By Lisa Larson
As a professional actor, James Everts has had plenty of “first days” on the set of a new show, but he’s never had one quite as exciting as his first day this year at Tuacahn.
“I was flying!” Everts said with a rush of excitement in his voice.
He’s not speaking in hyperbole; nor is he talking about the frenzied combination of excitement and anticipation that permeated the space as the actors and creative teams made their way to venue’s iconic Outdoor Amphitheatre. No, he was actually learning how to fly — strapped into a harness and swinging across the 80-foot outdoor stage.
“It’s a little intense,” Everts said of his first time in the harness. “I was lucky enough to do a flying sequence once in high school, and ever since I thought it would be the raddest thing to do here at Tuacahn.”
This summer, Everts will be playing the role of Jack Kelly in Newsies and Eric in Disney’s The Little Mermaid, neither of which require him to levitate above the stage. However, his ensemble role as a crow in The Wizard of Oz offered him his first day flight, and solidified yet another happy memory from his early time on campus.
“The first few days are just fun,” Everts said. “It’s kooky. It’s high energy. Everyone is an artist in the room, and everyone is excited and hyper.”
This year most of the actors arrived a few days ahead of opening rehearsals, giving them time to unpack into their new homes before joining the rest of the cast for an orientation on March 18. From there, it was on to music rehearsals, costume fittings, dance rehearsals and more.
“It’s just a dream for an artist to get to pop into a room where everyone is as passionate as you are and everyone is there for the same reasons — to create a really beautiful show,” Everts said.
One such like-minded creative is actress Jillian Butler, who will play the role of Glinda and Aunt Em in The Wizard of Oz, understudy for Kathryn in Newsies and play a mer-sister in Disney’s The Little Mermaid. For Butler, earning a spot in the cast at Tuacahn is a dream come true, and as she drove the last few miles to Ivins and the Tuacahn Amphitheatre, she summed up her feelings in three words.
“I am elated!” she said.
Having played the role of Glinda in the national Broadway tour of Wicked, Butler already has a deep connection to the role she will tackle in The Wizard of Oz this summer.
“In this version, Glinda is the Good Witch, but she’s got a snarky side in her interactions with the Wicked Witch, so it’ll be fun to explore that,” Butler said. “I am also excited to play Aunt Em because she is such a beloved character in the movie. She’s a hardworking woman, and I like that there is this through-line in the two characters in that they each want to help Dorothy.”
In addition to all that can be gained by exploring multiple character roles over the next several months, Butler said she is thrilled to work closely with three different creative teams, as well as being a part of all the technical magic that has become synonymous with Tuacahn.
Oh, and there’s one more thing.
“I can’t lie — I’m excited to wear the pink dress,” Butler said.
Helping Butler, Everts and the rest of the cast and crew navigate their first few days, and the coming weeks, at Tuacahn, Zoe Baird, Tuacahn company manager for the Broadway season, has been gearing up for the actors’ arrival for weeks. Her job, among other things, includes assisting on the audition tour and arranging transportation for the actors to arrive. Now that they’re here, she’s excited to see them settle in, and help them make the most of their time in this corner of the desert.
“Some people are anxious about moving to a new area and starting a new job,” Baird said. “I try to offer them as much information as possible up front in order to alleviate their stress.”
For many, this is their first visit to Utah, so Baird spends some of those early days answering basic questions such as where to find the nearest grocery store, how to get to rehearsal, what gym to use, and whether there are any hiking trails in the area.
“There’s a lot of apprehension, but also excitement,” Baird said. “This is a sought-after contract because it’s so long and you get three shows on your resume. We saw over 1,000 people in auditions this year and hired 32, so there’s a great sense of accomplishment for being here.”
Everts, who many will remember from his role as Dmitry in last season’s Anastasia, was thrilled to be invited back and he can’t wait to revisit some of his favorite spots in St. George, as well as discover some new ones.
“I love the scenery and the hikes, and Feel Love Coffee,” he said. “I wasn’t much of a coffee drinker before, but you guys got me hooked.”
Even more than exploring the area, Everts is excited to bring each of these Broadway-level musicals to life.
“I just want to thank the community for being so excited to have us as performers here with them,” Everts said. “Getting to perform these shows that people have such an emotional, nostalgic connection to, it’s something I don’t take lightly.”
Tuacahn’s Outdoor Broadway season runs May 2 to Oct. 25. Don’t miss your chance to see Disney’s The Little Mermaid, The Wizard of Oz and Newsies in the Tuacahn Outdoor Amphitheatre. Get tickets online at www.tuacahn.org or call the box office at 435-652-3300.