Program Founded in 2011 by Art Access/VSA Utah

The Theatre Arts Program seeks to educate the public to respect and celebrate differences among all people. Appropriately themed stage productions are performed for groups of attendees, who may be school students or adults from the community. Following each production, attendees are encouraged to participate in a discussion about the performance and to address the theme of respecting differences.

Through a partnership with PYGmallion Productions, the Art Access Theatre Arts Program seeks to educate the public to respect and celebrate differences among all people. Appropriately themed stage productions are performed for groups of attendees, who may be school students or adults from the community. Following each production, attendees are encouraged to participate in a discussion about the performance and to address the theme of respecting diversity and difference.

As an in-service component for schools, Art Access is developing a curriculum that will include a teacher's kit and classroom activities, as well as other educational tools for use in the classroom following performances of thematically selected scripts, or along with a class production of a play from an available script. More productions of other relevant short theatre pieces are being explored and incorporated into this program's format.

For its debut of the Theatre Arts Program, Art Access has as been presenting a one-act-play called The Mysterious, Happy Life of Brown Bag. Written by local playwright Greg Near, the play tells the poignant story of a boy who was born with an unusual difference. The story chronicles Brown Bag's struggle to fit in, and is told from the perspective of his mother and his teacher. The title character teaches us to embrace and respect differences. This play helps Art Access to exhibit our organizational philosophy of inclusion by creating a clear level of understanding of the beauty and depth of diversity and the richness that diversity can add to our lives.

To learn more about The Mysterious, Happy Life of Brown Bag, check out these VIDEOS on Vimeo.

Contact:
To request a performance of The Mysterious, Happy Life of Brown Bag, or to learn more about this program, please contact Amanda Finlayson at 801-328-0703 opt. 5 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .