Pioneer Theatre Company facts for kids
| Formation | 1962 |
|---|---|
| Type | Theatre group |
| Purpose | Drama, musical, comedy |
| Location |
|
|
Artistic director(s)
|
Karen Azenberg |
| Website | pioneertheatre.org |
The Pioneer Theatre Company (PTC) is a professional theatre group in Utah. It is the only fully professional theatre in Salt Lake City. This means it works with actors, directors, and designers who are part of special unions. PTC started in 1962. It performs at the Simmons Pioneer Memorial Theatre, which is on the University of Utah campus.
PTC is a non-profit company. Each year, from September to May, they put on seven different shows. These shows include classic plays, musicals, dramas, and comedies. The company creates its own costumes and scenery right there. Sometimes, actors and directors from other states come to work with them. In 2007, PTC was the first regional theatre in the country to perform the musical Les Misérables. They had 82 sold-out shows, which was a record for them!
Contents
About the Theatre Company
Even though PTC performs at the University of Utah, it runs on its own. The university does not give it money directly. PTC is a non-profit organization. About 35% of its money comes from people who donate, sponsors, and government help.
The company is currently led by Diane Parisi, who is the acting managing director, and Karen Azenberg, who is the artistic director. PTC works with a special agreement with the Actors' Equity Association. This agreement helps make sure actors are treated fairly.
The Simmons Pioneer Memorial Theatre
The Pioneer Theatre Company performs at the Roy W. and Elizabeth E. Simmons Pioneer Memorial Theatre. This theatre is located on the west side of the University of Utah campus in Salt Lake City, Utah. Building the theatre started on July 1, 1960. Its design was made to look like the old Salt Lake Theatre that used to be downtown. The building opened on October 10, 1962, with a play called Hamlet.
The theatre's name was changed in the 1990s to honor Roy W. and Elizabeth "Tibby" Simmons. They gave a large donation that helped make the building bigger. Roy W. Simmons went to the University of Utah from 1934 to 1937. He was also the head of Zions Bancorp for many years.
The main stage in the theatre is called the Lees Main Stage. It has 932 seats. There is also an art gallery on the second floor called the Loge Art Gallery. It is open to everyone. Local artists show their paintings, photos, and sculptures there. The art changes with each play of the season.
Amazing Productions
The Pioneer Theatre Company was the first regional theatre to get the chance to put on the musical Les Misérables. Most PTC shows run for 19 performances. But Les Mis was so popular that it ran for 82 sold-out shows in 2007. This was a record for the company!
PTC has also put on the very first performances of new versions of musicals like Paint Your Wagon and The Producers. They have also been the first in Utah to show plays like An American Daughter, Arcadia, Doubt, Fences, Proof, and The Vertical Hour.
The company has produced many famous musicals. These include Chicago, Into the Woods, Cabaret, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, and Ragtime. They also perform classic plays and adaptations such as Othello, Pride and Prejudice, The Three Musketeers, A Tale of Two Cities, and The Grapes of Wrath. The very first play PTC performed in 1962 was Hamlet.
From October 28 to November 12, 2022, PTC presented the first-ever performance of a new musical called Shucked. This was the first time a theatre company in Utah had put on a show before it went to Broadway.
History of the Theatre
Building the Pioneer Memorial Theatre started with money from the Utah State Legislature, Kennecott Copper, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and private donors. It was finished in 1962. The building has three levels and two stages. The Main Stage holds 932 people. The smaller Babcock Theatre in the basement holds 350 people. The building also has classrooms, rehearsal rooms, and dressing rooms. These are also used by the University of Utah's Department of Theatre.
The Pioneer Memorial Theatre was officially opened in October 1962. It was called the "State Theatre of Utah." Dr. C. Lowell Lees became the first Artistic Director for the theatre.
In 1964, Keith M. Engar took over as Artistic Director. He created a special contract with the Actors' Equity Association. This was the first official agreement between a university theatre and the actors' union.
In 1984, Charles Morey became the Artistic Director. He worked to make the theatre fully professional and to expand the types of shows they performed. In 1986, PTC moved to a new contract with Actors’ Equity. This allowed the theatre to become fully professional. Charles Morey was the longest-serving artistic director of a major American regional theatre.
In 2010, PTC bought and fixed up a house near the university. This house, now called the Meldrum House, provides a place for visiting actors, directors, and designers to stay. The first cast stayed there in the fall of 2011.
Karen Azenberg was named Artistic Director of PTC in 2012. She took over from Charles Morey. In 2019, Chris Lino, the managing director, retired after 28 years. Christopher Massimine replaced him. In June 2021, Diane L. Parisi was named Acting Managing Director. Massimine officially left his role in August 2021.
