SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, July 18, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) — On our way to see the new summer comedy from Meanwhile Park, “In Dogs We Trust,” which is set in a dog park, it was fun to notice that the venue is just around the corner from an actual real gathering place for four-legged friends! So technically, you could hang out with your pooch, then head over to the outdoor theater and see a play about people and their beloved canine companions.
Meanwhile Park was founded in 2021 by Salt Lake City art and theater lover Jeff Paris; he has created a playing space in his own backyard just south of downtown. The space is designed so audience members can gather before the production for a pre-performance celebration that includes complimentary drinks and snacks. Doors open at 8:30 p.m., and the performance begins when the light fades. Tickets are limited to 30 per performance, and the idea is that you socialize with your fellow theatergoers before the play begins. “From June to August” by Matthew Ivan Bennett was the first theater production from Meanwhile Park last summer; it has also hosted dance companies in the past.
The world premiere of “In Dogs We Trust,” by Los Angeles-based playwright Thomas J. Misuraca, opened July 11 and goes through July 21, with shows this week on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Tickets are $36, and 100% of that goes to pay the actors, the playwright, and the creative staff. For tickets, click here.
This year’s offering, a story of neighbors, new love, and canine confusion, was selected as the winner of the 2024 Meanwhile Park Playwright Prize after over 170 submissions from around the world were reviewed. The play tells the story of Darryl and Noah, who after a successful first date, hit a roadblock when Noah accidentally takes the wrong pet home from the dog park in West Hollywood. The park’s wacky regulars then help search for the lost dog, try to get Darryl and Noah back together, and eventually discover that their four-legged friends may be the solution to all, or at least most, of their problems. The show was directed by local triple-threat director, actor and playwright Tito Livas, and features James Wong, Trayven Call, Brien Keith, Blayne Wiley, Cami Rozanas and Brenda Hattingh Peatross.
I really enjoyed the play; it’s definitely a fun, original idea to set the piece in a dog park, with all the possible stories that could arise from that. It’s also heartwarming to see two rather sweet gay love stories in the same show; one a young couple that is trying to figure out their feelings toward each other, the other an older pair, dealing with the intricacies of aging. The storylines really demonstrate that love is love, and that most of us, whatever our orientation, are just trying to find it or hold onto it. The casting is also diverse, which I enjoyed. The two female-presenting characters introduce other themes, such as homelessness and our responsibilities to our fellow man and the planet. I also loved the community aspect of the play — the concept that a group of neighborhood mismatched characters can all come together to help each other out and solve real problems. It’s a story that should resonate in our current political and social climate, with its unprecedented levels of vitriol.
Livas’ direction is inventive and assured, and the cast was all sound; the standout for me was definitely Hattingh Peatross, who really delved deep into her character Starrr (with three R’s), who is a social activist and New Age guru, and her relationships with the rest of the ensemble. I will say that I do think across the board, the actors could project a little more; certainly on opening night, there was a lot of ambient noise, as you would suspect, and I had a little trouble hearing some lines.
The production values, as always at Meanwhile Park, are lovely, and you feel as if you are being pampered from the beginning to the end of the experience, with every small detail attended to. The audience receives stylish little lavender tickets in the mail, and even before you enter the outdoor playing space, the path to the backyard is lit with pretty lights and the ticket taker is stationed next to a table offering various very elegant Meanwhile Park merch. The logo of the company is written in metal letters on a gray stone wall as you enter, and the back of the house is lit up with subtle accents. There are amethyst-colored programs emblazoned with the “In Dogs We Trust” logo, a royal purple dog collar. The pre-performance snacks come in a small wooden box, also adorned with the Meanwhile Park logo, and are provided by Elizabeth’s Catering. The menu changes depending on the night, and the snacks are quite delicious. There is also a range of beverages on offer. You can even take home a dog biscuit printed with the logo and presented in a cute little bag.
The set design, by Paris, is playful, depicting a round lawn, with an oversize violet fire hydrant, a purple bench upstage left, and a chain-link fence stage left. The back of the house and the night sky serve as the backdrop, and characters also utilize a path that is to the audience’s left. The lighting set-up has been upgraded this year, and the design by Bubba Palmer, with support from Lee Hollaar, gives the proceedings a romantic, appealing hue. The costume design, by PJ Kelsch, is simple but works great, with lots of rainbow hues and fun little flourishes for each character, such as heavy metal T-shirts for Rozanas’ Amber, and wonderful, bright ensembles complete with a turban and multi-colored hair for Hattingh Peatross’ Starrr.
All in all, the evening makes a lovely summer date night, and I look forward to next year’s offering, “Red Devil” by Andrea Berting, a short play billed in the program as “a comedy of cancers.” This will be paired with a piece called “Vacation” by Nathan Johnson, which is described as “a tale of marriage and mayhem.”
For more information, and for tickets to “In Dogs We Trust,” click here.
