Broadway in the Desert – Tuacahn Theatre

Ivins, Utah

Tuacahn Amphitheater in Ivins, Utah

Tuacahn Amphitheater, in Ivins, Utah, was founded by the Utah playwright Douglas C. Stewart in 1995 to fulfill his dream.  Stewart is the playwright that wrote screenplays for “Saturday’s Warrior”, “Against a Crooked Sky” and “Where the Red Fern Grows.” Partnering with Hyrum W. Smith, the creator of the Franklin Planner and philanthropist, created a setting where the story of the settlement of southern Utah could be told. The perfect location was found in August of 1991. Once he parked his moped and headed up the wash just around the corner from Snow Canyon to see where it led.

After a mile and a half hike, he sat down and looked around at the incredible towering box canyon surrounding him.  He said, “It was like a two-by-four hit me over the head.” “I could hear the music, feel the drama,” he said. He happened to be sitting in the spot where one currently sits and you pays over $56 to see the stage production of “Tarzan.”

These 80 acres owned by Orval Hafen was where he built this dream. His dream to bring in more arts and education in the community. The plan was to build a 42,000-square foot facility with a 330 seat indoor theater, dance studio, recital hall, black-box theater, costume shop and scene shop, studios, classrooms, and gift shop. All were built to complement the 1920-seat outdoor amphitheatre.

Tuacahn comes from a Mayan word which means “Canyon of the Gods.” Four years later, this amphitheater was completed in the shadow of beautiful red rock cliffs which are 1500 feet high.

Investors of Tuacahn

Before Douglas C. Stewart even found the site to build Tuacahn, a check was donated in the amount of $10,000 from Rex Meikle. Once he found the location, Rick and Peg Young donated another $50,000. Still needing $300,000 to purchase the 80 acres, Douglas drove Hyrum Smith out to the place and Smith committed to the $300,000.  A year later, the Smith family committed to $10 million.  Stewart moved on two years after Tuacahn’s grand opening. He dreamed it, found the place, raised the money and built the incredible outdoor theater, then, moved on.

During Tuacahn’s Construction

During construction, two endangered Mojave Desert Tortoises were found dead along the road which led from the main highway to the construction site in Ivins, Utah.  Construction was halted while the Fish and Wildlife Service investigated.  An agreement was reached on August 18, 1994 between The US Fish and Wildlife Service and the Heritage Arts Foundation.  The foundation paid a fine of $20,000 and agreed to ensuring tortoises would be protected.  Special tortoise-proof fences and passages underneath the road where wildlife could pass under were installed.

The Tuacahn Theater

Tuacahn, a 42,000 square foot facility, opened in April 1995 and was dedicated by Gordon B. Hinckley.  The Mormon Tabernacle Choir performed at the dedication. The musical Utah! retells the story of the founding of southern Utah through Jacob Hamblin’s eyes, a pioneer whom Brigham Young called to settle the city of Santa Clara and to make peace with the Native Americans in the area. The natural canyon backdrop of the theatre, along with dramatic lighting of the red rock cliffs, pyrotechnics, live animals and flash flood that came across the stage toward the audience was dramatic. Depictions of polygamy, the Mountain Meadows Massacre and Jesus Christ’s appearance to the Native Americans caused audience discomfort and so the show was rewritten every season.  A major rewrite was done for the 1997 production by Reed McColm. Utah! ran for four seasons and was seen by over 250,000 people. In 1999, less interest in Utah! and low ticket sales from the 1998 season caused the board of directors for Tuacahn to choose more popular, family-friendly broadway musicals.  Utah! has not been featured since the 2002 season.

 

Shows like Joseph and  the Technicolor Dreamcoat and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers were hugely successful, breaking previous ticket sales.  Again in 2003, box office records were broken with The Wizard of Oz.

Disney Musicals

New artistic director Scott Anderson, in 2005, opened with Beauty and the Beast.  With large ticket sales beating previous ones, the Disney Theatricals continued.  In 2009, Tarzan was produced.

With the success of Disney’s Tarzan, Disney awarded them the rights to produce The Little Mermaid.  The 2014 season hosted over 260,000 attendees.

The Tuacahn Ampitheater seats 1920 in an open-air theater.  The seats are not cushioned but do have backs and arms.  The rear of the stage is open to the red rock cliffs where lighting, sound and water effects are contained.

Do you want to live near such artistic expression? See all Ivins Utah homes for sale.

Location

1100 Tuacahn Drive

Ivins, UT 84738

(435) 652-3300

Tuacahn High School for the Performing Arts

Tuacahn in Ivins, Utah, also has a High School for the Performing Arts.  Opening its doors on August 23, 1999 with only 86 students, this was Utah’s first charter high school. A fully-accredited

college preparatory high school. Emphasis is on singing, dancing, acting and instrumental performance. The high school uses the Hafen Theater, a 328 seat indoor theater for their productions.

The Black Box Theater and Dance Studio are working spaces for high school classes and rehearsals. In 2001, Tuacahn expanded to Ninth grade students. Enrollment for the 2016-2017 school year, nearly 400 students, are enrolled with a waiting list of others wanting to attend.  Most students live in Washington County, yet they have many from all over Utah that attend and are on the waiting

list.  Tuacahn High School has won or placed in the top three in every performing arts category available to the school. Though a Class A1 school, Tuacahn High School competes at the Class 3A and Class 5A theatre divisions.

Ivins, Utah

Ivins, Utah hosts many artistic venues from schooling in the arts to the outdoor theatre hosting Disney Broadway musicals and concerts. The natural landscape and lava rock beds throughout Ivins makes Ivins, Utah an ideal place to call home.

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