Pickleville Playhouse facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Pickleville Playhouse

Address	2049 South Bear Lake Blvd Garden City, Utah USA
Owner	Andrea Davis
Type	Proscenium
Capacity	310
Construction
Opened	1977
Years active	34 years
Architect	LeGrande and Betty Larsen
Website
www.picklevilleplayhouse.com

The Pickleville Playhouse is a fun musical theater located right by Bear Lake in Garden City, Utah, USA. It was started by LeGrande and Betty Larsen. They wanted to create a friendly theater where families could enjoy shows together.

Before building the Playhouse, the Larsens lived in Driggs, Idaho. LeGrande was a doctor there. They found an old melodrama theater called "Pierre's Playhouse" nearby. This gave them the idea to build their own theater. In 1976, they moved to Logan, Utah, and began planning their dream theater.

The Pickleville Playhouse got its name from the small town it was once in, called Pickelville. Soon after the theater was built, Pickelville became part of Garden City.

Building the Playhouse

How the Theater Was Built

Building the Playhouse started in June 1977. LeGrande and Betty Larsen had never built a big building before. But with help from their six sons and one daughter, they got advice from experts. They did most of the work themselves. They even peeled white pine logs by hand and mixed concrete in wheelbarrows!

The seats for the theater came from the old Capitol Theatre in Salt Lake City. That theater was being fixed up at the time. The Larsens could only pick up the seats after the workers had left for the day. So, the family drove two hours in the middle of the night to Salt Lake. They loaded as many chairs as they could into a truck. Then they drove back to Bear Lake and repeated the trip until all 320 chairs were moved. These same seats are still used at the Playhouse today!

Working Day and Night

The family worked on building the theater during the day. At night, the cast and crew would rehearse on the stage. There was no place for them to stay, so they slept in sleeping bags and tents. The Larsens had to work very fast. Their first show was planned for August, just two and a half months after construction began!

Growing and Expanding

From Small Crowds to Sold-Out Shows

When the Playhouse first opened, not many people came to watch. But as more people heard about the theater, its popularity grew. Now, the Playhouse performs for sold-out crowds from mid-June to early September. They can have up to 13 shows each week!

Pickleville has added more than just melodramas to its summer shows. They also perform popular Broadway shows. In December, their sister company, Pickleville On Tour, travels to Logan and Salt Lake City, Utah. They put on a special Christmas show that they created themselves. Sometimes, Pickleville On Tour also performs a show in the springtime.

Who Runs the Playhouse

A Family Business

The Larsens eventually passed the theater down to their youngest child, Andrea Larsen Davis. She is their only daughter. Andrea grew up at the theater. Her oldest son, TJ Davis, joined her as a full-time partner after years of studying. He also writes for the Playhouse.

Now, the entire Davis family helps produce and support the shows at Pickleville Playhouse. TJ Davis has even taken his very popular character, "Juanito Bandito," on tour across Utah. His brother, Derek Davis, now writes and produces the shows at the Pickleville Playhouse in Garden City.

Juanito Bandito

A Popular Character

The Playhouse has become well-known recently because of a character named Juanito Bandito. He is a funny, likeable bad guy who speaks a mix of Spanish and English. TJ Davis created and plays this character. Juanito Bandito calls himself "the baddest Spanish villain in history."

He first appeared in "Chuck Wagon's Wild West Showdown" in the summer of 2008. Juanito Bandito then became the main character in the next seven summer shows. These included "The Hanging of El Bandito" (2009), "Bandito Rides Again" (2010), and "Who Shot Juanito Bandito?" (2011). TJ Davis wrote all of these shows, including "Ready, Fire, Aim starring Juanito Bandito."

Past Performances

Shows Over the Years

In August 1977, the Playhouse put on its very first melodrama, "The Faithful Footman." Each summer, the Playhouse performs two different shows: one melodrama and one Broadway show.