IVINS, Utah (May 22, 2023) — After spending countless hours designing, building, lighting, casting, rehearsing, and more, there is one final piece to the puzzle that brings the magic of live theater to life: the audience. Even more exciting, is to be the audience that gets the very first glimpse.
Offering a unique first look at Tuacahn’s lineup of fantastic musicals each season, tickets to most preview performances are available at a significant discount and are the ultimate behind-the-scenes experience.
“If you catch a preview performance, you are going to see one of the rawest forms of theater that exists,” said Jonathan Katzias, production manager at Tuacahn. “The actors and technicians are still getting used to their roles and the technical elements are still being ironed out, making this the most suspenseful anything-could-happen type of evening. It’s really exciting.”
Katzias is quick to emphasize safety of the audience and the actors is the utmost priority, and no production is ever put in front of an audience unless the production team is confident it can be performed safely. Even still, with only a week to incorporate all of the technical elements, when the preview audiences get their first look, they’re seeing a version of the show that may not be in its final form, which is part of what makes it so thrilling.
“I just love the idea of seeing something before everyone else,” Katzias said.
Tuacahn’s production of Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory offered its first preview performance on May 13, and audiences were entranced by the stunning visual effects and calculated, carefully skilled acting on stage.
“I think ‘Charlie’ is one of the most magical shows we have ever produced,” said AJ Sullivan, production stage manager for Tuacahn and stage manager for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. “It has everything you would expect and then some; Oom-Pah Loompas, the chocolate slide, and all the music everyone is familiar with, plus some new songs that are just fantastic.”
Not to be outdone by its sugar-infused partner, the songs, story and special effects in Tarzan are also in full swing, with its first preview performances capturing the hearts of audience members in a uniquely “immersive experience” on May 20.
“There are two more previews each for Tarzan and Charlie May 22 through 25,” said Stephanie Finck, marketing director for Tuacahn. “People who are excited about getting one of these unique behind-the-scenes first-glimpses should definitely look into preview performance tickets for The Hunchback of Notre Dame on July 15, 17 and 19.”
Tickets to preview performances for The Hunchback of Notre Dame are discounted up to 45 percent off of regular ticket pricing and can be purchased online at www.tuacahn.org or by calling the box office at 435-652-3300.
Don’t miss a moment of the magic and pure imagination this summer with Tarzan, Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and The Hunchback of Notre Dame in the Outdoor Amphitheatre, as well as Beautiful: The Carole King Musical and Irving Berlin’s White Christmas inside the Indoor Hafen Theatre. Go online at www.tuacahn.org or call 435-652-3300 for details.
– Tuacahn
