By Lisa Larson
With the 30-year anniversary of Tuacahn in the rearview mirror, Tuacahn CEO Kevin Smith and his team are setting their sights on the future, celebrating all the great things that are yet to come for Tuacahn and its patrons.
Although some of the projects Smith is excited about can’t be discussed openly yet since they are still in the planning stages or waiting for approval, there is plenty that he is able to share that has him feeling enthusiastic about the future.
“It’s hard not to be excited when we’re kicking things off with such a fantastic season,” Smith said.
Although he is thrilled with the entirety of the lineup, including the ever-popular Grease and the chance for Tuacahn to produce the all-new Disney & Pixar’s Finding Nemo: a 70-minute Family Musical, he has a special place in his heart for Les Misérables.
“Les Mis is the quintessential musical with a meaningful message,” Smith said. “It’s one of those beloved pieces that really checks all the boxes and aligns perfectly with Tuacahn’s mission to edify and inspire the human spirit through professional world class family entertainment that matches the majesty of our canyon.”
Something new in this chapter of Tuacahn’s history is the addition of a January-March show in the Indoor Hafen Theatre. This year’s production, Million Dollar Quartet has been met with high praise from patrons, and it appears this extended season will continue in future.
“We can really say we have year-round theater happening with something going on every month of the year with this new format,” Smith said.
This scheduling structure essentially creates two separate seasons  — an indoor season featuring the Christmas musical and the January to March production, and an outdoor season showcasing three productions in the Outdoor Amphitheatre. The two seasons are linked by the spring and fall concert series and of course, Christmas in the Canyon and the Live Nativity rounding out the year.
“Don’t forget our Saturday Market that takes place every Saturday throughout the year,” Smith said. “It’s really become a staple as part of the community.”
That kind of community connection has been important to Smith since the early days of Tuacahn and is perhaps even more top of mind now that he’s added the title of Ivins City Mayor to his life.
“I think you can really feel the love Tuacahn has for the community, and that love rubs off on those who visit the area,” Smith said. “Tuacahn is certainly a main tourist attraction in Southern Utah, second only to Zion National Park in terms of the number of visitors we attract to Greater Zion. We are so grateful to be part of a community that supports the arts and theater.”
It’s a legacy that started at Tuacahn more than 30 years ago and is moving forward in a beautiful way as people return year after year, bringing others with them to experience all this majestic theater has to offer.
“We’ve had people who have been coming since the beginning, and they are bringing their children, who are then bringing their children and it continues in a wonderful chain leading to bright things in the future,” Smith said.