"I was awestruck," wrote Orval Hafen, upon first seeing the area now home to the Tuacahn Center for the Arts. He and his wife, Ruth, bought an eighty-acre parcel in the box canyon and built a cabin below the pristine red rocks. Describing the scene at the turn of the 20th century, he stated: "There before me lay a scene of indescribable beauty: wild, primitive, unspoiled, largely unknown, waiting to be enjoyed, waiting to inspire folks." Within these "towering red sandstone cliffs," he desired that "others [might one day] share this beauty and drink of the inspiration that is here."
Orval Hafen’s vision came one step closer to reality in 1993 when Doug Stewart, noted playwright and St. George resident, stumbled upon the spot as he was searching for a location for an outdoor amphitheatre in the St. George area. "The stunning beauty and perfect surroundings stopped me in my tracks," Stewart recalled. "I was brought to tears when I first stood there, and after taking it in for some time – envisioning an amphitheatre and a stage with an awesome backdrop of 1,500 foot red rock cliffs, and hearing the sounds of music echoing from the canyon walls – I literally flew back to town and straight to the county recorder’s office to see who the land belonged to."From that magical moment in the canyon, Tuacahn Center for the Arts became a reality as a 42,000 square foot facility featuring a 330-seat indoor theater, dance studio, black-box theater, a recital hall, costume and scene shops, studios and classrooms, a gift shop, and a 1920-seat outdoor amphitheatre - the home of "Broadway in the Desert." In its 2010 summer theater season, Tuacahn will perform "Tarzan," "Cats" and "Crazy for You" from June 4 - October 15.
The summer shows will not be playing when Rotarians are here for the 2010 Utah Rotary District Conference, but stay tuned for information about one Tuacahn show you'll want to see while you're here May 13-15, 2010. It's one you won't want to miss!!!
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