Pioneer Theatre Company artistic director retires after 28 years

Pioneer Theatre Company artistic director retires after 28 years


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SALT LAKE CITY — Charles Morey has taken Pioneer Theatre Company to national prominence in the last 28 years he has spent as artistic director — and all while dealing with economic ups and downs as well as programming challenges.

He has seen the company through more than half of its existence - it will celebrate its 50th anniversary soon.

Morey said that the closing production, "Man of La Mancha," sends a message from his heart. The title character sings "The Wild Winds of Fortune Shall Carry Me Onward," a fitting image.

"It's really, in some sense, about the power of art and the power of theater to truly change lives," Morey said.

The University of Utah honored his vision and accomplishments Tuesday.

"His contributions have been very important to both the theater itself and the university," said university president David Pershing. "He has made, along with Chris Lino, our theater one of the most successful theaters of this kind in the nation."

At a cast party, his actors and the crew saluted his guidance, creative spirit and fiscal responsibility.

"He's run this theater into the black, which in show business, I don't know, is actually against the law," said Daniel Marcus, a friend and actor with the company.

"What he's done for theater, not only here in Salt Lake City but for New York City and New York actors, is extraordinary," said Dirk Lumbard.

Morey said that for him it has been a quest to create the best and leave audiences wanting to come back.

"I think I've accomplished a lot of things that I set out to do, so I'm very pleased with that," Morey said. "But as I said before, I didn't do any of it by myself."

Lino said that his work has changed Utah as well. "He's accomplished everything he set out to do in ways that have utterly transformed Pioneer Theatre and theater in general in the state of Utah."

This may be the end of an era, but it is not really goodbye. "Man of La Mancha" may be the closing production of Chuck Morey's tenure as artistic director, but he will return to Pioneer Theatre Company next spring to direct "Les Miserables."

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