FAREWELL TO EDEN HISTORY

The History of Farewell to Eden

Late 2001: Mahonri Stewart returns from two years in Australia and, in a moment of internal reflection and meditation about what do next with his life, he has the vivid thought, "Write a British play." Taking inspiration from some favorite authors like Charles Dickens (Our Mutual Friend was the novel he was then reading at the time), Charlotte Bronte, Jane Austen, William Shakespeare, and Oscar Wilde, he begins what would become Farewell to Eden.

In the first fits and starts and alternate beginning, Stephen Lockart would actually be the protagonist and Georgiana was the antagonist. However, as Stewart listened to his characters, Georgiana Highett's clear voice and prominent characterization shone through, and he decided Georgie was a more interesting and vivid character, so put her at the core of the story.

Early 2002: During his freshman year at Utah Valley State College (now UVU), Stewart takes James Arrington's Introduction to Theatre class, in which Arrington assigns each member of the class to write a 10 minute play. Stewart chooses to write a scene from an early version of the play called The Word of the Subtle Soul (the play went through multiple titles, including The Subtle Beauty, The Fortress, and Children of the Father, before finally landing on Farewell to Eden).

When the play was read in class, Arrington slapped his desk and declared, "Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a playwright in our midst!"

Arrington took Stewart aside and asked him if the scene was from a full-length play. Stewart answered it was, but he hadn't finished it. "Well, if you do finish it," Arrington replied, "we'll produce it here at UVSC."

Early 2002 - Mid 2003: Arrington mentors Stewart as he writes the script, giving notes and guiding Stewart towards better drafts. Eventually, Stewart wrote nearly a dozen drafts and polishes.

Mid 2003: Margie Johnson is decided on to play Georgiana Highett for the staged readings of Farewell to Eden held at UVSC and The Nauvoo Theatrical Society. Based on the strength of her performances during the staged readings, there was no question in Arrington or Stewart's minds that Margie would ultimately play the role of Georgiana in UVU's production.

Early Fall 2003: Auditions are held at UVSC for the mainstage production of Farewell to Eden. Of the original reading cast, only Margie Johnson as Georgiana Highett, Angela Youmans as Mary, Ken Brown as Harold Lowe, and Amber James as Catherine Highett (although she originally played one of dressmakers in the readings) were carried over.

The rest of the cast were newcomers to UVSC's department who surprised Arrington and Stewart and impressed them with their auditions, disrupting their original thoughts about casting. These new actors included Aaron Willden as Stephen Lockhart, Sam Schofield as Darrel Fredericks, Brandon West as Thomas Highett, Tatum Langton as Esther Whitefield, Fallon Hansen as Hannah Whitefield, as well as Sam Davis and Russ Bennett in the role of the preachers.

Major members of the production team included Sarah Dawn Lowry as the stage manager, Randy Seely as the set designer, and Mary Haddock as the costume designer.

NOVEMBER 13-22, 2003: Farewell to Eden has its world premiere in the Blackbox Theater at UVSC. Its original run there sells out every night except for a smattering of seats on opening night and receives very positive reviews.

Judges from the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival ejudicate the production, praising it highly.

FEBRUARY 12, 2004: The show is invited to the KCACTF Region VIII Festival, hosted that year by the University of California: San Bernadino. Margie Johnson and Aaron Wilden were invited to compete in the Irene Ryan Acting Competition as part of the competition. The production receives praise from the judges and is one of only two productions in he region that was "held over" as a possibility for the national festival.

APRIL 12-18 2004: The National Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival in Washington, D.C. Although the whole production wasn't invited to the National Festival, which was a keen disappointment, the Festival invited Stewart to D.C. to receive the National Selection Team Fellowship Award for Region VIII, and Second Place for the National Student Playwriting Award.