MAPLETON — The joy of participating in theatre at a community level is truly something special. Utah displays this time and time again with community theatre productions all up and down the state. What makes a community decide that they want to start a program and put up the time, effort, and money to mount a show when there are literally hundreds of other shows that people can choose from throughout the year in our state? That is just what I wanted to find out when I learned that Mapleton City in Utah County was starting their own community theater program this year, so I took the time to speak to the two sisters who have decided to make it happen.
Sisters Kris Holley, Director of the upcoming Cinderella and Secretary of Mapleton Community Theatre, and Katie Wiscombe, Executive Director of Mapleton Community Theatre, have been involved in theater for as long as they can remember. In fact, Holley is junior high school theatre teacher currently. The dream to start a community theatre is one that they have held for quite some time.
UTBA: What makes it important to have a community level theater in Mapleton instead of just sending people to communities nearby, or to larger theaters like the SCERA or the Ruth?
Holley and Wiscombe: We actually do have people traveling to communities like Spanish Fork, Orem, Provo, and the theaters you mentioned to perform. We have had this happening for a long time. There is a strong interest in the arts in our communities, as of course you know. When we see that people within our community are driving a half hour, sometimes an hour or more to participate in a performance, why not try and do the same thing in our own backyard?
UTBA: But it is not a simple task. Putting on a show is not free, and there is the matter of getting people to volunteer for everything from being on stage to building the stage. How has the response been?
Holley and Wiscombe: Surprisingly, the response has been amazing. Logan Miner from the city has been on board from the beginning. As soon as it was brought up, he said yes, lets get this happening. We have a full board now. Brianna Schafer is the media and publicity director, Aislyn Dyer the technical theatre liaison, Karen Kidd the front of house and box office manager, and Miner is the city parks and recreation director. We have found so much support.
UTBA: What are the next steps?
Holley and Wiscombe: Auditions were held the first weekend of March. They have had a strong amount of interest. As is often the case in communities, men are needed! Yet, we are hopeful that we are getting the interest we need to put on a great show. We are looking for the volunteers needed for the rest. The show will be put on at the high school. Of course, as we all dream of, a standalone theatre would be amazing, but one step at a time. We are having a fundraising dinner gala in May. We will be advertising about that soon. All of the proceeds will be going to the theatre program.
UTBA: Will you be just doing the summer show? Or do you have more planned?
Holley and Wiscombe: We are starting with Cinderella because it is a great family show. We hope to grow to much more. We want a youth program. We hope to do a straight play. We would like to have acting classes. There is a lot of interest and excitement. Whatever we can get the community on board with, we plan to let it grow and strengthen.
UTBA: Is there anything else you want to tell us?
Holley and Wiscombe: Just that community theatre is something that makes a community better. We are so excited to see what this brings to our community.
UTBA is also excited to see what this brings to Mapleton. Utah is amazing in the way that it welcomes theatre into the community, and we cannot wait to see Cinderella dance onto the Mapleton stage this summer.
Mapleton Community Theatre plans to have its opening show, Cinderella, June 18-27, 2026. They just held auditions in the beginning of March. They will be having a fundraising gala in May. More information will be coming throughout the upcoming months on the Mapleton City Website and the Theater Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/p/Mapleton-Community-Theatre-61584843366228/