Fall is traditionally the time for a return to the theater, from Abravanel Hall to Rose Wagner, the arts are in full swing. Of course, venues will have the safety of their patrons at the top of their minds, so expect masks, distancing, vaccination cards, and check with presenters for updates. Following is a roundup of the shows, concerts and performances going on in THE BLOCKS now through the end of 2021 and beyond.  

Abravanel Hall

The Utah Symphony’s, busy fall performance schedule at Abravanel includes: Star Wars: The Return of the Jedi Films in Concert, September 9 & 10; Hilary Hahn Plays Brahms, September 16 & 17; Theirry Fischer Conducts Stravinsky & Rachmaninoff, September 24 & 25; Enrique Mazzola Conducts Brahms 4, Verdi & Rota, October 21, 22 & 23; Back to the Future Films in Concert, October 29 & 30; Salute to Youth, November 2; Stephen Hough Plays Brahms’ Piano Concert No. 1, November 5 & 6; and Pink Martini performs with the Symphony, November 12 & 13. Shiyeon Sung m

akes her conductorial debut with the Utah Symphony in a concert featuring Tchaikovsky 4, Arlene Sierra & Prokofiev, November 19 & 20;  the popular Messiah Sing-In returns to Abravanel Hall on November 27 & 28; Inmo Ynag plays Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto, December 3 & 4; Celtic Woman performs holiday songs with the Symphony, December 7; Ingrid Fliter Plays Chopin’s Concerto No. 2 with the Symphony, December 10 & 11; Utah Symphony’s Holiday Pops Concert starring Jodi Benson will be held December 17 & 18; the annual Here’s Comes Santa Claus concert is scheduled for December 18; and Home Alone Films in Concert will play December 21 & 22. Non-Utah Symphony performances and events at Abravanel Theatre this fall include Nathan Pacheco with the American Heritage Lyceum Philharmonic Orchestra, November 23. Tickets to all Abravanel Hall events can be purchased at saltlakecountyarts.org.  

Eccles Theatre

In celebration of its 10-year anniversary, Sting & Honey presents Waiting for Godot, September 10-25. Political comedian Bill Maher performs live at the Eccles on September 12. The Armchair Expert podcast will broadcast its Armchaired & Dangerous Live show at the Eccles on September 16. The Los Angeles Azules perform on September 30. The Grammy-award winning band, Little Big Town, will be in concert September 10 and 11. The Last Podcast on the Left performs a live, horror-themed show from the Eccles on September 25. Enjoy an evening of flamenco music and dance with Flamenco Fascinación and Los Angeles Azules on September 30. Contemporary Christian artist, Amy Grant, will deliver a concert on October 9. Comedian Tom Segura makes a stop in SLC on his I’m Coming Everywhere world tour on October 14. Broadway Across America presents Roots & Rhythm on November 5. Texas-based guitarists, Kithara Duo, will be in concert on November 6. Join one of America’s most beloved writers and comedians for An Evening with David Sedaris on November 17. Host and creator of the weekly comedy show, Patriot Act, Hasan Minhaj, visits the Eccles on November 19. The Pilar Pobil Legacy Foundation presents the Tablado Dance Company on November 19 & 20. Culinary extraordinaire Alton Brown performs his live show on November 20. The Cirque Musica Holiday Spectacular plays on November 21. GENTRI: The Gentleman Trio will perform their Finding Christmas show on November 26 & 27. Zions Bank/Broadway at the Eccles present the incomparable Mean Girls, November 30-December 5. Renowned singer/songwriter Gregory Alan Isokov performs on December 7. Mystery Science Theater’s Time Bubble Tour arrives at the Eccles on December 14. Mat and Savanna Shaw wrap up 2021 at the Eccles Theatre with Believe, a show centered around the hope and joy of the holidays, on December 18.  

Janet Quinney Lawson Capitol Theatre 

The Capitol Theatre is home to two of Utah’s most beloved performing arts organizations: Ballet West and Utah Opera. Ballet West’s 58th season kicks off on October 22-30 with Ben Stevenon’s Dracula and then continues with The Little Mermaid, November 5 & 6 (with a an all-Spanish-spoken show on 11/6); The Nutcracker, December 4-26; a double bill of Carmina Burana and Jerome Robbins’ Glass Pieces, April 1-9; Romeo & Juliet, February 11-19; and  Choreographic Fest V, May 11-15. The Utah Opera opens its 2021-22 season with Rossini’s The Barber of Seville, a funny and colorful production set in the 1980s, on October 9-17. Subsequent productions include Jonathan Dove and April De Angelis’ Flight, January 15-23; Puccini’s Tosca, March 12-20; and Gilbert & Sullivan’s Pirates of Penzance, May 7-15.   

Other scheduled Capitol Theatre performances include: Arturo Sandoval Quintet on September 10, multi-Grammy Award winning Jazz vocalist Cécile McLorin Salvant on September 25 and an Oscar Peterson Tribute on November 19, all presented by the GAM Foundation/Jazz SLC. The comedic and completely Spanish-speaking production, Knockout de Risas, will be held on September 18. The Center for Latter-day Saint Arts will bring more than 70 dancers of all ages to the Capitol Theatre stage for Vision, an “exploration of the human body as a source of creation, inspiration and revelation” on September 24. The outrageously funny drag queen, Bianca Del Rio, aka the Clown in a Gown, will have audiences eating out of the palm of her hand with her new one-woman show, Unsanitized, on September 26. Tickets to all Capitol Theatre performances can be purchased at saltlakecountyarts.org.    

Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center

Repertory Dance Theatre officially kicks off its 2021-22 season, appropriately dubbed “Homecoming” with North Star, on September 30 -October 2. Subsequent shows include Compass, November 18-20; Emerge, January 7-8; Regalia, March 5; and Six Songs From Ellis, April 21-23, 2022. Live and in-person performances of RDT’s monthly “wiggle-friendly” shows for children and families, aka Ring Around the Rose, return September 11 and continue October 9, November 13, December 11, January 8, February 12, March 12, April 9 and May 14.

Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company’s Total Eclipse runs September 16-18, along with Moving Parts, a family-and sensory-friendly performance on September 18. 1520 Arts presents They Reminisce on September 24. 

The Gina Bachauer International Piano Foundation presents Rite of Spring, somewhat ironically on October 8; a performance by its 2018 Bronze Medal Winner, Sergey Belyavsky, on November 12; acclaimed Taiwanese-pianist, Ching-Yung Hu, performs at all-Liszt concert on March 12; and Hsiang Tu performs a variety of pieces for piano inspired by animals. 

Plan-B Theatre presents Sleepy Hollow, a world premiere by Matthew Ivan Bennett, its annual co-production with Radio West, broadcast live on KUER October 29 at 11 a.m. and rebroadcast the same day at 7 p.m. Pygmalion Productions’ fall 2021-22 schedule includes Tragedy Averted, October 8-31; Bella Bella, February 11-26; and Body Awareness, May 6-21.

Other performances slated for The Rose include: Awkward Productions’ Bubbles the Clown – Unmasked and Unfiltered, on October 17. In the spirit of Halloween, Warehouse 5 Drum Theatre brings its Paranormal Percussion, on October 18. Nurse Blake, a comedic tribute to healthcare workers everywhere, on November 10.  

 Tickets to all events held at The Rose can be purchased at saltlakecountyarts.org.      

Close your eyes for a minute and picture your favorite café, where the sounds of grinding, tamping and the espresso machine's own natural music complement the background soundtrack. Your ears perk up to the barista who knows the simple power of a nice hello and takes the time to explain the characteristics of the house brew. It sends a message that coffee-making is handled with care here, one at a time, without the assembly-line approach. This is the scene that greets you at The People’s Coffee (221 E. Broadway Street).

Co-owners Omar Jamhour and Allen Salazar are in the business of blending beans and beats. By day, they whip up a mean cup of joe at The People’s Coffee. By night, they are Z & Z: a high-octane EDM (electronic dance music) DJ/producer duo, bridging the gap between multiple electronic music genres.

In 2015, a mutual friend (who happened to be the original owner of The People’s Coffee that Jamhour visited daily) introduced the two. Jamhour (a DJ) and Salazar (a DJ/producer) started working together and realized that when they blended their different styles of music, the fusion was electric. They integrate music influence from their Middle Eastern and Latin backgrounds to create a wide variety of genres and tempos, from dubstep to house to future bass.

Looking to find more time to focus on their music, they left their jobs and purchased The People’s Coffee. Salazar had worked in various coffee shops and Jamhour brought his experience in business to the table. Owning a coffee shop gave a way to make money and pursue their careers in the music business. Three years later, they are still going as strong as the dark roast coffee they brew and performing at Salt Lake’s biggest nightclubs and music festivals.

The People’s Coffee is literally all about people. They showcase businesses within the community. Local coffee roaster Caffe Ibis is the signature bean that your mocha, cold brew or latte is made of. If coffee is not on the agenda, fresh cold-pressed juices from the neighborhood Pulp Lifestyle Kitchen, Thai tea and rich hot cocoa quench the thirst of any guest.

Hungry? You will be when you see the variety of goodies behind the glass. Satisfy your sweet tooth with creations from Salt Lake’s own Fillings and Emulsions. Melt-in-your-mouth macarons are offered in a rainbow of colors and flavors, along with tarts, cakes and pastries. Want something more savory? The barista puts on another hat as a panini artist and crafts the perfect turkey or veggie sandwich.

Besides supporting local businesses, Jamhour and Salazar are all about showing off the artistic talent within the community. As you walk in, browse the west wall, which is peppered with artwork done by local artists, hoping to find a breakthrough. The shop gives a place to hang their art to be sold, without taking a penny of commission (which is practically unheard of at most coffee shops).

An open mic night is another way The People’s Coffee likes to reach out. As artists themselves, Salazar and Jamhour like to host budding musicians, comedians and poets and give them a taste of what live performance is all about, in a fun, judgment-free zone. Stop by on the second Saturday of the month and check out some local entertainment.

The music and coffee worlds collide at The People’s Coffee. As DJs, they spend their time reading the crowd on the dance floor and they do the same thing when people come into the shop. They try and understand what customers like and don't like, by watching their reactions. Being aware of the audience and staying true to their product is where Jamhour and Salazar excel.

Check them out!
221 E Broadway Street
Salt Lake City, Utah 84111
(801) 906-8761
https://www.facebook.com/thepeoplescoffee/

Stop me if you’ve heard this before – “But there’s no Jazz in Utah! They should give that name back to New Orleans.” For years, fans of our Utah Jazz basketball team have had to defend our squad’s name with little backup. Fortunately for basketball and music fans alike, this statement couldn’t be further from the truth. While we may not quite have the same jazz scene that New Orleans has, downtown Salt Lake City features world-class jazz talent in our bars and cultural venues on a weekly basis. Fans of our beloved basketball team can finally silence their critics thanks to several organizations and individuals working to showcase our rich local jazz scene.

Jazz at the Rabbit Hole 

Located in the basement of Lake Effect (155 W. 200 South), it’s all about the music with Jazz at the Rabbit Hole. Serving as Salt Lake’s only jazz listening room, talking is not permitted during performances. “Some people don’t quite get it yet but this is meant for listening to these fabulous jazz players,” says Kelly Salmans who was inspired to open a jazz listening room in Salt Lake after traveling to clubs in cities like New York and Chicago. Once you grab a cold drink and take a seat, you’re sure to appreciate the listening room format as you’ll have a courtside seat to some of the most talented jazz musicians in the country. 

Jazz at the Rabbit hole runs every Wednesday night from 7:30 - 10:30 p.m. and is free of charge! View upcoming performances by following Jazz at the Rabbit hole on facebook.

Excellence in the Community Concert Series

“Based on 40 years of attending jazz gigs and concerts, in my opinion, I have never heard better music anywhere,” says jazz musician and Excellence Concert goer Bert H. High praise from a former resident of notable jazz cities - New York and Paris. Excellence in the Community (excellenceconcerts.org) offers a variety of jazz genres from Latin to swing and bossa-nova to avant-garde and even big band dance nights in the summer. Hosted in the heart of downtown at the Gallivan Center (239 S. Main St), Excellence showcases Utah’s best musicians to the tune of 120 free jazz concerts in 2018 alone. 

JazzSLC & The GAM Foundation

What started simply as a fun idea between two friends in 1994, is now entering its 25th year of successful concerts. It’s safe to say that Gordon Hanks and Michael T. Mackay have helped put jazz music on the map in Salt Lake by featuring over 500 of the worlds finest jazz artists throughout the years. In addition to putting on killer shows throughout the year, JazzSLC/GAM have made it their mission to educate and advocate on behalf of jazz music by working with local schools and offering discounted tickets to students. 

Get your tickets to JazzSLC’s silver anniversary season at jazzslc.com

Now that we’ve successfully disproved the idea behind the lack of jazz music in SLC, I pose the question: How many lakes are there in Los Angeles? We should probably give that name back to Minnesota. 

Need More Jazz?!  

Jazz Vespers @ Gracies:
Find David Halliday and the Jazz Vespers Quartet every night at Gracie’s (326 S. West Temple) from 7 - 10 p.m.  

Utah Jazz & Roots Festival: 
Swing down to the Gallivan Center this September 5-7 for a free Jazz & Roots Festival featuring a blend of local and national acts.

What used to be an unassuming alley in the heart of downtown, home to little more than a few choice parking spots for moviegoers headed to nearby Broadway Centre Cinemas, today Edison Street is flush with some of Salt Lake’s hippest hangouts.

The street is anchored on the north end by Lebanese and Moroccan restaurant Cedars of Lebanon (152 E 200 S, cedarsoflebanonrestaurant.com)—make a reservation for the weekend when kebabs and couscous are served with a side of bellydancing—and on the south end by bar/restaurant Copper Common (111 E Broadway, Ste 190, coppercommon.com). Order a round of craft cocktails (just $6 each, Sunday through Thursday) from the knowledgeable mixologists and nosh on bar snacks and small plates like house pickles, deviled eggs, and shrimp ceviche.

Just around the corner from Cedars of Lebanon is Sailor Taylor Tattoo (215 S Edison St, sailortaylortatttoo.com), the one-man inkery and piercing parlor of artist Taylor Millet. Across the street is Edison’s newest addition: Campos Coffee Roastery &Kitchen (228 S Edison St, us.camposcoffee.com). The urban roaster and java shop is the second stateside outpost of the Australian-based Campos brand (the first landed up in Park City). Friendly waiters with Aussie accents serve breakfast and lunch fare with a dash of Down Under flare—think dippy eggs with toast soldiers, vegemite braised short ribs with tomato sauce—not to be confused with ketchup—and Tim Tam milkshakes. If dessert for breakfast is your thing, try the Australian Iced Coffee with housemade ice cream and whipped cream.

Neighboring Campos is Diabolical Records (238 S Edison St, diabolicalrecords.com). In a world where digital music is king and record stores are an endangered species, Diabolical is on the up and up thanks to their curated selection of indie music on vinyl and tape, free weekly concerts from local and touring bands, and their semi-annual Bandemonium event (July and December)—the willing are randomly paired with a local band and have two weeks to create a five- to 10-minute set, to be performed in the store. Next door to Diabolical is edgy advertising agency Super Top Secret (244 S Edison St, wearetopsecret.com). The speakeasy-like office space lends a dose of mystery and intrigue to the block, but one thing’s certain: the secret is out on the allure of Edison Street.

Something new has taken center stage downtown. In its first months of existence, the state-of-the-art Eccles Theater has already sold 320,000 tickets for shows ranging from The Lion King, Jay Leno and The Book of Mormon to David Sedaris, Bill Maher and Kenny Rogers. drawing people and business into the entire downtown district, attracting its audiences to explore the area, get to know it and stick around a while.

A hardworking catalyst.

“In our initial discussions, we expected a certain number of shows at the theater,” explains Steve Boulay, COO of MagicSpace Entertainment, the company that has partnered with the Eccles to present and produce the theater’s shows. “But in the first nine months of operations, the Eccles Theater has exceeded our hopes for programming, attendance and economic impact.” Performing arts often require an ongoing stream of donations and funding to get by—even in Utah, the state with the highest percentage of its population attending performing arts shows. “But the Eccles theater funds itself, full boat,” confirms Boulay.

Beyond funding itself, the theater is a “shot of caffeine that woke up our downtown,” says Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams. “When people saw the investment that was being made in that theater, others were willing to follow suit and make a similar investment with housing, restaurants and other businesses. It’s more than a cultural offering. It’s a catalyst, an economic driver.”  Ticket sales themselves have brought an off-the-charts $21.5 million in revenue, plus $1.3 million in sales tax revenue, plus millions more in local advertising dollars, and pay for stagehands, wardrobe staff and theater employees. The exact infusion of extra revenue into surrounding downtown businesses is tough to track, but local business owners confirm the difference is night and day. “You can just draw a straight line in our case, connecting show nights with the kind of business we do. It’s a direct correlation—we’re abnormally busy till curtain time, and then we resume regular business after that. We definitely feel the effects, in a positive way,” says Rich Parrent, owner and manager of Martine Café. “I actually put a calendar in the kitchen with every Eccles show on it, so we can staff accordingly.”

A fresh crowd comes for the shows—and strolls the streets.  

There aren’t just more people in dining booths and barstools downtown—there are new people. Fresh faces queuing up at the ticket office and strolling around with friends and family before and after each show. “An average of 50 percent of the audience in any given Eccles show is attending their first show there. That’s an incredible number of new patrons,” says Boulay.  The theater’s colorful mix of show types draw those who already self-identified as Broadway fans—as well as the fans of the musicians who perform there, the science enthusiasts who flock to see Neil deGrasse Tyson, the kids who come for Cinderella, the comedy lovers who come for an evening of standup.

To come to the Eccles, people don’t need to self-identify as “arts patrons.” They are families, people from the suburbs and people who drove half a day to come for a show. Mayor McAdams calls the Eccles a “gateway to the other arts offerings here in Utah. People who may not attend performances frequently might go to the Eccles and then try other venues. They might try the symphony, or go to Pioneer Theatre or Capitol Theatre.” When theatergoers come to a show, it sparks new ideas and an interest in coming back to downtown. They figure out parking, learn which TRAX line to take, try out a new restaurant, and notice businesses they may not have seen if they haven’t strolled the area in a while.

“It’s fun,” says Parrent. “A lot of new people are coming in to Martine, and with the theater, we’re getting people who may not have tried a downtown dining experience before. It’s a great thing to get new customers, and it’s even better to show newcomers what it’s like to enjoy an independent downtown restaurant.”

The Eccles takes a seat among its new community.

School-aged kids line up for matinee shows. Friends pose for photos in the theater lobby. Bartenders ask guests about the evening’s performance. Restaurant servers keep showtimes in mind when they bring a check to a table. Couples stroll to the City Creek Center fountain after a performance. The Eccles has found its place as a day-to-day figure amid downtown comings and goings. “Martine’s doing what we’ve always done before, but now that the Eccles is here, it’s become part of who we are,” says Parrent. “Being next door during the theater construction was really hard. But this is the payoff. This is what we waited for.”

The theater has just announced its Broadway shows for the upcoming year—with hotly anticipated heavyweights like Hamilton and Phantom of the Opera on the calendar. There’s already a waiting list for season tickets, which is something both theatergoers and businesses should smile about. It means Salt Lake has fully embraced its new performing-arts player. And the rising tide will lift every (show) boat with it.