A dramatic development.

• Author: Fields, Melissa
• Position: Play: CULTURAL COLLABORATION

The George S. and Dolores Dore Eccles Theater is a long time coming and represents unprecedented cooperation and collaboration between Salt Lake City and Salt Lake County governments. It will be a vital and very complimentary component of Salt Lake City's already vibrant performing arts community.

It's still nearly two years until the first curtain rises on the George S. and Dolores Dore Eccles Theater. But for many throughout Utah, the day dignitaries and donors turned the first shovelfuls of dirt at the theater's Main Street building site--held all the excitement, anticipation and realization of the prototypical opening night.

Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker and his staff took a leading role in getting the new 2,500-seat touring Broadway production theater built. Once complete (slated for spring 2016), management of the new theater has been entrusted to Salt Lake County's Center for the Arts (CFA), the longtime operator of other CFA facilities, including Ahravanel Hall, the Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center and the Capitol Theatre.

"From the beginning, we've wanted to ensure that the exciting new programming offered at the new theater enhances the great event schedules at the other performing arts facilities found in downtown Salt Lake City, and CFA is uniquely positioned to play that role," says Art Raymond, deputy director of communications for Mayor Ralph Becker.

At first glance, the idea of a government entity overseeing arts organizations seems a bit oxymoronic. However, if you've ever visited any of the aforementioned venues, you know that the experience offered at each is far from institutional. The legacy organizations housed in CFA umbrella theaters--Ballet West and the Utah Opera at the Capitol Theatre; the Utah Symphony at Ahravanel Hall; and Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company, Repertory Dance Theatre, the Gina Bachauer International Piano Foundation, Pygmalion Theater Company, SB Dance and Plan-B Theater Company at the Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center--have not only thrived under CFA management and support, but were likely shielded from the effects of the recent economic downturn that shuttered many similar arts organizations elsewhere in the country.

"Managing these incredible arts facilities under one umbrella provides a level of thoughtful programming that lifts the whole. Our overarching goal with the addition of this new theater is that everyone will be successful," says Erin Litvack, Salt Lake County community services...