Theatre Artists of Color Excel at the 2021 Fringe

The Fringe is proud to provide a space for artists and creators to express, create, and explore the full range of the human experience. Each year, we are thrilled to provide a platform for artists of color, and to highlight these artist and experiences, we spoke to a few of our artists about their experience with theatre and the 2021 Fringe.

Marilyn Melissa Salguero

“I think Fringe is one of those rare spaces in which BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) creators and actors who are otherwise not given space have the opportunity to reclaim it, or create their own, within the Theatre community in Utah,” said Marilyn Melissa Salguero, a Guatemaleteca actress and poet participating in this year’s festival with her show, “The Well Spoken”, which tells the story of two artistic directors of a theater company discussing the fallout of a bad-faith social media post. 

The show features a cast of white, able-bodied actors in hopes to serve as a mirror to more privileged audience members. “That's intentional,” says Salguero. “It's subverting the narrative and illustrating who is represented on stage and who is not. You immediately know it is not their voice.”

Alton Phonepraseuth

Alton Phonepraseuth, one of the actors involved with “The Lord of Misrule” and a first-generation immigrant from Laos, shared how grateful he is for the community he has found at the Great Salt Lake Fringe Festival, saying “Participating in the Fringe Festival to me feels like I am one of the many talented POC actors. There are numerous people with such unique fine arts talent and integrity to show in the state of Utah.”

However, the theatre community still has a lot of room to grow. Phonepraseuth continues, “I just hope that we can see an increased diversity in our on-stage theatres… there are so many eager and willing talented people that we can accept and flourish into performing arts.”

“I’ve noticed more effort from some companies and shows toward focusing on diversity. However, I think it's rare we're finding pieces that are focusing on BIPOC voices still, and work created by BIPOC folx,” Salguero agreed. 

Phonepraseuth and Salguero are both using the Fringe not only as an opportunity to create, but also as an opportunity to raise money to help their communities. 

“The Lord of Misrule”

Phonepraseuth’s piece, “The Lord of Misrule”, is produced by the Road Home annually as a fundraiser and features opportunities to donate in exchange for controlling the story on stage. The show features improvisation and audience interaction and has become a successful fundraiser.

Salguero has also turned her show into a fundraiser. Half of the proceeds from “The Well Spoken” are being donated to the Disabled Rights Action Committee of Utah, an organization that works to establish equal rights for people with disabilities through enforcement of federal and state laws. Salguero aims to raise $300 throughout the Fringe Festival.

Here at the Great Salt Lake Fringe Festival, we are elated to welcome these artists and many more artists of color to our stages this year. To find out more about our artists and support these creators, explore the shows and get your tickets now!