I was kindly greeted and directed to drive up a small hill and to wait for further instructions. I was then told to park the car, tune in to a specific radio station for the sound score, and reminded not to open my door during the performance. I had no idea what to expect as I didn’t attend the first iteration of this show, but I knew there is no shortage of re-imaginings of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Countless productions, from staged to cinematic adaptations, have used the work’s well-known stories to propel contemporary ideas for today’s audiences. In SONDERimmersive’s Through Yonder Window, Verona is the site of concurrent tension among all the characters, set on the top level of a parking garage in downtown Salt Lake City. Drive-in movies have a special place to me and the nostalgia of it all made me excited for what was to come.
The sixty-minute drive-in event cleverly crafted by the whole production team underscores the extremely relative topics of isolation, alienation, yearning, and loneliness exacerbated by the current pandemic, not just in the main characters, but just as importantly, with every other person that is linked to the dueling houses of the Capulet and Montague. It was an interesting take to create such rich stories and connections among the other secondary characters. I was curious to see how they would engage with the Shakespearean language, but the combination of the old text and accessible contemporary jargon was a welcome addition.
The show was divided into nine chapters, each scene accompanied by Graham’s choreography, what I understood to be pre-recorded audio dialogue, and original music composed by Wachira Waigwa-Stone. I have to say that the music was probably the most interesting and most developed character inside of the whole production. The music, a combination of driving percussive beats, hints of EDM, and elements of jazz, propelled the whole work forward and intrinsically “vibed” with each of the characters’ changing demeanors and each scene’s dramatic moments.
I was curious about the masking inconsistencies throughout the show. The script seemed to allude to the current situation with Covid-19 and used humor to address things like sanitation and social distancing, but the performers, sometimes masked, often performed less than six feet from each other. I felt completely safe from the confines of my car, but I am wondering what sort of conversations were had among the cast about Covid safety, mask wearing, vaccinations (if any had occurred), and if the audience should have been privy to these exchanges before the show began.
Another both positive and negative aspect is the limited vantage point that one has throughout the show. The online program states that “by design, there is a lot that you will, and will not see.” I was in the top row of the parking garage, so I had a great view of the church and a very intimate view of Friar Laurence and Maria. The Friar was stellar throughout the performance. His full-bodied expression was present in both his scenes with stillness and when he performed locomotive choreography. Actually, every single performer had an unyielding conviction and earnestness that was truly captivating. I want to specifically commend having two people of color play the roles of Romeo and Juliet.
Because of the impediment of our limited view, I felt that the characters were experiencing something real, I just couldn’t always tell what it was. If this impediment was intended to create a disjointed experience, then it was a job well-done. It could also be conceived as a clever way of encouraging audience members to come back and experience other vantage points.
Overall, the experience of Through Yonder Window was one of a kind. The pandemic has caused live performances to come to an abrupt halt due to nearly impossible requirements of ensuring the safety of performers as well as audience members. SONDERimmersive is as creative as it’s been in its previous productions. In adapting, they introduced new ways to have meaningful engagement among audiences and cast members alike. I am looking forward to what’s to come.
(The production team included Graham Brown for choreography and artistic direction, Mara Lefler for additional artistic direction, Joseph Wheeler for additional choreography/movement coaching, Graham Brown, Rick Curtiss, Catherine Mortimer for writing, Riley Merrill for lighting design, Joseph Wheeler for scenography, Wachira Saigwa-Stone as the composer along with additional musicians, Laurie Hite, Will Roney, Mason Peterson, and Gus Boglanow. The cast members included, Mara Lefler as Nurse Maria, Amber Golden as Tybalt, Catherine Mortimer as Lady Capulet, Nadine Sine as Juliet, Tyler Fox as Friar Lawrence, Martina Jorgensen as Mercutio, Joseph Wheeler as Lord Montague, and Ed Corvera as Romeo.)
Edromar "Mar" Undag is a dance artist, choreographer, and dance teacher who graduated from the University of Utah with a BFA in Modern Dance. In addition to his academic and performing pursuits, Mar has had his own choreographic work presented in various platforms in Utah, California and Oregon. Mar recently relocated back to Salt Lake City after performing with Polaris Dance Theater and Shaun Keylock Dance Company in Portland. During the pandemic, he made a new work for A Shedding and appeared on the cover of the loveDANCEmore performance journal.