The U’s Einar Nielsen Field House has gotten a major upgrade—but this time it’s big news for artists, not athletes. Originally opened in 1939, the field house was home to U athletics and recreation for decades. It’s where adoring crowds cheered on the Runnin’ Utes until 1969 when the Huntsman Center opened its doors, and the campus community lifted weights and played tennis within its walls until the Student Life Center debuted in 2015.
Now, thanks to a major gift from the Meldrum Foundation, it has been retrofitted into a 387-seat venue shared by the U Department of Theatre and Pioneer Theatre Company. The Meldrum Theatre opened in spring 2024.
“When I first joined Pioneer Theatre Company in 2012, the Board of Trustees asked what my dream items were. At the top of the list was a more intimate space to better produce contemporary works with smaller casts,” says PTC Artistic Director Karen Azenberg. “The physical space between actor and audience is breathtakingly close. It’s going to create groundbreaking theater moments not only for PTC and the U’s Theatre Department, but for the U and Salt Lake City at large.”
This is a beautiful addition! As the first female to gain an MFA in Directing from the U, how I would have loved working in this space. And I can just imagine Ron Crosby designs in it!
U of U graduate who has lived in London for past 20 years. London is home to many small theatres.
Ironically, major a list actors can be found preforming in them. It is such an incredible experience to experience theatre in a small venue. I am thrilled Utah has this now but I’m sorry to lose the field house. I spent many hours there running and playing tennis.