Sitting Down with Jamie Young of Brigham’s Playhouse in Washington, UT

By Ashlei Havili Thomas

Jamie Young has been many things, but owning and running his own theater has always been one of his dreams. Since Brigham’s Playhouse opened its first season in 2014, that dream has become a thrilling reality.  Sitting down after his performance in Brigham’s Playhouse’s most recent production, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, we talked about his purpose in starting the company, and their upcoming season.

Ashlei: I was reading that you originally started as a theatre professor, and decided you wanted to open your own theater. I think that’s really awesome. What drove that change for you?

Jamie: Well, several things. For twenty years I taught students how to be amazing theatre artists, but then they’d go out and there wouldn’t be a lot of opportunities and so I thought, “I need to create a theater for them to have opportunities in!” Quite a few of the people that work here are some of my former students. There’s only so much you can do in a state funded institution, and I wanted to be able to do some of my own work and that kind of thing. Brigham’s Playhouse has given us that opportunity.

The shows produced by Brigham’s Playhouse also have a loyal following.  I saw many people who were season ticket holders, as well as others who had come to see the production for another time, though it had only been open a couple days. (Because A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder is great. Review up soon.)  We spoke briefly about the theatre scene in Southern Utah, which is dominated by hefty programs at Tuacahn and the Utah Shakespeare Festival.

Ashlei: When people visit Southern Utah and think of theaters, the first thing that comes to mind is Tuacahn. It’s nice to have a variety to choose from, and a smaller, more intimate setting and get to know the cast without all the extra bits to worry about.

Jamie: Exactly! In fact, we are about as different from Tuacahn as you could possibly get. We don’t have the big theater, the outdoors, the spectacle or the budget… But we are able to create very intimate theatre experiences and give audiences the opportunity to really feel and experience what the characters are experiencing and go through the stories vicariously with them.

Speaking with Jamie Young showed me he not only cares about theatre deeply, but his community as well. His mission at Brigham’s Playhouse embodies that which Front Row Reviewers does as well, celebrating the good in the arts. His enthusiasm and passion for the subject was palpable, and I am certain that theater enthusiasts in the area are well looked after at Brigham’s Playhouse. The 2019 season at Brigham’s Playhouse includes the currently playing musical comedy A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, followed by family favorites Camelot, Crazy for You, How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying, Man of la Mancha, Wait Until Dark, and A Christmas Carol. Tickets can be bought on their website www.brighamsplayhouse.com.

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