Two neighbors share a love of gardening, yet they struggle to communicate. One neighbor grows vegetables and speaks Spanish. The other neighbor grows flowers and speaks English. When a monarch butterfly visits their gardens, the neighbors compete for the butterfly’s attention to prove who has the better garden. Along the way, the butterfly shows the neighbors the power of metamorphosis and how to embrace this beautiful world we all share.
Suitable for all ages.
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Director Production Stage Manager Costume Design
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Producer Co-Producer Spanish Language Assistant Director |
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Neighbor 1 Butterfly |
Neighbor 2 Gardener |
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Neighbor 1 Butterfly |
Neighbor 2 Gardener |
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Assistant Production Managers Sound Board Operator |
Props Master Light Board Operator |
I began gardening a few years ago and quickly became fascinated with the process. I was determined to grow my own food and was proud of any produce that resulted. Although much care and attention were put into my backyard buffet, I was still amazed at just how much nature did all on its own. It sprang life from the soil with much self-sufficiency, reminding me how much humanity can learn from fellow living things, even the simplest seedlings and seemingly insignificant insects.
At first glance, our play is just a story of two neighbors who compete over who has the better garden, allowing their competition and jealousy to get the better of them as they battle over a butterfly’s attention. Yet this is truly a tale of metamorphosis. As the butterfly lays an egg and proudly watches it transform from a miniscule caterpillar into another magnificent Monarch, we watch these two neighbors—initially speaking different languages and divided by cultural contrasts—find common ground and learn the importance of change and growth. They witness how nature establishes order, unity, and balance in a chaotic world. To them, the butterfly resembles hope, transformation, and renewal. By the end, their plants are a peace offering—a symbol of their shared efforts to make this world a brighter, happier place to live.
To highlight this show’s messages of unity and transformation, I have added some American Sign Language so that you can connect with the Spanish-speaking and English-speaking neighbors (and even the silent butterfly) through a third, unifying language. I have also added a gardener character to guide these actions and rotate the stage like a clock to showcase the passing of seven days. More importantly, the rotating set allows you to experience the play from both neighbors’ gardens. By gaining different perspectives throughout the show and taking part in ASL, it is my hope that we experience a personal metamorphosis and choose to be better to each other as we grow this world together.
Haley Anderson, Director
As we prepare to welcome the community to experience the wonder at The Noorda, I’d like to thank you for making it all possible.
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Abby Rapier
Butterfly
Abby is a junior in UVU's Acting BFA program. She is originally from Arizona and a couple of her favorite roles over the years have been You're A Good Man Charlie Brown (Ensemble/Snoopy understudy) and Once Upon A Mattress (Princess Winnifred). This is her first show while at UVU and she could not be more excited! Huge thank you to her parents, family, and boyfriend for all of the love and support they give her; she could never have made it this far without them. She hopes everyone enjoys the show!
Cheyenne Cole
Gardener
Cheyenne is so excited to be a part of this wonderful youth theater piece! It has been a dream to perform for young minds and inspiring happiness in children is one of her passions! Cheyenne is a Junior at Utah Valley University and will be leaving on a Mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints to South Houston, Texas shortly after the semester ends. Remember to let your colors shine and flap your wings little ones!
Courtney Taylor
Neighbor
Courtney is so thrilled to be in Mariposa/Butterfly. She is in the BFA acting program at UVU and some of her favorite credits include Les Miserable (Eponine), Romeo and Juliet (Juliet), and Pride and Prejudice (Mary). She dedicates this show to her beautiful nieces and nephews who make children's theater so fulfilling. Much love to Mark - you are everything. A huge thank you to my family and friends for your never-ending support. Enjoy the show!
John Newman
Producer
Dr. John Newman is a Professor of Theatre at Utah Valley University, Director of UVU’s Theatre for Youth & Education (TYE) Center, and Coordinator of the BS Theatre Education degree. He is the author of Playwriting in Schools: Dramatic Navigation, which received the 2020 AATE Distinguished Book Award. Dr. Newman has published plays with Dramatic Publishing, YouthPLAYS, Eldridge, and Leicester Bay Theatricals and regularly performs his solo play The Man Behind the Curtain about The Wizard of Ozauthor L. Frank Baum.
Elena quintero
First Neighbor
Elena is so excited to be a part of this production of Mariposa Butterfly! She is a sophomore at UVU, and is a history education major with a passion for the arts. Some previous productions she has been in are Phantom of the Opera (ensemble), Newsies (Crutchie), and Sweeney Todd (ensemble). Mariposa butterfly is especially important to her as her parents are both immigrants from Mexico and Guatemala. Getting to play a role that reflects her culture has been so amazing and she hopes you enjoy this story of compassion and friendship!
elise jones
Neighbor
Elise is a Senior in UVU's BFA Performance Track (Acting). She's so excited to have the opportunity to be apart of this wonderful show. This show celebrates our differences and also what makes us alike between cultures and language. Elise's recent credits include Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead (Rosencrantz), Taming of the Shrew (Bianca), and Little Women (Amy March). She hopes that this show will encourage people to seek to understand and know each other, even if sometimes it's hard, and to make strides to be accepting and unconditional with the love they give. "A big shoutout to my biologist big brother, Taylor, who has always loved all the earth's little creatures and taught me to love them too."
Emmy Lorenzana
First Neighbor
Emmy is super excited to be in Mariposa/Butterfly and has been acting and singing since she was little. She is a sophomore in the UVU BFA for acting and wants to one day work in film! Some previous productions she has been in are: Footloose (Wendy Jo), Matilda (Matilda), and SAST! She is super excited to have a Spanish speaking role in this show, and hopes to help children find a passion for theater!
Haley Anderson
Director
Anderson is an adjunct theatre professor at Utah Valley University, Brigham Young University, and Michigan Technological University online. She has also taught elementary arts integration for the McKay School of Education at UVU. She has a BA and MA in theatre from BYU and a lower elementary Montessori teaching certification from Westminster College. She specializes in theatre history, introduction to theatre, and teaching theatre to children and elementary educators. She teaches children ages 7-10 for the Noorda summer drama camps at UVU. She is the lead drama professional development partner for the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Arts Learning Program in the BYU region and serves on the BYU ARTS Partnership Leadership Team. This is her first time directing at UVU.
Heidi Mendez Harrison
Spanish Language and Culture Coach
Having lived in Argentina, Mexico and Spain, Heidi Mendez Harrison is totally bilingual/bicultural
and has a Masters degree in Directing from Texas State. She directed the UVU TYE center
productions of Tomas and the Library Lady, 2 Donuts, and Nice and Slow. Heidi spent
5 years in Hollywood as an actor
She is currently playing Grandma in The Addams Family at The Hale Centre Theatre.
IMDb.me/heidimendez
Madel McKinnon
Butterfly
Madel is a Junior in the BFA acting track. She is thrilled to be apart of this production. She is from Northern California and loves to spend time with her friends, play guitar, surf, and doing yoga. Some of her favorite productions that she has been in are: Catfight (Amy), Urinetown (Little Becky Two-shoes, and Les Miserables (Madame Thenardier) She is in love with the message in Mariposa/Butterfly of treating every creature on the earth equally. Additionally, the idea of change, like a butterfly, is such a beautiful thing. She wants to thank all the lovely folks for coming out to see our show!
McKenna stewart
Gardener
McKenna Stewart has always wanted to be an actor ever since she was in 1st grade! Since then, she has been involved in many school plays, musicals and is now getting involved with TV and film. She hopes that performing in children's theatre can inspire young kids to develop a love for the art as well. Dreams become reality and it all starts with imagination!
Scott Savage
Co-Producer
Scott Savage is the Program Manager for the TYE Center and coordinates TYE Touring productions, sensory friendly programming and more. He holds and MFA in Theatre focused in Theatre for Young Audiences from the University of Central Florida and a BA in Theatre Arts Education from Brigham Young University. He is the Vice Presient of Utah Theatre Bloggers Association and a member of the American Theatre Critics Assocaition. He's also the husband and father to a lovely group of Savages.
Nate lowry
Interim Technical Director
Nate Lowry (Technical Director): Nate is happy to have helped bring this production of Mariposa/Butterfly to life with the wonderful people here at the TYE Center. A senior student in the Theater Design and Production BFA program at UVU, his main area of study has been technical direction for the stage. As the Interim Technical Director for the School of the Arts he has had the fortune to work on the UVU Theatre Department Productions (Ozma of Oz, Into the Woods, and Gin Mummy), as well as working this summer as the technical director for the UVU School of the Arts and Sundance Summer Theatre co-production of Disney’s Newsies. Nate would like to thank his mother for all the support she’s provided throughout the years.
The arts possess the sublime power to inspire, engage, and transform. Just as a solitary note holds the ability to captivate, a single voice, gesture, or melody possesses the ineffable power to carry us away.
We invite you to embark upon a new journey with us this season at The Noorda Center—home to inspiring events and an exciting hub for the arts in Utah County. Our mission is to produce and present artistic excellence, which would not be possible without the generous support of our donors and sponsors. We thank them and express our deep gratitude to all patrons, supporters, and friends of The Noorda Center.
Thank you for journeying with us this season to experience the profound and transformative power of the arts! —Courtney R. Davis, Dean, School of the Arts
Courtney R. Davis, J.D., M.A.
Dean, School of the Arts
Chair, Associate Professor
LA BEENE, MFA
Associate Chair, Associate Professor
JULIE HEATON, MFA
Administrative Assistant
CURTIS CLUFF, MFA
Associate Professor
AMANDA CRABB, MM
Assistant Professor
JENNIFER DELAC, MFA
Lecturer
ELIZABETH GOLDEN, MFA
Lecturer
M. CHASE GRANT, MFA
Professor
LISA HALL, PHD
Professor
LAURIE HARROP-PURSER, MFA
Lecturer
SHANNON HUTCHINS, MFA
Assistant Professor
RICHARD LORIG, MFA
Professor
JOHN NEWMAN, PHD
Assistant Professor
STEVEN RIMKE, MFA
Lecturer
GRAHAM WHIPPLE, MFA
