The Institute’s Theatre Lab takes place each July in the mountains of Sundance, Utah and offers playwrights and theatre directors an opportunity to craft their new work in a remote setting where they are removed from real-world pressures such as final production, opening night, and critical review. After leaving the Lab this summer, composer Mark Bennett, who had attended the Lab to develop the musical Most Wanted, offered a thank you to the Institute’s Theatre Program Director Philip Himberg:

Philip,

I never really had an opportunity in the swirl of our final moments to thank you for offering us Sundance as a place to work this summer on Most Wanted.

I might have guessed that it would be pretty up there, but THAT beautiful?! I was completely blown away.

I might have assumed that we’d get some good work done, but THAT much change and real open heart surgery? We completely restructured large chunks, wrote new material (including Liz’s second song), retailored, trimmed, and tightened just about everything! I think the piece really FOUND itself in those three weeks.

I might have imagined a very professional, static, final presentation, but to see so much of it moving around, and to have the commitment from your staff and the actors to go with Michael’s desire to "put it on it’s feet", and for Jessica (writer and lyricist) and I to be able to learn so much from seeing it presented in a visually dynamic way....well, like the commercial says, THAT, is priceless.

Your staff supported us in every way, Meg and John found us a wonderful cast, you found fantastic local people to fill in essential vocal and percussive requirements, and, sincerely, your dramaturgs and observers gave us great thoughts and insights (I HONESTLY wanted our session to go on longer!), and I feel that the piece made a huge leap forward. Parenthetically, I know Shirley felt that way as well.

I remember our March phone call where you expressed the experience of some other past musicals in the lab, and you were so concerned that my time on the mountain not be unhappy or frustrating. Well, not only was it completely satisfying, but I can honestly tell you that the lab was one of the most exciting, and meaningful, working experiences I’ve had in the theatre in the last 20 years.

So, simply, THANK YOU!

With much love and gratitude,
Mark Bennett

PS: PLEASE feel free to pass on these thoughts on to Ken, Debbie, Peppy, and Michael B.