IVINS UTAH, February 4, 2008 – The Board of Directors of the Tuacahn Center for the Arts is pleased to announce the creation of the Tuacahn Foundation.
Shandon D. Gubler, Chairman of Tuacahn’s Board of Directors, explains, “The Foundation’s mission is to establish a permanent fund to generate income in perpetuity to support Tuacahn’s annual performing arts program, and sustain Tuacahn as a world class facility.”
The Chairman of the new Tuacahn Foundation is Mike Scott. He lives in both Ivins and Seattle where he and his wife, Patty Dupre, have real estate investments and a private consulting and research firm. In the 29 years Patty and Mike have been in business together, they have advised numerous private, public, and non-profit clients on long-range planning for their business and real estate assets, often valued at over $100-million.
Avid hikers in Utah and throughout the Southwest since the late 1980’s, Patty and Mike first came to Southwest Utah in 2002. They immediately fell in love with the very canyon Tuacahn is nestled in, and built a home nearby. Every year they take friends and family to Tuacahn events. In early 2007 they became active supporters of Tuacahn.
Mike Scott speaks enthusiastically about how “Tuacahn is an amazing asset in this community. It was built completely from donations at a cost of more than $23-million a dozen years ago. It’s exciting to have such a tremendous foundation on which to build for the next fifty years.”
Scott adds, “Other arts organizations around the country would be envious at how much the local community supports Tuacahn. More than 80% of its $5 million annual operating budget comes from ticket sales. And local philanthropists make up most of the shortfall. The Foundation will move Tuacahn to the next stage of its life, by establishing a permanent fund to protect the asset we already have, and building a capital base to fulfill Tuacahn’s long term vision.”
Kevin Smith, Tuacahn’s CEO said, “This is an exciting time and opportunity for people in our community to participate in shaping Tuacahn’s future. We are one of only eight professional theatres across the country to get the rights to produce Les Miserables, which will be the anchor show for this year’s season. Our reputation has grown. The Tuacahn high school is flourishing. It’s a perfect time to take another step forward with the creation of the Foundation. There are currently seven Foundation Board members and we will be inviting more to join the board in February.”
In addition to Mike Scott, the other Foundation Board members are: Sue Cox, Patty Dupre, Eileen Sheridan, David Toth, Scott Raine and Hyrum Smith.
Sue Cox, a St. George native, has been a member of the Tuacahn Center’s Board of Directors for seven years and is an active supporter of the arts throughout the region. Dave Toth was co-founder of NetRatings, which he sold to Nielsen Media Research a few years ago. Now he and his wife Eileen Sheridan split their time between homes here and in California. Scott Raine, a former business consultant and marketing manager for United Airlines, is a member of the Tuacahn High School Board, PTA president for the school, and a long time supporter of Tuacahn’s concerts and productions. Hyrum Smith was involved in the creation of Tuacahn and was its major donor. He has been actively involved on the Board since it’s inception.
This year, Tuacahn will present 14 concerts including Kenny Loggins, The Beach Boys, Sheena Easton, David Cassidy, The Osmond Brothers, Colbie Caillat (“Bubbly”), and country star Deana Carter (“Strawberry Wine”). Tuacahn will also present 105 nights of Broadway musicals in it’s renowned Amphitheratre featuring Les Miserables, The Sound of Music, and Big River: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
In the indoor Hafen Theatre, Tuacahn will present 27 performances of Disney High School Musical as part its 2008 Summer Theatre Institute (STI). The Institute trains over 40 theatrical students in its 8-week program. “It’s sort of summer stock meets summer camp,” says Jan Hunsaker, the Institute’s Director. Jan Hunsaker is also the Performing Arts Director at the Tuacahn High School (THS) which now enrolls 250 students and produces the highest test scores in Southern Utah. THS’s college preparatory curriculum with a focus on the perfoming arts fits nicely with the professional theatre side of Tuacahn as motivated students have the opportunity to audition and participate in Tuacahn’s Broadway theatre season.
Tuacahn employs over 40 year-round employees and approximately 200 seasonal employees. Over one million patrons have enjoyed Tuacahn’s productions since its opening in 1995, and it is estimated that Tuacahn’s theatre season contributes over $20 million to the local economy. For more information about Tuacahn visit www.tuacahn.org or call 652-3300 or 1-800-746-9882.
