A 17-year-old heroine who spins light and chases after her lost muse takes center stage Thursday night as the original musical Whimsy! makes its world premiere at Heber City's historic Ideal Playhouse. The show kicks off with a red-carpet celebration before settling into a run of performances stretching from October 15 through October 24, built entirely around local talent, local tax dollars, and a 1918 Main Street theater brought back to life.
A Story of Courage, Love and Imagination
According to the Park Record, Whimsy! follows its young heroine as she encounters memorable characters, unexpected adventures, and her coach, Aunt Hattie, while searching for family and her lost creative spark. Playwright Susette Gertsch, a local writer and artist, described the production as a story celebrating courage, love and imagination, and said she wants the show to be accessible and free of charge for young people, per the same report. The musical is presented by Art Around the Square, a nonprofit arts organization, and features local performers of all ages alongside music, dance, colorful costumes, imaginative staging and special effects.
Open auditions accepted video submissions through August 19 and recruited both performers and paid production team members and volunteers from across the Wasatch Valley, as detailed by Heber Valley Life.
Retired Theater Director Steps In To Guide Cast
Laurie Turnblom, the retired director of the Wasatch High School Theatre Department, is the production's director, Heber Valley Life reports. Performances run 7 p.m. evenings with 2 p.m. Saturday matinees, and organizers are encouraging themed attire, though it remains optional at every show. Masks and scary or gory costumes are not permitted. Tickets, including special promotions for children, families and youth subject to seat availability, are available at whimsymusical.com.
Inside the Restored 1918 Ideal Playhouse
The venue itself carries its own history. The Ideal Playhouse originally opened on Main Street in Heber City in 1918 and underwent a major renovation completed in May 2024 under new owners Steve and Karyn Anderson, who reconfigured the space to accommodate live theater and multi-use community events, according to KPCW. That renovation removed front-row seating to build a live performance stage and added upgraded audio and lighting systems. The 215-seat venue, converted from a former cinema space into what is now a high-tech live stage facility, incorporates a large LED screen into its design, which Whimsy! uses to project background visuals and assist with imaginative staging, per Heber Valley Life's reporting.
The Andersons' investment extends beyond the Ideal Playhouse. They also acquired and operate the nearby historic Avon Theater; KPCW reported that they planned to take over an adjacent sweet shop at the end of June, part of a broader effort to preserve multiple historic downtown properties as community entertainment venues along Heber City's Main Street corridor, KPCW notes.
Sales Tax Dollars Fund the Arts
Production funding for Whimsy! includes Heber City and Wasatch County TAP tax revenues alongside support from Art Around the Square, community sponsors and donors, per the Park Record. That funding traces back to a 2022 vote: Wasatch County residents approved the local Trails, Arts, and Parks tax through a 0.1% sales tax increase, levying one cent per ten dollars spent countywide, with the revenue beginning to fund local cultural and recreational initiatives in 2024, according to Wasatch County.
Art Around the Square received an $11,195 TAP tax grant from the county in June 2024, part of an inaugural funding cycle in which the Wasatch County Council awarded more than $285,000 across 13 community projects. The program has since grown: in April 2026, the county awarded $212,000 in TAP tax grants across 18 community projects, with revenue divided among Wasatch County, Heber City and Midway City, according to KPCW's reporting.
The Ideal Playhouse is located at 113 North Main Street in Heber City. Whimsy! runs October 15 through 17 and October 22 through 24, with tickets available at whimsymusical.com.
