"Theater of nature provides inspiration backdrop for new Moab Art
Theatre", Salt Lake Tribune, 14 May 1972, page E1
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Theater of nature provides inspiration backdrop for new Moab Art Theatre
By George Raine
Salt Lake Tribune, 14 May 1972, Page E1
MOAB - Imagine. A theater tradition that began 150 million years ago, or,
if you like, in the Jurassic period. The theater of nature.
Here, in the extraordinary redrock country of southeastern Utah, there are
more balletic arches, windows, spires and pinnacles than in any other known
section of the country.
There is a 150 million-year-old tradition of beauty.
There is a kind of civilization, a gentle, sagacious feeling in the country,
where weathering has sculpted sandstone to create the country's most spectacular
amphitheaters.
And this summer, members of the Moab Art Theatre will rely upon this theater
of nature not only for inspiration but hopefully for backdrops in some of their
productions. The arches and spires provide nature's most natural amphitheaters.
Community Theater
The Moab Art Theatre, beginning in June, will be a community theater focusing
its energies and talents on Moab and the surrounding area.
Gerald M. McDonough, a University of Utah graduate student in theater and
English, and Shubert Playwriting Fellow, is managing director and playwright-in-residence.
He will organize a professional company of experienced actors, directors and
writers. Their purpose is to produce new plays by talented playwrights and
to provide a quality training center in the dramatic arts for the entire region.
The theater's Moab home is old Star Hall, built 65 years ago, which previously
served as an opera house, gymnasium, motion picture theater, Grand County High
School industrial arts shop, and then a storehouse for useless Moab school
materials.
Four years ago, the Grand County School Board renovated Star Hall. While the
structure was engineeringly sound, the repairs included a new stage, sloped
floor, 300 upholstered seats, a lighting and sound system and refrigerated
air conditioning.
The balcony and the interior is done in red velvet - a rather fashionable
home, in these last four years, for the Grand County junior and senior high
schools' drama clubs, bands and choruses.
Ideal Hall
Sam Taylor, editor of the Moab Times Independent and a member of the school
board (headed by C. Robert Sundwall), calls it ideal for a community summer
theater.
Mr. McDonough heads the "core group" of the Moab Art Theatre, which
will be expanded to include local residents as they are trained in the various
arts of the theater, from scenic design to playwriting.
The other staff members have been associated with University of Utah and Salt
Lake City theater. Sean Michael Dowse is artistic, casting and production manager.
Marcy Dowse is business manager and promotion director. Actors and instructors
in theater are Jeff Redford, Barbara McKean, David A. Mong and Timothy Gallivan.
Ronni McDonough is assistant director.
A technical assistant has not yet been announced.
Tourist Business
According to Mr. McDonough:
"Although the (theater) will be primarily interested in developing an
audience in the community of Moab, we believe that it will be the tourists
who will become the financial staple for the company.
Tourist Industry
"Studies have shown that a number of tourist-related industries benefit
through the integration of such programs into the community.
"The theater in time could become a tourist attraction, as witness the
success of the Cedar City and Ashland (Ore.) Shakespeare festivals. For these
reasons, the Moab Art Theatre wishes to work closely with the Grand County
Travel Council and other locally interested groups in promoting the venture."
He said that most of the plays for the opening summer season will be written
while the company is in-residence at Moab, and will be appropriate for the
community and surrounding area. He said the theater hopefully will write and
produce plays specifically for some of the natural amphitheaters of Arches
National Park, in addition to those for Star Hall.
Eight Works
The theater will operate five nights a week for a 12-week season from mid-June
through the first week of September, producing eight new plays.
The Moab Art Theatre will also sponsor a Young Peoples Theatre Workshop for
junior high school students in mid-July. By September, the training of the
local residents will be completed, and the operation of the Star Hall will
be turned over to the community.
Negotiating With USO
The residents of Moab should be able to write, design, direct and produce
their own plays," said Mr. McDonough.
He said the theater is negotiating with Utah State University's extension
division for scholastic credit for participants.
The Young Peoples Theatre Workshop will be operated in cooperation with the
mini grant program currently operating in Moab.
Variety is the quality of the canyonlands country, and of the Moab Art Theatre.
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