ARTICLES NEWS FROM & ABOUT THE FESTIVAL

2020

• NO CARES ACT PAYDAY AHEAD FOR CACHE VALLEY ARTS GROUPS

  Written by Charlie Schill June 23, 2020 SALT LAKE CITY – As details emerge from Senate Bill 5010, it appears increasingly unlikely that the statute enacted during last week’s special session of the Legislature will result in any CARES Act payday for Cache Valley performing arts groups. … Continued

• CACHE COUNTY RAPZ AND RESTAURANT TAX FUNDING STILL UP IN THE AIR

  Written by Charlie Schill May 27, 2020 CACHE COUNTY – The only thing certain about the distribution of funds from Cache County’s RAPZ and restaurant taxes to local groups and events is that nothing is certain this year. … Continued

• SKY HIGH PLAYERS TAKE HONORS IN STATEWIDE THEATER COMPETITION

  Written by Charlie Schill May 18, 2020 SMITHFIELD – The Sky High Players of Sky View High School captured two awards at the 10th annual Utah High School Musical Theatre Awards on May 16. … Continued

• 10TH ANNUAL UTAH HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL THEATRE AWARDS HAPPENING VIRTUALLY ON SATURDAY

  Friday, May 15th 2020 (KUTV) — The 2020 Utah High School Musical Theatre Awards is taking the virtual route to honor performers in the state of Utah. You may join in! Watch live on YouTube for the first-ever live streaming awards show presented by Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre. … Continued

• HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL THEATER AWARDS TAKE VIRTUAL STAGE DURING PANDEMIC

  By Carole Mikita, KSL TV | May 8, 2020 at 9:14 pm SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Before the COVID-19 pandemic, high school theater teachers and students throughout Utah produced and performed their annual musicals. This year, with the help of video, they will hold their statewide competition next Saturday in a virtual theater. … Continued

• FESTIVAL OPERA SUMMER SEASON FALLS TO CORONAVIRUS

  Written by Charlie Schill April 23, 2020 LOGAN – For theater-lovers in Cache Valley, the battle with the Coronavirus is over. The Coronavirus won. In a heartfelt message to fans and supporters of the Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre, its founding managing director Michael Ballam cancelled the festival’s upcoming summer season. … Continued

• UTAH FESTIVAL OPERA & MUSICAL THEATRE CANCELS SUMMER SEASON

  By Charles McCollum staff writer Apr 23, 2020 The coronavirus pandemic has toppled another major cultural event in Cache Valley. The Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre on Wednesday announced suspension of its 2020 summer season. The theater company, which puts on five to six rotating productions at Logan’s Eccles Theatre each summer, had been cautiously optimistic about going ahead with its season, but an announcement posted on the UFOMT website put all the suspense to an end. … Continued

• UTAH FESTIVAL OPERA AND MUSICAL THEATRE CANCELS 2020 SEASON

  April 22, 2020 Michael Ballam announced today with “sincere regret” that the Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre will cancel its 2020 season. The founding general director said the decision was made after “careful consideration and consultation with health and government officials.” … Continued

• UTAH FESTIVAL OPERA PULLS CURTAIN ON UPCOMING SUMMER SEASON

  By Gephardt Daily Staff – April 22, 2020 LOGAN, Utah, April 22, 2020 (Gephardt Daily) — The show will not go on this summer at Utah Festival Opera. The company has canceled its 2020 summer season after initially hoping the season could continue if enough safety precautions were taken. “It is with ‘sincere regret’ Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre will cancel its 2020 season,” said Michael Ballam, … Continued

• HOW CORONAVIRUS IS IMPACTING UTAH ARTS ORGANIZATIONS ON THURSDAY’S ACCESS UTAH

  By Tom Williams • Apr 16, 2020 On Thursday’s Access Utah, we check in with our arts community. How has COVID-19 affected local arts organizations? How can audiences support the arts? Guests will include Frank Mack, Executive Producer of the Utah Shakespeare Festival; Michael Ballam, Founding General Director of Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theater; … Continued

• USU PROGRAM CANCELLATION MAY NOT KEEP ALL SUMMER CITIZENS HOME

  By CHARLES MCCOLLUM staff writer Apr 15, 2020 Although Utah State University has canceled its annual Summer Citizens program due to coronavirus concerns, many “sunbirds” from Arizona are still considering stays in Logan this summer. … Continued

• ARTS COMMUNITY LEADERS PLEAD FOR SOCIAL DISTANCING

  Written by Charlie Schill April 3, 2020 LOGAN – Cache Valley performing arts organizers and managers have added their voices to the rising chorus of calls for Utahns to hold the line on statewide social distancing and self-isolation guidelines. … Continued

• LOGAN’S UTAH THEATRE TURNED INTO ‘TIME MACHINE’ SHOWCASING CLASSIC FILMS

  By Ray Boone, KSL TV | Posted – Feb. 1, 2020 at 11:35 a.m. LOGAN — A retired U.S. Air Force colonel and an opera singer have been united by classic cinema and a desire to share their common ground with the Cache Valley city they call home. Col. Gary Griffin and Michael Ballam came together from different life paths to revitalize the old Utah Theatre in Logan. … Continued

• FUNDING FOR ARTS, HUMANITIES CAN IMPROVE ECONOMY, COMMUNITY, STUDENTS AND MORE

  By Kat Webb • Jan 31, 2020 According to the National Endowment for the Arts, Utah is the number one state for art participation and number two for attending live performances. But with the tax modernization reform bill repealed, officials say Utah’s general fund budget — where art funding comes from — is stretched thin. … Continued

2019

• RENOVATED UTAH THEATER SHOWS CLASSICS WITH MODERN TECHNOLOGY

  By The Associated Press Published: December 28, 2019 Logan • A northern Utah theater that recently underwent a major renovation and is showing classic favorites using modern technology. The makeover made possible with donations from the likes of Utah Jazz owner Gail Miller transformed a run-down movie house into a restored version of its art-deco grandeur. … Continued

• UTAH THEATRE BRINGING BACK BYGONE ERA FOR MOVIEGOERS

  By Ashtyn Asay staff writer Dec 23, 2019 It’s the Saturday before Christmas, and the Utah Theatre staff are preparing for the 6 p.m. movie. Popcorn is popping, and although there are still 45 minutes until showtime, a few patrons have already wandered in to buy tickets. The lobby is elegantly decorated with fresh wallpaper and glittering chandeliers, a product of the recently completed renovation … Continued

• OFFICIALS SAY CENTER STREET RIBBON CUTTING AND CELEBRATION WAS A ROUSING SUCCESS

  Written by Rod Boam December 2, 2019 LOGAN – Thousands of people were on hand to see Cache Valley’s own Highpoint Clydes, the reigning World Champions for a Clydesdale Six-Horse Hitch and Logan’s antique horse drawn fire engine carrying Santa Claus as they came through the Center Street Arch … Continued

• IN THREE ACTS: CREATING AN OPERA BY CHILDREN

  Crafting your own musical stories offers a little bit of everything, arts supporters say, but kids admit it’s a lot of work. By Ellen Fagg Weist Act 1 The first rule of the Opera by Children program is that students, not the adults, do the work. Over one school year, students work with teachers and drama mentors to craft their own musical story. … Continued

• CHARLIE’S IN THE HOUSE: SO MUCH GOOD THEATER, SO LITTLE TIME

  By Charlie Schill • Sep 19, 2019 I have to confess that I’ve always unconsciously assumed that our Lyric Repertory Company and the Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre rank somehow below more prestigious theater programs like the Utah Shakespeare Festival. But I never had the opportunity or the inclination to test the validity of that impression until this past summer. … Continued

• WATCH BEHIND THE SCENES HOW THE FESTIVAL DID CHANGEOVERS DURING OUR 2019 SEASON

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• CHARLIE’S IN THE HOUSE: A REVIEW OF ‘THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO’

  By Charlie Schill • Aug 1, 2019 If you loved The Barber of Seville during the 2018 Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre season – and who didn’t? – make a beeline for the final performance of the current production of The Marriage of Figaro. It’s another great comic opera with the same hilarious characters, equally beautiful music, thrilling performances and gorgeous costuming. … Continued

• UTAH FESTIVAL OPERA’S THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO IS A WEDDING OF ARTISTRY

  Posted by elizabeth | Jul 19, 2019 LOGAN — Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro—or for purists, Le Nozze Di Figaro—is a most glorious and joyful opera and about number five or six in the opera “top ten” of most performed operas in the world. The only reason it’s not number one is because it’s so difficult. Singing Mozart is a killer anyway, but the singers in the production of Figaro at Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre stare death in the face and laugh. … Continued

• ‘MASTER CLASS’ A TRIBUTE TO ONE OF OPERA’S BIGGEST STARS

  By CHARLIE SCHILL theatre critic Jul 19, 2019 “Master Class” is another wild card in the Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre’s 2019 season. Like the previous “Bravo, Caruso!,” this drama is an homage to one of the 20th century’s operatic superstars, the late Maria Callas. … Continued

• SOMETHING’S COMING, SOMETHING GOOD: UTAH FESTIVAL OPERA & MUSICAL THEATRE’S WEST SIDE STORY IN LOGAN, UTAH

  July 18, 2019 By Elisabeth Spencer Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre in Logan, Utah, is known for the high-quality productions of classic musicals and operas they bring to the Ellen Eccles Theatre each summer. Few companies could be better-suited to produce West Side Story, the 1957 musical that broke barriers in its unique use of choreography and its revolutionary depiction of difficult racial themes. … Continued

• CHARLIE’S IN THE HOUSE: A REVIEW OF THE UTAH FESTIVAL OPERA & MUSICAL THEATRE’S ‘NEWSIES’

  By Charlie Schill • Jul 18, 2019 The Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre launched its 2019 main-stage offerings with a rousing production of Newsies, an old-fashioned, crowd-pleasing musical. … Continued

• PULL BACK THE CURTAINS FOR, ‘LIGHTS, CAMERA, AND ACTION,’ IN LOGAN

  Posted: Jul 18, 2019 / 09:28 PM MDT CACHE VALLEY, Utah (ABC4Utah) – Cache Valley is your ticket to summer fun and Logan is a hotspot and no stranger to lights, camera and action. It’s time to pull back the curtains and let the spotlight hit Cache Valley. … Continued

• KUED | CONTACT | UTAH FESTIVAL OPERA 2019 SEASON

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• CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNERS OF THE 2019 VOCAL COMPETITION!

  1st Place Winner & Audience Favorite – Musical Theatre (Awarded a $2,000 cash prize) Méami Maszewski 1st Place Winner & Audience Favorite – Opera (Awarded a $2,000 cash prize) Rose-Antoinette Bellino FINALISTS Opera Finalists Rose-Antoinette Bellino Darren Lekeith Drone Marianthi Hatzis Steve Valenzuela Musical Theatre Finalists Benjamin Adams Pasqualino Beltempo Derek DeRoo Olivia LaBarge Méami … Continued

• STEP IN TIME TO LOGAN FOR A SUPERCALIFRAGILISTIC-ALLY GREAT UTAH FESTIVAL OPERA AND MUSICAL THEATRE’S MARY POPPINS

  July 15, 2019 By Lindsey Kelstrom Lovers of Disney’s 1964 Mary Poppins starring Julie Andrews will love the nostalgia and tribute to the iconic character in Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre’s production of Mary Poppins playing at the Ellen Eccles Theatre in Logan, Utah this summer. … Continued

• ‘NEWSIES’ MUSICAL CHRONICLES NEWSPAPER STRIKE

  By CHARLIE SCHILL theatre critic Jul 13, 2019 The Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre launched its 2019 main-stage offerings with a rousting production of “Newsies,” an old-fashioned, crowd-pleasing musical. … Continued

• ‘MARY POPPINS’ IS CANDY FOR THE EYES AND EARS

  By CHARLIE SCHILL theatre critic Jul 13, 2019 If you’re shopping for family-friendly, child-oriented summer entertainment, look no further than the Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre’s ongoing production of the musical fantasy “Mary Poppins.” … Continued

• UFOMT’S ‘WEST SIDE STORY’ SOMETHING TO BEHOLD

  By CHARLIE SCHILL theatre critic Jul 12, 2019 When performing one of the greatest works in the whole canon of American musical theater, the quality bar is naturally set sky-high. The Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre’s ongoing production of the classic “West Side Story” easily vaults that bar and continues into the heavens. … Continued

• AGHHH! NOSFERATU! VAMPIRE SILENT FILM COMES TO LIFE THROUGH ORGAN MUSIC

  By Kevin Opsahl staff writer Jul 11, 2019 If a ghoulish-looking being named Count Orlok believes you have a “lovely neck,” you might be in trouble. … Continued

• NEWSIES SEIZES HEARTS IN LOGAN

  Posted by Marcee Ludlow | Jul 11, 2019 LOGAN — I’ve been a fan of Newsies and Alan Menken’s music since the movie version came out when I was kid. I’ve performed many of the songs, and I love the story and its characters. But then what kid isn’t enticed by the story of independent newsboys fighting and winning against oppressive adults? Although more recent in my esteem, the Broadway version with lyrics by Jack Feldmen and book by Harvey Fierstein is also a tremendous work. The Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre produced a show that thrilled this fan and honored the original. … Continued

• WEST SIDE STORY IS “PRETTY AND WITTY AND BRIGHT”

  Posted by Marcee Ludlow | Jul 10, 2019 LOGAN — Leave it to Arthur Laurents, Leonard Bernstein, and Stephen Sondheim to take a challenging story like Romeo and Juliet and drop it into the West Side of New York, thus adding new difficult dynamics of economics, immigration, race, and crazy difficult music. The Utah Festival Opera Company picked up the gauntlet and produced an electrifying West Side Story that dazzled with amazing vocals, great choreography, solid dancing, stunning visuals, and poignant acting. … Continued

• CHARLIE’S IN THE HOUSE: A REVIEW OF THE UTAH FESTIVAL OPERA & MUSICAL THEATRE’S ‘WEST SIDE STORY’

  By Charlie Schill • Jul 11, 2019 When performing one of the greatest works in the whole canon of American musical theater, the quality bar is naturally set sky-high. The Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre’s ongoing production of the classic West Side Story easily vaults that bar and continues into the heavens. … Continued

• DANCING RULES IN THIS YEAR’S UTAH FESTIVAL OPERA PRODUCTIONS OF ‘NEWSIES,’ ‘WEST SIDE STORY’ AND ‘MARY POPPINS’

  By Deseret News Jul 10, 2019, 9:30am MDT Jay Wamsley LOGAN — Familiarity breeds appreciation, rather than contempt, in this year’s lineup of highly recognizable musical theater and opera offerings from the Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre Company. … Continued

• GREEN CANYON GRADUATE PERFORMS ON BROADWAY STAGE

  Written by Megan Bowen July 9, 2019 NORTH LOGAN – When Abigail Edwards was cast to play Belle in Beauty in the Beast at Green Canyon High School earlier this year, it was a dream role. When she was nominated for Utah’s Best Actress for the Utah High School Musical Theatre Awards (UHSMTA) because of that role, it would take her on an unforgettable adventure. … Continued

• TERRENCE MCNALLY’S MASTER CLASS IS NEARLY MASTERFUL AT UTAH FESTIVAL OPERA & MUSICAL THEATRE

  Posted by elizabeth | Jul 9, 2019 LOGAN — To say that playwright Terrence McNally is a stalwart of the American theatre would be a gross understatement. Critic Rex Reed describes McNally as “one of the greatest contemporary playwrights the theater world has yet produced.” And Mr. Reed is correct. … Continued

• EXTRA, EXTRA, READ ALL ABOUT IT! UTAH FESTIVAL OPERA AND MUSICAL THEATRE’S NEWSIES SEIZES THE DAY AT LOGAN’S ELLEN ECCLES THEATRE

  July 8, 2019 By Debbie Ditton The audience was buzzing in anticipation as the first ever performance of Disney’s Newsies The Musical got ready to open at the Ellen Eccles Theatre in downtown Logan, Utah. Having seen the show on Broadway, and the touring company in Salt Lake City, I was nervous – yet hopeful – that Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre’s production would equal my expectations. As soon as I heard the astounding orchestra (conducted by James M. Bankhead), saw the breathtaking set … Continued

• THE UTAH OPERA FESTIVAL & MUSICAL THEATRE’S THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO IS A SIDE SPLITTINGLY FUNNY OPERA SPECTACULAR IN LOGAN, UTAH

  July 6, 2019 By Benedicte Dansie The Marriage of Figaro performed at the Ellen Eccles Theatre as part of the Utah Opera Festival & Musical Theatre in Logan, Utah is an absolutely enchanting performance full of poignant realism and side splitting humor. The show, though composed of a full four acts, swept past in a delight making the three-hour show feel like a breeze. … Continued

• MUSICAL THEATER HELPED UTAH’S YOUNG BUDDING BROADWAY STAR ESCAPE A ‘TERRIBLE SITUATION’

  By Scott D. Pierce Published: July 5, 2019 When Ethan Kelso was 8 years old, his adoptive mother asked him where he had learned to sing. He told her, “‘In the darkness.’” … Continued

• IT IS TIME FOR A NEW SEASON OF UTAH FESTIVAL OPERA AND MUSICAL THEATRE IN LOGAN

  Written by Craig Hislop July 2, 2019 Michael Ballam calls this summer’s Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre season the biggest and best ever. … Continued

• ‘BRAVO, CARUSO!’ LIGHT ON CAST, BIG ON DRAMATIC IMPACT

  By CHARLIE SCHILL theatre critic Jun 29, 2019 Given gifted performers and inspired direction, an intimate small-cast play can still have a big dramatic impact. Local audiences were treated to a perfect example of that theatrical lesson when the Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre recently debuted the drama “Bravo, Caruso!” … Continued

• HITTING THE BIG TIME: USU FRESHMAN VIED FOR BEST ACTRESS AT NYC COMPETITION

  By Kevin Opsahl staff writer Jun 27, 2019 Incoming Utah State University freshman Abigail Edwards knows the feeling of having the spotlight on her when she’s performing in front of an audience, whether its in an auditorium at Green Canyon High School or the in the Big Apple. … Continued

• THE 2019 JIMMY AWARDS CELEBRATE THE NEXT GENERATION OF BROADWAY STARS

  Leigh Scheps | June 25, 2019 The winners of the 2019 Jimmy Awards are 18-year-olds Ekele Ukegbu of Elmont, New York, and Ethan Kelso of Logan, Utah. Each went home with a $25,000 scholarship. The competition, also known as the High School Musical Theatre Awards, celebrates the best high school performers from around the country. … Continued

• BEST OF HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL THEATER: THE JIMMY AWARDS NAMES 2019 WINNERS IN NYC

  Tuesday, June 25, 2019 TIMES SQUARE, Manhattan (WABC) — The nation’s best high school musical theater students from around the country made their Broadway debuts Monday night and two students walked away big winners. Of the 86 nominees who competed in The Jimmy Awards, Ethan Kelso won the award for Best Performance by an Actor and New York’s own Ekele Ukegbu won the award for Best Performance by an Actress. … Continued

• SHARE A LAST MEMORY WITH BRAVO, CARUSO!

  Posted by Sara Claverie | Jun 24, 2019 LOGAN — Bravo, Caruso! is the beginning of the summer Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre experience happening in northern Utah. This two-man opera directed by Vanessa Ballam has much less singing than storytelling as it takes place in the famous Caruso’s dressing room. … Continued

• CHARLIE’S IN THE HOUSE: A PREVIEW FOR THE UTAH FESTIVAL OPERA AND MUSICAL THEATRE SUMMER SEASON

  By Charlie Schill • Jun 13, 2019 The Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre’s fireworks will begin right after the 4th of July this year. That’s appropriate because festival impresario Michael Ballam has surprises in store for all of us in the weeks ahead. … Continued

• GREEN CANYON AND MOUNTAIN CREST STUDENTS WIN AT STATEWIDE HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL AWARDS SHOW

  Written by Eric Frandsen May 21, 2019 Hundreds of high school performing arts students gathered at the Eccles Theatre in Salt Lake City Saturday, competing in the Utah High School Musical Theatre Awards. Some students from Green Canyon and Mountain Crest high schools came away as winners. In fact, Green Canyon High School’s Abigail Edwards was recognized as the Best Actress. … Continued

• PHOTO FLASH: UTAH FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES 2019 UTAH HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL THEATRE AWARDS WINNERS

  by BWW News Desk May. 20, 2019 Two Utah high school performers are on their way to New York City after winning the award for Best Actress and Best Actor in the ninth annual Utah High School Musical Theatre Awards held in the Eccles Theater in Salt Lake City May 18. Abigail Edwards from Green Canyon High School in North Logan won for her role as Belle in “Beauty and the Beast” and Ethan Kelso from Salt Lake School for the Performing Arts won for his portrayal of Will Bloom in “Big Fish.” … Continued

• 2 LOCAL STUDENTS ARE HEADING TO NEW YORK AFTER THIS WEEKEND’S UTAH HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL THEATRE AWARDS

  By Cristy Meiners May 20, 2019, 2:00pm MDT SALT LAKE CITY — It’s fitting that one of the two Utah high school musical theater students on their way to New York to compete in a national competition would portray a character who sings, “I want adventure in the great wide somewhere.” … Continued

• 9TH ANNUAL UTAH HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL THEATRE AWARDS WERE HELD SATURDAY

  Posted: May 20, 2019 / 07:11 PM MDT SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (ABC4 News) – Utah Festival announced the 2019 Utah High School Musical Theatre Awards Winners Saturday night at Eccles Theater. Hundreds of students from two dozen high schools around Utah gathered at the event to celebrate their achievements, talents, and dedication to the performing arts. … Continued

• CACHE COUNTY COUNCIL REVIEWS RECOMMENDATIONS FOR RAPZ TAX ALLOCATIONS

  Written by Shannon Martindale May 16, 2019 The Cache County Council reviewed recommendations Tuesday night for the RAPZ and Restaurant Tax awards for the coming year. “As in year’s past,” according to Council Chair Karl Ward, “the requests are nearly double what the funds available are. It’s very difficult to be able to make the decision as to where to place those funds.” … Continued

• BEAR RIVER CHARTER SCHOOL SECOND GRADERS PERFORM ORIGINAL OPERA

  Written by Rod Boam May 6, 2019 The second graders at Bear River Charter School held an opera, written and performed by them, in the school gym … Continued

• JO SULLIVAN LOESSER, SINGER AND GUARDIAN OF A LEGACY, DIES AT 91

  Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre is saddend by the passing of Jo Loesser on Sunday, April 28. “She believed in us from the very beginning. She took a big risk with us producing GREENWILLOW in ’97 and always made us (me) a part in every important event related to Frank. I will miss her … Continued

• TAKING THE STAGE: LIFE SKILLS STUDENTS DEVELOP, PERFORM OPERA

  By Irma Mora staff writer Mar 14, 2019 Mountain Crest High School students and parents were treated to an opera produced by the Life Skills students last week. With the help from professionals from Opera by Children, 20 special education students went through the process of creating the theme and plot, writing the opera, writing the song and performing for their peers and parents … Continued

• UTAH THEATER GOES FROM RUNDOWN THEATER TO AN ENGINEERING MASTERPIECE

  Written by Rod Boam February 25, 2019 The repurposed Utah Theater is more than a restoration project, it is a modern engineering masterpiece. The project took a rundown movie house and made it a state of the art theater complex that has multiple uses. … Continued

• THEATER COSTUMES ON DISPLAY AT THE BRIGHAM CITY MUSEUM OF ART & HISTORY

  Written by Rod Boam February 14, 2019 Brigham City values its history, and as a result boasts two museums. Both are headed up by Kaia Michaelis, who serves as the Director and Curator/Historian for the Brigham City Museum of Art & History and … Continued

2018

• AS THIS YEAR’S UTAH FESTIVAL OPERA COMES TO A CLOSE, NEXT YEAR’S PERFORMANCES ARE GEARING UP

  By Owen Sidwell • Aug 6, 2018 In 2003, a play called The Violet Hour, written by Richard Greenberg, premiered on Broadway. In 2018, writer Eric Price and composer Will Reynolds decided to turn the play into a musical. … Continued

• ‘THE SECRET GARDEN’ DELIVERS DARK TALE OF FINDING STRENGTH

  Charlie Schill theater critic Jul 27, 2018 If nothing else, “The Secret Garden” proves that a musical about children doesn’t have to be childlike. As performed by Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre, this is a dark but optimistic fable about finding the strength to choose life even in dire circumstances. … Continued

• WHERE DID THE PIANO KEYS COME FROM?

  By Owen Sidwell • Jul 27, 2018 Walking down Main Street in Logan, I noticed something odd about the center street crosswalk. Getting closer, I noticed it had piano keys painted from one sidewalk to the other. I like to keep tabs on the art in Logan, but I had never heard from anyone that painted them. … Continued

• UFOMT DELIVERS WITH ‘AMAZING GRACE’ PERFORMANCE

  Charlie Schill Theater Critic Jul 20, 2018 I generally dislike being preached at from the stage and “Amazing Grace” certainly has its fair share of holier-than-thou moments. On the other hand, the musical is a classic example of an under-appreciated theatrical experience being brilliantly performed by the Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre company. … Continued

• CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNERS OF THE 10th ANNUAL OPERA COMPETITION!

  1st Place Winner & Audience Favorite (Awarded a $2,000 cash prize) Robert Gerold 2nd Place Winners (Awarded $750 each) Jenina Gallaway Olivia Yokers FINALISTS Leah Brzyski Jenina Gallaway Robert Gerold Jóhann Schram Reed Markel Reed Kyaunnee Richardson … Continued

• A SECRET GARDEN MORE OF SOUNDS THAN SIGHTS AT UFOMT

  Posted by UTBA Staff | Jul 18, 2018 LOGAN — I’ve been known to joke to friends that one can write a review of too many shows produced by Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre according to the following … Continued

• WHAT’S NOT TO LOVE ABOUT “INTO THE WOODS”

  Charlie Schill Theater critic Jul 12, 2018 In the interest of full disclose, I should confess that I love “Into the Woods.” I’ve seen a half-dozen different versions of this show over three decades and I like it more every time. You will too, after you’ve seen the ongoing production of “Into the Woods” by the Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre. … Continued

• BARBER OF SEVILLE PROVES OPERA CAN BE FUN

  Charlie Schill Theater critic Jul 12, 2018 Anyone who needs a reminder that opera can be fun need look no further than the ongoing production of “The Barber of Seville” by the Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre. Under the direction of Curt Olds, this version of the light-hearted opera by Gioachino Rossini has it all: lively music, marvelous vocal performances and the show is a laugh riot to boot. … Continued

• A NEW YORK OPERA ENTHUSIAST SPENDS SUMMER WORKING WITH UTAH OPERA COMPANY

  By Owen Sidwell • Jul 11, 2018 “My name is William Remmers. I am a conductor and performer at the Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre this summer, the summer of 2018.” Remmers came to the Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre, or UFOMT, in a peculiar way. … Continued

• THEATER REVIEWS: FORGET AGGIE ICE CREAM, THESE 5 UTAH FESTIVAL OPERA SHOWS ARE LOGAN’S BIGGEST DRAW

  By Deseret News Jul 10, 2018, 10:00am MDT LOGAN — Four musicals and an opera have taken over downtown Logan this summer as Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre presents its 26th season of high-level productions through Aug. 4. It’s an impressive and varied season, … Continued

• OPERA FESTIVAL CREATES SIGNIFICANT ECONOMIC IMPACT TO LOGAN

  Written by Jennie Christensen July 9, 2018 Last week the Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theare kicked off its 2018 season. Founding Director Michael Ballam says all the works this year are based on literature that has shaped society’s perception of life over the last four centuries. Ballam says the festival, with its full stage productions along with concerts, special performances and related events, is also noted for the boost it brings each summer to Cache Valley’s economy. … Continued

• BE ENCHANTED AT UTAH FESTIVAL OPERA & MUSICAL THEATRE’S THE SECRET GARDEN AT THE ELLEN ECCLES THEATRE IN LOGAN

  July 9, 2018 By Julie Halverson Tate Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre is known for its stellar, professional productions and this year’s The Secret Garden is no exception. With book and lyrics by … Continued

• UTAH FESTIVAL OPERA & MUSICAL THEATER’S INTO THE WOODS IN LOGAN MAKES YOU GLAD THAT “YOU’VE CHANGED”

  July 9, 2018 By Cindy Whitehair, Perry Whitehair, and Perry S Whitehair When Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theater announced their season for this year, I jumped on the opportunity to review this show, which is a favorite in our family. Written by Stephen Sondheim … Continued

• UTAH FESTIVAL’S AMAZING GRACE DELIGHTS THE EYES AND HEART

  Posted by Sara Claverie | Jul 8, 2018 LOGAN — This year’s Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre had a wonderful opening night with Amazing Grace. The ambiance was fantastic and the music beautiful, and I especially enjoyed the performance of world-renowned opera singer and director of the festival, Michael Ballam. … Continued

• UTAH FESTIVAL OPERA AND MUSICAL THEATRE’S INTENTIONS ARE FAR MORE THAN GOOD AT THE BARBER OF SEVILLE AT THE ELLEN ECCLES THEATRE IN LOGAN

  July 7, 2018 By Penelope Glaittli Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre’s production of The Barber of Seville, at the beautiful Ellen Eccles Theatre in Logan, Utah, is, in a word, breathtaking. … Continued

• BALLAM HEADLINES SPECIAL ROLE OF ABOLITIONIST JOHN NEWTON IN AMAZING GRACE

  Written by Jennie Christensen July 7, 2018 Not only is Dr. Michael Ballam the founding director of Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre, he is also the star of one of this season’s sure-to-be favorite productions: Amazing Grace. … Continued

• GREAT-GREAT-GRANDDAUGHTER OF ‘THE SECRET GARDEN’ AUTHOR VISITS UTAH THEATRE

  By Owen Sidwell • Jul 6, 2018 In 1911, a book called The Secret Garden was published. At the time it didn’t receive much attention, but over the years it would grow to become a children’s classic. … Continued

• UTAH FESTIVAL OPERA AND MUSICAL THEATRE SEASON FEATURES MORE THAN JUST OPERA AND MUSICAL THEATER

  Written by Jennie Christensen July 6, 2018 It opened Thursday with The Barber of Seville and before the 26th anniversary year for the Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre ends there will be other productions along with concerts, classes, lectures and special events. … Continued

• THE SECRET GARDEN OPENS 2018 SEASON OF UTAH FESTIVAL OPERA AND MUSICAL THEATRE

  Written by Jennie Christensen July 4, 2018 It’s time for Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre and its 26th season opens on Thursday, July 5th with the delightful premiere of Mozart’s “The Barber of Seville.” Festival founder and director Michael Ballam says that show will be followed by the opening … Continued

• WHIMSY OF ‘CHARLIE BROWN’ IS PLEASING TO EYE, EAR

  By Charlie Schill Jun 29, 2018 The premier parade of kid-friendly shows by local theater companies continued last weekend with a sweetly nostalgic revival of “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” by the Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre. … Continued

• UFO&MT’S YOU’RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN EXCELS VOCALLY

  Posted by Maren Scriven | Jun 26, 2018 LOGAN — To kick off their musical theatre season, the Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre has chosen You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown, based on the comic strip by Charles M. Schulz, with book, music, and lyrics by Clark Gesner … Continued

• UTAH FESTIVAL OPERA AND MUSICAL THEATRE’S YOU’RE A GOOD MAN CHARLIE BROWN, AT THE HISTORIC UTAH THEATRE IN LOGAN UTAH, IS MORE THAN JUST CHILD’S PLAY

  June 24, 2018 By Debbie Ditton You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown, presented by Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre at the historic Utah Theatre, is definitely not just for children. … Continued

• UFOMT COSTUME DESIGNER PROMOTES UPCOMING SHOW WITH SIDEWALK ART

  By Amy Macavinta staff writer Jun 13, 2018 The heart of Logan was buzzing with its usual mid-morning chaos Wednesday when artist Mallory Prucha walked up to the Utah Theatre on Center Street with a bag over her shoulder and a substantial collection of chalks. … Continued

• $2.6M IN RAPZ FUNDING APPROVED, INCLUDING MONEY FOR ZOOTAH

  Sean Dolan staff writer Jun 12, 2018 The Cache County Council awarded $2.6 million in RAPZ and Restaurant Tax funding to 43 nonprofits and governmental entities on Tuesday. … Continued

• WORK ON ELLEN ECCLES THEATRE RAMPS UP

  By John Zsiray staff writer Jun 8, 2018 In less than a month the stage at the Ellen Eccles Theatre will be ready for the summer season, and the ongoing major upgrades to the infrastructure of the 1923 building will pause before resuming the day after the opera season ends … Continued

• SUMMER CITIZENS PROGRAM SEES INCREASE IN PARTICIPANTS, NEW CLASSES, ACTIVITIES

  By Kevin Opsahl staff writer May 29, 2018 During a welcoming orientation on Tuesday, Jill and Dave Windahl were among the few who stood up in the packed Taggart Student Center Ballroom indicating they were newcomers to Utah State University’s Summer Citizens program. … Continued

• LHS SENIOR WINS STATE HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL AWARD

  By Katherine Taylor staff writer May 28, 2018 Cinderella’s evil stepmother was a completely new role for Logan High School senior Klara Ricks, but that didn’t stop her from giving an award-winning performance. … Continued

• HILLCREST HIGH, EAST HIGH TAKE TOP HONORS AT UTAH HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL THEATRE AWARDS

  By Deseret News May 14, 2018, 11:15am MDT Court Mann SALT LAKE CITY — Local high school productions of “Les Miserables” and “Tarzan” received the night’s top honors at the 2018 Utah High School Musical Theatre Awards … Continued

• UTAH HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL AWARDS HELD AT ECCLES THEATER SATURDAY NIGHT

  Posted: May 14, 2018 / 08:50 PM MDT SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (News4utah) – From long hours of rehearsals…to that shining moment in the spotlight, it all comes down to this…the annual Utah High School Musical awards held Saturday night at the Eccles Theater. … Continued

• WINNERS ANNOUNCED FOR 2018 UTAH HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL THEATRE AWARDS

  by BWW News Desk May. 13, 2018 Two Utah high school performers are on their way to New York City after winning the award for Best Actress and Best Actor in the eighth annual Utah High School Musical Theatre Awards held in the Eccles Theater in Salt Lake City … Continued

• 8TH ANNUAL UTAH HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL THEATRE AWARDS THIS WEEKEND

  May 10, 2018 More than 600 students from 24 high schools take to the Eccles Theater stage for the eighth annual Utah High School Musical Theatre Awards May 12. The awards represent a musical theatre scholarship program that rewards excellence at the high-school level. … Continued

• UTAH FESTIVAL PRESENTS EIGHTH ANNUAL UTAH HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL THEATRE AWARDS

  by BWW News Desk May. 8, 2018 More than 600 students from 24 high schools will take the Eccles Theater Stage for the eighth annual Utah High School Musical Theatre Awards May 12. The Awards represent a musical theatre scholarship program that rewards excellence at the high school level. … Continued

• KUED | CONTACT IN THE COMMUNITY | LOGAN’S HISTORIC THEATRE DISTRICT

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• UTAH FESTIVAL OPERA AND MUSICAL THEATRE RECOGNIZES MONSON, HILLYARD

  Jan 5, 2018 The Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre will honor Thomas Monson, the late president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and Matthew Hillyard, the late son of state Sen. Lyle Hillyard. … Continued

2017

• COUNTY COUNCIL VOTES TO HELP FUND UTAH FESTIVAL OPERA

  Written by Jennie Christensen November 15, 2017 LOGAN – The vote was unanimous Tuesday when the Cache County Council agreed to a one-time financial request of $80,000 to the Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre. … Continued

• COUNTY APPROVES $80K FOR UFOMT

  By John Zsiray staff writer Nov 14, 2017 On Tuesday night the Cache County Council approved a one-time funding allocation of $80,000 help support the Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre. … Continued

• COUNTY SET TO DISCUSS OPERA FUNDING; PUBLIC INVITED

  By John Zsiray staff writer Nov 10, 2017 On Tuesday, the Cache County Council will open the 2017 budget to address a one-time funding request of $80,000 to help the Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre. … Continued

• COUNTY MULLS ONE-TIME OPERA FUNDING REQUEST

  By John Zsiray staff writer Oct 25, 2017 If Cache County approves a one-time funding request next month from the Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre, valley taxpayers will contribute $230,000 to the cash-strapped institution for its upcoming 2018 season. … Continued

• LOGAN CITY COUNCIL UNANIMOUSLY DECIDES TO FUND UTAH FESTIVAL OPERA, WITH FOUR CONDITIONS

  By Katherine Taylor • Oct 23, 2017 At Tuesday’s meeting, the Logan City Council announced their decision to give the Utah Festival Opera the $150,000 the opera has requested. However, the donation comes with strings attached. … Continued

• LOGAN APPROVES $150K ONE-TIME OPERA FUNDING

  Oct 18, 2017 By Sean Dolan After several weeks of debate and consternation over the long-term viability of the Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre, the Logan Municipal Council on Tuesday voted unanimously to approve $150,000 in one-time funding assistance for the 25-year-old opera company. … Continued

• FUNDING REQUEST FOR UTAH FESTIVAL OPERA COMPANY GRANTED BY LOGAN CITY

  Written by Jennie Christensen October 18, 2017 The vote was unanimous when the Logan Municipal Council decided on Tuesday to approve a one-time $150,000 funding request from the Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre. … Continued

• UTAH FESTIVAL OPERA REQUESTS $250,000 OF ADDITIONAL FUNDING FROM LOGAN CITY AND CACHE COUNTY

  By Katherine Taylor • Sep 27, 2017 During last week’s Logan City council meeting, Mayor Craig Petersen proposed a resolution to provide $150,000 in additional funding assistance to The Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre. … Continued

• UFOMT WRAPS UP ’17 SEASON WITH ‘THE MUSIC MAN’

  Charlie Schill features columnist Aug 3, 2017 When it comes to serving up a heaping dose of nostalgia, nobody does it better than the Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre. Want proof? Check out their production of “The Music Man.” … Continued

• UFOMT PRODUCTION CONDENSES ‘HUNCHBACK’ STORY

  By Charlie Schill Theatre critic Aug 3, 2017 “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” as presented by the Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre is less a musical production than a staged spectacle. … Continued

• THE SHOW WILL GO ON: SOME CONCERNED ABOUT FUTURE OF UTAH FESTIVAL OPERA

  By Sean Dolan staff writer Aug 3, 2017 Several summer citizens and year-round residents alike have expressed concern this week that the Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre will not have enough funding to operate next summer, but it will. A crowd of theater-lovers packed the front row of the Logan Municipal Council chambers … Continued

• SUMMER CITIZENS EXPRESS CONCERN OVER POSSIBILITY OF UTAH FESTIVAL OPERA SHUTTING DOWN

  Written by Jennie Christensen August 3, 2017 The Logan City Council chambers were nearly filled to capacity Tuesday night with visitors. They were mostly summer citizens who come from other states to spend their summer months in Cache Valley. … Continued

• FOUR PAWS BENEFIT CONCERT AT UTAH THEATRE ON SUNDAY

  Kevin Opsahl staff writer Jul 29, 2017 Cache Valley nonprofit Four Paws Rescue will hold its annual benefit concert on Sunday night at the newly renovated Utah Theatre. The concert for the all-volunteer organization that helps find families for homeless dogs and cats … Continued

• UFOMT’S ‘PIRATES’ BRINGS HUMOR TO THE HIGH SEAS

  By Charlie Schill features columnist Jul 27, 2017 You don’t need to be a fanatic Savoyard to love the current production of “The Pirates of Penzance” by the Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre. … Continued

• UFOMT TO ASSIST LOCAL DOGS AND CATS

  Written by Bill Walter July 25, 2017 More help to find homes for animals in need is coming from the musical-theater community. Members of Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre are holding their 10th annual Musical Paws benefit concert this Sunday, … Continued

• ANNOUNCING THE WINNERS OF THE 9th ANNUAL INT’L OPERA COMPETITION

  Congratulations to the winners of the 9th annual Michael Ballam Concorso Lirico International Opera Competition on July 25, 2017: Kathleen Farrar Buccleugh, 1st Place Winner Markel Reed, 2nd Place / Alternate / Audience Favorite Thank you to all of the talented artists who gave their best in the competition, and a special thanks to our … Continued

• LOGAN DESIGNATES HISTORIC THEATRE DISTRICT, INCLUDING DANSANTE

  By Sean Dolan staff writer Jul 19, 2017 Logan can officially boast a Historic Theatre District after a unanimous vote at Tuesday’s Municipal Council meeting. The proposal for a Historic Theatre District included the Ellen Eccles Theatre, the Caine Lyric Theatre and the Utah Theatre, … Continued

• UFOMT BRINGS NEW LIFE TO HARNICK’S ‘REX’

  Jul 19, 2017 With the premiere of “Rex,” no one can justifiably accuse the Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre of sticking strictly to tried and true productions guaranteed to please its traditional audiences. … Continued

• THEATER REVIEW: UFOMT’S HENRY VIII BIOGRAPHY ‘REX’ SHOWS POTENTIAL

  By Whitney Butters Wilde Jul 19, 2017, 10:00am MDT “REX,” through Aug. 7, Utah Theatre, 18 W. Center, Logan (435-750-0300 or utahfestival.org); running time: 2 hours, 40 minutes (one intermission) LOGAN — Long before William and Kate there was Henry VIII and Catherine … Continued

• BRING YOUR SHIPOOPI TO UFO&MT’S THE MUSIC MAN

  Posted by Rachel Helwig | Jul 19, 2017 LOGAN — One of the most golden examples of a golden age musical would have to be Meredith Willson’s The Music Man. The story of a fly-by-night salesman who swings into River City, Iowa, to sell the town on a boys’ band they didn’t know they needed is familiar to almost everyone in the audience at Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre. … Continued

• THEATER REVIEW: SET, ENSEMBLE AND ANTAGONIST SHINE IN UFOMT’S ‘HUNCHBACK’

  By Deseret News Jul 18, 2017, 3:00pm MDT Jay Wamsley, For the Deseret News “THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME,” through Aug. 8, Ellen Eccles Theatre, 43 S. Main, Logan (435-750-0300 or utahfestival.org); running time: 2 hours, 35 minutes (one intermission) LOGAN — Victor Hugo’s story of the half-formed man hidden away in the bell towers of Notre Dame has been put to art in many forms, … Continued

• THEATER REVIEW: ‘PIRATES OF PENZANCE’ PROVIDES COMIC RELIEF AT UFOMT

  By Deseret News Jul 18, 2017, 12:30pm MDT Jay Wamsley, For the Deseret News “PIRATES OF PENZANCE,” through Aug. 9, Ellen Eccles Theatre, 43 S. Main, Logan (435-750-0300 or utahfestival.org); running time: 2 hours, 20 minutes (one intermission) LOGAN — Providing a nice contrast to the melancholy tones of Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre’s “Madama Butterfly” and “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” … Continued

• THEATER REVIEW: ‘MUSIC MAN’ MARCHES ONTO UFOMT STAGE WITH STRONG, FAMILIAR ELEMENTS

  By Deseret News Jul 18, 2017, 10:10am MDT Jay Wamsley, For the Deseret News “THE MUSIC MAN,” through Aug. 9, Ellen Eccles Theatre, 43 S. Main, Logan (435-750-0300 or utahfestival.org); running time: 2 hours, 30 minutes (one intermission) LOGAN — “The Music Man,” following the lively baton of conductor Karen Keltner, took a couple of bars in the overture to get up to speed in its matinee presentation, but once there, the Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre orchestra kept a steady, train-like, listen-close-or-you’ll-miss-it pace throughout … Continued

• AWARD-WINNING LYRICIST TO BE HONORED DURING CONCERT

  By John Zsiray staff writer Jul 18, 2017 The Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre will host a tribute to an Oscar, Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning lyricist Wednesday evening at the Ellen Eccles Theatre. Billed as one of the “last living Broadway legends” the theater career of Sheldon Harnick will be remembered … Continued

• UTAH FESTIVAL OPERA TO CELEBRATE WORKS OF BROADWAY LEGEND THIS WEEK

  Written by Jennie Christensen July 17, 2017 LOGAN – The Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre will continue this week with a highlight coming Wednesday, July 19. It will be a special tribute to Oscar, Tony and Pulitzer Prize winning lyricist Sheldon Harnick. … Continued

• THEATER REVIEW: UFOMT’S ‘MADAMA BUTTERFLY’ EXPLORES THE EFFECTS OF DECEPTION

  By Deseret News Jul 17, 2017, 11:50am MDT Jay Wamsley, For the Deseret News “MADAMA BUTTERFLY,” through Aug. 8, Ellen Eccles Theatre, 43 S. Main, Logan (435-750-0300 or utahfestival.org); running time: 2 hours, 45 minutes (one intermission) LOGAN — One of the classic tragedies of opera, Giacomo Puccini’s “Madama Butterfly” at Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre in Logan explores the morality of deception. … Continued

• UTAH FESTIVAL’S THE MUSIC MAN MARCHES MAJESTICALLY INTO LOGAN

  July 14, 2017 By Lori Geisler Performed in the regally gorgeous Ellen Eccles Theatre on Logan’s Main Street in the Historic Downtown District, Utah Festival’s The Music Man is presented in a stunning fashion that matches its surroundings. From beginning to end, there is a feeling that this is an experience to remember. … Continued

• UTAH FESTIVAL’S SEUSSICAL BRINGS A CELEBRATION OF IMAGINATION TO LOGAN

  July 14, 2017 By Lori Geisler Memories of childhood washed over me as I watched Utah Festival’s Seussical in Logan at the Utah Theater where I used to see movies. … Continued

• ‘MADAMA BUTTERFLY’ TAKES FLIGHT AT ECCLES THEATRE

  Jul 13, 2017 In celebration of its 25th anniversary, The Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre has returned to its roots with a production of “Madama Butterfly” that can only fairly be described as a triumph. … Continued

• NO SANCTUARY FOR THIS HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME

  Posted by C. T. Lewis | Jul 13, 2017 LOGAN — The musical The Hunchback of Notre Dame, with songs by the same team behind the 1996 Disney film, Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz, first premiered in Berlin in 1999, where it enjoyed no little success. … Continued

• A BRILLIANTLY SUNG PIRATES OF PENZANCE AT UFO&MT

  Posted by C. T. Lewis | Jul 12, 2017 LOGAN — One hundred and thirty-eight years after its 1879 New York City premiere, Gilbert & Sullivan’s The Pirates of Penzance still retains a prominent place in American popular culture. … Continued

• UTAH FESTIVAL’S REX IN LOGAN IS A ROYAL WORK OF HEART

  July 12, 2017 By Lori Geisler Utah Festival’s production of REX at the Utah Theatre in beautiful downtown Logan is an intriguing blend of history, music, creativity, and wit. The musical tells the story of Henry VIII (Michael Ballam), England’s 16th Century king who is notorious for his six marriages and desire for a male heir. … Continued

• REX SHOULD HAVE STAYED RETIRED

  Posted by Elise Hanson-Barnett | Jul 11, 2017 LOGAN — Back in 1976, Richard Rodgers penned Rex, what was to be one of his final musicals, with a libretto by Sheldon Harnick. By that time, Oscar Hammerstein had passed, and the once great duo was no more. Love them or hate them, there was something to the work … Continued

• UTAH FESTIVAL’S PIRATES OF PENZANCE PROVIDES SWASHBUCKLING FUN IN LOGAN

  July 10, 2017 By Perry S. Whitehair Pirates of Penzance tells the story of an overly duty bound 21-year-old Frederic (Edward Brennan) who was indentured to the Pirate King (Ezekiel Andrew.) Frederic decides to renounce his pirating ways and is determined to eliminate the pirate band. … Continued

• UTAH FESTIVAL’S MADAMA BUTTERFLY IN LOGAN IS BREATHTAKINGLY EXQUISITE

  July 9, 2017 By Terry Neff Just the thrill of entering the beautiful and historic Ellen Eccles Theatre in Logan gave me a rush of anticipation. I was not disappointed. Madama Butterfly is a well know opera still performed all over the world, and for good reason. The musical drama of Giacomo Puccini’s operas exceeds all other Italian opera. … Continued

• PHOTO FLASH: MEET THE ‘NEW’ RICHARD RODGERS’ MUSICAL, REX, AT UFOMT

  by BWW News Desk Jul. 5, 2017 Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theater Company is presenting the first full production of the newly revised, re-conceived Richard Rodgers musical, REX, in their 25th Season, opening July 6. Lyricist, Pulitzer Prize- and three-time Tony Award-winner Sheldon Harnick will be in attendance, along with representatives from the Rodgers and Hammerstein organization. … Continued

• REWORKED ‘REX’ RECEIVES A ROYAL REVIVAL AT UTAH FESTIVAL OPERA

  Musical theater • Michael Ballam will play Henry VIII at Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre. By Catherine Reese Newton The Salt Lake Tribune July 5, 2017 12:27 pm Logan • Take the composer of “The Sound of Music” and the lyricist of “Fiddler on the Roof” and put them together. Broadway magic, right? Not quite. “Rex,” a musical by Richard Rodgers and Sheldon Harnick … Continued

• MORNING ROTARY CLUB MAKES LARGE DONATION TO UTAH FESTIVAL OPERA AND MUSICAL THEATRE

  Written by Jennie Christensen July 3, 2017 A significant donation has been made by a local service club to one of Cache Valley’s biggest summer attractions. A $5,000 donation to Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre by Cache Valley Morning Rotary was described by new President Mark Lund as, “an expression of our gratitude … Continued

• UFOMT KICKS OFF 2017 SEASON WITH LIGHT-HEARTED ‘SEUSSICAL’

  Jun 29, 2017 The Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre has opened its 25th anniversary season with the perfect summer show. “Seussical,” a light-hearted musical tribute to the children’s stories of Dr. Seuss, is a delight, blending enough whimsy to entertain youngsters with enough powerhouse talent to enchant adults. … Continued

• UTAH FESTIVAL OPERA & MUSICAL THEATRE OPENS 25th SEASON

  Jun 29, 2017 The Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre’s 25th season sizzles starting July 6 with the premiere of “Rex,” the story of Henry VIII followed by the opening of four additional productions in repertory July 7-8. … Continued

• LOGAN TO CONSIDER DESIGNATING HISTORIC THEATRE

  By Sean Dolan staff writer Jun 29, 2017 Theaters were a top priority for the first white settlers in Utah over 150 years ago. After construction of the Salt Lake Theatre, Brigham Young reportedly said: “If I were placed on a cannibal island and given the task of civilizing its people, I should straight-way build a theater for the purpose.” … Continued

• ‘FIDDLER ON THE ROOF’ LYRICIST REVIVES 1976 MUSICAL ABOUT HENRY VIII AT UTAH FESTIVAL OPERA

  By Whitney Butters Wilde Jun 29, 2017, 9:55am MDT When Michael Ballam, the acclaimed opera singer and founder of Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre, was preparing for the festival’s 2013 production of “Fiddler on the Roof,” he wanted to find the perfect man to play the patriarch, Tevye. … Continued

• UTAH FESTIVAL OPERA AND MUSICAL THEATRE CELEBRATES 25th SEASON

  Written by Jennie Christensen June 28, 2017 The Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre’s 25th season officially opens on Thursday, July 6, with the premiere of “Rex,” the story of Henry VIII, followed by the opening of four additional productions in repertory on July 7-8. … Continued

• UTAH FESTIVAL OPERA’S SEUSSICAL IS FULL OF WHIMSY AND FUN

  Posted by Maren Scriven | Jun 27, 2017 LOGAN — Just under two decades ago, I spent a lot of evenings watching second run movies at the Utah Theater on Center Street in Logan because it was perfect for a poor college students budget. When I learned that the Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre had renovated the old theater to house stage productions, I was very excited to attend … Continued

• LOGAN CITY TO CONSIDER DOWNTOWN THEATER DISTRICT

  By Kerry Bringhurst • Jun 16, 2017 Cache Valley theater arts organizers are hoping to create a special theater district in downtown Logan. The district would feature renovated buildings and performance halls dating back to the early 20th Century when four theaters were built on Logan’s Main and Center streets. Continued

• THEY’RE HERE! WORLD-CLASS PERFORMERS, TECHNICIANS, SET DESIGNERS, BUILDERS, COSTUME DESIGNERS, SEAMSTRESSES, TAILORS, AND MUSICIANS HAVE DESCENDED ON LOGAN, UTAH, THIS PAST WEEK TO KICK OFF UTAH FESTIVAL’S 25th SEASON

  Dear Festival Friends, They’re here! World-class performers, technicians, set designers, builders, costume designers, seamstresses, tailors, and musicians have descended on Logan, Utah, this past week to kick off Utah Festival’s 25th season. … Continued

• WOODS CROSS’ ‘BEAUTY AND THE BEAST’ IS TOP SCHOOL MUSICAL

  Stage • Annual awards program will send two student actors to compete in New York. The Salt Lake Tribune May 22, 2017 11:31 am Perennial Utah high-school musical powerhouse Woods Cross High won the top trophy at the seventh annual Utah High School Musical Theatre Awards. The Davis County school’s production of “Beauty and the Beast” was named Best Musical at the May 13 ceremony at downtown Salt Lake City’s Eccles Theater. … Continued

• RIDGELINE STUDENT WINS BEST ACTOR AT UTAH MUSIC THEATRE AWARDS

  Written by Jennie Christensen May 19, 2017 Two Utah high school performers are on their way to New York City after winning the Chevron Award for Best Actress and Best Actor in the seventh annual Utah High School Musical Theatre Awards presented at Salt Lake City’s Eccles Theatre on May 13. … Continued

• PHOTO FLASH: WINNERS UNVEILED FOR 2017 UTAH HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL THEATRE AWARDS

  by BWW News Desk May. 15, 2017 Two Utah high school performers are on their way to New York City after winning The Chevron Award for Best Actress and Best Actor in the seventh annual Utah High School Musical Theatre Awards held in the Eccles Theater in Salt Lake City May 13. … Continued

• COMPETITION AND CELEBRATION, ALL PART OF UTAH HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL THEATRE AWARDS

  Arts • Part competition, part celebration, Utah High School Musical Theatre Awards channel spirit of generosity. By Catherine Reese Newton The Salt Lake Tribune May 15, 2017 9:22 am Michael Ballam said he wasn’t sure what to expect when his Logan-based Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre played host to the first Utah High School Musical Theatre Awards in 2011. … Continued

• UTAH THEATER STUDENTS GETTING READY FOR UTAH HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL THEATRE AWARDS

  By Carole Mikita | Posted – May 12, 2017 at 7:09 p.m. LAYTON — For six years, Utah high school students have participated in a very creative competition: musical theater awards. The 7th annual Utah High School Musical Theatre awards will be held on May 13. This year’s awards show will be held at the Eccles Theatre in Salt Lake City, now home to Broadway touring companies. … Continued

• SEVENTH ANNUAL UTAH HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL THEATRE AWARDS FEATURES BEST IN HIGH SCHOOL PERFORMANCES FROM ACROSS THE STATE

  by BWW News Desk Mar. 9, 2017 Broadway meets Utah on May 13, 2017 when more than 250 performers from 29 high schools productions across the state compete in the seventh annual Utah High School Musical Theatre Awards at the new George S. and Dolores Dore Eccles Theater in Salt Lake City. … Continued

• SCHOOL KIDS WATCH TOY STORY AT THE UTAH THEATRE

  Published: Friday, February 24, 2017 Woodruff Elementary 3rd and 4th graders were treated to the movie Toy Story at the Utah Theatre Wednesday, February 22. Watching a movie in the middle of the school day served as a reward for students who achieved their reading goals. So far this year, Ellis and Woodruff Elementary schools … Continued

2016

• THE UTAH THEATRE – AN ALTERNATIVE TO THE USUAL MOVIE EXPERIENCE

  By Michael Burnham, The Utah Statesman Published: Wednesday, December 7, 2016 The Utah Theatre, Logan’s newest — but third oldest next to the Ellen Eccles and the Caine Lyric — theater is unique for many reasons. For starters, it houses a mighty Wurlitzer organ, one of the few in the state. It also has one … Continued

• FARLEY FAMILY MIGHTY WURLITZER EXTRAVAGANZA TAKES STAGE DECEMBER 9-10 AT UTAH THEATRE

  By Jennifer Steele Christensen, Cache Valley Daily Published: Monday, November 28, 2016 The Utah Theatre welcomes humorist and historian James Arrington to the stage December 9-10 in what Arrington calls “a great opening for the Christmas Season.” Showcasing select characters from Arrington’s hilarious and locally-beloved Farley Family, the production promises an evening of comedy, music, … Continued

• UTAH THEATRE WILL START HOSTING SING-ALONGS, BEGINNING WITH THE SOUND OF MUSIC THIS WEEKEND

  By Jennie Christensen, Cache Valley Daily Published: Saturday, September 10, 2016 The fall season opens Saturday at the newly-remodeled and renovated Utah Theatre and Operations Manager Gary Griffin says it promises to be a lot of fun. He says the Utah Theatre will be the home of classic movies starting with the Sound of Music … Continued

• LOVE SONGS: MARRIED COUPLE ENJOYS TIME ON THE UTAH FESTIVAL OPERA STAGE

  By Kevin Opsahl, The Herald Journal Published: Thursday, August 4, 2016 As post-graduate students at Boston University, Saundra DeAthos and Harold Meers were trying to get “on the ground floor” of the theater arts business, looking for small parts to play in various operas nationwide. They got to know Michael Ballam, the founding general director … Continued

• UTAH FESTIVAL OPERA AND MUSICAL THEATRE OFFERS UP FANTASY, HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE IN SUMMER SEASON

  By Jay Wamsley, Deseret News Published: Monday, August 1, 2016 Audiences can be taken to magical places as well as examine a bit of American history in this season’s offerings from the Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre, now underway in Logan. ‘Peter Pan’ UFOMT founding director Michael Ballam explained in a previous article that … Continued

• BALLAM FONDLY REMEMBERS FAMOUS SOPRANO MARNI NIXON

  By Jennie Christensen, Cache Valley Daily Published: Thursday, July 28, 2016 Michael Ballam says he has lost a dear friend and the world has lost a marvelous musician with very special talents in the death of Marni Nixon. Ballam, who is founder and general director of Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre, learned of Nixon’s … Continued

• ANNOUNCING THE WINNERS OF THE 8th ANNUAL INT’L OPERA COMPETITION

  Congratulations to the winners of the 8th annual Michael Ballam Concorso Lirico International Opera Competition on July 27, 2016. This year two 1st Place Winners were chosen to go to Italy: Errin Brooks Anastasia Talley Thank you to all of the talented artists who gave their best in the competition, and a special thanks to … Continued

• BENEFIT CONCERT TO RAISE FUNDS FOR SHELTER DOGS

  By Javier Laboy, The Herald Journal Published: Saturday, July 23, 2016 One dog’s impression on its owner led to a small fundraiser, which has turned into a popular musical attraction that lures more people each year. Lisa Shaw is the director of Four Paws, a nonprofit and no-kill shelter dedicated to the rescue of homeless … Continued

• SOAPBOX: SUMMERS FULL OF ART BRING VALLEY CLOSER TO HEAVEN

  By F. Ross Peterson, The Herald Journal Published: Saturday, July 23, 2016 On Monday, July 18, we sat with several hundred of our dearest local and summer-citizen friends in the Logan LDS Tabernacle. The Noon Concerts on Mondays are performed by members of the Utah Festival Opera-Musical Theatre Company. Kenneth Overton, a visiting artist with … Continued

• UTAH THEATRE TO BEGIN SHOWING SILENT MOVIES ACCOMPANIED BY LIVE ORGAN MUSIC

  By Jennie Christensen, Cache Valley Daily Published: Friday, July 22, 2016 You’ll have a chance to go back to the 1920’s now at the newly-revamped and remodeled Utah Theatre. Gary Griffin, general operations manager for Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre (the organization which now owns the facility), says the theater is now ready to … Continued

• MUSIC CARRIES THE GERSHWINS’ PORGY & BESS

  By Elise Hanson, Utah Theatre Bloggers Published: Tuesday, July 19, 2016 LOGAN — When I was a pre-teen, my stepfather used to walk around the house bellowing, “Bess, you is my woman now; you is–you is,” in his lovely baritone voice. That, along with the iconic “Summertime” were my introduction to America’s classic Porgy and … Continued

• UTAH FESTIVAL OPERA DELIVERS ‘PORGY AND BESS’

  By Charlie Schill, The Herald Journal Published: Thursday, July 14, 2016 If it looks like a duck and sounds like a duck, it’s probably a duck. The show now being staged by the Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre under the title “The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess” was adapted in recent years to supposedly make … Continued

• BALLAM SCORES WITH TRIO OF PUCCINI ONE-ACT OPERAS

  By Charlie Schill, The Herald Journal Published: Thursday, July 14, 2016 As the opening pitch of a Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre season filled with the promise of on-stage magic, Logan impresario Michael Ballam tossed local audiences a curveball by presenting an operatic oddity. That throw was nevertheless right over the plate for a … Continued

• LOGAN SUMMER INVASION BEGINS AS SUMMER CITIZENS SEEK TO BEAT THE HEAT

  By Dan Rascon, KUTV Published: Wednesday, July 13, 2016 Logan, Utah — (KUTV) Every summer they come by the hundreds across the country to the small northern Utah town of Logan, bringing millions of dollars in revenue and turning the town into a mini-New York City, Broadway-style event. … Watch Video

• POWERFUL, EVOCATIVE, IMPORTANT: UFOMT’S “RAGTIME” RELEVANT TODAY

  By Elise Hanson, Utah Theatre Bloggers Published: Tuesday, July 12, 2016 LOGAN — At its core, Ragtime is a story about America. Not at its best, but at its most hopeful. Hope that someday—someday—things will change. People will be more kind, the world more gentle, governments more compassionate, and systems more malleable. As I write … Continued

• YOU’LL HAVE TO MAKE BELIEVE YOU LOVE UFOMT’S SHOW BOAT

  By C. T. Lewis, Utah Theatre Bloggers Published: Monday, July 11, 2016 LOGAN — In 1992, I was forced to forego my first opportunity to see a touring Broadway show in Salt Lake City to go to scout camp. To a theatre-obsessed twelve-year-old boy growing up in Brigham City, this was nothing short of an … Continued

• UTAH FESTIVAL OPERA AND MUSICAL THEATRE PRODUCTIONS SHINE LIGHT ON SOCIAL ISSUES

  By Chuck Nunn, The Herald Journal Published: Thursday, July 7, 2016 From still-relevant messages on race and class presented in theater classics to a fresh, empowering take on one of the stage’s oldest controversial portrayals, the Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre’s 2016 season is addressing a number of social issues that have been front … Continued

• UTAH THEATRE AWAKENS WITH UFOMT PRODUCTION OF ‘PETER PAN’

  By Chuck Nunn, The Herald Journal Published: Tuesday, July 5, 2016 It’s been a long time since the Utah Theatre has been the location of a live performance — a very long time. “Eighty-two years it’s been, since any live performance took place on that spot,” said Michael Ballam, director of the Utah Festival Opera … Continued

• ‘PETER PAN’ TAKES FLIGHT AT THE UTAH THEATRE

  By Charlie Schill, The Herald Journal Published: Friday, July 1, 2016 It feels entirely appropriate that a new chapter in the life of the historic Utah Theatre in downtown Logan should open with a light-hearted production of the beloved musical “Peter Pan.” The delightfully dated show being staged by the Utah Festival Opera & Musical … Continued

• UTAH FESTIVAL OPERA & MUSICAL THEATRE OPENS NEW VENUE, ADDS TO SUMMER OFFERINGS

  By Jay Wamsley, Deseret News Published: Friday, June 10, 2016 LOGAN — The opening of a decadelong refurbishing project to the public and the staging of what founding director Michael Ballam calls the “most resource-intensive opera” the company has ever produced are among the highlights of the upcoming season of Utah Festival Opera & Musical … Continued

• UTAH THEATRE READY TO USHER IN A ‘NEW ERA’

  By Katie Peikes, The Herald Journal Published: Thursday, June 9, 2016 A historic theater stood stationary on Center Street for several months after closing in 2006 until members of the Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre decided they wanted to reopen it. Built in the 1930s, the Utah Theatre was built as a gorgeous, classy … Continued

• A SMALL THEATER IN LOGAN PROVES IT’S THE LITTLE THEATER THAT COULD

  By Melissa Allison, Cache Valley Daily Published: Saturday, June 4, 2016 The Utah Theater came to life Friday night as it welcomed the many benefactors who made the renovation possible. Ben Clawson is a member of the board of directors for the theater. “It’s been 10 years in the waiting,” Clawson said. “We’re really excited … Continued

• THE UTAH FESTIVAL OPERA & MUSICAL THEATRE SHOWS OFF ITS NEWEST ADDITION

  By Melissa Allison, Cache Valley Daily Published: Friday, June 3, 2016 “It’s like one of those Shakespearean tragedies,” said Gary Griffin, the managing director of the Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre (UFOMT). “‘Anything that could go wrong, has gone wrong.’ But we’ve overcome.” After a decade filled with setbacks, the Utah Theater on Center … Continued

• MARRIED PERFORMERS RETURN TO UTAH FESTIVAL OPERA FOLLOWING LOCAL ROMANCE

  By Clayton Gefre, The Herald Journal Published: Friday, June 3, 2016 In the summer of 2007, New York native bass-baritone performer Earl Hazell delayed a planned European tour to perform a creatively challenging repertoire at the Utah Festival Opera. At the same time, Arizona State University vocal graduate student Alexis Davis was recommended by her … Continued

• UTAH THEATRE TO OPEN AFTER A DECADE OF RESTORATION

  By Katie Peikes, Utah Public Radio Published: Friday, June 3, 2016 When Michael Ballam, the founding general director of the Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre, came home from sabbatical in Italy 10 years ago, he saw the Utah Theatre at 18 W. Center St. – closed at the time – and knew instantly he … Continued

• LOGAN’S UTAH THEATRE PREPARING TO REOPEN

  ABC4 Utah Published: Thursday, June 2, 2016 LOGAN, Utah (ABC4 Utah) After nine years and $11 million in renovations a cultural icon in Cache County is finally ready to reopen. The Utah Theatre in Logan shut down in 2007 when those renovations began. At the time, the iconic movie house had become run down. Now … Continued

• HISTORIC UTAH THEATRE TO OPEN IN END OF JUNE

  By Katie Peikes, The Herald Journal Published: Thursday, June 2, 2016 Nine years and $11.5 million later, the Utah Theatre at 18 W. Center St. will finally open to the public June 24. Michael Ballam, the founding general director of the Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre, was on a yearlong sabbatical in Italy over … Continued

• AFTER NINE YEAR RENOVATION, UTAH THEATRE NEARLY COMPLETE

  By Jennie Christensen, Cache Valley Daily Published: Saturday, May 14, 2016 Nine years after the Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre Company purchased the abandoned Utah Theater in downtown Logan, the theater is almost ready to re-open for cultural events. There were construction complications along the way but Gary Griffin, operations manager, says the public … Continued

• AREA STUDENTS SNAG ‘TONYS’ IN MUSICAL THEATER

  By Rachel J. Trotter, Standard-Examiner Published: Wednesday, May 11, 2016 OGDEN — Excitement was in the air Saturday, May 14, at Ogden High School’s Spencer Fox Eccles Auditorium as the Utah High School Musical Theatre Awards went into full swing. Students from 26 high schools in Utah were nominated for a range of awards and … Continued

• BEST OF BEST IN SPOTLIGHT AT ‘TONY AWARDS’ OF UTAH HIGH SCHOOL MUSICALS

  By Rachel J. Trotter, Standard-Examiner Published: Friday, April 22, 2016 OGDEN — Vanessa Ballam had the dream of taking the Utah High School Musical Theatre Awards to different venues around the state and now this year her dream is becoming reality as the show moves to Ogden High School. Ballam is one of the directors … Continued

• LOGAN’S UTAH THEATRE: RESTORED, RENEWED AND REMODELLED

  By Brian Fryer, Utah Stories Published: Friday, February 19, 2016 It could be said that the revival of Logan’s historic Utah Theatre was made possible by an organ donation. Built in 1936 and originally named the Roxy, the one-screen art deco movie house sat for decades as neighboring theaters such as the Capitol and the … Continued

2015

• MICHELANGELO OF THE UTAH THEATRE: ITALIAN MASTER PAINTER LENDS A HAND TO BUILDING’S RENOVATION

  By Lis Stewart, The Herald Journal Published: Saturday, September 26, 2015 You could call him the Michelangelo of the Utah Theatre. Italian master painter Nino de Robertis has been working on the interior of the Art Deco theater for several weeks now, nearly finished on his part of the Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre’s … Continued

• BATTLING THE WIND, RAIN AND TIGERS IN CACHE VALLEY

  By Jerry Earl Johnston, Deseret News Published: Saturday, August 15, 2015 The ovation went on and on. Michael Ballam had just sung “The Impossible Dream” from Utah Festival Opera’s “Man of La Mancha” and – true to form – he refused to break character as people clapped and whistled. The clamor was for the song, … Continued

• BALLAM SAYS ANNUAL OPERA FESTIVAL CREATES SIGNIFICANT ECONOMIC IMPACT TO COMMUNITY

  By Jennie Christensen, Cache Valley Daily Published: Monday, August 3, 2015 You have only until Saturday, August 8 to attend offerings of the Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre’s 23rd season and founding Director Michael Ballam says so far it has been one of the most successful seasons ever for the Company. Ballam says because … Continued

• ANNOUNCING THE WINNERS OF THE 7th ANNUAL INT’L OPERA COMPETITION

  Congratulations to the winners of the 7th annual Michael Ballam Concorso Lirico International Opera Competition: Marlen Nahhas – 1st Place Winner & Audience Favorite Andrew Thomas Pardini – 2nd Place Winner / Alternate Thank you to all of the talented artists who gave their best in the competition, and a special thanks to our audience … Continued

• UTAH FESTIVAL OPERA’S MAN OF LA MANCHA WORTH THE QUEST

  By Katie Roundy, Utah Theatre Bloggers Published: Thursday, July 16, 2015 LOGAN – For 500 years, Miguel de Cervantes’ tale of Don Quixote has captivated readers. Now, half a century later, the Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre pays proper homage to the time-honored classic in their rendition of playwright Dale Wasserman, composer Mitch Leigh, … Continued

• HOW TO SUCCEED A DELIGHTFUL SUCCESS AT UTAH FESTIVAL OPERA

  By Andy Foree, Utah Theatre Bloggers Published: Tuesday, July 14, 2015 LOGAN – How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying has become an iconic look at the 1960’s workplace through the lens of musical theatre. It’s satirical, stereotypical, and sexist. Instead of resisting the temptation to tone down the now-obvious social faux pas and … Continued

• UTAH THEATRE SCHEDULED TO RE-OPEN THIS FALL

  By Katie Peikes, The Herald Journal Published: Tuesday, July 14, 2015 A local theater company’s renovations to the historic Utah Theatre are nearing completion, coinciding with the company’s intentions to re-open the theater this fall. The Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre (UFOMT) is currently in the process of preparing to repaint the theater’s walls. … Continued

• UTAH FESTIVAL OPERA & MUSICAL THEATRE OFFERS 4 ENJOYALBE, FAMILIAR STANDARDS

  By Jay Wamsley, Deseret News Published: Monday, July 13, 2015 LOGAN – For many, the highlight of summer in Logan is the arrival of hundreds of musicians, dancers, singers and actors to tackle musical theater and high opera as presented by Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre, now in its 23rd year. This season holds … Continued

• UTAH FESTIVAL OPERA PRESENTS THE BEST OF THE CLASSICS WITH CAROUSEL

  By Peter Harrison, Utah Theatre Bloggers Published: Saturday, July 11, 2015 LOGAN – The Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre has a history of producing some great works of theatre that draw hundreds of patrons every summer. The festival brings to the stage both a mix of classic operas and musical theatre offerings that appeal … Continued

• HOW TO SUCCEED IN MUSICAL THEATER, STARRING LEAH EDWARDS

  By Jeff Hunter, The Herald Journal Published: Friday, July 10, 2015 Like a lot of girls, Leah Edwards had big dreams while growing up in Richmond, Virginia. She wanted to be an elite gymnast. And a professional ballet dancer. And a renowned pianist. But unlike most girls, she accomplished all of those goals before she … Continued

• STUDIO 5 – UTAH FESTIVAL OPERA

  Studio 5 – KSL.com Published: Wednesday, July 8, 2015 In Logan, the five week long summer festival bursts onto the stage with four blockbuster events you won’t want to miss. Michael Ballam, Founding Director of the Utah Festival Opera shares all the details on this years performances. … Watch Video

• ‘ENNOBLING WORKS’: UTAH FESTIVAL OPERA & MUSICAL THEATRE AIMS TO INSPIRE POSITIVE CHANGE

  By Kelsey Schwab, Deseret News Published: Saturday, June 27, 2015 Nearly 280 professional performers from Broadway, the Metropolitan Opera and other organizations around the world are spending the summer in Logan to perform at the Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre. “They don’t come for the pay; they come for the experience,” said Michael Ballam, … Continued

• UTAH FESTIVAL OPERA & MUSICAL THEATRE READY TO OPEN 2015 SEASON

  The Herald Journal Published: Thursday, June 25, 2015 The Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre’s 23rd season will burst onto the stage July 8 to Aug. 8, at the Ellen Eccles Theatre. More than 250 musicians, performers and crew members will come from renowned stages across the nation, including Broadway and the Met, to the … Continued

• UTAH STUDENTS COMPETE IN LOGAN FOR TOP THEATER HONORS

  The Herald Journal Published: Saturday, May 16, 2015 Two Utah high school performers are on their way to New York City after winning Best Actress and Best Actor in the fifth annual Utah High School Musical Theater Awards in Logan on May 9. On Friday, the winners were announced, with Abby Watts from Woods Cross … Continued

• OVER 200 HIGH SCHOOL PERFORMERS WILL CONVENE ON USU FOR UTAH HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL THEATER AWARDS

  By Jennie Christensen, Cache Valley Daily Published: Tuesday, May 5, 2015 More than 200 performers from 24 high schools across Utah will perform and compete in the fifth annual Utah High School Musical Theater Awards on Saturday, May 9th. The finalists, including ensembles and individuals, will perform in front of the live audience at 7 … Continued

2014

• BARBER IN THE BEEHIVE STATE

  By James Sohre, Opera Today Published: Friday, August 8, 2014 Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre has gifted opera enthusiasts with a thrilling Barber, and I don’t mean . . . of Seville. At a time when few companies risk devoting resources to lesser-known lyric theatre, this enterprising operation has gambled, and won, with a … Continued

• REVIEW: ‘LES MISERABLES’ LEADS STANDOUT UTAH FESTIVAL OPERA & MUSICAL THEATRE LINEUP

  Reviews » A beautifully sung production of the ultra-popular “Les Misérables” tops the bill. By Robert Coleman, The Salt Lake Tribune Published: Saturday, August 2, 2014 Logan • Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre’s 22nd season includes four ambitious, superbly produced mainstage shows, with Schönberg’s and Boubil’s ultra-popular “Les Misérables” topping the bill. All four … Continued

• THE INTREPID LIFE OF AN OPERA CONDUCTOR: KAREN KELTNER EDITION

  By Ali Snow, Utah Public Radio Published: Thursday, July 31, 2014 Have you ever considered what an amazing act of faith it is, as a conductor, to do an upbeat and come down and expect sound to happen? We now introduce a fearless Karen Keltner, resident conductor of the San Diego Opera, who has helped … Continued

• ANNOUNCING THE WINNERS OF THE 6th ANNUAL INT’L OPERA COMPETITION

  Congratulations to the winners of the 6th annual Michael Ballam Concorso Lirico International Opera Competition: Peter Scott Drackley – 1st Place Winner Jon Jurgens – Alternate Rachel Sparrow – Audience Favorite Thank you to all of the talented artists who gave their best in the competition, and a special thanks to our audience for your … Continued

• SHOUT “YEEOW!” FOR UTAH FESTIVAL OPERA’S OKLAHOMA!

  By Maren Scriven, Utah Theatre Bloggers Posted: Monday, July 28, 2014 LOGAN — Oklahoma! was the first musical that the very popular team of Rodgers and Hammerstein created together, and through the years it has been the subject of critical acclaim, awards, and accolades. Because of this, the show is one that is done by … Continued

• BATTLEGROUND: CHOREOGRAPHER EXPLAINS THE ART OF STAGE FIGHTING

  By Kevin Opsahl, The Herald Journal Published: Saturday, July 26, 2014 Stefan Espinosa of the Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre was talking to patrons about fight choreography on Tuesday when one of the festival artists walked in and announced he had a beef with Espinosa. Samus Haddad said he had scheduled a time to … Continued

• MARVELOUS ‘LES MISERABLES’ LEADS UFOMT SEASON

  By Jay Wamsley, Deseret News Published: Saturday, July 19, 2014 It’s easy to see which of the four offerings of the Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre season is considered the blockbuster, the one to see. Check out the schedule: “The Student Prince” is set for five showings, and “Vanessa” is scheduled for four. “Oklahoma!” … Continued

• UTAH FESTIVAL DELIVERS A TASTE OF BROADWAY

  By Charlie Schill, The Herald Journal Published: Thursday, July 17, 2014 Three of the four offerings of the Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre’s 2014 season comprise an enjoyable lesson in the evolution of Broadway shows in the 20th Century. “The Student Prince,” which opened July 11, is a prime example of an operetta, a … Continued

• PIONEERS AND PATRIOTS PAYS TRIBUTE TO JOHN PHILIP SOUSA CONCERT 87 YEARS AGO

  By Jennie Christensen, Cache Valley Daily Published: Thursday, July 17, 2014 Each year around the July 24th Pioneer Day holiday the Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre presents a special Pioneers and Patriots concert. Founder and general director Michael Ballam says this year the concert will pay tribute to John Philip Sousa who came to … Continued

• UTAH FESTIVAL OPERA’S LES MISERABLES IS A POWERFUL PERFOMANCE

  By Katie Roundy, Utah Theatre Bloggers Posted: Wednesday, July 16, 2014 LOGAN — Every musical theatre fan has a list of our favorite shows—the ones they can watch over and over again, and each time experience all the emotion and passion as if for the first time. On my list is Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel … Continued

• SUPERB PRODUCTION OF ‘VANESSA’ OPENS LOGAN’S UTAH FESTIVAL

  By Edward Reichel, Reichel Recommends Posted: Friday, July 11, 2014 Michael Ballam’s Utah Festival occasionally presents works not normally seen in Utah. In the past the festival has staged Giacomo Puccini’s Manon Lescaut and Modest Mussorgsky’s Boris Godunov, both of which Utah Opera has yet to mount. This year, it’s Samuel Barber’s 1958 Pulitzer Prize … Continued