New students at Weber State University, or anyone unfamiliar with the Ogden area, may be looking for some weekend entertainment as a break from their hard work at school.
Fortunately, despite its small size, Ogden has big-city talent and a venue for all artistic tastes and aptitudes. Grab some friends or a date and check out the entertainment that Ogden has to offer, including many options on WSU’s Ogden campus.
The Val A. Browning Center
The Val A. Browning Center is home to WSU’s performing arts programs and hosts a diverse assortment of student work and professional productions. This unique building houses three theaters, so it is not uncommon for a musical, a symphony and a lecture series to all be occurring simultaneously.
The smallest theater is the George S. and Dolores Dore Eccles Theater. The Eccles Theater is a black box theater that holds 150 people at maximum. It provides an intimate viewing experience for the audience, as well as an infinitely accessible space for performers.
The Allred Theater is a proscenium theater, meaning it has the traditional seating arrangement with a curtained stage. With just under 300 seats, the Allred Theater provides a big theater feel in a small space. This past summer a new sound console and sound system were added to the Allred Theater, providing a state-of-the-art audio experience.
Containing just over 1,700 seats, the Austad Auditorium is the largest performing arts space within the Browning Center. In addition to the student choir and biannual student opera, the Austad Theater is used by many outside clients, including the Ogden Symphony Ballet Association, which brings large performing groups like The Utah Symphony and Ballet West to the stage.
WSU Tickets: 801-626-8500
Website: Browningcenter.org
The Mary Elizabeth Dee Shaw Gallery
The Mary Elizabeth Dee Shaw Gallery is the primary visual arts venue at WSU and is housed within the Kimball Visual Arts building. The Shaw Gallery, according to its website, “presents contemporary art exhibitions and educational programs that provide visitors access to the art of our time.”
Throughout the year, the gallery’s exhibits display student, faculty and guest artist work. Last year’s premier guest was international artist Motoi Yamamoto who recreated one of his “Saltworks” pieces on the floor of the gallery.
Website: weber-edu-dova.org/shawgallery
The Zeigfeld Theater
The Ziegfeld Theater produces classic comedies such as “Spamalot,” “The Producers” and “The Drowsy Chaperone” as well as original musical satires like “May the Mouse Be With You” and “Fairly Potter,” both written by artistic and marketing director Rick Rea.
The Ziegfeld was recently renovated and is the new performance space for local improv troupe Off the Wall Comedy. Off The Wall provides affordable improvisation comedy nearly every weekend of the year.
Address: 3934 Washington Blvd., Ogden, UT 84403
Website: theziegfeldtheater.com
MovieGrille
MovieGrille, according to its website, is “a new, intimate dine-in movie theater in the heart of downtown Ogden.” Moviegrille provides an excellent night out with a movie theater, restaurant and bar combo. The theater shows recent blockbusters as well as the occasional cult classic to satisfy all tastes.
Address: 2293 Grant Ave., Ogden, UT 84401
Phone: (801) 621-4738
Website: moviegrille.com
Art House Cinema 502
Art House Cinema 502 is a welcome change of pace from your regular night out at the movies. The Art House is a micro-theater with only 28 seats and a business space of 502 square feet (hence the name). The Art House is dedicated to “showcasing under-the-radar, independent, foreign and documentary film gems,” according to its website.
Address: 158 Historic 25th St. Ogden, Ut 84401
Website: ahc502.com
Mojo’s Music Venue
Mojo’s Music Venue is “Ogden’s all-ages live music venue, featuring local bands and musicians for nine years in downtown Ogden,” said Mojo’s Facebook page. Mojo’s has inexpensive tickets and open mic nights, as well as concerts with touring rock, metal, hip-hop and punk bands, among other genres.
