The <a href=”http://www.utahfestival.org/index.php”>Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre’s</a> 25<sup>th</sup> season officially opens on Thursday, July 6, with the premiere of “Rex,” the story of Henry VIII, followed by the opening of four additional productions in repertory on July 7-8. “The Pirates of Penzance,” “The Music Man,” “Madama Butterfly” and “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” will all play in the <a href=”http://cachearts.org/theatre/”>Ellen Eccles Theatre</a>, while “Rex” will join “Seussical,” which is currently playing at the newly restored <a href=”http://theutahtheatre.org/”>Utah Theatre</a>.
As executive director of the <a href=”https://www.explorelogan.com/”>Cache Valley Visitors Bureau</a>, Julie Hollist-Terrell normally does the publicity, but this time, she’s a big part of one of the shows, “The Music Man.”
“I’m going to be Eulalie Mackecknie Shinn,” she said. “I’m the mayor’s wife, and the role is so much fun, and it’s been amazing to see things from behind the scenes and behind the stage to see all the work that goes on in this professional production. I mean, it is unbelievable. From all the measurements they take for costumes—even how big around your hand is so if they need to make you gloves, they know how wide to make them—to the curls on the wigs, the details are unbelievable.”
Hollist-Terrell said the Festival features 157 events through August 9. She said Michael Ballam, the founding general director, is calling the 25<sup>th</sup> season “a celebration of iconic genius.” More information is available at <a href=”http://www.utahfestival.org/”>www.utahfestival.org</a>.