(upbeat music) - "The Robertassey" is a world premier production, making its debut at Salt Lake Acting Company.

And our guest today, Hannah Keating, is here to tell us more about the performance.

Hi there.

- Hi.

- Okay.

So Hannah first, the title?

Yes, "The Robertassey."

It's a mash of Roberta's Odyssey.

So the play follows Roberta, who takes her father's ashes to Ireland, but on the way, the airline loses her suitcase.

So she goes on this magical odyssey of trying to recover the suitcase and the ashes and learning more about her family and her history and repairing those relationships.

- Yeah.

So it's really kind of a metaphor for her life.

- Yes, the literal and emotional baggage of going on (Mary laughs) this magical journey.

- And at the foundation, is it about grief?

- Yes, Kathleen Cahill, the playwright, describes it as a romantic comedy about grief.

So there is loss, there is grief, but with this witty comedic timing that is so present in Kathleen's plays.

- Yeah, and let's talk a bit about the playwright, Kathleen Cahill.

- Yes.

- Incredible woman and playwright.

I'm so glad you're doing her work.

- Yes.

And this is her sixth production at SLAC.

So she is a playwright that our audiences have seen before.

And this play was workshopped in our new play sounding series several years ago.

So some audience members may have heard the story, but we're really excited to bring it fully to life.

- Which is just great.

And will she be here for the big- - She will come in person in February, yes.

- Okay, great.

Do you know a little known fact about Kathleen?

- Oh, tell me.

- She used to write the opens for Masterpiece Theater.

- [Hannah] I didn't know that.

Ah.

- Yeah, mm-hmm.

- She gets cooler the more I learn about her, (Mary laughs) and the play should be great, and it runs through March 2nd.

- Yes, we are open now, and so audiences can get tickets by going to our website or calling our box office.

- [Mary] Great.

- It's a one act, runs about 90 minutes, so it's a perfect weekend show.

- Alright.

Well, Hannah, thank you for being here.

Thanks.

- Thank you.

- And if you'd like to know more about "The Robertassey" at Salt Lake Acting Company, running now through March 2nd by Kathleen Cahill, go to SaltLakeActingCompany.org.

That's SaltLakeActingCompany.org.

(upbeat music) I'm Mary Dickson.

Thanks for watching "Contact."

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Hi, I'm Mary Dickson.

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