Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre

What Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre does

Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre (UFOMT) is a 501(c)-style nonprofit professional opera and musical theatre company headquartered in Logan, Utah, that produces a five-week summer festival of more than 100 events, including four mainstage productions and ancillary programming such as a late-night cabaret series, silent film screenings, and youth-oriented shows. The company operates from three owned or co-managed facilities: the 1,100-seat Ellen Eccles Theatre, the restored 315-seat Utah Theatre (in partnership with the Cache Valley Center for the Arts), and the 45,000-square-foot Dansante Building, which houses administrative and box office functions. The production operation draws on a library of more than 30 theatrical sets and a recurring professional creative team led by Founding General Director Michael Ballam.

The company's business model combines earned revenue with philanthropic support. Ticket sales cover approximately one-third of operating costs, with ticket pricing structured across tiers (e.g., $15 late-night cabaret, $10 silent film screenings, $20/$5 youth shows, $100 Academy Pass, $10 individual Academy classes). The remaining two-thirds of operating costs are funded through donations, foundation grants, state appropriations, and ancillary revenue streams including seat sponsorships, playbill advertising (distributed to 25,000+ annual attendees), and commercial set rentals (~ $13,700 per package) to other producing organizations. Major institutional supporters include the Larry H. & Gail Miller Family Foundation, the Eccles Foundation, the Schellkopf fund, and the State of Utah.

Beyond mainstage performances, UFOMT runs an integrated education and outreach program. Opera by Children, launched in 1997, embeds the company in Utah K-12 schools; the Utah Festival Academy offers paid classes year-round; the Utah High School Musical Theatre Awards (UHSMTA) recognize student work; and the POPS program is delivered in partnership with the Utah State Board of Education. Together these programs serve students, teachers, and general arts patrons across the state, anchoring UFOMT's dual mission of professional production and arts education.

Name

Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre

Legal name

Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre

Website

https://utahfestival.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre is a nonprofit professional opera and musical theatre company in Logan, Utah, producing a five-week festival of 100+ events across the 1,100-seat Ellen Eccles Theatre and the restored 315-seat Utah Theatre, serving general arts patrons and statewide K-12 students through mainstage productions and education programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts - Opera and Musical Theatre

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110), Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111), Performing Arts Companies (7111), Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Performing Arts Centers & Presenters (Programming/Booking) (MPAGABAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Musical Theatre (Non-Broadway/Fringe) (MPAGABAG), Theater & Performing Arts Venue Operations (Playhouses, Opera Houses) (MPAGALAB)

Keywords

• Live performing arts
• Opera productions
• Musical theatre
• Arts education
• Historic venue operations

Headquarters

HQ city

Logan

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Ticket revenue from opera and musical theatre performances at multiple venues
2. Donations and Philanthropy: Tax-deductible donations from patrons covering approximately two-thirds of operating costs, with ticket income covering only one-third
3. Set Rentals: Rental of theatrical sets (30+ available) to other organizations for $13,700 total package
4. Playbill Advertising: Advertising space sold in season playbill reaching over 25,000 ticket holders annually
5. Seat Sponsorship: Seat sponsorship program for Utah Theatre restoration with permanent naming recognition

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre produces and presents professional grand opera and musical theatre productions during an annual five-week summer festival in Logan, Utah, drawing over 25,000 ticket-holders annually. The core offering is the mainstage season of four productions across the Ellen Eccles Theatre (1,100 seats) and the Utah Theatre (315 seats), supported by ancillary programs including Academy classes, Late Night Cabaret, Charlie Chaplin silent film screenings with live organ accompaniment, and the K-12 Opera by Children statewide education program.

Product overview

Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre operates as a unified performing arts festival offering a mainstage season of professional opera and musical theatre productions, complemented by educational programs, special events, and ancillary services. The core offering consists of mainstage productions at the Ellen Eccles Theatre and Utah Theatre venues. Supporting offerings include the Utah Festival Academy (educational seminars and workshops), Opera by Children (K-12 statewide program), Utah High School Musical Theatre Awards, Late Night Cabaret variety shows, the Charlie Chaplin Silent Film Series with Mighty Wurlitzer accompaniment, Set Rentals program, and youth programming including Dr. Seuss's The Cat in the Hat. The organization also maintains the Utah Festival Conservatory of the Performing Arts for ongoing arts education and training.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Opera by Children: A statewide K-12 program engaging students in creating original operas and songs, established in 1997.
• Utah Festival Academy

Products and services

• Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre Mainstage Productions Professional opera and musical theatre productions performed during the annual festival season at the Ellen Eccles Theatre and Utah Theatre, featuring classical works and contemporary musicals.
• Utah Festival Academy Classes Educational seminars and workshops taught by industry professionals, including Director Series, music history, costume design, and acting workshops offered during the festival season, available individually or via the $100 Academy Pass.
• Late Night Cabaret Late-night variety show featuring festival performers at Cafe Sabor, offering food and beverage alongside performances at $15 per person.
• Charlie Chaplin Silent Film Series Classic silent film screenings featuring Charlie Chaplin movies with live Mighty Wurlitzer Organ accompaniment at the Utah Theatre, $10 per screening.
• Opera by Children Statewide K-12 arts education program engaging students in creating original operas and songs, with free services provided to Utah public and charter schools through professional arts mentors and POPS funding.
• Utah High School Musical Theatre Awards Recognition program for high school musical theatre students, featuring competitions and performances.
• Set Rentals Rental program offering over 30 theatrical sets available for rental to other organizations, including sets for productions like Annie Get Your Gun, Carmen, La Boheme, and Les Misrables, packaged at $13,700 total.
• Utah Festival Conservatory of the Performing Arts Performing arts conservatory housed at the Utah Theatre, providing training and education in music, theatre, and dance.
• Youth Show - Dr. Seuss's The Cat in the Hat Youth-oriented theatrical productions offering family-friendly programming at reduced ticket prices (Adults $20, Children $5).

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Utah State Board of Education (POPS Program)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1997Professional Outreach Program in the Schools (POPS) provides funding and oversight for the Opera by Children program, enabling free services for Utah public schools.
• City of LogancoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1988The City of Logan owns the Ellen Eccles Theatre, which was donated by Eugene Needham after Michael Ballam led the effort to save it from demolition. Ballam spearheaded the $6.5 million fund-raising effort for restoration.
• Cache Valley Center for the ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndependent nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that manages and operates the Ellen Eccles Theatre on behalf of the City of Logan.
• Cache Valley Visitors BureauminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership for cross-promotion with local tourism and hospitality recommendations for festival attendees.
• La Quinta Inn & Suites (Logan)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor hotel offering discounted accommodations for festival patrons.
• Holiday Inn Express & Suites (Logan)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor hotel offering discounted accommodations for festival patrons.
• Utah State University, Caine College of the ArtsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partnership providing additional performance and practice space at Utah Theatre for students.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Santa Fe Opera: Santa Fe Opera operates one of America's premier summer opera festivals in New Mexico, presenting multiple productions per season with internationally recognized artists. It is the closest direct peer to UFOMT in terms of summer-festival opera model, regional geography, and reliance on tourism, and serves as a useful scale and programming comparison.
• Skylight Music Theatre: Skylight Music Theatre is a Milwaukee-based opera and musical theatre company producing a multi-show season with both classic and contemporary works. Comparable to UFOMT in producing both opera and musical theatre under a single presenting organization rather than separating the genres.
• Des Moines Metro Opera: Des Moines Metro Opera presents a summer festival of multiple opera productions in Iowa, combining mainstage opera with educational outreach programs. It closely parallels UFOMT's combination of summer festival performances and statewide K-12 arts education programming.
• Wolf Trap Opera: Wolf Trap Opera is a summer opera training and performance program at the Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts in Virginia. Comparable to UFOMT's festival timing, artist-development focus, and presenting model at a multi-venue performing arts campus.
• Central City Opera: Central City Opera is a summer festival opera company in Colorado's mountain region, producing multiple operas per season in a historic mountain venue. Comparable to UFOMT in festival timing, rural/historic-venue setting, and small-staff regional opera operations.
• Opera Theatre of Saint Louis: Opera Theatre of Saint Louis produces a spring opera festival presenting multiple works in rotating repertory each season. Comparable to UFOMT in festival-style production of multiple operas per season and commitment to emerging artist development.
• Glimmerglass Festival: Glimmerglass Festival is a summer opera and musical theatre festival in Cooperstown, New York producing multiple productions per season in a small-town setting. It mirrors UFOMT's rural-located festival model, multi-production summer season, and mix of opera with musical theatre repertoire.
• Chautauqua Opera: Chautauqua Opera is a summer opera program at the Chautauqua Institution in western New York, presenting mainstage productions alongside educational programming. Mirrors UFOMT in summer-festival timing, mixed opera/musical theatre programming, and integrated arts-education offerings.

Emerging players

• Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival: Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival operates a summer repertory festival presenting multiple productions each season in a rural/upstate New York setting. Comparable to UFOMT in summer-festival timing, regional draw, and reliance on tourism partnerships and donor support.

Regional players

• Utah Shakespeare Festival: Utah Shakespeare Festival is a summer repertory theatre festival in Cedar City, Utah, presenting multiple productions each season. It is a regional peer operating a multi-production summer festival model in the same state, competing for similar arts-tourism and donor dollars.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/utahfestival
• Facebookfacebook.com/utahfestivalopera

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre