From the award-winning playwright Joshua Harmon comes a gripping multi-generational family drama that delves into a crucial question: What happens when you don’t feel safe in your own home? Set in 2016, against the backdrop of the terrorist attacks at Charlie Hebdo and the Bataclan, and the rising threat of political extremism in France, Prayer offers a unique perspective. It follows the journey of a curious American student, Molly, as she seeks to connect with her French family, the Benhamous. When her cousin Daniel falls victim to an anti-Semitic attack, the family is faced with a life-altering decision: to stay or go? Interwoven with this contemporary narrative is the tragic story of Marcelle Benhamou’s grandparents facing loss during the Holocaust in the 1940s.
Featured in the cast are PTC alum, Robbert Mammana (“Mary Stuart”) as Patrick Salomon; Matthew McGloin (“Murder on the Orient Express”) as Lucien Salomon; and Jayne Luke (“In the Heights,” “The Producers,” “Death of a Salesman,” and many more) as Irma Salomon.
Making their respective PTC debuts are Japhet Balaban (Broadway’s “Leopoldstadt”) as Daniel Benhamou; Judith Lightfoot Clarke (Broadway’s “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”) as Marcelle Salomon Benhamou; Joel Leffert (Broadway’s “Not About Nightingales”) as Adolphe/Pierre Salomon; Kim Taff (Theatre for the New City’s “Orson’s Shadow”) as Elodie Benhamou; and Alok Tewari (Broadway’s “The Band’s Visit”) as Charlie Benhamou.
A few University of Utah students will also be making their PTC debut: Maggie Goble (Studio 115’s “Dancing at Lughnasa”) as Molly; True Leavitt (SLAC’s “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood”) as Young Pierre Salomon; and Zoe Lupcho (Studio 115’s “Dancing at Lughnasa”) as u/s Elodie.
The Utah premiere of “Prayer for the French Republic” runs from Oct. 25-Nov. 9 at Simmons Pioneer Memorial Theatre. Tickets are available at PioneerTheatre.org or by calling PTC’s Box Office at 801-581-6961.
How to experience PTC as a member of the U community
- 50% off all performances for university employees.
- University students can purchase tickets for $5 each (2 tickets per student ID).
- K-12 students are eligible for half-off tickets for Monday-Thursday performances.
- Students can learn more about these offers at PioneerTheatre.org/Students.
For more information about season subscriptions or University community discounts, contact Pioneer Theatre Company’s Box Office at BoxOffice@PioneerTheatre.org, call 801-581-6961 or visit the outside the Will Call window in person at the Simmons Pioneer Memorial Theatre on campus.