Tradition

When I was young, I was lucky enough to go see two theater productions at the Glendale Centre Theatre in Glendale, California, founded by Ruth and Nathan Hale. In this theater-in-the-round venue, I was able to watch the musicals Oliver and The King and I. I remember being absolutely fascinated by the theater-in-the-round concept, completely new to me at the time. I loved this cultural experience.

Glendale Centre Theatre:

When I moved to Utah, I was once more introduced to the Hale Family's genious at the Hale Center Theater in Orem (HCTO). One of my best friends, Kapri, was in some of the plays there: Camelot and A Christmas Carol come to mind. A few of my other of my friends were in several others: Pirates of Penzance, Man of La Mancha, A Christmas Carol, Beauty and the Beast, and She Loves Me.

Joseph and I went on our first "official" date to the HCTO to see Man of La Mancha, a favorite play of ours to this day. We went to see it again with my parents when they came to visit and meet Joseph for the first time.

Then, as one of the best, and most thoughtful, Christmas gifts either of us have ever received, my siblings gave us season tickets for the 2007 season at HCTO for Christmas 2006. They got us the tickets and offered free babysitting as well. What a marvelous present! Since then we have continued the tradition ourselves each season and they have continued to help babysit for our season tickets. This year, Jonathan and Amy have joined us in our play-attending dates.

This well-established tradition now consists of attending a Saturday Matinee showing of each play and then going out to dinner afterward, almost always to Bombay House in Provo. I am a fairly predictable person in many ways and I always order the garlic na'an and the Chicken Tikka Masala, without fail. I just adore the Chicken Tikka Masala and it is one of the only meals I order at a restaurant where I eat the leftovers (if there are any), and Joseph doesn't eat mine in addition to his own.

Last Saturday we saw Over the River and Through the Woods, the 150th production of the HCTO. We love it there and are grateful for Ruth and Nathan Hale's love of theater that they passed on to their children so that we continue to cherish this special tradition.