Front Row Reviewers (FRR) has the opportunity and honor of interviewing Director Javen Tanner (JT) about Sting & Honey’s production of This Bird of Dawning: The Nativity
FRR: What is This Bird of Dawning: The Nativity about?
JT: It is the story of three journeys. Through music, poetry, and movement, we follow Mary’s journey to the birth, the Magi’s journey to the child, and Christ’s journey.
FRR: If you had to describe the process of putting on this show with one word, what would it be and why?
JT: “Awe” is the word I use most as I work with the actors, and the piece comes together. The masks naturally carry a sense of wonder and discovery, which lends itself to the sense of awe in the story of the Nativity.
FRR: What is the most interesting and wonderful thing you’ve learned while working on this production?
JT: Perhaps interesting and wonderful, this piece feels like the closest I may ever get to how the Ancient Greeks experienced the early tragedies, with the fine line between religion and art.
FRR: What is your favorite aspect of this production?
JT: The profound effect it has on our audiences, year after year.
FRR: Please tell us about your cast.
JT: This is the only Sting & Honey show in which all the performers are my students. I teach them mask technique in my program, and so they are the perfect performers for the piece.
FRR: What is your background and training as a director?
JT: I have an MFA in Dramatic Arts from the Old Globe, and I have been the Artistic Director of The Sting & Honey Company since its founding, sixteen years ago.
FRR: What are the surprises and delights you’re finding in directing this show?
JT: Though this is the eighteenth time I’ve put it up, I still find it exhilarating as I watch it come together.
FRR: Please tell us about the film version.
JT: The film version ran in Megaplex theaters here in Utah for the last two years (2023 and 2024). It did well on the film festival circuit, winning multiple awards. Six best short film awards, one best experimental film award, one best actress (Rain Flower Tanner, playing Mary), three best director, one best producer, and one best costumes. One of the attached photos shows the different festivals it made it into. The film should be streaming for the 2026 Christmas season.
FRR: Did you write the script for This Bird of Dawning: The Nativity?
JT: I created the piece, is probably the best way to say it. The script is a collection of poems about the Nativity, some by classical and contemporary poets, and some by me. The music is all traditional, by various artists.
This is the eighteenth show, over seventeen years, and we’ve had several reviews in that time. Every review we’ve received (for This Bird of Dawning) has been very positive, and they’ve come from pretty much every reviewing organization in the Salt Lake area, including a couple of great reviews from Front Row Reviewers– Thank you!
It has been bittersweet this year, working on the final production. Every year, the show is just a little bit different, and this year I’m bringing back a few elements from the past. The most rewarding thing has been to see how much the audience loves the piece, and that so many have made it their tradition. That’s deeply gratifying to me. I have begun a conversation with a producer who is interested in putting it up Off Broadway, in New York next season. We’ll see where that goes.
This Bird of Dawning: The Nativity Trailer (2024)
The Sting & Honey Company presents This Bird of Dawning: The Nativity
December 19– 20, 2025
Fri 7:30 PM; Sat 2:00 PM, 7:30 PM
Regent Street Black Box, 144 Regent St, Salt Lake City, UT 84111
Tickets: Adult $25, Student, Child $18.50
No Late Seating.
Run time: 60 minutes
Age policy: Recommended ages 8 and up. All patrons require a ticket (no infants being held).
This is a quiet show, and only children who can stay focused for an hour should come.
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