Acting troupe has everything but a theater

Marey Bishop and Collyn Cruezer, graduates of the University of Utah, created the Academy of Performing Arts School and Theater four years ago because, when it came time to look for a job, they “realized they couldn't possibly leave the theater. Could not bear it.”

The Academy teaches mostly children and teenagers, but also includes adults. The Academy's location at 4771 South State Street has a stage“roughly the same size as a Hummer” and seating for only 40 -- not even enough for two parents per actor. After the Academy outgrew their own stage, performances were moved to the nearby Murray Theater. Last week, the owner of the Murray Theater entered bankruptcy and the bank holding the note shut the theater down, giving the Academy only three days notice. With costumes set for a big stage production of “Snow White,” the Academy was given only three days notice of the closure, leaving them without an adequate stage to perform on.

The Murray Theatre was broken into last weekend, while it sat idle. Police arrived and found one of the thieves “inside the concession area trying to figure how to make himself a nice plate of nachos."