The Utah Theatre in Logan was originally built around 1924. Now, after seeing eight years of renovations, the Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre Company is preparing to kick off its 23rd season in early summer.
Gary Griffin is the managing director at the company and oversaw all of the renovations. He said the new multi-purpose theater will feature a large, brand new lobby; modern restrooms; a comfortable, more intimate house; and a state-of-the-art sound system.
“Well, we’ve taken an old, fairly-rundown movie theater and turned it into a state-of-the art performance venue,” Griffin said.
The Utah Theatre will also be home to the only mighty Wurlitzer organ in northern Utah – one of four in the state, according to Griffin. Silent films like “The Birth of a Nation” and Charlie Chaplin’s “The Kid” will be accompanied by the large theatre organ.
“Oh goodness, yes – there’s a lot of great old classic movies, (and) I doubt anyone under the age of 80 has ever been to a theater to see a silent film with an actual organ accompanying it,” Griffin said. “It’s something that hasn’t been done since 1927 when talkies came in.”
Griffin said the company’s actors are looking forward to the Utah Theatre opening in a couple of months. Logan residents and visitors can look forward to full-scale productions, sometimes six days a week. With a fuller production schedule and more shows to see, Griffin expects tourists will linger and discover what else Logan has to offer.