Updated

Updated · The New York Times · Aug 18

Tuacahn's Les Misérables Becomes Top-Grossing Show in 31 Years as Theaters Seek Ticket Lifeline

Updated

Updated · The New York Times · Aug 18

Tuacahn's Les Misérables Becomes Top-Grossing Show in 31 Years as Theaters Seek Ticket Lifeline

1 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Aug 18

Tuacahn Center for the Arts' 2026 production of “Les Misérables” is on track to become the highest-grossing show in the Utah theater’s 31-year history.
A recent 102-degree day still drew 2,300 attendees, underscoring demand for the outdoor staging, which starts at 8:45 p.m. and uses large-scale effects including live animals and blank-firing guns.
The show’s success comes as “Les Misérables” productions spread across North America after a long-running tour ended, freeing the title for wider licensing.
Regional theaters are turning to proven crowd-pullers like “Les Misérables” because many are under financial strain, making blockbuster musicals a rare revenue lifeline.

Sources

Can a 102-degree desert canyon actually be the perfect backdrop to revive a classic musical and save struggling regional theaters?

Will relying on proven blockbusters like Les Misérables rescue financially strapped theaters, or eventually stifle the creation of new art?

How do performers survive wearing heavy costumes and breaking rocks in 102-degree heat for a record-breaking outdoor spectacle?

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