Different ends of the theatrical spectrum

For the next few nights, audiences will fill multiple local theaters and watch a few very different productions. Two of the shows people can attend this week are the play "Private Lives" at Western Wyoming Community College and the musical "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" by The Starling Company at the Broadway Theater. 

These two productions may seem like they're on opposite ends of the spectrum at first glance. "Private Lives" is a straight play (not a musical) and a comedy of manners about wealthy British couples in the 1930s. "Hedwig" is a musical that emulates a rock concert as the protagonist, a genderqueer singer from Germany around the 1980s and 90s, shares her trauma. 

But despite the differences in the stories, these two local productions have some things in common. 

Personal productions 

Both "Private Lives" and "Hedwig" are shows that have personal connections for their directors. 

For Stephen Cramer, one of the theater instructors at Western, "Private Lives" is a play he had the chance to star in at the Folger Shakespeare Theater in Washington, D.C. The production starred mostly British actors, and it was directed by the late Pat Carroll, who is commonly known for being the voice of Ursula in Disney's "The Little Mermaid." 

"That big voice of hers, I heard it and I'll never forget it," Cramer said of Carroll. "She was wonderful." 

Carroll was demanding to work for, Cramer admitted, but the experience was thrilling. 

"This play just means a lot to me because it was such a unique experience for me at the time," Cramer explained. 

For Kenny Starling, the director of "Hedwig" who is also playing the titular character, the musical has played an important part in their life. 

"I've essentially been preparing for this role for a decade," Starling said. 

The first time they saw the musical was in New York City for the Broadway revival starring Neil Patrick Harris and Tony Award winner Lena Hall. Starling got to sit in the orchestra just fourteen rows back to watch the production. They also attended the show with their first queer partner, and the experience and story had a dramatic impact. 

"That was the night I realized, 'I'm not totally a dude. I don't know exactly what that means, but I'm not exactly totally a dude,'" Starling explained. "And thus ensued almost a ten-year stint of me singing it quite frequently, the entire soundtrack in the shower, and talking about it to people, introducing people to this story, because of the message that it has. It's such a powerful piece of theater. And it's unlike any other piece of theater out there." 

Unique productions 

Both "Private Lives" and "Hedwig" have aspects to their productions that make them stand out as unique shows for Sweetwater County theater-goers. 

While the play itself is more traditional, the production of "Private Lives" has brought new and different challenges for Western's theater department and students. 

One of the most unique aspects of the show is the fact that several roles are double-cast, which rarely happens at the college. However, because this show has such a small cast with only five characters, Cramer decided to double-cast the three smaller roles to give more students a chance to participate. 

Double-casting the show has created some difficulties, such as needing more time for rehearsals, which was difficult after getting a later start and working around snow days. It's also created challenges for the actors, especially the two lead actors who have to adjust to working with different actors portraying the same characters with different interpretations. 

"Essentially what's going to happen is every show you're going to see a different performance," Cramer explained. "So there will always be a different combination of actors." 

Another aspect that makes the show stand out is performing in a black box configuration for the stage. Western has done a few black-box style productions, putting chairs on the stage itself to create a thrust theater with seating on three sides of the stage, which Cramer especially enjoys.

This configuration creates challenges for the actors by changing the way they move on stage and putting them close enough to the audience to see everyone's reactions. For Valerie Sleight, who plays Amanda, the potential of being so close to the audience is admittedly scary. 

"But I'm really excited as well," she said, "because then I'm also going to see, a lot closer, these people's reactions, and I'm going to see those that just absolutely are loving the show and it's going to make me feel a lot better. Scary, but also really exciting."

Despite the challenges and new ways of doing things, Cramer is excited about how hard the students have worked and how things have come together beautifully. 

Starling has had a similar experience with the hard work of the cast and crew for "Hedwig," which includes a full band. 

"It's better than I could have hoped for," they said. "Everybody is so, first of all talented, but then invested in it, invested in what we're doing and giving their all to it, coming up with their own ideas, willing to try new things. I've been very lucky with this group." 

"Hedwig" is also an especially unique production, much of which comes from the way it's written. For one thing, the whole show is more like a concert than a traditional musical, with a story that was built around the songs first.

"The music is so unlike any other piece of musical theater," Starling said. "There are some [songs] that start to go within the realm of the genre. But there's something so queer and so soul-expressing about this music that is just unique, just like the show itself." 

Additionally, the show is designed to be adapted every time it's performed. 

"Right at the beginning of the script it encourages you to adjust the script based on the times and location that you're doing it in," Starling explained. "So we're doing a rock concert in Rock Springs, Wyoming. Which is really cool. There's not many other pieces of theater that set you up in that way. And it's been really fun to delve into Rock Springs history, to history of the Broadway theater, Wyoming history, to incorporate all of that in an offensive but tasteful way. That's really the only way to describe Hedwig's humor."

Starling will also be taking the show to Salt Lake City for a few performances, and will again adapt to the setting. They are excited to be partnering once again with Tara Lipsyncki, a Utah-based drag queen, to be sharing the production in both places. Starling said part of the hope is to share productions like this in small communities like Sweetwater County, "realizing that this is where change happens," and then share them with larger communities to continue "to bring visibility and help further a narrative."

Purposeful productions 

When it comes to sharing a message, every piece of theater has its own purpose. But despite the similarities between the two local productions, their purposes are one of the areas where the difference in the shows becomes more apparent. 

When it comes to "Private Lives," the story shows that oftentimes relationships that seem ideal don't work out, and that people aren't always what they seem. 

"Essentially, it's about what we do in our private lives as opposed to our public persona," Cramer said. 

But when it comes down to it, Cramer believes the playwright, Noel Coward, wasn't intending to provide insightful commentaries or deeper meanings. 

"Coward really just wanted to do an evening of theater that's fun and to just make people laugh," Cramer said, noting that "Private Lives" is not necessarily something that will change people's lives, and doesn't have to be, since it can just be enjoyable.

"Hedwig," on the other hand, while having comedic elements, is a heavy and tragic story with serious themes. 

"This [show] really puts a microscope on what it is to be a trans individual in this country, in the world, in small communities like this," Starling said. "It's a very pertinent show and message to be doing right now in light of current legislation and all the toxic rhetoric that's going on right now."

"Hedwig" also grapples with the concept of not needing someone else to complete you. Starling pointed out this idea is hard for everyone, but especially hard for members of the LGBTQ+ community and transgender people in particular who are consistently seeking, and not necessarily receiving, validation. 

But Starling also hopes this concept of completion will be something people can take away from the show - "Just to know that you're enough, just being you, and you are worthy of love, not only from other people, but from yourself. And that should be the place that you start, is with yourself." 

With their similarities and differences, the cast and crew of both "Private Lives" and "Hedwig" support each other and hope the community will support both shows. The casts attended each other's preview performances earlier this week, and having an audience made all of them realize how excited they are to share their productions. 

"I think it's a good thing," Cramer said of having multiple plays in one week. "It's more opportunity for people to go see theater."

"Private Lives" opens tonight at Western and will have performances at 7:30 p.m. on April 20, 21, and 22, with a matinee performance at 2 p.m. on April 22. Tickets are $13 for adults and $8 for seniors and youth. 

"Hedwig and the Angry Inch" opens tonight at the Broadway Theater in Rock Springs and will have performances at 7 p.m. on April 20, 21, and 22, with opening acts before the show beginning at 6 p.m. Tickets are $15. Parental and viewer discretion is advised, and flashing lights, loud music, and smoke are used during the show.