Renovations began on the 91-year-old theater in 2008, but when the economy took a turn for the worse, so did the theater. Gary Griffith, managing director of the Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre Company and overseer of the renovations, said he has been remodeling the theater “longer that I care to think about.”
“Funding is always an issue. We’ve slowed down a couple times, but we’re getting close to finishing,” he said. “You never know. Things keep getting pushed back. It’ll probably be open in the spring.”
The biggest difficulty with the renovations has been remodeling the building -- namely adding more plumbing and better electricity. The walls of the theater are two feet thick, with reinforced concrete.
“If you want to build a door or add wires or plumbing, you have to cut through it,” Griffith said. “It gets messy.”
Terry Hunsaker studied music education at Utah State University in 1986 and — except for a religious hiatus — did not move away from Cache Valley until 2002. She dated her husband here, and they would often see films at the Utah Theatre.
“During that time, pretty much the only place I could afford to go to movies was at the Utah Theatre,” Hunsaker said. “I remember going to the movie ‘Newsies,’ and not very many people knew about the movie. It became my favorite, and it turned into a Broadway musical.”
Hunsaker said she has many fond memories of the theater, and she was disappointed to hear it had shut down.
“It was always run-down. I remember walking in all the time thinking it could be a beautiful place if someone fixed it,” she said. ”I was sad to see it had closed, because that was the main social thing I did. When my husband and I were dating, that’s what we did because that’s what we could afford.”
Hunsaker said she would absolutely visit the theater if it reopens, even though she now lives and teaches in Nevada. She is especially interested in seeing silent films and live productions, both of which Griffith said will be featured.
“It’ll be unlike anything this valley has ever seen before,” he said. “It’ll be a live theater but also a movie theater, performance hall and recital hall. People can hold events and have dinner here. After a performance they can go on the rooftop to have dessert. It’ll be a very multipurpose theater.”
The Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre Company will own and maintain the theater when it opens, Griffith said, but many other groups will use it for performances.
Hunsaker agrees that — when it does open — the theater will the jewel of the community.
The biggest difficulty with the renovations has been remodeling the building -- namely adding more plumbing and better electricity. The walls of the theater are two feet thick, with reinforced concrete.
“If you want to build a door or add wires or plumbing, you have to cut through it,” Griffith said. “It gets messy.”
Terry Hunsaker studied music education at Utah State University in 1986 and — except for a religious hiatus — did not move away from Cache Valley until 2002. She dated her husband here, and they would often see films at the Utah Theatre.
“During that time, pretty much the only place I could afford to go to movies was at the Utah Theatre,” Hunsaker said. “I remember going to the movie ‘Newsies,’ and not very many people knew about the movie. It became my favorite, and it turned into a Broadway musical.”
Hunsaker said she has many fond memories of the theater, and she was disappointed to hear it had shut down.
“It was always run-down. I remember walking in all the time thinking it could be a beautiful place if someone fixed it,” she said. ”I was sad to see it had closed, because that was the main social thing I did. When my husband and I were dating, that’s what we did because that’s what we could afford.”
Hunsaker said she would absolutely visit the theater if it reopens, even though she now lives and teaches in Nevada. She is especially interested in seeing silent films and live productions, both of which Griffith said will be featured.
“It’ll be unlike anything this valley has ever seen before,” he said. “It’ll be a live theater but also a movie theater, performance hall and recital hall. People can hold events and have dinner here. After a performance they can go on the rooftop to have dessert. It’ll be a very multipurpose theater.”
The Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre Company will own and maintain the theater when it opens, Griffith said, but many other groups will use it for performances.
Hunsaker agrees that — when it does open — the theater will the jewel of the community.
“It’s just so sad to see it sitting closed for so long,” she said. “I can understand the difficulty and expense involved, but it’s just sad.”
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