- Tal Hughes, 21, will direct his original play "The Girl in the Yellow Dress" in November in Heber City.
- Initially written in high school with a friend, the play is now in its 10th draft and second run.
- The play explores themes of growth, loss and healing through a guardian angel in a yellow dress.
HEBER CITY — Tal Hughes is directing his original play for the second time.
Hughes, 21, wrote "The Girl in the Yellow Dress" when he was still in high school. He saw a play called "Yellow," and it gave him an idea about a boy who was being helped through life by a young girl in a dress, who only he could see. He told his friend Ethan Scott, and they started writing a play.
"For about a year and a half, we just were writing the thing and showing it to our friends. And we were doing shows together at our community theater. And we had the crazy idea to pitch it to the community theater ... we knew it was kind of a long shot," he said.
Hughes was shocked when Timpanogos Valley Theatre said "yes."
"That's the most amazing part. ... These two teenagers came into the community theater and said, 'Can we direct a play?'" he said. "We had never directed anything! These adults at the theater said, 'Yeah, let's give these kids a chance to practice what they are learning at our theater.'"
Hughes and Scott were given a budget for the show and were treated like adults with a full opportunity to go for it, Hughes said.
The show was a success and a wonderful learning opportunity for Hughes and Scott. They went on to graduate, and Hughes served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but once Hughes got back, they revisited the work.
Now on the 10th draft, and a few years later, Hughes is directing the play once again at the same theater.
"People came to audition the first time because they were our friends, and they were kind of doing it just out of support," he said. "This time, we are a little more experienced. We had plenty come to auditions to fill up the roles, and people know what it is and want to be a part of it. I don't feel like they're doing it to be nice; I feel like they want to be a part of it."
"It's a big success story for us, and I think the theater supporting us gave us everything we needed," he said.
The play follows a teenager named Robert who moves back to the town he lived in for his early years. He has a difficult time reuniting with his friends again after so many years and struggles with growing up and things changing. He starts seeing a girl in a yellow dress who no one else can see.
"She says that she is his guardian angel. So the story is about growing up and how she helps him make the transition," Hughes said.
The play is a "dramedy," Hughes said, so it has both funny and serious, somber moments. He was worried about what the reception to it would be, as it isn't just a fun musical like most popular shows.
"The reaction has been pretty amazing. I always thought people wouldn't like it because it's not a musical and it's not always super fun and funny. But people have really enjoyed it, even those parts that are more sad or serious," Hughes said.
The show dives into themes of loss, healing, growing up and life continuing even after trials.
"Even though life gets hard and scary sometimes, it always gets better again. These characters, they look back when they were kids and think it was so great and wonder if life will ever be like that again," he said. "The answer is an overwhelming yes."
"Not because bad things don't happen, but because bad things do happen, but we are together and we are family and we are friends and we are community and we help each other and you are going to be OK," he said.
"The Girl in the Yellow Dress" will be performed at Timpanogos Valley Theater in Heber City from Nov. 7-15.
