What we are…
Backstage Utah is a site that believes in and actively supports the art of theatre in all its forms, and seeks to elevate this art in all aspects and at all levels. We strive to work as a community to give Utah theatrical artists an online haven where they can communicate and connect with like-minded individuals who share their passion for the theatrical arts, and provide to this community a resource to help them improve, participate in, and practice this art.
What we are not…
- We are NOT affiliated with any Utah theatre companies, venues or businesses.
- We are NOT affiliated with any other Utah theatrical websites such as NowPlayingUtah.com or UtahTheatreBloggers.com.
- We are NOT members of, nor affiliated with the Utah Arts Council.
- We are NOT affiliated with Backstage.com, nor did we provide them with your name and email address so they could spam you.
(we do, however, actively support all listed above in their efforts to elevate the theatrical arts!) - We are NOT responsible for the casting decisions of any theatrical company, a point of contact for a local production, nor are we responsible for the content of our advertisers’ sites.
- We are NOT Backstage Dancewear and Cheer, which is a dancewear retail outlet chain located in Sandy and around the Salt Lake Valley. They are the ones who will sell you dance and clogging clothes. They are the ones who have contacted you about signage and other retail items. They are the ones who have charged your credit card for dance lessons. Please call them at 801-966-8166 or modify your search query to backstage+dancewear+utah to find the correct listings.
How to best use Backstage Utah: A Guide…
Actors/Performers/Theatre Junkies
If you’re a serious practitioner, or even the occasional hobbyist in the Theatre Arts…
- Visit our Auditions page for the latest audition notices.
- Support local theatre by seeing shows when you’re not in one! Supporting local shows and getting to know the people involved, helps you to understand where you want to audition, and a little networking always helps you get cast.
Additionally, you can join our Facebook page or follow us on Twitter and get the latest audition, performance, and help wanted notices as well as our reviews in your news feed.
Directors/Producers
If you’re a Producer or Director, looking to get the word out for an upcoming performance or audition…
- Post your Audition for free.
- Post your production.
- Need technicians or designers for your show? You can also post in our Theatre Classifieds for free.
All of the above postings will be automatically transmitted via our Facebook and Twitter feeds.
A History…
Players Anonymous Documentary
Players Anonymous 2000 to 2010
Actress Miriam Latour started an email newsletter called “Utah Theater News” in January of 2000 with seven people, hoping to provide a service of audition information. By March of the same year there were well over 300 people on her list (by word of mouth) and she decided to start a website for theater addicts called Players Anonymous. Miriam’s husband and best friend (and the computer brains behind Players Anonymous), David, supported her with money and time for this little endeavor. What happened next was something nobody could have planned for. Miriam’s little anonymous, local theatre site became an online community.
Long before there was Facebook or even Myspace, Utah Theatre addicts had one place they could convene online, learn about upcoming theatrical events, bond as stronger friends and colleagues, and yes, bitch about the practices and behaviors of the local theaters, producers, directors, and other performers.
As Miriam, herself, said: “Close friends sip tea while discussing books in a coffee shop, sing karaoke to pounding music and the smell of cigarette smoke, dress foolishly to a theme while singing with hand puppets or dancing with santa hats, play baseball in true White Trash fashion, hike straight down a mountain of shale rock in 100º heat, watch enigmatic films all night, drink cocktails attired in fancy dress, do the congo and argue fiercely over political views only to kiss each other Bugs Bunny style on the lips when it’s said and done. Friends who would never have known each other on this level if they hadn’t met on Players Anonymous.”
The PA community continued to grow over the decade and PA’s fame, infamy, and influence spread well beyond Utah. The community was national. Global. And it reached out to that world with charity-minded individuals leading the charge. PA sponsored or facilitated many local charity drives and events, making PA more than just a place to hang, it was a place that made a difference.
But ten years is a long time to run and maintain such a diverse and active community, so after a decade of service Miriam and David decided to finally end it.
Backstage Utah 2010 to now
Long-time PA member JC Carter saw the hole PA’s departure would leave in the theatre community. For a long time, PA unintentionally fought for a sort of legitimacy in Utah theatre. Now that it had found its place and had made its mark, JC knew its departure would be too greatly felt. And that just couldn’t be allowed, not when he could do something about it…
JC asked the Latours if he could take up the torch, perhaps in a new and different way, and Backstage Utah was born. The Latours permitted him to redirect the playersanonymous.org domain name, and even carry over the posting boards, to his new site (which is possibly how you found this site). Yes, it’s new and different, but in many ways it’s the same as it ever was.
Backstage Utah went live on January 4 2010, and had an immediate response from the PA regulars. In addition to the site, a Facebook Fan Page was set up, as well as a Twitter account. Both the fan page and the Twitter account receive regular updates for auditions and other Backstage Utah information.
In that first year, the traffic figures spoke for themselves. There were over 88000 visits to the site, from over 18000 visitors. The facebook fan page hit 600 and nearly every actor JC met said they got their audition information from Backstage Utah. In addition, directors and producers commented that they were able to get more auditioners because of posting on Backstage Utah. In two cases a director was looking for a very specific performer, they posted the need in Auditions, and were able to fill that need immediately.
A Facebook group has since been established (Backstage Utah Theatre Chat), and in 2012 the Facebook page hit 1000 likes and the entire site was revamped.
