🎭 Upcoming Plays & Musicals in Salt Lake, Utah County, Ogden & Park City

🎭 Your First Show: A Beginner's Guide to Wasatch Front Theatre

Never been to a play or musical, or not since the school field trip? Here's everything you need to know before the lights go down.

1. Know What You're Buying

A musical tells its story through songs as well as dialogue, often with dancing. A play is all spoken dialogue, no songs. Musicals are usually the easier first pick, especially with kids. Look for a 🎄 on our listings for holiday shows.

2. Pick Your Kind of Night

• The big night out. A national Broadway tour at the Eccles Theater in downtown Salt Lake. These shows stay only a week or two, so buy early.
• The family classic. Hale Centre Theatre in Sandy or The Ruth in Pleasant Grove. Polished, family-friendly productions, and at Hale's Centre Stage the audience sits on all sides of the action.
• The fun-and-cheap date. Desert Star Playhouse in Murray. Musical parodies, a villain you're supposed to boo, and food served at your table.
• Something new. Salt Lake Acting Company or Plan-B Theatre, for new plays you can't see anywhere else.
• Close to home. Community theatres in Draper, Magna, West Valley, Centerville, Kaysville and Ogden. Great shows, lower prices and short drives.

3. Buy From the Source

Buy tickets from the theatre's own website or box office. Resale sites can charge several times face value. We've seen resale seats listed for hundreds of dollars for shows whose tickets start around $30 at the box office.

4. Don't Worry About the Seat

Most local theatres are small enough that there isn't a bad seat. In a theatre in the round, every row is close to the action.

5. No Dress Code

Wear what's comfortable. You'll see everything from jeans to date-night outfits. Skip the hat, since it blocks the view behind you.

6. Get There Early

Plan to arrive 20–30 minutes before curtain. Parking downtown takes time, and some theatres won't seat latecomers until a break in the show, or at all.

7. Know the House Rules

Phones off, no photos or video, and save the snacks and conversation for intermission. Most longer shows have one break of about 15 minutes. That's your time for the restroom and refreshments.

8. Check the Age Guidelines

Many theatres require a ticket for every person, babies included, and some set a minimum age. Check before you bring little ones, and look for matinees and kids' shows built for short attention spans.

Ready to pick a show? Broadway at the Eccles | Salt Lake Valley | Utah County, Ogden & Park City