Review By Ashlei Havili Thomas, Front Row Reviewers
What if Utah could talk? Or if Mount Timpanogos could? Or the Great Salt Lake? Plan-B Theatre’s world premiere of Just Add Water by Matthew Ivan Bennett and Elaine Jarvik explores what might happen if the Great Salt Lake (and her brine shrimp sidekick) come visit Salt Lake City, Utah. “Her Supreme Saltiness” is dying, but there is one species that can fix it: humans. But do humans care? Just Add Water is part of “Wake the Great Salt Lake,” a public art project by the Salt Lake City Arts Council and Salt Lake City, partnering with Bloomberg Philanthropies and Public Art Challenge to get Utahns talking about the Great Salt Lake and what we need to do to build a long-lasting relationship with the valley around us. This dramedy is a beautiful, briny blend of grassroot activism, metaphysics, and open mic nights that will leave you with more to ponder as you journey home, making it the perfect date night spot for lovers of Utah and her natural wonders. Mark your calendars for the beginning of October to come see Plan-B Theatre’s world premiere of Just Add Water .
Just Add Water utilizes four actors to complete a whole range of characters, from brine shrimp to bodies of water, politicians and press journalists, with Latoya Cameron the only actor with one role, playing Great Salt Lake. Cameron is a powerhouse, bringing the audience a force of nature to life. Her grounded voice and acting keep the audience in the palm of her hand while also giving gravitas to the subject matter. By becoming the embodiment of the Great Salt Lake, Cameron uses her skills as an actor to take this large body of water and make it real and relatable. Her primal energy eviscerates the audience, solidifying the pain and loss of this wetland in their minds. Amona Faatau plays (among other characters) the affable Brien, the brine shrimp and Great Salt Lakes guide through the human world. Faatau lends brevity to the show, his buoyant energy an antithesis to Cameron’s. Cameron’s and Faatau’s sparring quips are a wonderful counterpoint to the play’s heavy subject matter.
Alec Kalled and Isabella Reeder round out the quartet, wearing many hats throughout the show. Faatau, Kalled, and Reeder keep the audience on their toes and excited before they even start their lines. Each of their characters are distinct, bringing a new tone to the performance. Reeder as North Arm is especially nostalgic and quirky, the spunky grandma to Cameron’s angst; their scene exudes a welcome tenderness during one of the lowest moments in the performance. Kalled also stands out as Scientist and Mr. Representative, both unique. Kalled gives Scientist a lovably awkward, goofy demeanor, explaining to the audience some of the issues that are depleting the lake with gusto. Kalled also gives zeal to Mr. Representative, though with just a touch of “uncanny valley” that makes everything feel almost farcical. No one in the cast let the energy drop for even a second, keeping the audience engaged and involved in the story for the entirety of the performance. The cast coaxes a curiosity out of the audience without triggering defensiveness or shame, inviting the audience to follow that curiosity after the performance to learn more about this pressing issue.
Just Add Water is a marvelous 85-minute piece, a great educational choice for family night while also being entertaining. Audience members entering the theater space are immediately greeted by Cheryl Ann Cluff’s calming sound design of lapping waves and calling gulls, as well as the striking set design by Janice Chan, with various debris strewn in an arc on the stage, all bleached white by “salt” from the lake. This is all complemented by the simple yet effective costume design by Victoria Bird, that helps even the littlest children keep track of the different characters. Produced with consultations by biologist Jaimi Butler and Darren Parry, an elder of the Northwestern Band of the Shoshone Nation, this close-to-home think piece is a climate fiction sure to keep the conversation going as to what we individually can do to help the water crisis happening in Utah. Running for the first three weeks of October 2025, don’t forget to get tickets to Just Add Water presented by Plan-B Theatre in Salt Lake City.
Plan-B Theatre presents Just Add Water, a world premiere by Matthew Ivan Bennett and Elaine Jarvik
October 2-19, Thursdays and Fridays 7PM, Saturdays 4PM and Sundays 2PM
Tickets: $19-29
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