OREM, UTAH- Prior to an invited performance at the 2018 Region 8 Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF) in Mesa, Ariz., the UVU Department of Theatrical Arts will present an encore of its production of “Jumpers” on February 2 and 3 in the Noorda Black Box theatre. Performances begin at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for this two-night event are available at uvu.edu/thearts and at the door.

 

The Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival is the national organization regulating competitions between college and university theatre programs and is comparable to the NCAA in athletics. Being invited to perform at a regional festival is comparable to being invited to participate in the March Madness tournament. UVU participates in Region 8 of KCACTF, which includes universities from Utah, Arizona, southern Nevada, southern California, Hawaii, and Guam. 

 

This production is directed by faculty member Chris Clark. “Jumpers” is the fifth show that Clark has directed for UVU to be invited to perform at the regional theater festival. Clark’s production of Nosferatu was the first alternate for the national festival. His production of Vincent in Brixton won the national “Outstanding Play” award and he was personally given the national “Outstanding Director” award.

 

The production is based on a New Yorker article by Tad Friend. It detailed the dark magnetism that draws dozens of suicide victims to the Golden Gate Bridge every year.

 

The audience for “Jumpers” will experience a moving portrayal of real people who have experienced suicide on and around the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. The story of these individuals will be told through physical movement and interview recreations to create a type of visual podcast. Student performers will impress audiences through what Clark said is their “physical movements and ability to take on multiple roles over the course of the performance.”

 

This production deals with adult themes and may not be suitable for all audiences.

 

 

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About Utah Valley University

Utah Valley University is home to more than 35,000 students. UVU began as a vocational school during World War II, and in the seven decades since has evolved into a technical school, community college, state college, and, finally, a comprehensive regional teaching university. UVU is one of Utah’s largest institutions of higher learning and offers programs ranging from career training to high-demand master degrees.

 

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