The traditional theatre model is exclusive by nature—if a company only has four show slots per year, and they rely on ticket sales to pay the massive overhead for their building and staff, they’ll select well-known shows that appeal to the widest audience base in order to ensure financial success. This reality translated to 11 versions of The 39 Steps, 24 versions of Beauty and the Beast, and an unbelievable 56 versions of A Christmas Carol being produced in Utah over the last 9 years. Only 2% of all shows produced in Utah in the same time period were new works.
Utah is a place where theatre makes it. According to the NEA, more than 84% of adults in Utah participated in the arts in 2015. But there’s a clear disconnect between the homogenous stories told on most Utah stages and the rich diversity of backgrounds and experiences of our citizens. We intend to make Utah theatre as vibrant as the artists who live here. Hedgepig Collective is a safe space for underrepresented artists to gather, be heard, and heal through the development of new works. We don’t operate under the confines of a traditional season. Instead, we open our space to artists who yearn to tell their stories, inviting diverse playwrights, directors, ensembles, and artists to create innovative and challenging works when-ever the need arise.
