New Hale Theater in Pleasant Grove looks to accommodate more patrons while maintaining performance intimacy
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- Construction takes shape on the soon-to-be-opened Ruth and Nathan Hale Theater in Pleasant Grove on Sept. 3, 2024.
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- Anne Swenson, artistic director of the Ruth and Nathan Hale Theater, gives a look at what will be the grand theater inside the new theater in Pleasant Grove on Sept. 3, 2024.
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- Ruth and Nathan Hale Center Foundation leaders and construction crews overlook the main entrance hall as work continues on the new theater Sept. 3, 2024.
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- In this undated photo, construction takes shape on the soon-to-be-opened Ruth and Nathan Hale Theater in Pleasant Grove.
Excitement is building in Pleasant Grove as the new Ruth and Nathan Hale Theater at doTERRa is coming alive.
After more than three decades of producing theatrical experiences in Orem, productions will move to a new home at the end of this year: a 77,000-square-foot facility on the doTERRA campus in Pleasant Grove, nicknamed “the Ruth” in honor of the theater’s founders, Ruth and Nathan Hale.
Crews broke ground on the $55 million facility in late 2022. And now, two years later, the new building is nearly completed.
Cody Swenson, executive director and co-founder of the Hale Center Foundation for the Arts and Education, says it’s exciting to be in the finish-work stage in several areas of the building.
“The permanent power is on, which is a huge milestone,” Swenson said. “We’ve begun polishing the concrete that will be displayed in many of the patron-facing areas, and light fixtures are being installed throughout the building.”
Crews also have started installation of the stage rigging components; the dressing rooms, box office, concessions and education areas are getting cabinetry installed; and concrete is being poured for exterior sidewalks, stairs and outdoor patios.
Swenson admits there’s been a mix of emotions seeing the new facility that they’ve been dreaming of and seeking to build come to fruition.
“It’s exciting, it’s emotional and it’s a little bit daunting,” he said. “We’ve been working toward this for nearly 35 years now, and having Grandma and Grandpa Hale’s name on the building, there’s a little bit of pressure to deliver on their legacy of great storytelling and a welcoming, family environment.”
Plans to begin rehearsals in the new building are on track for early December with a grand opening happening within the first few days in January 2025.
Capacity will double in size, with the Scott & Karen Smith Grand Theater featuring around 670 seats. Within the facility, the 300-seat Lindsay Legacy Theater will offer an intimate setting for patrons similar to the current Orem location.
Artistic Director Anne Swenson said that while expansion was important, many longtime theatergoers insisted that the Ruth not lose the intimate experiences they’ve enjoyed for over 30 years in Orem.
“The biggest concern that we have heard from our patrons, and these patrons have been with us since the beginning, was don’t ruin it … don’t lose the intimacy,” she told the Daily Herald, adding that, in some cases, a show may not translate as well to a big space as they will to a smaller space.
The new theater also will include an education wing to house the Ruth Academy for Performing Arts, which provides education for youth and adults.
Ultimately, the Ruth will be able to hold more than 1,000 theatergoers at a time.
Anne Swenson explained that the timeline of transition from Orem to Pleasant Grove will slightly overlap.
“A Christmas Carol” is set to be the final show for the Orem facility running throughout the month of December.
Simultaneously, actors and crews will begin rehearsing and getting accustomed to the new theater in preparation for “Ragtime, the Musical” — the first show at the Ruth, set to begin Jan. 3, 2025.
“And then in the middle of December, we’re going to have a soft opening with invited audiences. We might do some preview paid tickets at a reduced rate,” Anne Swenson said. “Because we want to be able to open with a bang on Jan. 3 and 4, really knowing how this runs, and really being able to hit our stride.”
Regarding the future in Orem, Cody Swenson says the building will remain in use as a “support facility for the Ruth,” housing the costume shop and other theater needs.
As construction crews work against the clock to make sure the Ruth opens according to the schedule, Cody Swenson said he and the entire foundation are grateful for the continued support from the community throughout their journey at the Hale Center Theater in Orem.
“We truly would not be where we are without them. We know change can be hard, but we hope they come to experience the Ruth and feel for themselves how we’re planning to bring the magic of what we do at HCTO to our stages at the Ruth,” Cody Swenson said.
He says they look forward to telling more rich stories, with more space and opportunity to entertain as well as educate students.
The Ruth is located at 401 S. Pleasant Grove Blvd.
