Tribune Close-up Story.

Steve Koecher, close-up correspondent for the Salt Lake Tribune did a story on the Empress Theatre headlined, "50 years in the making: Historic Empress Theater was reborn after 50 years." Story ran in the May 1. 2008 Tribune. (Quick, somebody get a copy of the print version and cut it out for the scrap book archives.)

The story has a couple of inaccuracies:

• OHPAA has not purchased the Empress Theatre building from Leo Ware's estate yet. We've paid an $8,000 premium to secure an option to purchase the building, but we need to raise an additional $12,000 to complete the $20,000 down payment. The purchase price for the building is $240,000. Donations are welcome and encouraged!


• Leo Ware purchased the building in 1987, not 1983, and Leo worked until about 2004. Stephen Barker purchased it and the Gem in 1983.


• It would be really wonderful if "Since opening day, the theater has sold out most of its shows" but it just isn't so. Maybe in the future... Nah, we start selling out most of the shows, we'll put on more performances.

One thing he did get absolutely right, "It took a miracle for The Historic Empress Theater in Magna to reopen, luckily it got several." And I don't think they've stopped yet.

The photo is of Nolan Mitchell, as the Seargeant Major, from the 2007 production of Pirates of Penzance and accompanied the Tribune story. It was taken by Erica Jones.