THE ESSENTIAL A&E PICKS FOR AUG 29 - SEP 4 

• Courtesy Photo

Midway Swiss Days
The Wasatch Mountains aren't exactly the Alps, but the vibe is right at a certain time of year. The giant snow-covered peaks and ample winter recreation make this little corner of the world feel like a little corner of that legendary range. That's not the specific reason that Midway has become home to the annual Swiss Days festivities, but as summer days begin to dwindle and we look towards winter again, it's a perfect time to get a little taste of Switzerland in our back yard.

Dating back to the "Harvest Days" festival in Midway more than 70 years ago, Midway Swiss Days attracts folks from all over the state. It has become so popular that the organizers were concerned a few years ago that it was getting too popular, with the executive committee chairman noting to Heber Valley Life, "We decided that we want to avoid making any changes that will make it grow. It's about as big as it can get and we just want to keep it the same." You're still welcome to come and check out the vendor craft fair, plus plenty of authentic food and live entertainment. On Saturday morning, things kick off with the chuck wagon breakfast at 7 a.m.; at 10 a.m., downtown Midway hosts the annual parade, traditionally featuring more than 80 entries.

Most Swiss Days events take place at Midway Town Square (75 N. 100 West, Midway), on Aug. 30 -31, approximately 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. daily. Events are mostly free and open to the public; visit midwayswissdays.org for additional information. (Scott Renshaw)

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Wasatch Theatre Company: Freaks of the Cosmic Circus
Every year, Wasatch Theatre Company's Page-to-Stage Festival celebrates new and emerging work—small-scale theater that offers a unique sense of discovery. Following on the heels of previous festival presentations of King James and Smoke By, WTC offers Freaks of the Cosmic Circus by Lojo Simon, which won the 2023 playwrighting award created in memory of company supporter George F. Plautz.

Freaks of the Cosmic Circus takes as its inspiration the life of another celebrated playwright: Tennessee Williams. While Williams' homosexuality is likely known to most, there's a far less commonly explored time of his life when Williams was living in Laguna Beach, California in 1939, and took the opportunity to explore his sexuality fully, probably for the first time. Inspired by Williams' own memoir and notebooks, it's a kind of coming-of-age story for both an artist and a human being. As the dramaturg notes for the play state, "There are times when we think we know a historical person but then a good playwright comes along and shines a light on a different perspective. ... Place does shape who we are, and TW was transformed by [Laguna Beach] into the writer we know."

Wasatch Theatre Company's production of Freaks of the Cosmic Circus comes to the Regent Street Black Box Theatre of the Eccles Theatre (144 Regent Street) Aug. 30 – Sep. 7, with performances Friday, Saturday and Monday at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, Sept. 1 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $20 general admission/$15 student at arttix.org; visit wasatchtheatrecompany.org for additional event information. (SR)

• Paul Christean

SB Dance: Tarotville
SB Dance's traveling "curbside theater" outdoor production of Tarotville is now in its second year, creating a traveling carnival atmosphere and dance numbers inspired by the cards of the tarot deck. But while there's a certain familiarity that comes from a returning production, the nature of its construction makes each show unique. "We 'draw' different cards from show to show, and the order is different. ... There could be three solos in a row, or three group pieces in a row. It's in keeping with the theme: You get what you get. It has that sort of authentic spontaneity."

Those unique qualities extend to the locations, as SB Dance has performed Tarotville in a wide range of settings—as Brown describes it, with backdrops ranging "from Mount Olympus, to the downtown cityscape, to massive trees." And while that provides challenges for the technical crew in understanding how to set up and light for each location, the dancers deal with the ongoing challenges of an outdoor show. "It's not like being in a climate-controlled theater; [what dancer], before a performance, has had to put bug spray on? But it's also pretty great. Friday night we're doing a show with that big three-quarter moon, a perfectly comfortable night, stars in the sky, and it's like, 'Okay, that's why we do this.'"

SB Dance's Tarotville has several more scheduled performances in September and October, including Wednesday, Sept. 4 on the roof of SLC's Pierpont Garage (174 Pierpont Ave.). Bazaar begins at 7 p.m., performance at 8:15 p.m., free to the public. Bring a chair. Visit curbsidetheater.sbdance.com for full schedule. (SR)