(bright upbeat music) - Pygmalion Theatre Company is a Salt Lake City-based theater company producing theater that reflects issues, concerns, and shared experiences in the lives of women.

Our guest today is actor Matt Bennett to tell us more about "Mother of the Maid."

Hi, Matt, thank you so much for being here.

So, tell us what this is about.

- So "Mother of the Maid" is about Joan of Arc, a story that most people know, but it is told uniquely from the perspective of the mother of the maid.

It begins with Isabelle Arc and it ends with Isabelle Arc.

Along the way there is the standard Joan of Arc story, but it's really about the relationships.

- The family relationships, so Joan of Arc's mother.

Interesting.

Okay, and so what role do you play?

- I am playing Joan of Arc's father.

- You're the dad?

- Jacques Arc.

- Okay, okay, and then Jensie plays the mother.

- Jensie Anderson plays the Lady of the court.

And so Joan of Arc's visions bring her lower middle class family into contact with royalty, which of course upends their lives, and so Jensie represents the court.

- The court, okay, and who plays Joan?

- Joan is played by a fantastic young actor named Addie Bowler and the mother of the maid, the title of the character, is being played by April Fossen, who's incredibly giving and connected, and I feel very lucky to be opposite her.

- Oh, that's great.

Yeah, you will be both very good.

And so do you think it appeals mostly to women, this play?

- Well, I think it appeals to anybody who is a history buff, certainly.

But as you and I were saying before we started here, I think that there is modern resonance because at heart, Joan of Arc is a social activist.

She is someone who's trying to free her country from colonials.

- Okay.

Oh, Matt, thank you so much for being here.

I appreciate it, thank you.

- Thank you.

- And if you'd like to know more about the Pygmalion production "Mother of the Maid", it runs May 3rd to 18th, in the Black Box of Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center.

Go to pygmalionproductions.org.

Pygmalionproductions.org.

I'm Mary Dickson, thanks for watching "Contact".

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