[SALT LAKE CITY, UT JANUARY 8, 2026] — Pioneer Theatre Company (PTC), Utah’s premier professional theatre company in residence at the University of Utah, presents the world premiere of Ten Brave Seconds from January 30-February 14, 2026. The production, with music & lyrics by Will Van Dyke and book & lyrics by Jeff Talbott, is described by the authors as follows:

One day can change everything if you pay attention. And Mike is certainly looking for something to change. He and his family are finding their way the best they can on a new and rocky road. Mike has also been sitting on something about himself that he’s been waiting to say, but he’s got a thing or two to find out first. What he is learning is that in order to step into his community, he’s going to have to be brave and join in. And today’s the day. Ten Brave Seconds is a vibrant and heartfelt new musical for everybody that all takes place on one day in the life of an American teenager that will open your eyes and recalibrate your heart. 

“We have spent almost seven years crafting the story of Mike and his family, and the fact that we now get to share it with audiences alongside our artistic family at Pioneer Theatre Company makes us the luckiest writers in the world,” Van Dyke and Talbott provided in a joint statement. “As writers, we are very committed to making theatre that opens channels to both feeling and talking, and getting to start that conversation in a production created for the Utah audience is thrilling. Using pop music as a gateway to emotion is something we passionately believe in, and we cannot wait to open our hearts with PTC’s audiences.”

“Pioneer Theatre Company is thrilled to present the world premiere of Ten Brave Seconds, written by two of PTC’s most treasured collaborating artists: Will Van Dyke and Jeff Talbott. From the moment I read the script, I knew this story needed a spotlight in our community,” said PTC Artistic Director Karen Azenberg. “As a theatre company, we at PTC have a responsibility to champion new voices and develop original works that move the American Theatre forward. By bringing new stories to the stage, we help expand the canon and ensure the art form remains vibrant, relevant, and responsive to the world around us.”

“For a long time, stories like the one portrayed in Ten Brave Seconds were rarely shared onstage. This production is not only a prime example of PTC’s commitment to developing new work, but also a powerful reminder that when authentic lived experiences are placed at the center of the story, they create recognition, belonging, and courage—and that visibility can be life-changing,” adds PTC Managing Director Adrian Budhu.

CAST & CREATIVE
Reprising their roles from PTC’s Fall 2025 Insider Reading of Ten Brave Seconds are Tony Award Nominee John Cariani* (Broadway’s Fiddler on the Roof; Caroline, or Change; The Band’s Visit) as Mr. G. and Carson Stewart* (Broadway’s The Notebook) as Mike. Both actors make their PTC mainstage debuts with this production. 

They are joined by Will Blum* (Broadway’s Beetlejuice, Torch Song) as Carl;  Luke Kolbe Mannikus* (Broadway’s Matilda, Pippin) as Tim; Jessica Money* (Spelling Bee at Arden Theatre Co., The Color Purple at Theatre Horizon) as Gabby; and Heidi Farber (Medea at the Salt Lake Greek Theater Festival, Sweeney Todd at the Grand) as Becky.

The “Teen” ensemble is comprised of Nick Eibler* (Broadway’s The Prom); Zachary Daniel Jones* (Broadway’s Gypsy, Wicked); PTC alum Jalen Michael Jones* (PTC’s The Prom, Bye Bye Birdie at The Kennedy Center); Laura Leo Kelly* (West Side Story International Tour, Regency Girls at The Old Globe); and PTC alum Jordan Cruz (PTC’s Jersey Boys, Waitress). 

Harrison Timm, a senior in the University of Utah’s Actor Training Program; and Sydney Rudel and Ella Mei Williamson—both seniors in the U’s Musical Theatre Program—join the production’s ensemble as 2025-2026 Season PTC Interns. Ariana Bagley and Kaden Conrad will serve as swings.