By Calee Gardner
Single Wide, a new award-winning musical written by BYU faculty George D. Nelson takes the stage bringing a modern story of heartbreak and perseverance of one woman, her family, and the community that supports her. Single Wide, currently being performed in the Pardoe Theater at BYU Provo tells the story of big dreams despite unfortunate circumstances. “A story of challenge, determination, grit, and hope, this new musical makes its BYU debut following an acclaimed, sold-out run at the New York Musical Festival.” (BYU Website) With a driving score and thrilling vocals, the music brings tears of laughter and longing to an audience whose hearts are touched. Directed by Megan Sandborn Jones, Single Wide teaches about friendships, vulnerability, deceit, and perseverance. It invites us to look past a point-blank judgement and look deeper in to the struggle those around us face.
Sliding into my seat on the second row of the Pardoe theater at BYU, I tried to sit patiently as I waited for the show to start. I have waited in anticipation for months to see this production. Having been exposed to some of the script of the show and snippets of music, I was thrilled to see how it has all come together. I waited, flipping through my program, and drink in the complex detailed set on stage. Four mobile homes, each with their own flair and personality, grace the stage.
Four single wide homes. One surrounded by tin cans filled with tenderly cared for flowers; a trashed rusted over home stands across from this flowery sight. This one is surrounded by trash, crumpled beer bottles, and a molded tarp. A large For Rent sign stands as a sentinel for this dilapidated abandonment. In between, we see the front porch of the third single wide, a large Texas star hangs accompanying the chili pepper light garland. The main attraction is a large blue and yellow single wide. As the lights come up, the blinds slide mechanically up displaying the view of a kitchen and a child’s bedroom. I see a dusty barbecue and a red picnic table in the middle of the four homes. A wooden telephone pole reaches high, its wires spanning out across the back of the stage. The set, designed by Travis Coyne, sets the scene perfectly for the full rich characters and story about to take the stage.
The neighborhood comes alive with the open strains of the opening number, “Payday”. Something I notice right away is that the music is coming from a live band, though they are hardly visible between the set pieces. Music Director Mark Johnson plays piano and leads the rest of the instruments in these wonderful songs. After the first number, I start to get an idea of this world being created. Katy (Alyssa Aramaki Hazen) is the main character. She is a single mother living with her 12-year-old son Sam (Luke Belnap) in her mother Amanda (Amanda Crabb)’s single wide. Katy is working and taking college classes online, hoping to get into a more stable situation. The neighbors are just as much a part of this community family as Sam and Katy. There are two sisters, Serena (Jessica Jensen) and Jaz (Jasmyn Swindall) who work as waitresses, each hiding from their troubled husbands, one abusive and one in jail. Lastly, is Flossie (Meg Flinders), a sexy flirt always on the prowl for her next relationship. She is looking for the right guy but seems to go through a cycle of one wrong guy after the other. Bodie (Tyler Fox) plays three different versions of Flossie’s boyfriends. He brings a unique flair to each interpretation of Mr. Wrong.
Everything changes when Guy (Alex Diaz) moves in, taking up residence in the rundown single wide. Sam, eager for a male friend in his world surrounded by women, reaches out, kickstarting the story into gear as he invites Guy over for dinner. His mother and grandmother, expecting a tween boy, Sam’s age, are shocked to discover there may be a little bit of matchmaking going on. Hazen and Diaz connect beautifully, an instant attraction and chemistry hums. As the story progresses, so will their love story, despite the twists and trials in their way. Their love story contains one of the most beautiful moments of the show. In an effort to see the extent of the stars through Guy’s telescope, Sam causes all of the lights to go out. Katy and Guy gaze up to the sky where the stars are no longer faint, but rather display the extent of a beautiful galaxy. This moment is truly magical, thanks to Lighting Designer Kalea Crapo.
I loved all of the depth of the characters. They all are endearing in their own way, yet still have human flaws. Director Jones notes in the program about her vision for the production: “Won’t you be my Neighbor?” She writes, “The characters of Single Wide are our neighbors. They may not look, talk, or act in in ways entirely familiar to you. But that doesn’t mean we should not have dealings with them.” I agree with Jones, these characters are a bit rough, calloused by life and experience but still worth getting to know during the two-hour production. Each of the characters struggle with something. Flossie wants to be loved but uses others deceitfully. Katy wants to be a good example but in a moment of anger smashes Flossie’s plants. Guy struggles with PTSD. Serena deals with anxiety from her abusive marriage. Single Wide reminds us that life is messy, but there is still light and hope.
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I fell in love with Belnap’s performance as Sam. He is cheeky and sweet. His interaction with the adult actors in the production shows a sort of trust and camaraderie within the cast. He sings well, and the audience cannot help but laugh when he does. The mother-son duet , “One for Me” made me smile. Hazen and Crabb both bring great depth to their characters. Their songs, “Microwave Life” and “Just Takes One” both brim with emotion and heartfelt lyrics. The music, written by Jordan Kamalu, brings the whole show to life. Another story I really loved was found in the song, “Safe with Me”. Jensen and Swindall sing a beautiful duet, comforting each other. I wish that I could have seen even more of their story develop, but there is only so much you can do in the time given.
At one point in the show, Diaz and Fox get into a fist fight, when Guy tries to defend Flossie. It is impressive and exciting. Fox does a brilliant job making each of his characters unique. Diaz shines as Guy. His interactions with Sam are so tender and it was delightful to watch his hard outer shell break away. Flanders also does a brilliant job with her character. Though she is the villain of the story, I still felt love for her character.
I couldn’t help but smile at the story being told. I appreciated the nitty gritty story and great effort that has been given to make this story a modern one. The costuming and makeup, by Heather Everett and Arianna Krenk, add to the realistic feeling of the show. The clothing is fitting to their characters yet looks like something that would logically be worn. They were not stereotypical outfits, and still had enough of their own flair to be unique. The tattoos and bruise make up add authenticity.
I love this story. I cried and felt really satisfied as the story came to an end. I loved getting a glimpse into the lives of people who are reflections of real life situations. This story is very important. It needs to be experienced by adults and teenagers, but I do think it could be enjoyed by families because of the greatness of the message of family. However, attendees should be aware of some language and a few adult themes. Overall, I would suggest this show to anyone who has ever felt disappointed but persevered. This show has heart. I will be seeing Single Wide again before this poignant show leaves the BYU stage.
Brigham Young University Present: Single Wide by George Nelson and Maclain Nelson
Brigham Young University, Pardoe Theater, Harris Fine Arts Center, 800 E Campus Dr, Provo, UT 84602
March 23-24, 27-30, April 3-7, 2018, 7:30 PM, March 24, April 7 2:00 PM
Tickets: $9-17
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