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This is Chris Redgrave for Zions Bank Speaking on Business.
Here's yet another Utah treasure — Hale Centre Theatre, which happens to be one of the highest attended live theaters in the United States. To give you an idea of how popular Hale is, in 2014 they sold nearly 24,000 season tickets with close to 300,000 people attending shows throughout their season.
In talking to owners Mark and Sally Dietlein, they'll be the first to tell you how Utah is theater magic, and their growth has been phenomenal. They now have 34 employees on board with up to 80 part time, and some of their hosting staff has been with them for almost 30 years. Over the course of their season, they work with 350 actors, technicians and production team members to bring each show to life. One hundred percent of their actors are local professionals.
Their newest production is The Little Mermaid, which runs through August 1. They had to add over 20 shows to meet demand with one full month of 14 performances weekly. This production includes Cirque de Soleil style flyers, and the age limit has been lowered to 3 for the 9 a.m. Saturday matinees to allow more kids to enjoy the show.
Following the wildly-popular "The Little Mermaid," you can look forward to upcoming productions of "Oklahoma" and "Big Fish," in the next few months. And don't forget this year's production of "A Christmas Carol" which will be their 31st annual production. This popular show sells out, so get your tickets early.
Out of all the theaters across the U.S., Hale Centre Theatre was handpicked as the first U.S. post-Broadway regional theater production of "The Pirate Queen" by the composers of "Les Miserables," which will play in 2016. Sally says this is a significant honor for Hale and great news for Utah, where the arts have always been a top focus.
Hale Centre Theatre will also be offering Summer Performing Arts Day Camp Classes, but space is limited. Visit hct.org to register or for more information.
For Zions Bank, I'm Chris Redgrave, speaking on business.
Hale Centre Theatre 3333 S. Decker Lake Dr. West Valley City, UT 84119 801-984-9000 www.hct.org
