Paul Duerden, who has overseen Brigham Young University's multiple performing halls for 23 years, will take center stage as the new manager for Provo's soon-to-be-finished art house.
"This kind of position doesn't come open very often," Duerden said Tuesday. "But it was a really tough decision. I agonized over it for weeks."
Duerden, who will continue to teach at BYU, will take over May 15.
The theater will start hosting performances in late June, beginning with the Miss Provo contest.
On Tuesday, Provo Mayor Lewis Billings and the city's Arts Council announced a door-to-door fundraising drive aimed at generating the last $710,000 needed for the $8.5 million center.
A tour of the under-construction building revealed a cozy 670-seat theater, where every seat is within 60 feet of the stage.
Provo Arts Council Executive Director Kathryn Allen announced Tuesday the following groups will call the center home: the Utah Valley Symphony, the Utah Regional Ballet, the Wasatch Chorale and the Utah Lyric Opera.
More than 100 nights already are booked for shows, with country artist Neal McCoy kicking off the first official performance Aug. 7.
"The goal is to have 138 nights booked every single year," Allen said. "We're going to raise the roof."
December 2007 and December 2008 already are booked solid.
Other scheduled performances include Alley Cats, the Alison Brown Quartet, comedian Tim Behrens and the Utah Regional Ballet's "Nutcracker."
Billings said the theater is a catalyst for investment and redevelopment in Provo's downtown and predicted other major projects would be announced in the next six months.
"The potential is here, the excitement is here," Duerden said. "I have seen a lot of facilities and this is a nice facility. The community is going to be wowed when they actually come inside."
