In the Devil’s Frying Pan :: Desert Foothills Theater Centennial Project Premieres Feb. 2–19 in Cave Creek

Writer Susan Kern-Fleischer

Photographer Jerri Parness

What was Arizona like before our statehood? What brought people here? How difficult were the living conditions?

In honor of Arizona’s Centennial celebration, Desert Foothills Theater (DFT), a program of the Foothills Community Foundation, is presenting a new form of theater through an original play, In the Devil’s Frying Pan, which tells the story of the founding of Arizona through first-person accounts of life in the Territory prior to 1912. This theatrical event, which has been recognized by the Arizona Centennial Commission as an Official Centennial Event and a Centennial Legacy Project, and is a collaboration with the Arizona Historical Society, premieres Thurs., Feb. 2 through Sun., Feb. 19 at Stagecoach Village, 7100 E. Cave Creek Rd., in Cave Creek. Show times are at 7:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and at 2 p.m. on Sundays. Tickets range from $15 to $20 for children under 18, and from $22 to $30 for adults.

Meribeth Reeves, DFT managing director, said the community theater has taken on unique projects in its 37-year history, but nothing of this magnitude.

“We owe a tremendous amount of gratitude to writer Lori Vander Maten, who spent hundreds of hours researching Arizona history to write our first community play. This new form of theater will include 37 actors from our community portraying more than 100 characters through stories, poetry, music, dance photography and other visuals images about the people and events that brought about Arizona’s statehood,” Reeves said.

Vander Maten, a talented performer and director who holds a MFA from UCLA in playwriting, grew up in Tucson and has always been interested in Arizona history. Her husband, Michael, is an historical re-enactor and antiques collector, so she was familiar with some stories, but had no idea how this project would evolve until she began her research in July 2010.

With the help of author Patrick Grady, who also serves as a research associate for Cave Creek Museum, and the Arizona Historical Society, she delved into diaries and journals and reviewed oral histories to gain a better understanding of the people who lived here more than 100 years ago.

“Writing this play and doing the research has transformed my view of this state,” Vander Maten said. “I think there is a lot we can learn about ourselves in the 21st Century by looking at the people who came before us and carved a state out of an extremely hostile environment. Their tenacity, courage, rugged individualism and inventiveness are incredibly inspiring to me.”

In the spirit of the community that fostered the founding of the state, DFT held several public readings of the play in the fall, and Vander Maten based script revisions on feedback from the actors and the public.

“My job as a dramatist is to take these stories and create something that’s not just historically accurate, but it also has to be entertaining. The idea is to create a unique theater experience that tells us who we are and where we’ve come from,” she said.

Director Mark-Allen C. Clemente said directing an original work is a first for him. “It has been great to be part of the process. My challenge as a director is to bring these first person stories to life and provide audiences a glimpse of territorial life, as well as make it interesting to all ages. Lori certainly provided me a great script that will be appealing to everyone. My job is to add the ‘visual glitter’ that will make it shine.”

Everything about this special Centennial play is original, including the music, which was composed by Kevin Glenn of Carefree. Glenn, a well-known performer, composer and community volunteer, is also an actor in the play.

“This is totally different from any project I’ve worked on because I composed music set to lyrics written by someone else. The challenge was to understand and connect to the mood and feel that the writer had in mind while writing the lyrics,” he said. “I truly enjoyed the process. Lori’s lyrics were written in such a descriptive way so that the music came to me fairly quickly. She made it easy for me.”

The play’s music is evocative of the time period. “It’s got a simple, charming elegance to it. Various members of the cast will sing the songs and there are some scenes with the entire cast,” he said.

Kodi Riddle is a Cave Creek resident who plays the role of Sharlot Hall, the show’s narrator.

“Sharlot was the Territorial historian of Arizona in the early 1900s with a great passion for the people who came to the wilds of Arizona. She made a large impact and was influential in helping us become our own state separate from New Mexico,” Riddle said. “I was attracted to the challenge of the role and the fact that it is an original piece. How often do you get to act in a play with the actual playwright in the room? It’s an incredible experience and opportunity.”

So, what will you gain by seeing In the Devil’s Frying Pan?

“This play was written about real people, their lives, and contributions. It is fascinating material and I think people will come away with a deep appreciation of those who came before us, paving the way for us to live the way we do. The trials and tribulations that these pioneers and the Native Americans went through, and the problems that they faced in those days, are absolutely mind-boggling,” Glenn said.

Riddle agreed, adding that the entire cast is excited to share In the Devil’s Frying Pan with Arizonans of all ages. “Everyone involved in this production is completely committed and dedicated to sharing the history in a fun and entertaining way,” she said.

www.desertfoothillstheater.com; 480-488-1981