2017-2018 Season

by Richelle Sutton, dramaturg Lucy Maude Montgomery is the author of the Anne of Green Gables series, as well as hundreds of other short stories, essays, and poems. Although her life was not always happy or filled with limitless imaginings, she is still one of the most popularly read authors today. Anne has been loved by audiences worldwide, across years and generations. But to really appreciate the depth of this book, you must look at Montgomery's own life.

"Oh, my Island is matchless-matchless. I feel that I did some violence to my spirit by leaving it. I belong here. It is mine - I am its own. It is in my blood. There is a part of me that only lives here... this colorful little land of ruby and emerald and sapphire."

by Greta Gebhard, dramaturg

Stepping out of the train station, I see a parking lot of cars contrasts the classic architecture that forms each building around the open square. I have been on this adventure as part of my assignment as the dramaturg for BYU's production of Mary Stuart. Now, I'm in Weimar, the place where Friedrich Schiller lived during the most prolific writing section of his lifetime. It feels quaint in this small town, now known for its profound influence on German culture and politics. This was the birthplace of German classicism and romanticism, and place where culture transformed into a world of free thinking and free expression. It was here in 1918 that the political leaders from around Germany joined together to write a new constitution after the dissolution of the monarchy post World War I. Weimar is recognized as the heart of modern, German culture, and this is where I stepped out to discover more about Friedrich Schiller and how it can help the production back in the United States.

by Hannah Gunson-McComb, dramaturg

2017-2018 SEASON, ROMEO Y JULIETA, UNCATEGORIZED by Hannah Gunson McComb, dramaturg

by Andrew Justvig, dramaturg

Brittni Henretty, playwright of A Night In,

by Andrew Justvig, dramaturg Theatre is a place of discovery. Some call it an escape. Others may call it a sanctuary from the world. Whatever you call it, the credit for the escape from reality into fiction belongs to the artists that make a stage into a portal to the imagination. Actors, directors, and designers are often the face of theatrical presentations. (They do deserve credit!) However, they too are subject to the imagination of another; they wouldn’t be able to express their talents without the divine creators of plays, musicals, and operas. Who are these "gods" of creation in the theatrical world? They are none other than the playwrights!

By Pollyanna Eyler, dramaturg LAST CHANCE TO SEE – BYU Young Company’s The Glorious Story Emporium in public:

2017-2018 SEASON, INTO THE WOODS by Amelia Johnson, dramaturg

In honor of the show opening this weekend, I asked some of the cast and crew about their thoughts and experiences of this production. We hope that you will think about and enjoy their answers, and we look forward to seeing you come to the show in the next few weeks!

BYU Young Company is on tour with The Glorious Story Emporium coming to a library near you:

You may have heard this phrase before (if you've ever listened to Hamilton.) "Quid pro quo" is still commonly used today, though it is a Latin phrase meaning "this for that" and is most common in political circles. Ironically, "Quid" is also a well-known nickname for the pound, and so the phrase has also become a play on words, when used in common speech. What does this have to do with Mill on the Floss? Why, it's money, of course!

The inspiration for Into the Woods came because Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine wanted to create a show that blended several stories. They did not originally intend to use fairy tales, but these stories have played an important role in many people’s lives.

While I was in London over the summer, I had an amazing once in a lifetime opportunity. I was able to contact Helen Edmundson, the playwright for Mill on the Floss, months before. She listened to my requests and agreed to meet with me for a personal interview about the production. In a quaint little café, we met together and conversed about the play. I was pleasantly surprised by the many insights Mrs. Edmundson shared. I am very grateful to her for taking the time to meet with one small dramaturg and enlarge her world and understanding of this beautiful play. Following is a transcript of our conversation together and I hope that you will also be enlightened by the words that she shared with us. Be warned, there are spoilers for the production and story in this interview.

When I mention Into the Woods, there are those who love it and those who don't.

Before the play was ever considered, the story of the Mill on the Floss resided within the pages of a book. The author of this book went by the name of George Eliot. But this book was always more than it appeared to be, and its author became well renowned throughout the world.