In 1994 he and his wife, Sandy, opened the doors of The Off Broadway Theatre to showcase original parodies such as last month's "It's a Wonderous Life."

"We write the shows, direct them, make costumes and sets. It's a labor of love," Jensen says.

His career in theater began shortly after graduating from the University of Utah. He worked at The Desert Star Playhouse, and before long he was writing comedies for them and also working at the Hale Centre Theatre, where he created sets, directed, and taught acting.

After working in the field for a while, "I wanted to raise a family, be an actor and figure out a way to make a living and still be able to entertain," Jensen says.

This led to the opening of his theater, but he says it couldn't have happened without Sandy. "Fortunately, I married a woman who is really business-savvy," he says.

One huge responsibility of owning a theater is having to know a little bit about everything, from set design and lighting to costumes.

"Luckily, when I went to the University of Utah, you had to learn about all of it," he says.

One of the biggest aims at the Jensens' theater is to appeal to all ages.

"We're trying to get grandparents to bond with grandkids. I did want to make it something that my 8-year-old could watch," Jensen says.

The shows are packed with humor to appeal to everyone. For example, their most recent production, "It's a Wonderous Life," uses a sight gag of an overweight man whose silhouette becomes a curvy woman when he steps behind a screen.

"Even 2- to 4-year-old kids will understand what's going on," Jensen says.

The effort to appeal to kids shines through.

"We occasionally have a child or two who want to come here from Make-A-Wish Foundation. They love the magic that they see, they love that we transport them to another time," Jensen says.

In addition to the shows, Off Broadway Theatre hosts the improvisation troupe Laughing Stock and offers acting classes for children through a nonprofit organization called "Acting-Up," which offers affordable lessons to any child who wants to learn.

"Come here, laugh and go home happy," Jensen says.

The Off Broadway Theatre is at 272 S. Main and shows cost $9 for adults, $7 for students and $6 for kids.