THE ESSENTIAL A&E PICKS FOR FEB 15 - 21 

• Kallie Filanda

Plan-B Theatre Company: Balthazar
In playwright Debora Threedy's Balthazar—a twist on Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice focused on Portia, who poses as a man in order to argue a case in court—there's a moment where her law instructor, Bellario, asks her a legal question. "She answers, 'It depends,'" Threedy says, "and [Bellario] is delighted, saying that's the answer to most questions you'll encounter in the law."

Threedy—who teaches at the University of Utah School of Law—has a firm foundation in both the law and theater. And "it depends" might be the answer to most questions you'll encounter in Balthazar, which explores fluidity in gender identity and sexual attraction by turning some of The Merchant of Venice's subtext into text. She recalls finding the inspiration for Balthazar while teaching a continuing-education literature class to lawyers and judges. "For one of those, I was re-reading The Merchant of Venice," Threedy says. "This idea came into my head—when Portia goes into court and dresses as a man, that's not the first time she dresses as a man."

She further suggests that such exploration of gender-swapping in theater goes beyond its common use as a plot device in Shakespeare plays. "Some people make the argument that all theater is always a kind of cross-dressing, pretending to be other than you are," Threedy says. "This is the heart of theater."

Plan-B Theatre Company's world-premiere production of Balthazar comes to the Rose Wagner Center Studio Theatre (210 E. 300 South) Feb. 15 – March 3, with limited tickets available at press time. Tickets are $15 - $25; visit arttix.org. (Scott Renshaw)

• Courtesy photo

Utah Symphony: Sonorous
As much as symphony fans love hearing the classic works of the great masters, it would be foolish to think that orchestral music no longer has great practitioners creating fascinating new work. Utah Symphony has set out to make that point in its 2023-2024 season, debuting not one, not two, but three brand-new compositions, showing local audiences that contemporary work belongs on programs with work from centuries past.

Following on the heels of last month's world premiere of Sir Stephen Hough's First Piano Concerto, Utah Symphony presents a program featuring the world premiere of composer Quinn Mason's trombone concerto Sonorous, written specifically for the talents of Utah Symphony principal trombonist Mark Davidson (pictured) and intended to shift perspective on the instrument associated with marching bands to a different quality. "Quinn Mason is such a prominent composer," says Davidson via press release. "[His composition] has such a sonar, singing quality to it and Quinn is making that a priority to bring that out in the instrument." Sonorous will share the evening's program with Strauss's Don Juan, Haydn's Symphony No. 88, and Barber's Symphony No. 1; the third world-premiere comes later this month with Swiss composer Michael Jarrell's Émergences-Résurgences on Feb. 23-24.

Utah Symphony's program featuring Sonorous comes to Abravanel Hall (123 W. South Temple) Feb. 16-17 at 7:30 p.m., with tickets beginning at $21; an additional performance takes place at Utah Valley University's Noorda Concert Hall Feb. 15 at 7:30 p.m. Visit utahsymphony.org for tickets and additional event information. (SR)

• Farris Gerard

SLC White Party @ Utah Arts Alliance
The many events, venues and community offerings of the Utah Arts Alliance—including the Urban Arts Gallery, Illuminate, Alliance Theater and the annual Urban Arts Festival—don't happen through magic or wishful thinking. It takes money, and one of the best and most entertaining fund-raisers for the organization returns this year, as visitors trot out their fanciest white clothes for the SLC White Party.

The 24th annual incarnation of the UAA White Party fund-raiser certainly has some consistent elements, in terms of the garb encouraged for attendees. But there are usually additional thematic components to each event, and this year includes an invitation to a "rhinestone rodeo," where you can bling up your outfit with sequin-covered cowboy hats, boots and more, with a mechanical bull on site for anyone who feels brave enough to try it out. Otherwise, you can just dance the night away, enjoy cocktails and mocktails, and even get a chance to win art pieces and other door prizes as part of the opportunity drawings taking place throughout the evening. So get yourself duded up in your Western best and help support this wonderful organization.

The 2024 SLC White Party takes place at UAA's Dreamscapes location in the Shops at South Towne (10450 S. State St., Sandy) on Saturday, Feb. 17 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $45 general admission, $125 VIP, with optional add-ons for the Dreamscapes Immersive Art Attraction, which allows you to dance your way through Dreamscapes to the music of your choice. Visit utaharts.org/en/slc-white-party for a link to tickets and for additional event information. (SR)