Everyone is nice. Everyone is vulnerable. And everyone is trying their hardest.

Everyone is nice. Everyone is vulnerable. And everyone is trying their hardest.

July 5, 6, 7 and 12, 13, 14

Dance Nation by Clare Barron
$20.00

Somewhere in America, an army of pre-teen competitive dancers plots to take over the world. And if their new routine is good enough, they’ll claw their way to the top at Nationals in Tampa Bay. A play about ambition, growing up, and how to find our souls in the heat of it all.

WARNING: No children allowed. This is an adult play with adult language, situations, and themes. They may be 13-year-olds, but they will eat you alive!

Meet the Director

Although Ali has been acting for decades, she has recently started directing since gaining interest back in college, and served as Assistant Director on Wasatch Theatre Company’s production of Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde, directed by Patrick Kibbie. She is thrilled to now be directing this incredible show for Patrick’s own Voodoo Theatre Company.

You may have seen her on stage in some of these roles in Salt Lake City: Kristen — Near Mint (PYG), Becca — Rabbit Hole (Voodoo Theatre Company), W — Lungs (Pinnacle), Amsterdam — directed by Patrick Kibbie, Heather — Hands on a Hardbody (WTC); Banquo — Macbeth (Pinnacle); Skye— The Weyward Sisters (PYG), Ruth — Tribes (SLAC); Demetrius — Titus Andronicus (Pinnacle); Mandy — Time Stands Still (Pinnacle); The Pilot — Grounded (People Productions); Wynne — Dinner (WTC); Jenny — You Got Older (WTC); With You and The Byron Five (Company of Cohorts). 

Ali Lente
Director, Dance Nation

“Welcome to Dance Nation, a play that unflinchingly explores girlhood and growing up in all of its painful, confusing, magical glory, all through the lens of the competitive dance world. This play gripped me from the moment I heard the concept and did not let me go, so when I got the chance to direct with Voodoo, it was an obvious choice. I love the play’s raw, feral, animalistic qualities, the refusal to soften the sharp edges of adolescence in the name of palatability, a prominent theme we see emerge in the text itself.

The query comes up over and over: what would it look like if girls fully harnessed and expressed their desires, stood in their power, and unapologetically existed in the world exactly the way their hearts yearned for? I was struck by pangs of nostalgia as I stood witness to the girls’ navigation through the hills and valleys of friendship, its bountiful rewards, its fragility.

Although it feels at times other-worldly, Dance Nation is grounded and chock full of authentic characters you will feel taking up space in your heart with every scene, even if you’ve never danced a day in your life. As we explore the turbulence of pre-teenage years and allow it to take center stage, I hope you feel seen, comforted, delighted, and disturbed. Let yourself get swept away by these girls’ journeys, and we’ll see you on the other side.

LIVERPOOL DANCE WORKS

EAT SLEEP DANCE 

EAT SLEEP DANCE

EAT SLEEP WIN!!!!!

Jack Cobabe

Assistant Director, Dance Nation

Jack Cobabe is a director and actor based in Salt Lake City, Utah. Recent directing credits include assistant directing The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey with Voodoo Theatre Company, directing an original adaptation of Euripides’ The Bacchae with the Classical Greek Theatre Festival, and assistant directing The Realistic Joneses with Wasatch Theatre Company. Recent acting credits include Gross Indecency (Alfred Douglas) with Wasatch Theatre, Helen (Theoclymenus) with the Classical Greek Theatre Festival, as well as God of Carnage (Michael) and Frankenstein (Victor Frankenstein) at Westminster College. He received his BFA in Theatre Performance from Westminster College.

Sammee Jackman

Choreographer

Sammee Jackman (They/She) is a chameleon in the art world from clown drag to director to choreographer! They strive to use their art to encourage everyone to truly love the skin you're in and to always choose kindness. They graduated with a Bachelors in Theatre from Idaho State University then began living in NYC stage managing various new works for Red Fern Theatre Company, Rabbithole Ensemble and Less Than Rent. She recently worked as a director, choreographer, lighting designer, sound designer and production manager with the Westminster School of Fine Arts, An Other Theater Company, Salt Lake Acting Company, Plan B, Great Salt Lake Fringe Festival, Good Company, Egyptian YouTheatre and Voodoo Theatre Company. She has spent the last 20 years as a professional performing artist finding every way imaginable to create art and find community wherever she lands. They are currently a local artist, educator and producer in the Salt Lake Valley for the Queer and Black communities with a focus on theatre and performance art. She can't wait to share their love for music, theatre, dance and art!

Artistic Director’s Note

"Dance Nation" by Clare Barron stands as an important play that amplifies the voices and experiences of young girls and women, challenging societal norms and advocating for empowerment, equality, and self-expression. 

1. Exploration of Female Experience: The play delves deeply into the experiences of young girls and women, addressing issues such as identity, ambition, sexuality, and the challenges of adolescence. It offers a nuanced portrayal of female characters navigating complex social and personal dynamics.

2. Empowerment and Self-Discovery: "Dance Nation" explores themes of empowerment and self-discovery as the characters confront societal expectations, self-doubt, and the pressure to conform. Through their journey in dance, the characters assert their agency, challenge norms, and assert their individuality.

3. Critique of Patriarchal Structures: The play critiques patriarchal structures within the context of competitive dance and society at large. It examines how gender norms, expectations, and power dynamics shape the experiences of the characters, highlighting the need for change and equality.

4. Intersectionality: "Dance Nation" addresses intersectional issues by portraying characters from diverse backgrounds and identities. It acknowledges the intersecting factors of race, class, sexuality, and gender that influence the characters' experiences, offering a more inclusive representation of female adolescence.

5. Bold Theatricality: The play's bold theatricality, including elements such as dance sequences, inner monologues, and surreal moments, adds depth and richness to its storytelling. It challenges traditional theatrical conventions and allows for a dynamic exploration of the characters' inner lives and emotions.

6. Reclamation of Female Bodies: "Dance Nation" celebrates the female body as a site of power, agency, and self-expression. It challenges the objectification and scrutiny often imposed on women's bodies, presenting them as instruments of strength, creativity, and defiance.

7. Impactful Storytelling: Through its compelling narrative and vivid characters, "Dance Nation" resonates with audiences on a visceral level, sparking conversations about gender, identity, and the pursuit of dreams. It encourages reflection and empathy while inspiring viewers to confront their own beliefs and biases. 

Patrick C. Kibbie
Artistic Director of Voodoo Theatre Company

Meet the Cast

  • Jason Hackney

    as Dance Teacher Pat

    Jason's Achilles heel is unique and powerful storytelling, so he was unable to refuse playing in ‘Dance Nation.’ A graduate of the Actor Training Program (University of Utah), he was last seen as Inspector Levine in ‘Catch Me If You Can’ at Hale Centre theatre and a reading of 'Salome' at the Sting & Honey Theatre company. "When a body moves, it's the most revealing thing. Dance for me a minute, and I'll tell you who you are." --Mikhail Baryshnikov

  • Stacey Jenson

    as The Moms / Vanessa

    Stacey is thrilled to be working with Voodoo Theatre Company. Since arriving in SLC in 2016, she has performed on both stage and screen. Recent Utah theatre credits include: Angels in America – Millenium Approaches and Perestroika (Kallista); A Doll’s House, Part 2 (SLAC); Gidion’s Knot (Pinnacle); Ion (The Classical Greek Theatre Festival); Ideation, What We’re Up Against, Dinner and Page-to-Stage (Wasatch Theatre Company). Stacey holds a BFA in Acting from the University of Utah's Actor Training Program, an MFA in Acting from American Conservatory Theatre, and an MFA with Distinction in Voice Studies from The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama (London).

  • Suni Gigliotti

    as Amina

    Suni Gigliotti (Amina) is a Utah based actor with a BFA in Acting from Westminster University. Some previous productions include: Oleanna (Carol), Mauritius (Jackie), Wild Swimming (Nell), Macbeth (Malcolm/Witch), The Importance of Being Earnest (Cecily), Titus Andronicus (Mutius/Goth/Sempronius), Prometheus Bound (Chorus Leader), Women of Trachis (Iole/Chorus), Herakles (Megara), The Crucible (Abigail Williams), King Lear (Cordelia). She is represented by TMG as a tv, film, commercial actor and has been seen in various commercials and projects. She is a certified actor combatant through Dueling Arts International and the Society of American Fight Directors in multiple weapons.

  • Betty Kalunga

    as Zuzu

    Betty Kalunga is currently pursuing her BFA in Theatre performance at Westminster University. She loves to see diversity on any stage and takes great value in bringing that to this stage. Her past Westminster credits include: Watson Intelligence (Eliza), Proof (Catherine). She is extremely thrilled and honored to participate in such an electrifying show.

  • Saey Kamtekar

    as Connie

    Saey Kamtekar is so excited to be back on stage after their last production in 2021, where they played Goneril in King Lear. Now that they’ve graduated and started their career, they can’t wait to get back into the theatre world, starting with this wonderful show.

    (In her youth, one of Saey’s favorite TV shows was The Saddle Club, so this is a real full-circle moment for her. You’ll see.)

  • Darrin Burnett

    as Luke

    Darrin Burnett (he/him/his) is so thrilled to be making his debut at Voodoo Theater Company with such a powerful piece of storytelling. Darrin is a senior at Westminster University pursuing a BFA with an Acting Emphasis. He is also a graduate of Salt Lake Community College with an Associates of Applied Science in Theatre Arts. Educational credits include The Aliens, First Date, Cock, Frankenstein (Westminster), The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, The Seagull, Fortinbras (SLCC). Regional Credits include A Chorus Line (Empress Theater), A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder, The Drowsy Chaperone (Midvale Arts), dis/re/connection (University of Washington), and Crazy for You (Sugar Factory Playhouse). To all the little boys who just want to be their true selves, and to all the women who will help them find it.

  • Laura Elise Chapman

    as Maeve

    The bulk of Laura's (she/they) theatre credits are from the late great An Other Theater Company in Provo, favorite roles there include Hedwig and Yitzhak in Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Rose in The Flick, Sam in Safe, and Christine in A Doll's House. Laura is also playwright of @ll times, all things, all places, a retelling of Henrick Ibsen's A Doll's House set in modern day Salt Lake City, which premiered at the 2022 Great Salt Lake Fringe Festival and won best in the Fully Fledged Fringe category. Follow her on instagram (@laurachipchap) for updates on future projects!

  • Carlie Young

    as Sophia / Dance Captain

    Carlie Young (Sophia) graduated from Westminster College in 2016 with a BFA in Theatre Performance. She's since had the pleasure of performing with Pygmalion Productions, Pinnacle Acting Company, Sting & Honey Company, The Grand Theatre Company, The Hive Theatre Company, New World Shakespeare/Kallisti Theatre Company, the Classical Greek Theatre Festival at Westminster, the Davis Arts Council, and with several companies in the Great Salt Lake Fringe Festival.

  • Dee-Dee Darby-Duffin

    as Ashlee

    I became an actor to tell stories and to see myself reflected, to provoke thought, spark ideas, tell the truth as I see it and most importantly, to heal. Once you hear the story, the responsibility becomes yours. Art should leave you wanting. Want is the beginning of change. Be Open. Be Present. Past acting credits include The Clean Up Project, The Third Crossing, Passing Strange, The Overwhelming, Caroline or Change, Fences, [title of show], 1940's Radio Hour, Women of Lockerbie, Lady Day at Emerson Bar and Grill, and For Colored Girls who Have Committed Suicide When The Rainbow Is Enuf, For more about me go to https://www.deedeedarbyduffin.com