Skip to main content

The Voice of the Prairie



The Grand Theatre Presents: The Voice of the Prairie

Eileen Hallet Stone Provides Opening-Night Lecture on Technology & Community

The Grand Theatre presents: The Voice of the Prairie from January 24 – February 9. The play, written by John Olive, follows an itinerant storyteller who runs afoul of the Federal Communications Commission just before the turn of the 20th century.

“This is an opportunity to show off our acting talent,” said Richard Scott, Executive Artistic Producer for The Grand, “We have this huge stage and only three actors. Director John Caywood and these talented actors are up to the challenge.”


The cast includes three critically acclaimed local actors: Dave Hanson, Stephanie Purcell, and Jonathan McBride.

On opening night, Eileen Hallet Stone will give a lecture from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. about the influence of technology on community connection and progress. Afterward, the Grand Theatre will present "The Voice of the Prairie" beginning at 7:30 p.m.

The show plays January 24, 25, 26, 30, 31, 1, 2, 7, 8, 9 at 7:30 p.m. with additional matinee shows on January 26 and February 2 at 2:00 p.m. The Grand Theatre is located at 1575 South State Street in Salt Lake City.
Eileen Hallet Stone’s lecture is free and open to the public.

For tickets to the performance, please contact The Grand Theatre box office at 801-957-3322. 

About Eileen Hallet Stone: Eileen Hallet Stone is a professional oral historian and award-winning author of more than 200 articles on minority cultures, environmental issues, family dynamics, life challenges, and history. Currently working on a new novel, she has previously written two books on diversity that have been published by university presses. Collected stories in A Homeland in the West: Utah Jews Remember were developed into a photo-documentary exhibit that was shown as part of the 2002 Winter Olympic Cultural Olympiad Arts Festival at the University of Utah Marriott Library. The exhibit travels statewide. Her earlier book, Missing Stories: An Oral History of Ethnic and Minority Groups in Utah, co-authored with Leslie Kelen, has added to Utah’s educational curriculum. Hallet Stone also writes a monthly Living History column for The Salt Lake Tribune.

About David Hanson: David hanson has recently worked in roles such as Richard in Pinnacle Theater Company's production of The Lion in Winter, as Sweeney Todd with Actors Repertory Theater Ensemble and MJ Productions, Cardinal Richelieu in The Three Musketeers at the Covey Center for the Arts, and appeared as John Proctor in last year's The Grand Theatre production of The Crucible.David has also spent a good deal of time behind the stage, directing such shows as Wait Until DarkJoyful NoiseThe Musical Comedy Murders of 1940, and War of the Worlds, which he also adapted.

About Jonathan McBride: Jonathan McBride has previously appeared on the Grand's stage as the Baker in Into The Woods and the Janitor in A Diva Holiday, and in The Crucible as Rev. Parris. During the past 16 years, he has performed across the region with several companies and venues, including: Hale Center \Theater, Dark Horse Company Theater, Egyptian Theater, Pinnacle Acting Company, Plan-B Theater Company, Pygmalion Productions and the Old Lyric Repertory Company in Logan.

About Stephanie Purcell: Stephanie Purcell recently had the opportunity to play the Baker's Wife in the Grand Theatre's production of Into the Woods and is honored to return for such a beloved role as Frankie.  She has performed and filmed with companies such as Utah Light Opera, Centerpoint, Disney, ABC Family, Salty Productions and numerous college productions and films.  Some of her favorite past roles include Hope in Urinetown, Claire in Fuddy Meers, Cosette in Les Misérables, and The Nurse in Romeo and Juliet.  She currently teaches acting for theater and film, as well as Irish Step Dancing with local studios.  Stephanie is a musical theater major finishing her bachelor's degree at Weber State University.



Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Rev Up Your Future at SLCC Annuals Hop into College

SLCC West Valley Center will be opening its doors on Friday, August 2, from 6-9 pm for their annual lowrider event that celebrates the automotive culture and welcomes current, past, and future Bruins into the SLCC community. This unique event allows lowriders to showcase their vehicles and for spectators to witness the creativity, craftsmanship, and passion that goes into a lowrider car. From the sleek custom paint jobs to the impressive hydraulics showcased at the hop-off, attendees get immersed in the vibrant culture created by SLCC West Valley’s community. Beyond the car show, Hop into College provides prospective students and their families the opportunity to explore SLCC, engage with their future peers, staff and faculty and obtain valuable insight into the degrees and programs offered. Furthermore, the community is provided with countless beneficial resources not only as an SLCC student but as a community member. Whether interested in learning more about the lowrider community o...

SLCC Alumnus and U.S. Diplomat to Speak at 2025 Commencement

Salt Lake Community College’s 2025 Commencement speaker Branigan Knowlton will share his perspectives drawn from a 12-year career as a Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. Department of State. In serving his country, Knowlton has honed his foreign relations and diplomacy skills in Hong Kong, Mexico, Colombia and Italy. Knowlton is also a proud Salt Lake Community College (SLCC) alumnus (2002).     Knowlton currently serves at the U.S. Embassy in Rome. Before reporting to the embassy, he was detailed to the Italian Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport as part of the Transatlantic Diplomatic Fellowship program. In Bogotá, Knowlton worked for the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement, and in Hermosillo, Mexico, he worked for the Bureau of Consular Affairs. His first assignment abroad was in Hong Kong, where he worked for the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs.     "I've actively sought opportunities that push me into the unfamiliar, even when ...

Recognizing SLCC's 2025 Distinguished Faculty Lecturer Andrew Vogt, PhD Associate Professor, Engineering

The Distinguished Faculty Lecturer is a recognition of quality work by one of Salt Lake Community College’s full-time faculty and a charge to develop that work over an academic year into a public presentation. A committee chosen by the Associate Provost for Learning Advancement selects the faculty lecturer each year. The lecture takes place in the spring. Distinguished Faculty Lecturer Andrew Vogt, PhD Associate Professor, Engineering Dr. Andrew Vogt’s teaching philosophy is guided by two principles, curiosity and efficiency.  “Curiosity leads us to study a topic and allows us to really understand the ins and outs of research, while efficiency is all about sustainability,” he says. Andrew describes curiosity as a pure, open-minded impulse to explore, such as the ease with which children learn new concepts with virtually no instruction. Efficiency adds maturity to that childlike impulse, creating structures and pathways for accomplishment.  Andrew’s work has alwa...