WORSHIP Comes to Immigrant's Daughter Theatre in October

 Immigrant's Daughter Theatre is presenting a world premiere by company co-founder Morag Shepherd; "Worship," playing from Oct. 6 to Oct. 21 at the SLC Arts Hub at 663 W. 100 South in Salt Lake City. The show plays Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. with a matinee on Sunday, Oct. 8 at 2 p.m.

The piece is directed by Stephanie Stroud and features Ariana Farber, Renny Grames, Brynn Duncan, Nick Matthews and first-time actess Ainslie Shepherd, who is Morag Shepherd's daughter. 

The play, which is an immersive experience for 27 audience members at a time, expolores a devotion which goes too far. 

The show follows Immigrant’s Daughter's mission to tell new stories in unconventional spaces. One of the company's first plays took place in the kitchen area of an old office space, and this piece will be presented in partnership with the Utah Arts Alliance in an art space behind the Gateway. It's also a partnership with Umbrella Theater Company and Sackerson. 

Author Shepherd said of the play: "I wrote 'Worship' because I heard of a case at BYU where a professor in the Geography department sexually and spiritually abused a few female students, students who went to him for internships and guidance in that college setting. As I read about the case, I just couldn’t help but wonder how on earth it got from point A to point B, and so I wrote that scene with the college student. And then I wondered about the other women in his life, and wrote those scenes. When I put them together it was clear that the play had taken on a life of its own outside of the original thought experiment, and it became more of a suspense, thriller, which makes sense considering the undertones of violence in most religious settings. So, yeah, there’s some blood, but you’ll have to watch to see how it comes about."

She added: "Writing the play was difficult. I thought that I knew the voice of the man, because I have interacted with the same type of guy many times in my life, but when I started to write his dialogue it was just too unbelievable. I really had to get inside of his voice, find sympathy for him, and go in from that angle, so I could get something of a truth there."

She also spoke about who should come and see the show and why she feels this is an important story to tell right now, in 2023.

"I think behind closed doors most people have a bit of a morbid curiosity about these real life events, so I guess people who are into true crime podcasts, or just the news in general, would like this show," she said. "I would say that the content is fairly mature, and there is reference to the fact that people engage in sexual activities, so I wouldn’t recommend it for children. 

"I think 'Worship' is an important story to tell in 2023 because not only is it inspired by true and current events, it takes a look at the systems people chose to idolize in this state. And more universally, it shows how easy it is to make little gurus out of the people we devote our time and attention to.

Stroud spoke about why she wanted to direct the show. 

"It is a privilege whenever I can work with Immigrant’s Daughter, because they are an immensely collaborative company that create new works of the unexpected, daring, and sometimes taboo," she said. "Immigrant’s Daughter allows me to explore the unknown and create a theatrical experience as a collective.

"I was first drawn to 'Worship' because it was written by Morag Shepherd. Morag has a very distinct writing style; I would call her work innately honest in its absurdism and complexity. I am drawn to the examination of power in 'Worship,' specifically how inherent power can fabricate a web of duplicity and corrosive behavior for all involved."

Matthews, who plays Mason, who is the professor, spoke about why he wanted to be in the show: "A huge draw are the contemporary themes, the nuanced dialogue, and the skilled storytellers involved. There's also an opportunity for some subtle work because my self-deprecating and ashamed character's interactions with the women in his life are distinct. I am reminded of the Japanese proverb about three faces (and Billy Joel's 'The Stranger')."

Farber, who plays Emma, Mason's wife, and is also a co-founder of Immigrant's Daughter and a producer of this show, said of her character: "I really look forward to taking on the character of Emma, who is very complex and challenging as an actor. I love all the nuance and subtlety of Morag's writing and I really look forward to exploring that within the context of the character work." 

She also spoke about the preparation she is doing in the lead-up to the show. 

"As a producer, this process has been about two years coming," she said. "Immigrant's Daughter does not just produce a play; Morag and I have done our due diligence in working with each other and other playwrights, directors, and actors to fully interrogate and workshop the script. I believe openness to feedback and willingness to make scriptural changes has been the key to our artistic success so far, and we will continue to challenge each other to produce the highest calibre of artistic work possible."

Duncan, who plays Mary, the BYU student, described why she wanted to be part of this piece: "Shows like this can make audiences uncomfortable. They expose things that make people question what has already been established. Sexual abuse hidden by religion is a story that happens across all demographics. Religious abuse has been hidden for years; it’s time to talk about it. Especially in a patriarchal religion." 

She talked about how she is preparing for the show: "I have done a lot of research about the students who were brave and empowered enough to come forward. I was also not raised in the LDS faith, so I have been speaking to many of my Mormon friends to understand better what the core of the faith entails." 

Grames, who plays Flora, who is a sex worker, also spoke about how she is preparing for her role: "I am researching the role of Flora through interviews as well as watching documentaries. I am journaling. I am asking questions. I am experimenting with embodying an essence. I am digging through layers of motivation and objectives and creating her back story based on my own personal experience, my research as well as my imagination.

"I am excited to dig into a character that scares me a little bit. I hope to embody this feminine archetype that is typically deemed abominable or socially unacceptable and bring a point of view that can allow empathy from the audience."

Director Stroud added of why this is an important story to tell in 2023: "As our nation continues to dissect the negative effects of the abuse of power, we have gravitated towards the vilification of those in power. This play expands the dialogue past vilification, and questions forgiveness, redemption, and complicity."

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