Interview: Director Christopher Clark of A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC at Utah Rep

Utah Repertory Theater Company announces its production of "A Little Night Music," masterful composer Stephen Sondheim's unabashedly romantic musical drama.

Originally staged on Broadway in 1973 (and revived with an all-star cast in 2009), "A Little Night Music" includes Sondheim's most well-known song, "Send in the Clowns." A hit for folk singer Judy Collins and winning a Grammy Award for Song of the Year in 1975, "Send in the Clowns" is a wistful reflection of powerful love gone awry.

With great wit and an equal measure of insight, "A Little Night Music" explores tangled webs of love affairs. "Good God, finally an adult musical!" proclaimed The New York Times' rave review.

Directing the production for Utah Rep is Christopher Clark, head of the Utah Valley University Department of Theatre, who says, "It's so great to work on a piece that deals with real adults in real situations. I think 'A Little Night Music' is a very life-affirming piece, and it has so much to say about love, relationships, and generations."

"Audiences will see themselves in this production," Clark said. "Because it deals with life as it really is. It's a very wise piece of theater. I've seen the show several times, and I still find lines that jump out at me. It happens almost every night at rehearsal. Sondheim is a master of observing human nature. He's astute and there's really nobody like him. It's so fun to discover a new piece like this.

"'A Little Night Music' deals beautifully with themes of romance, wisdom, and what it means to be an adult in love," Clark adds. "I think it's very realistic and the music is stunning. I love bright colorful musical theater and it's fun to direct, but it's so nice to focus on something that feels almost more like a Chekhov play with music. It's intimate, it's funny, and it's moving."

Artistic Director of Utah Rep and Producer of "A Little Night Music," Johnny Hebda is equally as excited about the production. "It's been more than 25 years since this classic has been seen on a Utah stage, and I believe audiences will be richly rewarded by attending the production."

Unique for area musicals, the 15 actors will be accompanied by a live six-member orchestra under the direction of well-known musical director Anne Puzey. "A Little Night Music," suggested by the film "Smiles of a Summer Night" by Ingmar Bergman, is noted for its elegant and lush score and drama-filled script by Hugh Wheeler.

"I think people will wonder where this piece has been hiding all these years. Maybe this production will help it get a little more deserved attention from our local theaters," Clark said.

"A Little Night Music" will be staged at the Sorenson Unity Center Black Box Theater, located at 1383 South 900 West in Salt Lake City, on January 15, 16, 23, 29 and 30 at 7:30 p.m., with 2:00 p.m. matinees on January 23 and 30.

Tickets are $16-$20 and can be purchased in advance at www.UtahRep.org/tickets. The Saturday, January 23, matinee performance is the company's Pay As You May showing, where tickets can be purchased for any price beginning at $1.

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