, I don't know, close it for the whole night so you're not explaining to the three people outside why "Ghosts Of GI" hasn't started on time.

Overall thought I did have fun. Two prior Open Mich winners in Matthew Pool and Sohrab Mirmontazeri both won awards for cinematography and acting respectfully. Lot of old friends and colleagues were on hand to chat film, and overall we had a good time. But the big question of the night everyone was asking each other wasn't over doing future projects or films they've seen, it was "will you do it again next year?" And shockingly the overall answer from most... "Not a chance."  But hey, that's still a year away, and you never know what that time will bring.

This summer is starting to bring out a number of local names, showcasing at first glance would be brand new fashion from major stores, but in reality is simple products from Utah designers.

One of the bigger names starting to make its presence known is Aequitas Clothing. Based out of Farmington at the hidden wonder known as The Collective Loft, the small shirt design company has quietly been getting themselves over in shops and expanding their line to an impressive set, attracting both hip-hop and skater crowds and slowly gaining appeal to a much wider audience. I got a chance to chat with co-owners Casey Childs and Josh Kamp about the company, their work, thoughts on local fashion and retail, and some other topics here and there.

Casey Childs & Josh Kamp

http://www.aequitasclothing.com/

Gavin: Hey guys, first off, tell us a little bit about yourself.

Casey: I'm 23 years old. I grew up in Syracuse, Utah. I'm majoring in graphic design.

Josh: I’m from Syracuse Utah, I’m 28 I currently work at a bank and go to SLCC. To have a clothing company has been a dream of mine for a long time now.

Gavin: How did you first take an interest in clothing and printing?

Josh: I would go place’s and not find something that I liked. I thought it would be fun and wanted to start a clothing company that the name had a deeper meaning then just a tag line.

Casey: I've always like t-shirts. In high school some friends of mine started their own t-shirt company and I thought that was pretty cool. So I asked them how to print on t-shirts and they told about screen printing. While in high school I got really into digital art and design. So I mixed good design with t-shirt printing.

Gavin: What were some of your first designs like? Still got any around?

Casey: They were pretty different from everything else that other companies were doing at the time. My main focus was to not have a logo or any artwork printed right in the middle of the shirt. I thought of the placement as tattoos on your body. You wouldn't get a logo tattooed in the middle of your chest. So I placed the artwork to wrap around the body or have it angled differently. We still have a few designs left from our first three that we printed.

Gavin: How did the idea come about to start up a clothing line?

Josh: I always wanted to have a clothing company and was just thinking of names. I was lining more to Aequitas then the others. Then my sister was talking to Casey one day and he called me and was interest in starting one as well.

Casey: I was hanging out with Josh's sisters and they told me that Josh wanted to start a clothing company. So I gave him a call and we talked about what we wanted our designs to look like. So I came up with a logo that would show what we were all about at that time.

Gavin: Where exactly did the name for the company come from?

Josh: I was watching a movie and saw a tattoo of Aequitas on the actors hand. Thought it sound cool and looked up the meaning and liked even more. Especially after learning the meaning behind it, Aequitas means justice and equality in Latin.

Gavin: Was it difficult getting everything set up or did things flow rather smoothly?

Casey: Things flowed very smooth. We would split up things that needed to be done. I designed a bunch of artwork and Josh got all of our business papers done.

Josh: It was hard to learn all that we need to do but mostly it been fair smooth. Luckily we have friends that are willing to help us out.

Gavin: What's the process like in creating a shirt, from design to final product?

Casey: Really, I'm not sure about it myself. I sit down and start sketching out stuff on my computer and things just start coming to my head. Usually I'll start with a little bit then turn that idea into a full meaningful design.

Gavin: How has the reaction been like to the products from both shops and buyers?

Josh: Over all a lot of people like our stuff. We had a booth at weber county fair it really didn’t do to well there.

Casey: So far the response to our stuff has been really positive. Sometimes people don't get it, but thats alright. Its not for everyone. Shops have always liked what we have given them. They sell well in their stores.

Gavin: A little local, what's your take on the local fashion scene, both good and bad?

Casey: I think its getting better. More people are opening their eyes to what can be done in our state. We shouldn't have to go to somewhere else to find something. We should improve the culture around us and give people the most choices here. Just because their are chain stores everywhere doesn't mean you can't start your own store and have something unique.

Josh: More people as time past seem to be more focus on buying local first. Salt Lake local fashion scene is growing as time goes as I have scene in the Fashion Strolls. I think more and more we do these fashion strolls it bring more artist and designers out and show there art work either on canvas or clothing.

Gavin: Anything you believe could be done to make it bigger or better?

Josh: More local business becoming involved in the Fashion Strolls, becoming more local orientated.

Casey: I think its all about getting the word out. Facebook and MySpace have made it a lot easier to do this.

Gavin: What's your take on Fashion Stroll and what its done for the local business?

Casey: I think what the Fashion Stroll is doing is good for buyers and sellers. Its free and you get to see what new things are coming out. If you want to sell, you just pay a small fee (very small fee) for some fliers that get printed.

Josh: It provides small local artist help get there product out there. It allows local artists to come together and help each other out. It also shows the public that there is local fashion out there with the help of the local TV and SLUG. They just need to find it.

Gavin: Do you have any favorite clothing shops you like to work with or shop from?

Casey: We work with model.citezen and Uprok. And so far that has been a positive experience for us. I like to shop at Bastille in the Gateway. And T-*** websites online.

Gavin: What are your thoughts about local retailers and how they deal with local products?

Casey: Most retailers are doing pretty good by letting smaller companies sell their stuff in their stores. Sometimes they want a presentation of your stuff and sometimes they don't.

Josh: With anything really, you have some that will help you out and give you some space in there store. Then just on the other side there not to open to local in there.

Gavin: What's it like for you doing business in this current economy?

Josh: I think with our company being new and still growing it really hasn’t effected us. we sold more the first of this year then the last two.

Casey: People don't want to spend a lot of money on clothes. We have been selling our t-shirts around $15 since we started. So hopefully that price will influence people to buy our stuff more. It hasn't hit us too hard because our shirts are affordable.

Gavin: Are there any plans to expand beyond what you've got going now, or are you mainly sticking to shirts?

Casey: We want to eventually do pants and shoes. I'm a huge fan of RAW denim and I would like to make some jackets and pants out of those.

Josh: We would love to move include denim, belts, jackets, bag and wallets.

Gavin: What can we expect from Aequitas Clothing next year?

Casey: Hopefully pants and more jackets.

Josh: We are getting better of what we doing and always looking for the best way to make are customers the best with a sick design. We are working doing some of our on clothing design from start to finish.

Gavin: Is there anything you'd like to promote or plug?

Josh: Just us, and model.citizen.

Casey: We are part of the Collective Loft. We do shows and sell our stuff their almost every weekend. Check the website for more info at The Collective Loft and our website.

After last month's chat with the cool people at Wasatch Brewery, I've decided I need to start covering more beer-related material. Not just for the fine concoctions, but for the rich history local brewing has as part of the local entertainment scene. ...And the sweet, sweet beer.

So to kick this off I made my way down Broadway to fellow brewers and pub owners, Squatters. Celebrating their 20^th year in business as one of the finest brewers in the state, Squatters has firmly established itself as a major business with its products, as well as a fine dining location with its local pubs. Having three at the Airport, Park City and the one we're talking about today... Downtown SLC. I got a chance to chat with manager Heather Lee, brewmaster Jennifer Talley, and briefly with Squatters co-founder Jeff Polychronis about the pub and its history, thoughts on local liquor laws and surviving as a downtown business, and many other topics. All topped off with pictures of the place, some tasty chicken tacos, and a fine Vienna to wash it down with.

Amy Coady, Jennifer Talley, Heather Lee & (not pictured) Jeff Polychronis

http://www.squatters.com/

Gavin: Hey guys! First off, tell us a little bit about yourselves.

Heather: Well, I have been working for Squatters for a little over nine years. I have felt like a part of the company a little longer though. My husband, Jon Lee is the Head Brewer at the Utah Brewers Co-op. He started with Squatters at the original Microbrewery on 4th West and 2nd South over twelve years ago. So, beer is a family affair. I started with Squatters at the Airport as a Manager. I helped open up that location and then transferred Downtown and then back to the Airport and then back Downtown. It is amazing to think that I have worked at Squatters a little less than they have been in business.

Jennifer: I have been a professional brewer for eighteen years. I that time, I have become a professional international beer judge for World Beer Cup, Great American Brewers Festival and The Australian International Beer Awards. Also, I have done multiple presentations for the Brewers Association at Craft Brewers Conference, Westminster College and University of Utah. I am going to stop here as far as myself as a brewer and just attach my resume. I was born in Chicago and grew up in California. I have a BA in Sociology and a Masters in Social Work from the University of Utah. I love to mountain bike ride, trail run and practice yoga. But most of my time is spent with my family; my husband Jason and two and half year old boy, Dylan. We love to camp with our pop up tent trailer and go to music fests. I am currently eight and half months pregnant with our second child.

Gavin: How did the idea come about for Squatters to start up their brew pub?

Heather: Jeff and Peter were in Real Estate and traveled around the country and thought that they were cool places to be. That is when the Microbrewery boom started really taking off around the country.

Jeff: Toward the end of our real estate days, Peter and I were traveling regularly to Portland, Oregon trying to put together a real estate deal.  The real estate deal didn't work out, but we discovered some of the first modern U.S. microbreweries, so the idea was hatched there.  That would have been around 1987 – 88.

Gavin: When did the company decide to put a pub in downtown SLC?

Jeff: As the idea developed, we decided that downtown SLC was our location.  As you may recall, there wasn't a whole lot going on then.  Gastronomy (New Yorker and Grill/Oyster Bar) was about it.

Heather: They were from here and thought that SLC needed something like a brewpub to give the locals that Public House feel that they noticed in other brew pubs around the country. They felt SLC was ready for a brew pub.

Gavin: How did you come across the location on Broadway?

Heather: I am not sure, but I would assume that it was cheap and not too bad of a location. It used to be a hotel and it had quite a bit of fire damage due to a large fire many years prior.

Jeff: From about 1982 - 1986, there was a very esoteric, way ahead of it's time restaurant called Jaz Ranch in the building.  Peter and I were frequent customers so we knew the building well.  When we decided to do the brewpub, we wanted a location outside the mainstream and, at the time, anything west of West Temple was very Bohemian.  Plus, we couldn't afford anything in the high rent district.

Gavin: What was it like setting the place up, and how was that first month of business?

Heather: Well, I don’t know about that... I wasn’t even old enough to come in here when they opened. You had to be 21 to enter because it was strictly a Tavern Bar where minors were not allowed. I am sure that since Squatters was the new kid on the block, it was pretty busy. Especially with the fresh beer brewed on stie.

Jeff: The build-out, April - September 1989 - was like most construction projects - insane.  We were stretched very thin financially so it was stressful.  To add to the stress, Susie and I got married in June that year!  Once we got open, the pub was very busy.  We ran out of beer in our second week.  Greg Schirf was kind enough to sell us Wasatch beer to keep us going until we could catch up.  By November, we had to order additional fermenters.  It was very crazy but a lot of fun.  Many, many long days and nights survived on adrenalin and craft brewed beer!

Gavin: Is it a challenge brewing beer on a daily basis to keep everything the same day-by-day?

Heather: Well, I don’t brew it. I like to think of myself as the “unofficial” taster. We do have our challenges sometimes keeping our more popular beers on tap, like our Vienna Lager. Jenny and Jason plan out weeks sometimes months in advance on when they are going to brew our specialty beers. And when we are about to run out of one of our mainstays, that gets worked into the schedule so we will have some at the right moment we run out. It is a very elegant dance of planning and brewing.

Jennifer: No, but you have to keep on your game. Consistency is very important for our customers. We maintain that by watching our ingredients coming in closely, keeping very good records and adhering to our tried and true brew process.

Gavin: Without giving away secrets, what's the process for you to making the beer for that day?

Jennifer: On a typical brew day: we mash in the grist, run off the wort to the kettle, boil the wort with hops for 100 minutes, pitch the yeast, cool the wort and send it to the fermenter. Then it is clean up time. There are another million things that go on in the brew day such as, kegging for our other locations, cleaning various things, managing yeast, taking gravities, etc. It takes approximately 18 days to produce ale and 30 days to produce lager from grain to glass. When we are not brewing, we are filtering beer and managing all cold room operations and always... cleaning something.

Heather: It is planned out weeks in advance. We just do what any good brewery would do with hops, water, yeast and malt.

Gavin: How do you decide on making specialty brews that are only served in the pub?

Heather: Jenny and Jason decide what beers would fit best in that season and go from there. We do have our seasonals that we do every year around the same time, like right now we have Acapulco Gold which is a Mexican Lager. Around Thanksgiving we have our Holiday Nut Brown Ale for the entire Holiday season.

Jennifer: I am usually inspired by something or someone. Sometimes I experience a beer and want to try my hand at the style. Usually this happens when I am relaxed and traveling and drinking copious amount of beer. For example, a lot of my inspiration for my most recent Belgian brews came from my pilgrimage to Belgium with my brewer friends. Other times I might have someone suggest something to me or tell me about a great beer experience they had and it might spark my curiosity to explore a different style. And of course, my seasonal choices always depend on the weather outside and what feels good to drink when it is spring, summer, fall or winter.

Gavin: Has there ever been a beer from the pub that was eventually put into mass production?

Heather: Most of our beers that are in mass production came from the Pub. The ones that come to mind that are specific to the Micro Brewery are the Provo Girl Pilsner and Squatters IPA. Those were designed and brewed at UBC. Some of the seasonals that go into the party pack were made here first and there are some that were designed and made there.

Jennifer: Full Suspension Pale Ale, Chasing Tail Ale Captain ***’s Oatmeal Stout, Organic Amber Ale, American Hefewiezen, Hell’s Keep, Vienna Lager.

Gavin: Do people ever get thrown off that the pub is also a restaurant too, or is it more of a nice surprise for people who were just looking for a bar?

Jennifer: Actually people are surprised to see that we are brewing on-site. We are a brewpub which indicates a restaurant that makes and serves there own beer.

Heather: I think people get more thrown off that we are a pub. People ask all the time if we brew beer here at this location. But we do have our share of people that think we are a bar and then realize that we are a Restaurant and you have to order food in order the drink.

Gavin: How have people from out-of-state taken to the place?

Heather: People from out of state are pleasantly surprised that there is a hip and cool place like Squatters in SLC. We have people asking us if we can open one in their city. We get weekly requests for beer from people not living in SLC. They wonder where they can get our beer in their city.

Jennifer: They love it. They are so refreshed to find great, locally made beer and fantastic food in Salt Lake City. People out-of-state have a very confused idea about what Salt Lake has to offer. When they arrive they are very excited to find they can get great beer at many different alcohol levels, as well as, wonderful wine, cocktails and eclectic food.

Gavin: What are your thoughts on the awards and recognition you've gotten over the years?

Jennifer: It is always nice to be recognized by your peers for a job well done. I have been judging the GABF and the World Beer Cup for over a decade and it is a very professionally run beer judging event. Both events have stringent procedures that help to ensure fair and honorable judging. Knowing the caliber behind the event and the judging panel helps me respect the awards my brewery and UBC has received over the years. But there is always another beer that needs works or a new style to tackle, which keeps me motivated to continual improve on my craft.

Heather: I think the awards are awesome. I enjoy being able to brag about working at Squatters and all the awards we have received. I especially enjoy telling people from out of state that we have received so many gold medals for our beers at The Great American Brewers Festival and also The World Beer Cup. It is gratifying to let people know that here in Utah we do know how to brew beer, very well in fact.

Gavin: Are there any upcoming places for changes or additions to the place? Or possible new brews for people to try?

Heather: Our patio is now open after a long and cold winter. We have 3 babies on the way, One from Jenny our Brewmaster, another from Morgann, a Manager and the last from our host Allie. Pregnancy usually comes in threes here at Squatters. We are blaming it on the water. Upcoming changes... we will see especially with the change to the liquor laws. As far as beer goes, Jenny always has tasty ones in mind for the perfect season.

Jennifer: We are always coming up with new brews. For instance, this March Squatters Pub released Utah’s first made Belgian Golden Strong “Hell’s Keep”. We have a Grand Cru aging in oak and it will have aged 18 months when we consider releasing it to the public, probably winter 2010. We also have another “Fifth Element”, our Belgian Farmhouse Ale, uncorking this fall.

Gavin: For those who may not know, what is the Mug Club and how do people get involved with it?

Heather: The Mug Club is an exclusive club for 100 people. We are currently on a wait list for new members. We have to wait until someone doesn’t renew their membership before anyone else can join. We do two parties a year showcasing a beer style. It is kind of like going to a German Beer Hall. There is great food, beers and people socializing with each other. Jenny showcases a certain beer, like we just had a Mug Club event and showcased the HB51 beer. It is named after the House Bill 51 that legalized home brewing. All of the Brew Pubs around SLC decided on a recipe but made one change to the brew. We used our hop back and put in whole flower Amarillo Hops. Red Rock filtered theirs, Hoppers put in oak chips, Desert Edge didn’t filter, and Wasatch in Park City dry hopped theirs.

Jennifer: The Mug Club is a group of beer lovers who call Squatters their local pub. The annual membership cost is $40 and with that you receive a personalized mug (24 oz. fill), kept behind the bar that we fill for $3.99 every time the member comes in and orders a mug. In addition to the discount on the beer, we invite all the members and a guest to 2 parties a year where Squatters puts out a nice spread of eclectic fare and fills the member’s mug 3 times on us! Mug Club members are also alerted through e-mail (if they want to be) about special events Squatters is offering such as beer education classes, cheese and beer pairings with Caputos, parades, etc. We only allow 100 members to join and we then keep a wait list. So when a member chooses to not renew their spot, we call the next person on the wait list.

Gavin: A little state-wide, what's your take on the liquor law changes made this past session, both good and bad?

Jennifer: For the most part I think they were an improvement. I am very happy they did away with the private club membership because I felt that always brought a lot of undo poor stigma to our State, however, I think it is still a little weird to have to scan someone’s ID if they “appear” to be over 35. I was very happy about the packaging agency law which allows me to brew higher alcohol beer, bottle it and then sell it through the restaurants. This allowed for the birth of two of my latest beers, “Fifth Element” and “Hell’s Keep”. I am glad to see the Utah legislature loosening up a little around the collar when it comes to our strict alcohol laws.

Heather: There are some good and bad elements to the new liquor laws. Just a few years ago they changed the law so we would be able to display liquor. Now, new restaurants will have to hide their liquor behind a 10 foot wall. The “Zion Curtain” is gone but it is never really completely gone. It is great that we will be able to hand a glass wine across a bar instead of walking it around. We don’t have to do that since our bar area is a Tavern where we can only serve beer. I don’t understand Waddoups and his idea that if children see any alcohol that it will entice them to drink. He feels that it needs to be hidden so they won’t be exposed to anything that he feels is “morally” corrupt. He isn’t giving parents enough credit to teach their children about life or that parents have more influence over their kids than a bottle of Jack Daniels on a shelf in a restaurant. It would have been great if they didn’t have to add all of the little pieces to it. If they would have just abolished the membership fee and leave it at that, it would have been perfect. Instead they tacked on a bunch of things to make the few that felt our liquor laws were too lenient anyway. We call it the Utah Three Step. One step forward and two steps back.

Gavin: How do those new changes affect you both as a business and as a patron?

Jennifer: My husband and I will be visiting a lot more bars that we might not have in the past because we do not have to pay the membership fee. As far as the packaging store license, it opens up a whole new forum of brewing for me which is very exciting.

Heather: As a restaurant, it will most likely not affect us too much. We just have to make sure that all of our I’s are dotted and our T’s are crossed. As a patron, I will probably just keep on going like things always have. I don’t really go out much... I live, eat and breathe Squatters. I don’t think the changes will be noticed too much by the patrons, other than they won’t have to pay when they go to a bar.

Gavin: What's your relationship like with other brew pubs around the city?

Heather: We have great relationships with other brew pubs. It is such a small community and we aren’t in competition with each other. We are trying to go after the big dogs, the Domestic Macro-breweries. We are all trying to educate people about beer and how good it can taste when you put thought, dedication and hops in. J The movement is definitely growing for Micro-breweries and craft brewed beers. People are beginning to realize that beer just isn’t a light American lager, even the large domestic breweries are making more craft beers like Pale Ales and Ambers.

Jennifer: Super friendly and fun. I consider Kevin at Redrock a good friend and we toss ideas around about brewing all the time together. We both have been learning how to bottle condition beer and we shared a lot of our problems and successes with each other which helped both of us. Also, many of the Utah brewpubs just recently got together and collaborated on a beer we called HB51 to celebrate and honor House Bill 51 passed May 12^th 2009 legalizing Homebrewing in the State of Utah.

Gavin: Being a local business in downtown, how is it running the place in this current economy?

Heather: Well, people will always need to eat so we are doing great in that regard. People also need to drink, so we have a double whammy. There was a report and study about when the economy goes into a recession, people tend to drink more. People also scale down from their usual dinning places, and we fit perfectly in the middle of that spectrum.

Jennifer: Our local patrons of 20 years have kept us going strong, as well as the Salt Lake convention calendar visitors. A couple years ago we expanded the pub upstairs, this additional space allows to offer reservations to groups of 8 or more – this business is thriving because many smaller restaurants are unable to accommodate multiple groups at a time.

Gavin: What can we expect from both of you and the pub the rest of the year?

Jennifer: Well, I have already given you a sneak peak at my barrels. We have some great weisse beer coming out this summer and as always this fall is great because of all the specials we run for GABF competition.

Heather: You can expect lots of great beer, food and service from the pub. We are enjoying the 20 years of success we have had. It has been a journey that has had a lot of sweat and tears but there has always been beer to make it better. From me, well I am just along for the ride. I plan on doing what I do best and that is be a Manager at the best Brew Pub and Restaurant in SLC.

Gavin: Besides the obvious, is there anything you'd like to plug or promote?

Heather: The obvious being our 20 Year anniversary and the not so obvious our 20 years of sticking through it all.

Jennifer: I would like to remind any beer lovers that like to keep in tune with what’s on tap at Squatters to check my blog on the Squatters website. And I would like to thank our customers for coming in and drinking our beer for the last 20 years. It has enabled me to hone my craft and become an active member in the brewing industry, as well as, become part of my local community. Cheers!

When it comes to the nightlife, papers and columns and even blogs like mine try our best to cover it all, but the truth is we can't be everywhere at once. There is however a user driven collection of sites that's doing its best to do just that.

PartyUtah has been going strong since 2002 as one of the premiere stops for club coverage in the state. Teaming up with a network of photographers and frequent clubbers, the website has gained a dedicated following and is one of the few websites that's managed to both showcase the ever changing scene around us while also acquiring a list of fellow sites to further expand and promote. I got a chance to chat with owner and creator Daryl Acumen about the website and its history, the scene itself, changes to clubs and alcohol laws, and a number of other topics.

Daryl Acumen

http://www.partyutah.com/

Gavin: Hey Daryl, first off, tell us a little bit about yourself.

Daryl: I'm an Internet business analyst by trade, specializing in web marketing analytics. I've been in the field for ten years now. I spent three years as the Senior Business Analyst for Network Solutions (the company that owned Dot Com before the crash) and left in 2002 to become the first Analytic and Best Practices Consultant at little company called Omniture. Today Omniture is the largest web analytic and business optimization software provider in the world with over 5,000 customers and 1,400 employees...I was employee #25. I have a wife, a stepson, and a cat named after a famous Japanese statistician. I'm Black and no I did not vote for Obama.

Gavin: How did you first get into the clubbing scene?

Daryl: I assume you mean here in Utah. I was a heavy clubber back in Maryland way before I moved here and when I agreed to interview with Omniture, I made sure to tack a few extra days onto my trip so I could inspect the local club scene. Knowing the state was heavily LDS, I wanted to be certain there WAS a club scene before I uprooted and moved two thousand miles from my crew! The truth is I probably would have taken the job anyway, but visiting Port O' Call, Papiyons (spelled wrong for some reason) and Manhattan reassured me that Utah was in fact a safe bet. After the move, I made it my mission to know where all the hottest places in the state were on any given night of the week. Since I didn't have any friends or family out here, it seemed the best way to keep from going stir-crazy in my apartment and running up huge long distance bills.

Gavin: Where did the idea come from to start up the website?

Daryl: Originally I just needed a test website to try implementation and analytic techniques for my day job at Omniture. I didn't want to get stuck talking to a client about things I'd never actually tried. A colleague of mine by the name of Keith Westover suggested that I create a message board because it had the potential to generate enough data to make analysis interesting. The original PartyUtah.com was a simple ‘Snitz' message board with categories for every genre of music, every night of the week. I figured if the website caught on and people posted all the hottest places to go in town, it would at least save me the time and gas of driving around town trying to find hotspots on my own. I seeded the original website by asking all my ex girlfriends to join the board and post (a really stupid idea in retrospect, but it worked). One of my exes was very popular in the GLBT scene because she lived with a house full of gay men who loved to party. When she told them about the site, they all went nuts, told all their friends, and PartyUtah.com became the biggest gay website in Utah! It took me six months or so to realize I needed to diversify and I started UtahNights.com (which is the current PartyUtah.com homepage) as a straight alternative to the gay site. The result is pretty much what you see today.

Gavin: Did you believe there was enough of a scene for material and to catch on, or was it more of a risk in your mind?

Daryl: There was no risk. I knew there was a scene already because I was going out three and four times a week enjoying it. The original site didn't cost much to maintain and the risk of being stuck at home because I didn't know where to go one night was much more intimidating than losing a few dollars on hosting.

Gavin: After you got the site setup how did you start getting pictures?

Daryl: The original photo gallery was a feature request made by few of our early users. Angela Saxby had been taking photos to promote SLCParty.com since early 2002, but I didn't really notice. It didn't really occur to me at first that the photos could be a promotional tool. I just thought of it as a cool feature and a way to keep my users happy. I still have those original pictures on my server somewhere, but none were taken by me. After a year or so I bought an Altoid camera (a little Pentax that you could hide inside an Altoid box) and dropped by Natalie's to show it off to a bartender buddy of mine there. I told him I was considering sneaking around to the different clubs at night and taking photos of the hottest spots in town so people could see how cool each club was before they went out. I remember he wasn't impressed and told me it would never work because bar owners would get mad and probably throw me out, so I shelved the idea (and the camera) for the next two years. It wasn't until 2004 that I finally bought a real camera and worked up the nerve to ask the owner of SkyBar if I could take some promo shots in his club for my website in exchange for free advertising. He agreed and the rest is history! I think I eventually gave the old Altoid camera to my mother.

Gavin: Did you seek out photographers at any time or did people approach you?

Daryl: In 2008 I got married and it wasn't really in the cards to keep going out four and five nights per week taking photos to promote the site. I decided that I needed some help. At first it was just one photographer named Ruth Ruiz, but as demand grew, so did the team. Today we have ten photographers on staff and every one of them is at least twice as good as I was in my prime! Most have forgotten more about photography than I will ever know. As much as I'd love to dust off my DSLR and go shooting with them, these days it just makes more sense to stay at home and let the pros do all the work. I figure the more time my camera spends on the floor in my den, the more my legend will grow!

Gavin: What's the reaction been from both clubbers and the clubs themselves over the photos?

Daryl: Clubbers love our photographers! Our team knows how to make people look bitchin', so the response to our work has been overwhelmingly positive. Unlike some outfits from Vegas and California, we try to keep the site work-safe and skirt-friendly and people respect that. The clubs are pretty evenly split in their enthusiasm for the photos and the advertising. Some are more excited about the photos because they show people how much fun each event can be. Others use our special photo/advertising bundles as an inexpensive way to get me to increase their ad impressions. The general consensus among club owners and promoters is that the pictures are a fun, sexy way to get people's attention before they decide where they're going to spend the evening. All around, the feedback has been uniformly positive.

Gavin: How did the decision come about to start up some of the other websites?

Daryl: Actually most of the other websites were acquisitions. Back in 2006 I did a research report for a large, well known social networking site and realized the days of small, standalone, regional websites as coming to an end... rapidly! If local nightlife websites didn't band together and pool our content, we'd be buried within a few short years by the big guys. At that time I started approaching other viable nightlife website owners about merging or partnering and most were receptive. I began with SLCBars.com, then acquired SLCParty.com from Angela Saxby and eventually merged UTRave.org with my own site UtahRaves.com in 2007. Now the collective is stronger and much more viable. All told we've either acquired or formed strategic partnership agreements with nearly a dozen nightlife websites in the state and have assembled something I don't think can ever be duplicated; a network with rich history and broad reach that truly serves Utah's local nightlife community. Many of the websites we've acquired over the years have simply been redirected UtahNights.com, but as time passed I noticed distinct demographic patterns emerging and I wanted to make sure we served each group distinctly. That's why you see four main properties today; UtahNights.com, SLCBars.com, UtahRaves.com, and SLCParty.com. We then partner with other websites like Enevento.com, DateSaltLake.com, ParkCityVoyeur.com and others, to provide content that isn't core to our focus.

Gavin: Does it ever feel hectic running so many different sites dedicated to the nightlife, or does it feel more of a necessity now?

Daryl: It can be crazy at times, but I really do feel it's a necessity now. Most of the websites I host would have died away if someone hadn't stepped in to preserve them. UtahRaves.com has been going in one form or another since 1998. UtahNights.com and SLCParty.com have photos in their libraries going back to the 2002 winter Olympics. Over the years we've helped rescue club websites and photo archives from places like SkyBar, Splash, Vortex, Axis, Naked, Suede, Shaggy's Living Room, W Lounge, Papiyons, Banana Joes, and Cheers To You. I believe it's an important part of the history of our community and that these memories are worth saving.

Gavin: How does it feel having all those sites now being an epicenter of the scene?

Daryl: I'm not arrogant enough to think we're an epicenter of the scene, but it is nice to know so many people rely on us to help them find cool places to have fun. Of course I spend so much time looking at the reports that I sometimes lose touch with how valuable these sites can be. I read "1,000 people just dropped by to see what's up tonight," and it goes right over my head. One interesting reminder came last year when I implemented a new bar listing database for SLCBars.com. As a test I added a bar called Banshce's (my alter ego when I was a wedding DJ) and listing my cell phone number because I wasn't creative enough to make one up. For three months I got these random calls on Friday night from people asking about 80's music! When I finally figured out what was going on I felt stupid, but I was also impressed that real people were using my websites to help them decide where to go. It sort of plugged me back in. I don't think we're an epicenter yet, but I look forward to the day we are. I'll consider PartyUtah.com to have finally ‘made it' when I can call every bar in town for lineup information without being hung up on or told ‘we don't like the Internet and we don't want to be listed there.' Comments like that make a web marketing analyst like me want to scream!

Gavin: You're going on eight years now, what's your thoughts on the websites lasting this long?

Daryl: I get that question allot. It's true we've been at this a long time and I've watched dozens of competitors come and go in that time. A few new ones seem to pop up every year and usually don't last more than a few months. I think the reasons we've survived so long while others have faded away are pretty simple:

* Most people who try to do what we do get into it with the hope that there's money to be made somewhere down the road, and bail out when they realize there isn't.
* We stay focused on what we know.
* We also repel the sort of people who can't talk unless they're slinging bulls#!% because we call it when we see it.
* People are more willing to support your ideas when they remember you were there supporting them when they needed a hand.

Gavin: Going a little city-wide, what are your thoughts on the local club scene, both good and bad?

Daryl: One of the things I love about Salt Lake City nightlife is the people. When I go back east or down to L.A., I'm always struck by how unfriendly and snobby everybody is. I don't think locals see this because we're all used to it, but with rare exception people in Utah nightlife are generally friendly, warm, and easy to talk to. Even women who think you're trying to pick them up will be relatively friendly until they know for sure. It's an easy place to meet people, and it's such a small scene that you're sure to bump into folks again once you've become acquainted. Spend a month in L.A. and see how long it takes before you to have friends in every club you visit. Warning: don't hold your breath. On the down side, and here I think I'm about to show my age, clubs in Utah tend to be a little younger and crazier than in other cities I've visited. There's no happy-hour crowd (admittedly by legal decree) and folks my age tend to spend more time at home than in other cities. It leads to a feeling among those of us who do go out that we're "...the old man at the club," to quote Chris Rock. Back in Herndon, Va., Thursday night at Champ's was a weekly ritual and everyone would come out to mingle and network. In L.A., it was Thursday night at Victoria's for the Silicon Beach digital elite. Here in Utah you're out of luck, unless you want to chase all the college kids to Green Street. We need more watering holes with valet parking and handrails in the bathrooms for us old farts.

Gavin: Is there anything you believe could be done to make it bigger or better?

Daryl: Yeah, the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control could take a chill-pill! I realize the DABC has a job to do, but some of the stories I hear from clubs around the state about their abusive enforcement tactics (bordering on ‘Gestapo') really gives me pause. It's funny that the agency puts so much energy into punishing bar owners who sincerely make an effort to stay within the law, yet when somebody like me calls offering to help promote community initiatives to combat drunk driving, I get the brush-off. It seems like misplaced priorities if you ask me. I think the DABC should engage bar owners as a partner that is sincerely interested in helping them educate their staffs and succeed in compliance, rather than a heavy-handed enforcer racking up hit-points with ‘gotchas.'

Gavin: In your opinion, right now, what are some of the top spots in the city?

Daryl: It depends on your scene really. One of the things I like about nightlife in greater Salt Lake City is the variety. Area 51, The Hotel, Bliss, Habits, Green Street, SkyBar, Speakeasy...it all depends on what you're into and what night of the week you like to party! That's why I started my website; you need a guide to keep track of it all. For our tastes, my wife and I think the hottest ticket in town is Steve Lyman playing classical guitar at the Bayou on Sunday Nights at 7pm. Seeing a mesmerizing classical guitar concert, front row with good food and an exotic beer? Even after we slip a twenty in Steve's jar for the show, it's still the best bargain in town. We go every chance we get!

Gavin: It seems in recent years the DJ and big club sound is making a comeback. Do you think it will stick around longer, or be a fading trend like before?

Daryl: Dude, you are so asking the wrong guy! You're better off asking me if I think Guitar Hero will continue to raise awareness of 80's Metal or if Steve Perry will ever do a reunion tour with Journey. Most people don't know this about me but I'm not a big fan of House music, I can't stand Hip-Hop, I haven't listened to the radio since Bush Sr. was elected President, and I haven't watched broadcast television since MTV played music videos! You may think I'm ‘connected' because of my websites, but the truth is I'm pretty damned unplugged. That's part of the reason I moved to Utah, and it's the whole reason I live on a hillside on the edge of a national forest and at the mouth of a canyon. Think of me as a younger version of Yoda; out in the middle of nowhere, connected to the civilized universe only by the Force (and my wireless internet connection).

Gavin: What's your take on the recent liquor law changes and how they'll impact the scene?

Daryl: Dude, you don't even know! I love John Huntsman! If that man runs for President in 2012, he's got my vote. If he doesn't run, I might even write him in (just kidding). Changing the private club laws here in Utah was the smartest move I think this state legislature has ever made. Last year during Sundance I escorted a Washington Post reporter through the city for a front page article on Salt Lake City's nightlife. Imagine how stupid I felt having to explain away all these ridiculous laws while trying to convince her that Salt Lake ‘really is a fun place to party' in spite of them all. I used to have a quote at the base of my homepage that read: "All clubs on this website are, according to stupid laws dictated by puppets of the LDS Church who pretend to work in the state capital, ‘Private Clubs for members.'" You have no idea how good it felt to finally be able to replace that caveat with something more positive. It's like somebody lifted a veil of insanity and made this one state again. At the very least it sends a strong message to those of us who are not members of the church that we are welcome here. It'll take several years for the stigma built up over all those years to melt away, but when it finally does I think state lawmakers will be embarrassed that it took them so long to start acting like Republicans instead of heavy-handed, big-government, legislative hacks.

Gavin: What can we expect from you and the websites over the rest of the year?

Daryl: We'll obviously be taking allot more pictures at more venues, but expect to see more varied content as well. I don't believe we're doing enough to cover some of the more popular niches and I want to change that. Expect to see us covering more GLBT, Country, All Ages, Rock/Metal, and Latin events this year. That's my goal.

Gavin: Aside from the obvious, is there anything you'd like to plug or promote?

Daryl: Most people don't realize PartyUtah.com is a user-driven website. Anybody can submit photos to our gallery, and in many cases we'll feature them on our homepage. You can even import galleries from Flickr. Club owners can update their information on SLCBars.com in real-time rather than waiting for us to call every few months with a survey. Anybody can post on UtahRaves.com or start their own online community at SLCParty.com, complete with its own blog and message board. Every once in a while I still meet people who are convinced you have to be a DJ or a promoter to participate in our online communities... not so. PartyUtah.com is a website of the people, by the people, for the people. Everyone is welcome to submit content and participate in the makeup of the site. Come share your ideas and your creativity. We'd love to see you!

Sidestepping the normal galleries and stroll events this month, a university program is looking to put a new spin on photography.

Running out of a building in Sugarhouse, the Utah Photographic Arts Council will be putting on a showing of unconventional photography entitled “Becoming The Machine.” A display of different techniques and visual formats all focused around the inspirations that came from a specific art class and a quote from Sol Lewitt. I got a chance to chat with the UPAC President Mallory Qualls about the organization and what it does, the upcoming show, thoughts on the art scene and a few other topics. Not to mention some previews below which are only a small sampling of what will be on display.

Mallory Qualls

http://www.utah-pac.com

Gavin: Hey Mallory, first off, tell us a little bit about yourself.

Mallory: There isn’t too much to say. I graduate from the University of Utah this Friday! I’ll be getting my BFA in Photography, which I’m pretty stoked about. Aside from that, currently all I consist of is an overwhelming fear of life after graduation…

Gavin: For those who don't know, what is UPAC?

Mallory: UPAC stands for the Utah Photographic Arts Council. It’s a student run group that’s main purpose is to help students engage with the local art community. We’re funded by the University of Utah, I’d probably get in trouble if I didn’t mention that somewhere in this interview.

Gavin: How did the idea come about to start it up?

Mallory: As undergrads, we learn a lot of techniques and a lot of art history. Aside from preparing a portfolio, we don’t get much experience preparing and being in exhibitions. We decided to start the UPAC so we could gain experience in creating shows, as well as being able to expose ourselves to the local art community.

Gavin: What photographers do you currently have on board with the program?

Mallory: We have a lot of really great artists involved with UPAC this year. We have had the chance to work with students both in and out of the college of art, which has been really fun. The artists participating in “Becoming The Machine” include Savana Jones (Vice President), Miranda Whitlock (Secreatary), Maureen Minson (Treasurer), Tyler Lynch, Van Chu, Colin Roe Ledbetter, Angela Edstrom, Dianne Sanchez, Lewis Crawford, Jordan Huntington, and myself (President).

Gavin: What kind of exhibits have you done in the past?

Mallory: Aside from “Becoming The Machine,” we’ve had two other shows in the past couple of years. Last spring we had a show at Gallery UAF (Equinox) and this past fall we were at The Alvin Gittin’s Gallery (Mirrors and Windows). Both exhibitions were traditional for the most part.

Gavin: Where did the idea come from for “Becoming The Machine”?

Mallory: Last fall ¾ of the presidency took an incredible modern art history class that filled our heads with crazy ideas. Among other things we were inspired to write manifestos, create a group similar to Fluxus, and create shows based on artists that we found to be inspiring. “Becoming The Machine” is specifically based on the quote by Sol Lewitt’s “The idea becomes the machine that makes the art.”

Gavin: Why did you choose the Sugarhouse location instead of a regular gallery?

Mallory: We wanted to try and do something different and explore non-traditional venues. The space that we have found is really bizarre, which is what we love about it. It’s literally a random door in the middle of an unpaved street. Inside it only gets better. Random writings on the wall, crazy wooden hooks coming from the ceiling…Its amazing!

Gavin: What kind of displays will people be able to see?

Mallory: People will be able to see a little bit of everything. There will be video installation, performance, projection, and alternative process photography. I’m really excited about the work in this show. It’s both technically incredible and conceptually solid.

Gavin: For some of the non-traditional material, will it be put up somewhere for display after the showing?

Mallory: Besides the opening on May 8^th, we will be having weekly happenings on the weekends or people can schedule to come see the exhibition by scheduling an appointment.

Gavin: A little local, what are your thoughts on our art scene, both good and bad?

Mallory: There has been a lot of growth and people are definitely starting to care more about local artists, which is awesome! I really enjoy Gallery Stroll, there are some really terrific galleries around SLC. The Salt Lake Arts Center is great too. It’s always blowing my mind with the art that it brings in. Did you see the Jenny Holzer pieces they had a couple of months ago? Incredible. As far as drawbacks are concerned the only thing I can think of is the separation we often see as students from the university environment to the gallery setting. I feel like there is a real disconnect between what we learn, and know to be fine art versus what we actually see in galleries. When you’re in the classroom making work I don’t think you’re as limited, you don’t have to think “Will this sell? Will such and such gallery show this piece?” Etc.

Gavin: Anything you believe could be done to make it bigger or better?

Mallory: I think that Salt Lake City is headed in a great direction. It’s really small compared to other cities, but I think as time goes on, and as we all grow, the work will only get stronger. As long as people care about art, and care about it’s progression, it can only move up.

Gavin: What you think of Gallery Stroll and how its done over the years?

Mallory: I really like the Gallery Stroll. It’s a great way to invite people to come out and view art that otherwise wouldn’t. As an artist it’s really fun too. It’s always great to go out to the stroll and see friends who you haven’t seen for a long time. Friends + Art always equals good times.

Gavin: What's your take on the Utah Arts Festival, and will you guys be doing anything with it this year?

Mallory: We won’t be doing anything with the Utah Arts Festival, but UAF has definitely been a supporter of ours. We had our very first show there! So long ago… oh, the memories!

Gavin: What can we expect from you and UPAC the rest of the year?

Mallory: Unfortunately since the school year is ending that means that UPAC’s festivities are too, for this school year anyway. I’m sure there will be plenty of events next year though. The incoming presidency is pretty awesome, and I’m sure they’ll have great ideas for the future of UPAC.

Gavin: Aside from the obvious, is there anything you'd like to plug or promote?

Mallory: I’ve been talking with one of our members, Colin, about this question and all we’ve been able to come up with is gratuitous self-promotion, or possibly promoting our day jobs in the hopes of getting a raise.. I guess I sort of just plugged him.. Colin Roe Ledbetter, He’s a cool dude.