Pioneer Memorial Theatre, Salt Lake City

The Pioneer Theatre Company (PTC), located on the University of Utah campus, is Salt Lake City’s premier professional theatre and a distinguished part of Utah's cultural landscape. Founded in 1962, PTC is the only fully professional theatre in Salt Lake City, contracting actors and artists through unions like the Actors' Equity Association, Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, and United Scenic Artists. Its home, the Simmons Pioneer Memorial Theatre, was designed to echo the historic Salt Lake Theatre and was dedicated to a production of Hamlet on October 10, 1962.

Each year, PTC presents seven productions spanning September to May, showcasing a mix of musicals, dramas, and comedies. The company often features both in-state and out-of-state talent, and it’s well-known for creating its own sets and costumes on-site. A landmark moment for PTC came in 2007, when it became the first regional theatre to produce Les Misérables, delivering an astounding 82 sold-out shows. Beyond classics like Othello and Pride and Prejudice, PTC also premieres contemporary works and occasionally debuts Broadway tryouts, such as the 2022 world premiere of Shucked.

The Simmons Pioneer Memorial Theatre seats 932 in its main proscenium theatre, while the smaller Babcock Theatre below holds 350. The building also houses the Loge Art Gallery, which features art exhibits aligned with each season’s productions and includes rehearsal spaces and classrooms used by the University of Utah Department of Theatre.