Hale Center begins construction on 'The Ruth' in Pleasant Grove
The Hale Center Theater has announced plans to move its Orem theater to a new location in Pleasant Grove on the campus of multilevel marketing company doTerra. The theater company held a groundbreaking ceremony at the site last week.
In collaboration with the Cook Center for Human Connection and the City of Pleasant Grove, doTerra has donated $5 million and provided the land that will allow the theater to begin construction of its new performing arts facility. As part of the relocation to Pleasant Grove, the Hale Center Theater Orem will be formally renamed “The Ruth and Nathan Hale Theater” and will be less formally known as “The Ruth,” in honor of the founders.
“Our excitement is only exceeded by our gratitude to Greg and Julie Cook, doTerra, Pleasant Grove City and other generous donors who have brought this project to life and started us on a path to the future,” said Cody Swenson, executive director and co-founder of the Hale Center Foundation for the Arts and Education. “We wouldn’t be here without the millions of theater lovers who have bought tickets, performed in shows and taken lessons. There is no limit to the magic and storytelling that will fill this new beautiful facility that we affectionately call ‘The Ruth.’”
“At the end of the day, this project is about connection and community,” said Gregory Cook, doTerra founding executive and chairman of the board. “When we all come together for a storytelling experience, we all feel better. As a health and wellness company, we at doTerra are excited for the human connection and emotional wellness The Ruth will bring to our community, and we invite our friends in the business community to join us in supporting what will surely be a remarkable and essential asset to Utah County.”
“We’ve been planning and anticipating this day for many months now and we couldn’t be more thrilled to see this project come to fruition,” said Pleasant Grove Mayor Guy Fugal. “This building will be a crown jewel in Pleasant Grove and a wonderful asset for families in our city for years to come.”
Hale Center Theater said construction was scheduled to begin following the groundbreaking, with opening planned for the 2024 season.
Design of the facility is under the direction of Method Studio of Salt Lake City.
The new theater will feature two stages. The main proscenium thrust theater will seat approximately 670 and have the option of being a complete theater-in-the-round. The second smaller flex theater will have configurable seating for around 250, depending on the configuration.
The theater facility will house the Hale Academy for the Performing Arts, which is the education division of the Hale Foundation. The education wing will house multiple classrooms and vocal studios, as well as a dedicated recital hall for students to showcase what they have learned. Youth productions will be presented in the smaller flex-space theater.
The facility will feature a large event space as well as an intimate lounge to give opportunities to businesses and groups to have pre-show dinners at the theater.