The Department of Theatre opens the 2017-18 season in full swing with Steel Pier, a crowd-pleasing musical that will have audiences toe-tapping from their seats. Set on the famous Steel Pier in Atlantic City, this energetic musical brings together an assortment of relentless souls, eager to dance their way into fame and prizes. Bill Kelly, an adventurous pilot, falls out of the sky and into the arms of Rita Racine, a dancer and the wife of evil Steel Pier manager Mick Hamilton. Entertainment and plenty of razzle-dazzle dancing ensue when Rita and Bill pair up for the marathon competition. Created by John Kander and Fred Ebb who wrote the music and lyrics to Chicago, Cabaret, and other Broadway classics, Steel Pier perfectly captures the vivacious rhythms of the 1930s-dance era.
Dancing competitions have made a big comeback, thanks to shows like ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ and ‘Dancing with the Stars.’ Department of Theatre Chair and Set Designer for this production Gage Williams, has designed a set that allows several audience members to sit onstage during the entire performance to experience the phenomenal music and infectious singing up-close.
"Steel Pier"
Directed and Choreographed by Musical Theatre Head Denny Berry.
Dates and Times: Sept. 15-17 and 21-23 at 7:30pm.
Matinees Sept. 16, 17, 23 and 24 at 2:00pm.Location: Marriott Center for Dance at the University of Utah is located at 330 South 1500 East.
Free parking is available to the south of the theatre and at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
Tickets: General Admission tickets are $18, University of Utah faculty and staff are $15, University of Utah students are free with UCard and all other students with valid student ID are $8.50.
Tickets can be obtained by calling 801-581-7100, online at tickets.utah.edu or at the Performing Arts Box Office, located at Kingsbury Hall.
Content warning: Recommended for patron ages 14 and up. Mature audiences only.
Curious about the rest of the 17-18 line up? Take a look at The Finer Points blog.
STEEL PIER parking instructions for Saturday, September 16
FOOTBALL GAME DAY 2:00 p.m. performance Parking will be available at the paid lot (06) outside the Marriott Center for Dance, and at the A lot (04) adjacent to the Marriott Center for Dance building.
*All visitors must be out of these lots by 5:00 p.m. 7:30 p.m. performance Parking will be available at lot 18 (red box).
Shuttles will be available to trans- port Steel Pier audience members from lot 18 to the Marriott Center for Dance building starting at 6:45 p.m.
We encourage patrons to use TRAX for both performances on September 16.
