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Show Sat/Sun/Mon/Tues, March 16-19, 2019 The Park Record Kesha will headline third annual LOVELOUD fest Event set for June 29 at the USANA Amphitheatre MESFIN FEKADU Associated Press NEW YORK – Kesha wants you to bring as much glitter as possible and sport the brightest colors of the rainbow when she visits Utah in June to headline the LOVELOUD Festival, the LGBTQ+ event founded by Imagine Dragons’ frontman Dan Reynolds. And if you’re “skeptical or don’t understand the LGBTQ community,” Kesha invites you to attend to help change your perception. “Please come and let me know if you don’t have the best time ever at this show because it’s going to be such a celebration of love. I think it’s going to be pretty undeniable to be sitting in an arena full of love, and not feel how beautiful of a feeling it is,” Kesha said in a recent interview with The Associated Press. Others set to perform June 29 at the USANA Amphitheatre in West Valley City, Utah, include Martin Garrix, Tegan & Sara, Laura Jane Grace, Daya, K. Flay, Grouplove, PVRIS and Reynolds, who is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, widely known as the Mormon church. Reynolds, who has been an ally to the LGBTQ community for years, launched LOVELOUD as a safe space for LGBTQ+ youth to feel love and accepted, and to have an open dialogue about teen suicides in the LGBTQ+ community. Last year’s festival featured Continued from C-8 Theatre announces season 9 a select group of professional companies in the country who have been given the opportunity to produce this complicated, hysterically funny piece.” The new year will kick off with “Mary Stuart,” a politically-charged biographical British drama, that follows the unseen power-play between two of history’s greatest monarchs, who happened to be women. Running at PTC Jan. 10 through Jan. 25, this smart and charming play recently presented a lauded revival in London’s prestigious West End Theatre district. “Mary Stuart” is a testament to human bravery and dignity,” raved Azenberg. “With inspiring female roles, and a theme grounded in the struggle between religion, womanhood and statesmanship, this highly-relevant play mirrors, explores and questions those same issues present Apple CEO Tim Cook and raised $1 million dollars for organizations like The Trevor Project, GLAAD and the Human Rights Campaign. It has set the same goal this year. “To have a festival that essentially is a gay rights festival and have people from the faith community come out (and) people from the political realm come out ... just shows that communities and people that society thinks are on very different sides of the page can come together,” Reynolds said. “It was the far left, the far right. It was religious and non-(religious) all coming to the table and saying, `What can we do to fix this problem?”’ In his 2018 HBO documentary, “Believer,” Reynolds showed Latter-day Saint leaders that opposition to same-sex relationships is damaging the self-worth of gay, lesbian and transgender kids. Reynolds, 31, said the festival’s goal is to “destigmatize what it means to be LGBTQ especially in these orthodox communities.” “I think with each passing year, we feel like we’re making headway; just making it such a conversation in so many homes that it becomes a non-conversation. That’s the goal obviously, ultimately, so kids don’t have to come out. Kids don’t feel like it’s this grand, scary thing in front of them,” he added. Kesha, 32, said that growing up in Nashville, Tennessee, she had a “hard time with religion and what it meant in conjunction with LGBTQ rights.” “I think it can be confusing,” Kesha said. “I just want people to know that whichever side you’re on of the conversation to try to approach it delicately because there are people who just need to feel heard and want to feel safe and OK. That’s a huge part of why I want to do this festival. Everyone deserves to be who they are, and to be proud of who they are.” Tickets for LOVELOUD, in its third year, go on sale Friday. The festival will be live streamed on AT&T’s social media platforms. Another reason Kesha is excited to headline the event is to honor gay fans who have supported her since she became a chart-topping success in 2010 and rallied behind her when she alleged she was sexually assaulted by her producer Dr. Luke, who has denied the allegations. “I truly believe that I would not have a career without the support of (the LGBTQ+ community),” she said. “(It’s) a community that I feel like I’ve been a part of growing up. I still don’t really know what I would identify my sexuality as exactly, (but) it’s always been a safe place for me in the LGBTQ community.” Reynolds said it’s important for him to use his privilege and platform to speak out for others. “I’ve been given a lot; incredibly privileged even at a young age. I grew up a white man in a middle-class family in Las Vegas. Now, the band is extremely successful and I sing for it. With that comes responsibility and comes the recurring question in my mind, which is, ‘What are you doing with that platform?”’ he said. “My goal is to bring to (people) some joy and happiness but also conversations and to make them think and question, and for us to progress as a culture. I think that the way to do that is to have events like this.” today.” Slated for Feb. 21 to March 7 is another Utah Premiere, “Once On This Island,” which was touted as a “ravishing revival” by the New York Times. This 2018 Tony Award-winning musical folktale follows the adventure of two starcrossed romantics amongst an imaginative and vibrant Caribbean backdrop. The world premiere of ‘Ass” will run March 27 to April 11. “Ass” is a comedy about complicated family relationships, and author Ellen Simon informs audiences that the play’s key figure, a famous sculptor, isn’t really based on her famous father, Neil Simon. She said the character “is really more of a Picasso guy.” “Ass” first appeared at PTC as part of the 2017-2018 Playby-Play new play reading series, and will enjoy its first fully-staged production. Closing the season, May 8 through May 23, will be “Something Rotten!” This recent rambunctious Broadway musical, was adored as an “over-the-top take on Shakespeare” by The New York Times. Wallowing in puns, double-entendres and bad taste, theatre buffs will enjoy the “Easter egg” references to pop- ular musicals laced throughout this comedy. PTC will continue to present its staged Concert Production and Play-by-Play new play reading series. Titles for both will be announced at a later date. For the 2019-2020 season, single ticket prices for musicals will range from $45-$68, and prices for non-musicals range from $31-$47. PTC’s economical season packages include a full 7-play, Pick-5, and Flex and Rush Passes. In addition PTC offers an “Under 35” package, for emerging professionals. Packages and passes range in price from $149 to $330, and include the best seats, discounts on additional tickets with an exclusive presale period, and the convenience of free exchange privileges. Current PTC season subscribers will receive their renewal notices in April. They will have the opportunity to reserve their current seats as long as they do so by Friday, June 28. New subscriber orders will be filled in the order in which they are received. For season subscriptions, contact Pioneer Theatre Company’s Box Office at 801-5816961 or visit online at www. pioneertheatre.org. C-9 |