USA - The Ruth and Nathan Hale Theatre, also known as The Ruth at dōTERRA, opened its doors on 4 January 2025, and is already making a name for itself as a premier performing arts venue. A culmination of years of planning, the new venue in Pleasant Grove, Utah is equipped with Elation’s latest lighting technology.
The venue houses two theatres, the 670-seat Scott and Karen Smith Grand Theatre and the intimate 300-seat Lindsay Legacy Theatre. Elation lighting graces both theatres, including 40 Artiste Monet luminaires and 88 KL Profile FC fixtures, supplied by Barbizon Light of the Rockies, and 103 Fuze Pendant Compact fixtures, sold by Elation dealer Brio Technologies. Michael Gray, head of lighting at The Ruth, specified fixture types and quantities.
The theatre operated for 35 years as the Hale Center Theatre Orem, a small semi-professional theatre-in-the-round with a 300-seat capacity. Over the years, it built a devoted audience and searched for a larger venue to accommodate its growing patron base. dōTERRA, a local company in Pleasant Grove, generously donated land and funding, enabling the theatre to construct a new facility on the dōTERRA campus.
In November 2022, construction commenced, and after a swift two-year build, the stunning Ruth and Nathan Hale Theatre was completed. Besides the two theatres, the facility also houses an education centre, multiple studios, a ballroom, a VIP lounge, and administrative and support spaces.
Troy Anderson, director of operations at The Ruth, served as project manager, working with architects Method Studio and contractors to realise the space. The Shalleck Collaborative served as the theatrical consultants. Anderson also led the technical aspects of the project, including the execution of the lighting installation. His collaboration with Barbizon, Brio Technologies, and Elation representatives William Irwin and Nick Saiki helped bring the vision to life.
The Ruth’s lighting system was designed to meet the high demands of a bustling theatre that hosts performances six days a week. The journey to choosing Elation fixtures was not immediate, however. A previous lighting specification was evaluated by Brio Technologies, an Elation dealer with whom Anderson has worked for over 20 years. “When their proposal came in, the price point was quite significant compared to the original specification, which led to a closer evaluation of Elation,” Anderson stated. An initial shootout was then conducted with several Elation products, but no firm decision was made.
The theatre aimed to evaluate various manufacturers, and Gray organised a more comprehensive and in-depth comparison with Elation and other manufacturers. The second shootout was conducted at a sister theatre in West Valley, Utah, which allowed the technical team to compare moving lights and ellipsoidal-type fixtures in a real-world setting.
“We knew we needed a lighting system that could handle the complexity of our productions and provide a wide range of flexibility,” Anderson says. “At the end of the day, the Artiste Monet won us over with its good price-performance ratio. Its versatility allows us to use it as a followspot, a static washlight, a moving head, or an effects light, all in the same production. It’s really something special to see how creative our lighting programmer can get with them.”
Elation’s KL Profile FC, a full-spectrum ellipsoidal with integrated zoom, also played a critical role in the decision-making process. “The adjustable lensing and the range of features that come with the KL Profile were key in its choice,” says Anderson. Both fixtures were earmarked for use in the Smith Grand Theatre.
The Fuze Pendant Compact was selected as the house light for both the Grand Theatre and the Lindsay Legacy Theatre.
At the heart of The Ruth is the Scott and Karen Smith Grand Theatre, a 10,000sq.ft space with a proscenium thrust that has the added flexibility to be adapted to a full theatre-in-round, accommodating an additional 100 seats. The Lindsay Legacy Theatre is designed to mimic the original intimate venue that its patrons have loved for three decades.
While most of the Artiste Monet and KL Profile fixtures are used in the Smith Grand Theatre, which features a nearly 100% Elation rig, in the Lindsay Theatre most of the lighting was repurposed from the original Orem facility and supplemented with the Fuze Pendant house lights and a few of the Artiste Monets and KL Profiles.
The Ruth installed the Elation lights themselves, completing the setup just before Ragtime, the first play in the Smith Grand Theatre, opened on 20 December. The theatres maintain a packed schedule, with performances running Monday through Saturday and up to four shows staged daily. Cinderella played in the Lindsay Legacy until 3 May, while Jersey Boys opened on 28 March in the Smith Grand Theatre.
Anderson concludes with a word of praise for the Elation team. “They were fantastic to work with and bent over backward to help make the project a success. Nick Saiki’s technical and artistic expertise were especially helpful, and William Irwin’s support throughout was instrumental. They make a great team.”
