About this project

REVIEWS & INTERVIEWS

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• Gideon Burton's review of the 2009 production
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• Thom Duncan's review of the 2009 production
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• 2009 Award for Drama from the Association for Mormon Letters
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• June 17, 2010 - Article on the play/playwright in ProvoOremWord
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• July 7, 2010 - Interview with the Producer on MotleyVision.org
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• July 13, 2010 - Interview with the Playwright on MormonExpression.com
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WHY THIS PROJECT?
I work with emerging playwrights, actors and directors to get their ideas off the ground. Whenever those ideas provide a not-so-represented voice, I get excited. When I have the chance to help build and strengthen communities by way of these projects, I get to work.

THE PLAY
Playwright Melissa Leilani Larson wrote a play that I stumbled into last year. It's called LITTLE HAPPY SECRETS. It's a play that deals with homosexuality within a Latter-day Saint (Mormon) context. LITTLE HAPPY SECRETS is the story of a Mormon woman coming to terms with her sexuality without compromising her faith. Poignantly honest, funny, and very real, this is a story — and a character — you won’t soon forget.

There's a free audio version available. It's an earlier draft, but it's a great introduction to our project.

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• iTunes download
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• Listen Online
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WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL?
It's not so much the nature of the story, but how it's told and the incredible reaction it has received from the relatively small audiences exposed to it so far. The past few years have heated and polarized the discourse between the Latter-day Saint (Mormon) community and lesbian/gay communities. What I've seen this play do is open that discussion to an honest and sincere conversation between both groups.

Theatre has the power to create a forum for understanding and discussion. This project has lit a fire under me. I believe in this playwright and am excited at the chance to help her work gain greater exposure by producing the Salt Lake City premiere of this script.

WHAT WE NEED
We've tentatively secured dates (early February 2011) in a downtown Salt Lake City venue to produce this show and we are finalizing our production team. Our Kickstarter campaign ($4,500) will go primarily towards the cost of the theatre rental (plus insurance) and other production costs (including paying our actors and technicians something for their dedication to the project).

ONE LAST NOTE
The Kickstarter campaign will end at 11:59 PM on my birthday. You can bet you'll be receiving a thank you card if our fundraising goal is met. In addition to the selected rewards of course! (remember, when you make a pledge you get every lesser reward as well)