ST. GEORGE, Utah — Around 50 people protested across the street from the construction site of a new home for the St. George Musical Theater on Saturday, voicing frustration over recent decisions made by the theater group's board.
The protest follows the controversial termination of longtime executive and artistic director Bruce Bennett earlier this week. Bennett, who led the theater group for 13 years and was involved for 29 of its 32 years, was informed earlier in the week by board members that he was terminated.
The protesters expressed concerns about Bennett's removal and the potential change of the theater's name and identity as it prepares to move from the 150-year-old Opera House to a new venue at St. George Place shopping center.
The new theater will be called the Dimon Legacy Theater, named after Dimon McFerson, who was CEO of Nationwide Insurance in the 1990s and recently stepped down as chairman of the theater's board.
WATCH: St. George Musical Theater changes draw drama off the stage
Many of the performers who usually take the stage at night made their voices heard in a parking lot just before noon, saying they are worried about the theater losing the identity it has built over decades.
One member of the board also came to the rally to listen to concerns and said she would relay them to the rest of the theater's leadership.
"I have no doubt about it. There is a happy ending: whenever people get together and they communicate better," Kristine Carter said.
Carter, a member of the St. George Musical Theater Board, acknowledged communication issues within the organization.
"We have been poor about our communication. I firmly believe that. I agreed so often with what was said. We will need to be better, and we can be better," Carter said.
Trey Patterson, a St. George Musical Theater performer, emphasized the need for transparency in the board's decision-making process.
"The word of the day is transparency. The board's making a lot of decisions that don't align with what people want, with what the community and the community theater has been asking for and has been doing for over 30 years," Patterson said.
Patterson has played roles ranging from the lead in "Brigadoon" to Audrey II in "Little Shop of Horrors." He says when the musical theater began more than three decades ago, it was the only show in town.
But now with many more arts options in St. George, including Tuacahn, it's more important for the musical theater to retain its identity and have the voices of its performers and fans heard.
Bennett took over as executive and artistic director in 2011 after the theater nearly folded.
After hearing from performers and patrons about the name change, the board sent out clarifying memos stating that shows in the Dimon Legacy Theatre will be presented under the banner of "St. George Musical Theater Presents" to honor the legacy.
The new theater will accommodate over 400 patrons instead of the current 100 to 120.
The current Opera House requires patrons to often stand outside in the cold because there's no lobby and must go across the street to use restrooms.
