Salt Lake Weekly.com

Salt Lake City's Independent Guide To News, Arts & Entertainment

Arty 2007 Reader Choice Award

Literary Arts

BEST NONFICTION
No More Goodbyes, by Carol Lynn Pearson
Despite society’s increasingly sane treatment of homosexuals, gay members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints still find themselves targeted by a barrage of uninformed criticism, ostracized from their communities and families, and forced to make the often-unbearable choice between their religion and a normal love life. In her 20-year follow-up to Goodbye, I Love You, Pearson makes an impassioned case for the humane treatment of gays within the church, invoking a tradition of Mormon compassion. Many of the stories and case histories are tragic, but one hopeful thread runs throughout: That Pearson, a devout Mormon, has found a way to resolve the conflict between Mormons and gays—and perhaps to heal the painful rifts that conflict has produced.

Performing Arts

BEST THEATER PRODUCTION
Facing East, Plan-B Theater Company

BEST ORIGINAL PLAY
Facing East, Carol Lynn Pearson

BEST THEATER PERFORMANCE
Facing East Ensemble
The New York critics and audiences liked it. Same goes for San Francisco. Come 2009 at the Singapore Fringe Festival, East Asia will find out for itself, as well. However, the people of little ol’ Salt Lake City were the first to appreciate Plan-B Theatre Company’s Facing East, as this clean sweep demonstrates. Carol Lynn Pearson’s moving script was brilliantly realized by the team effort of Jayne Luke, Charles Lynn Frost and Jay Perry. The show was able to grapple with familiar local tensions while remaining grounded in universal themes familiar and affecting to even the uninitiated. Bravo, Plan-B. Keep up the good work. PlanBTheatreCompany.org