Utah arts institutions draw audiences from across the state and around the globe, from red-rock amphitheaters in the southern desert to immersive productions staged in parking garages. Whether you’re after a crowd-pleasing musical, a world-class choir, or a new play that pushes boundaries, there’s a stage for you. Here’s a guide to the theaters, festivals, and companies leading the 2026/27 season, from the biggest names to some off-the-beaten-path favorites.
Powerhouse Institutions
HALE CENTER THEATRE: With its season running from January through December, HCT is known for presenting multiple crowd-pleasing shows at once. It is the highest-attended theater in Utah.
TABERNACLE CHOIR: This institutional anchor draws tourists from around the globe with its weekly broadcasts — open to live audiences each Sunday morning — at the Tabernacle in downtown SLC. The performing group has the greatest global reach in Utah by far. The annual three-evening Christmas concert at the nearby Conference Center sells out each year. That’s 21,000 people in one of the largest theater-style auditoriums in the world.
TUACAHN: Just outside of St. George, Tuacahn’s red-rock outdoor theater draws huge crowds and lots of tourists with its summer/fall theater season.
SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL: In Cedar City, USF is a “destination theater,” drawing hundreds of thousands of attendees during its summer/fall season.
UTAH FESTIVAL OPERA: The summer-long festival in Cache Valley mixes opera, musical theater, and concerts
Off the Beaten Path Faves
SALT LAKE ACTING COMPANY: Though it’s not totally underground, this theater company focuses on new work and provocative plays. Prepare to laugh — they go big on satire.
ODYSSEY DANCE COMPANY: This theatrical dance company is a Utah favorite that blends genres.
PLAN-B THEATRE COMPANY: This theater group showcases new plays by local writers with Utah-specific storytelling.
SONDERIMMERSIVE: With site-specific, immersive environments like restaurants and parking garages, you don’t sit and watch — you navigate the story as if you’re inside it.
Discover what Utah’s leading arts institutions have prepared for the 2026/27 season, here!
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