From Exit 6, I-15 and Bluff St.

Drive North 3.6 miles on Bluff Street to Snow Canyon Parkway

Turn Left (West) onto Snow Canyon Parkway towards Ivins. Continue for 4 miles.

Turn Right (North) 1130 East towards Snow Canyon State Park.

Immediately take the first left, which will take you to Tuacahn.
From Exit 8, I-15
and St. George Boulevard

Drive West 2 miles on St. George Boulevard to Bluff Street.

Turn Right (North) on Bluff Street, continue for 1.7 Miles.

Turn Left (West) onto Snow Canyon Parkway towards Ivins. Continue for 4 miles.

Turn Right (North) 1130 East towards Snow Canyon State Park.

Immediately take the first left, which will take you to Tuacahn.

The City of Ivins, Utahs Official Website
Ivins, Utah
The City Beneath The Big Red Mountain



"Nestled at the base of the majestic cliffs of towering vermilion sandstone lies the community of Ivins. Nowhere in the United States can so many reasons be found to relax and enjoy life as you will find here. Located in Southwestern Utah, next to the City of St. George and away from the busy I-15 corridor, you can still wander and hear the whispering solitude of the delicate desert. Here is the place for the rest of your life -- figuratively and literally."

Here you can find information about everything you want and need to know about Ivins, including schools and the beauty that surround it.

One of the incredible secret jewels in the Ivins crown of beauty is the Santa Clara River Reserve where you can literally visit gorgeous historical petroglyphs. If you haven't had the opportunity to look your past eye to eye, this is a must see when you visit Ivins if the weather is right.

Here are some other links that might be helpful to you when visiting the Ivins, Utah website in learning more about where Tuacahn High School thrives.
City Publications - January 2008 City Newsletter
Recreational Maps - Ivins City Parks and Trails Master Plan - Park Buffers 2003-03-14 PDF 255KB
Ivins City Parks and Trails Master Plan 2003-03-14
Government Links - Everything from History, Elections, to Employment & Utilities
Recreational Activities - The Fun stuff to do in and around Ivins, UT and Tuacahn High School
City Calendar - All kinds of things going on in Ivins, including Youth groups.
Contact Info So you want to set up business while your child attends Tuacahn High School? Anything you don't find on the Ivins, Utah Official Website can be addressed right here.

Tuacahn Musical Theatre is The Broadway in the desert. Because of its Broadway quality productions presented outdoors in the Tuacahn Amphitheatre surrounded by towering red sandstone cliffs providing, an exciting and unique theatre entertainment experience while visiting St. George Utah just can't be missed. There is nothing like it the world over and is a definite must do in your life experience.

'I was awestruck', wrote Orval Hafen (owner of the land) upon first seeing the area that is now home to the Tuacahn Center for the Arts. He and his wife, Ruth, bought an eighty-acre parcel in the box canyon and built a cabin below the pristine red rocks. A little over one hundred years ago.

There before me lay a scene of indescribable beauty: wild, primitive, unspoiled, largely unknown, waiting to be enjoyed, waiting to inspire folks. Within these towering red sandstone cliffs, he desired that others [might one day] share this beauty and drink of the inspiration that is here.

In 1993 Doug Steward, a noted playwright and resident of St. George, went searching for a place to create an outdoor amphitheatre of his own, and found this remarkable location. The stunning beauty and perfect surroundings stopped me in my tracks, Stewart recalled. I was brought to tears when I first stood there, and after taking it in for some time envisioning an amphitheatre and a stage with an awesome backdrop of 1,500 foot red rock cliffs, and hearing the sounds of music echoing from the canyon walls I literally flew back to town and straight to the county recorder office to see who the land belonged to.'

The dream of Orval Hafen combined with the present day will of Stewart came to fruition as a 23 million dollar facility completed in 1995that included not only the jewel of Tuacahn - a 1920 seat outdoor amphiteater (originally built designed for the original musical UTAH!), but also 42,000 sq. ft. facility that featured a 330 seat indoor theater, dance studio, costume shop, recital hall, black box theater, scene shop, gift shop, classrooms as well as studios.

UTAH! was so popular that an audience of over 250,000 came and saw this masterpiece in the space of 3 years. Since then, the Tuacahn theater has created a bill of musicals as Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Annie Get Your Gun, The Wizard of Oz, The King and I, The Unsinkable Molly Brown, The West Side Story, Guys and Dolls, Disney's Beauty and the Beast, and much more in the Summer Festival of Theatre. Over one hundred thousand visitors from every state in the U.S. and 25 countries attended the festivals 70 performances. Tuacahn discovered that the Amphitheatere provided a unique setting for these Broadway favorites that cannot be duplicated anywhere else in the world.

With Rave reviews, highest ratings, and compliments from the media and crowds alike it has as the Provo Daily Herald calls it, become,solidly entertaining theater experience as fresh and fun as it was when it premiered on Broadway!

The indoor theatre presentation in the Orval and Ruth Hafen Theatre were a smash with bills like the hilarious Greater Tuna and the acclaimed The Taffetas to Radio Hour, and comedy Nunsense. UTAH! proved that a new musical can succeed. Scott Anderson, Tuacahn's Artistic Director said, When Broadway connects with its audience and produces quality family fare like The Lion King, people are beating down the doors to see it. In The future, Anderson hopes to have new musicals being performed side by side with theatrical classics at Tuacahn. We want musicals written by individuals with a positive, uplifting world view,

No longer just a Summer Festival Theatre as designed, in 2001 the 1st Christmas Festival of Lights opened. With professional sets, costumes, lights, music, and the all-volunteer cast, Tuacahn recreates The Nativity. Live donkeys, live camels, and a touching production that will be remembered by all those that participate as well as come to see it. Its free to the public and one of the most remarkable reenactments of The Live Nativity you and yours will ever see.

Over the years, visitors have also enjoyed the many concerts presented in the Tuacahn Amphitheatre and indoor Hafen Theatre including such noted performers and groups as The Mormon Tabernacle Choir, The Vienna Boys Choir, Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company, Abramyan String Quartet, Victor Borge, The Utah Symphony, The Kingston Trio, Merle Haggard, Michael Martin Murphy, Kenny Rogers, The Osmond Brother, Diamond Rio and many others. The concerts have helped compliment the summer/fall theatre season and with the Festival of Lights have contributed to Tuacahns success in becoming a year round destination for quality entertainment.

Here is where The Tuacahn Theater meets the family: Tuacahn is not only known for its commitment to uplifting entertainment, it is also known for its devotion to quality education. In August of 1999 Tuacahn began operation of the Tuacahn High School, under the direction of School Administrator Dr. John P. Broberg. The Tuacahn High School known today as the Tuacahn High School for Performing Arts and Technology, is the first public charter high school in the state of Utah. The school combines a rigorous college preparatory curriculum with an emphasis in music, drama, dance and computer technology.

For two years running, the Tuacahn High School took first place in the SUU Utah Shakespearean Festival Shakespeare Competition, and has been the recipient of several music, drama and speech and debate awards received through statewide competitions. More than eighty percent of Tuacahn graduates go on to college and several Tuacahn students have received scholarships to prominent universities. We're defining the charter school movement in the state of Utah, said Broberg, and we are redefining the role of public schools in arts education.

The school also has a tight-knit relationship with the Amphitheatre productions. Our students have been given unprecedented opportunities to rub shoulders with the working theatre professionals who staff the Tuacahn Amphitheatre. No other public school provides this level of exposure to a professional theatrical operation.

Tuacahn High School reached full enrollment for the first time in 2001. Calling the enrollment numbers a credit to the power of school choice, Fred Lampropoulos, Tuacahn's Chairman of the Board, praised Dr. Broberg efforts: Students choose to come here, and if we don't do our job well, they can choose to leave; the fact that we've reached full capacity so early in our history is a credit to how well Dr. Broberg and the Tuacahn faculty have served the educational needs of the students.

Tuacahns future is firmly planted in a quest for excellence in education and in the kind of quality entertainment that the whole family can enjoy, says Hyrum W. Smith, Tuacahns Chief Executive Officer. Furthermore, thanks to the leadership of Hyrum Smith and Fred Lampropoulos, Tuacahn also has a renewed commitment to maintaining and improving the facilities while providing quality productions and exceptional customer service.

The Broadway in the Desert summer theatre season has expanded into the fall, the annual Festival of Lights featuring the Live Nativity is now a community tradition that runs four nights a week from the day after Thanksgiving to December 23rd, and Tuacahn has recently added spring and fall concerts to its performing arts offerings.

The Tuacahn High School continues to grow in size and capacity and has recently added a new computer lab and learning center known as the Ivins Smart Site at Tuacahn. This Smart Site not only benefit the students in the school, but also the community at large.

Established to awaken the nobility of the human soul and transmit light and hope to people everywhere through the arts and education, the Tuacahn Center for the Arts has the great fortune of having accomplished much over the last several years with so much more to achieve.

Tuacahn Amphitheatre and Center for the Arts
1100 Tuacahn Drive Ivins, Utah 84738
Toll Free: 1-800-746-9882
information@tuacahn.org

Tuacahn's Christmas Festival of Lights is presented every Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Monday evenings from the day after Thanksgiving to December 23rd. Entrance to the Festival of Lights is free to the public. It's Tuacahn's way of saying "Thank you" to the community for its support and to remind us all of the true meaning of Christmas. A Live Nativity is presented each night in the Amphitheatre at 7:00 and 8:00 PM except on the first Friday in December (Tuacahn presents it's annual Christmas Concert in the Amphitheatre on the first Friday in December). Cost to get into the Live Nativity is $2.00 per ticket or $10.00 per family.

In addition to enjoying the Live Nativity, visitors can also see the lights and listen to wonderful Holiday music on the Tuacahn Plaza, or sit by an open fire and sip hot chocolate from Tuacahn's Concession Stand. For only one dollar per person, visitors can enjoy a holiday train ride on the Old Salty Train provide by Ruby's Inn. Visitors will find a wonderful selection of Christmas items and Holiday gifts at the Tuacahn Gift Gallery. Near the entrance to the Gift Gallery parents can bring their children to see Santa Claus from 6:30 - 9:00 PM. There's something for everyone at Tuacahn's Christmas Festival of Lights. (Reminder - There will not be a Live Nativity presentation in the Amphitheatre on December 2 because of the Tuacahn Christmas concert, and the Festival is not open to the public on Sunday, Tuesday, or Wednesday nights.)

Live Nativity ($2.00 per ticket or $10.00 per family)
The Live Nativity includes real live camels, and beautiful costumes. Volunteers will staff all of the nativity efforts. "We've had great success working with religious leaders from all faiths in the area, every night, a new set of volunteers will be making this nativity come to life."

Those interested in volunteering for the 2007 Live Nativity should contact the Tuacahn Administrative Offices at
435-652-3200 or by e-mail at information@tuacahn.org.

The Christmas Festival of Lights is presented annually by the Tuachan Center for the Arts

Photo by Larry Gevert of Hurricane, Utah

Photo by Larry Gevert of Hurricane, Utah

"Whether you can work on stage or back stage, everybody is welcome," said Ostler, the volunteer coordinator for the Live Nativity. "All contributions are appreciated."

Volunteers can participate for one night or many nights, depending on their circumstances. Roles to be filled include Mary and Joseph, the Three Wise Men, townspeople, angels, and shepherds.
Christmas Festival of Lights Live Nativity

The Isle of Squid