LOGAN — As a proud alumnus of Utah State University, though my major was psychology, I minored in theatre and spent a lot of time in the arts departments in Logan. Cache Valley is one of my favorite places in Utah, and one of the main reasons is the variety of arts and culture that a person can experience there. At the heart of that is the Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre Company. Founded by Michael Ballam in 1992 with it’s first performance in 1993, it has been entrancing audiences in Northern Utah for 33 years with high quality musicians, fantastic productions, and a hometown feel. From saving a theatre in downtown Logan set for destruction to starting the Utah High School Musical Theatre Awards, UFOMT has been on the forefront of what puts the community in our love of theatre here in Utah. Recently I had the opportunity to sit down with Vanessa Ballam, Associate Artistic Director and Educational Director, to talk candidly about funding issues, the future of UFOMT and Theatre in general, and what we as Utah audiences can do to help.
UFOMT
With its main productions being housed every summer in the Ellen Eccles Theatre on Main Street in Logan. There is a very interesting history of how Michael Ballam worked with the city of Logan to get this theatre, known formerly as the Capitol Theatre, restored, and available for use by many different organizations in the valley through the nonprofit Cache Valley Center of the Arts. UFOMT also acquired the historic Dansante building for their business operations, rehearsals, costumes, and more. Much more recently, they renovated the Utah Theatre, a movie house around the corner, giving them even more space to provide their productions. Producing productions in repertoire each summer, meaning most actors play parts in multiple shows. In speaking with Vanessa Ballam, UFOMT is very proud of their ability over the years to bring in impressive talent from all over the world to Cache Valley.
While the entertainment provided to Cache Valley is one priority of the company, Vanessa Ballam spoke with immense pride regarding the Utah High School Musical Theater Awards. In 2012 Vanessa and Michael Ballam learned about the National Jimmy High School awards and wanted to find a way to help students in Utah be a part of it, and the Utah High School Musical Theater Awards were born. Each year many schools across the state have the chance to showcase their talent, and at the end of the year, they all perform and compete for awards, from costume design to choreography, with two lucky students getting the chance to go to New York to compete nationally. This is just one of many educational programs Vanessa Ballam is working on as educational director.
THE NEW FUTURE
Due to many different issues, from Covid, to changes in how we consume entertainment, to changes in how we donate money, to changes in national grants and more, UFOMT, like many other theatre companies across the country, is facing the hard truth that finances are just not what they used to be. The Ballam’s posted a letter on their website and sent it to all their subscribers, describing that they would be scaling down their 2025 season, and focusing on a major fundraising campaign in order to preserve what they have taken 33 years to build. Sadly, this is a story being told in a lot of places, and some major theatres across the country with important historical significance have shut their doors. Vanessa Ballam shared that UFOMT is working on ideas, from community programming, education, and engagement, that can improve access to the audiences in Utah and beyond, while also addressing the real need for funding to keep UFOMT performing for decades to come. Currently, UFOMT is not doing a full summer season, choosing to focus on their educational programs. They have a lovely show going on right now, Elephant and Piggie’s We are In A Play, which is an excellent chance to introduce young children to the world of live theatre. Later this summer they are bringing to the stage the school production of Les Miserables, featuring many of the students from the Utah Musical Theater Awards. As they move forward, Vanessa Ballam states that audiences can expect more year-round content, and a mix of educational and traditional offerings.
As President of UTBA, I have been lucky to travel all over the country and even across the world seeing Opera and Theatre. I am not just pandering to my audience when I say Utah is unique. When discussing this topic with Vanessa Ballam, she was quick to agree. She shared with me that she has recently been hired to head up a new Musical Theatre program at Utah State University, which will add to the options and benefits of UFOMT and other theatres in Cache Valley and all over the state. When I asked her what she thought made theatre in Utah so special, she said that telling stories in the way the audience needs to hear it is important. She said that even though she has worked in many other places, coming home to Utah gives her a chance to tell stories the way she knows she can, and that she knows the audiences in Utah are ready to hear.
WHY LOGAN?
Utah is full of live theatre, and theatre lovers. Why should people attend Opera or musical theatre in Logan, Utah? Having been an undergraduate student at Utah State University, I do admit to a slight bias, but I will say that Logan is a great place for arts and entertainment. UFOMT is only one of many strong theatrical offerings. UFOMT’s neighbor, Lyric Repertory Company, has been around since 1967. There is of course the before mentioned Cache Valley Center for the Arts, that houses many different groups and opportunities, with Music Theatre West being a personal favorite. There are local theatre companies, from Cache Theatre Company, Four Seasons Theatre Company, Pickleville in Bear Lake, The Old Barn in Garland, and of course the University. Not to mention the other arts such as music and visual arts. Then you add in food, nature, shopping, and the sights, and Logan becomes one of the best gems in the state.
WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP?
One of the best ways to support local theatre is of course to buy a ticket. Attendance to live theatre has not returned to pre-Covid levels. This is one of the biggest challenges UFOMT is facing, along with all of the wonderful companies that we at UTBA enjoy returning to time and time again. Because Utah has an abundance of theatre, they also have an abundance of price points. For the price of a day at the movies, you can go and see people in your own community building and sharing their talents. If you find that you have more means and ways to give, there are ways to do so. UFOMT has spelled out many of these ways on their website: https://utahfestival.org/donate/. One note that Vanessa Ballam made is that if you cannot support UFOMT, but you can support your local theatre, please do. It is all under the umbrella of the importance of performing arts. Support also looks like volunteering, auditioning, and so much more. We look forward to the future of UFOMT and theatre in Utah, and all of the stories left to tell.
