Listen to this articleUtah’s Plan-B Theatre Company, and Utah Pride Center and Equality Utah co-founder Michelle Turpin are this year’s Human Rights Campaign of Utah Equality Award recipients. The awards will be presented at the upcoming HRC Utah “Be Part of Equality” Gala, June 11.
Along with her work with the Utah Pride Center and Equality Utah, Turpin has also served on the board for the ACLU of Utah, the HRC Federal Club and the newly created LGBT Community Endowment Fund of Utah.
Plan-B Theatre Company is a Fabby Award-winning professional arts organization in Salt Lake City whose mission is to produce socially conscience and unique theater. This past season, the company produced two plays highlighting gay and or gender issues. She Was My Brother is period piece paying homage to an ancient tradition of gender identity roles. And Borderlands depicts a gay Mormon as spiritually enlightened.
“We are excited to recognize the contributions that Michelle Turpin and Plan-B Theatre have and will continue to make as we weave the patchwork of equality here in Utah and beyond,” Michael Fifield, who chairs the event with Valerie Larabee and Sarah Viola, said in a press release. “Our awardees are very well known for their accomplishments and powerful presence here in Utah. Their influence is felt year after year and we are so fortunate to work with them.”
Each year the HRC Utah steering committee selects people and organizations to recognize for work done to advance lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. The 2010 recipients were the Salt Lake City and Salt Lake County governments.
This year’s gala event will feature Joe Solmonese, president of the national HRC, Patrick Murphey, a former U.S. Congressman, Eric Alva, a gay-rights activist and Crystal Waters, an award-winning singer and performer.
WHEN: June 11, 6 p.m.
WHERE: Grand America Hotel, Salt Lake City
COST: $150
INFO: utah.hrc.org/dinner
