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Gene Kennedy ReportingA behind-the-scenes accident brings the play at Hale Center Theater to a halt. It was cancelled mid-performance when one of the crew members got caught in the stage's moving parts.
Mark Dietlein Theater Executive Producer: "The stage is built in such a fashion that we can create all kinds of magic."
But last night, magic turned into mishap. 32 year-old Will Phillips was working technical support underneath the "Aida" stage. Somehow, he got trapped in the stage's moving parts.
Batt. Chief Bob Fitzgerald, West Valley City Fire Dept.: "It moves up and down. It's a pretty fancy stage. As the stage was coming down, he was working on something, h got caught in the mechanism. It started to come down on his head. He was able to get his head clear but it came down on his chest."
The crew rushed to his aid, hitting an emergency button to stop the machinery.
Mark Dietlein, Theater Exec. Prod.: "We were grateful the emergency stop did occur. And we have, in fact, just to put our actors at peace as well as audience members viewing it, we have removed that stage sequence "
It was a sequence that played out during a sold-out performance of about 500 people. But because the accident occurred underneath the stage...
Mark Dietlein, Theater Exec. Prod.: "The audience really wasn't aware of anything. We simply called an unscheduled intermission."
Later, the show was cancelled.
Mark Dietlein, Theater Exec. Prod.: "The cast is aware of it and obviously shaken up."
Phillips had to be airlifted to University of Utah hospital. He has a broken jaw, head trauma and some injuries to his ear.
The theater's executive director says Phillips had lots of experience working several shows here.
Meantime, for the audience forced to go home last night, call the theater box office and they'll arrange for you to go to another show.
