Festival Congratulates LeGrand Andersen on Utah Theatre Association Award

The Utah Shakespeare Festival would like to personally congratulate Dr. LeGrand Andersen for receiving the Utah Theatre Association Lifetime Service to the Community Award, which was presented in January. Andersen was an integral part of the Festival for many years, specifically with past Playmakers productions, full-scale theatrical educational productions for children aged 5-17.

Executive Managing Director Michael Bahr worked closely with Andersen for nearly 20 years when he served as the Festival’s Education Director.

“As musical director––he was yin to my yang––‘Doc’ provided a rigor and structure to musical training. He is demanding and cultivated a high standard of performance with all students,” Bahr said.

Andersen has worked for the Festival as a performer, musical director, and a member of pit orchestras. Bahr noted that it has been a gift learning from and teaching with the “maestro extraordinaire.”

“Both Dr. Andersen and I believe that a ‘live orchestra’ is essential in theatre training,” Bahr continued. “Students who have performed under Dr. Anderson’s baton now understand how to gauge pitch, tempo, and the art of breathing with the orchestra and the audience as one group.”

About Andersen

Andersen has been involved with and passionate about theatre since he was in eighth grade. He pursued a career in music and education, teaching at Fresno City College.

“I was involved in theater in California, although my primary responsibility was with the choirs,” Andersen said.

He retired in 2000 and moved to Cedar City with his wife Mary Anne to be near the Festival and said that as theatre lovers, they couldn’t ask for anything more than living down the street from the Festival.

“My wife and I haven’t missed a play at the Festival in 30 years,” Andersen said. “My favorite play is the one I’m currently seeing, but the [2021 production] of The Pirates of Penzance was really good. I saw it five times.”

About Playmakers

Andersen was working on a show for Southern Utah University when Bahr discovered his work.

“Michael saw me and picked up a partnership that has been ongoing for 19 years,” Andersen said. “With Playmakers, Michael did the drama part and I did the music part. When we would choose a musical, I would conduct the orchestra or rescore the music to fit the voices that we had.”

As a former educator, the Playmakers program is important to Andersen for several reasons.

“We have to make new audiences, and have people that know what’s expected in theatre. . . so we can count on building audiences [with] Playmakers,” Andersen said. “But there’s also individual growth and learning by the kids, learning [valuable things] like to be on time and there are people counting on you, and that the audience is enjoying what you do.”

For 19 years, Andersen returned year after year because he enjoyed working with the kids.

“It was exciting to watch them learn and grow into their parts . . . it’s an important experience for a young person,” Andersen said.

Andersen’s daughter, Amy Morrey, is proud of her fathers work with Playmakers.

“He has helped countless schools with arranging music, creating minus tracks, and encouraging kids to be their best and achieve high levels of excellence,” Morrey said.

UTA Lifetime Service to the Community Award

Andersen was thrilled to receive the Utah Theatre Association award.

“My daughter Amy presented the award, as she has gone back through my life and had found things that were pertinent to the award. It’s always nice to have people say nice things about you,” Andersen said.

He was chosen to receive the award because of his commitment to the community and his years of service with Playmakers, along with his support of educators statewide.

“He can also be seen at many Festival rehearsals, sitting in the back eating ice cream and chatting with some of his biggest fans,” Morrey said.

Whether it’s eating ice cream at rehearsal, educating at summer camps, scoring music, or watching The Pirates of Penzance for the fifth time in a row, Andersen’s presence and work at the Festival has not gone unnoticed. The Festival would like to sincerely thank Andersen for his years of service to the organization and congratulate him on his recent award.

To enjoy the 2024 play lineup with Andersen and his wife this season, visit bard.org to purchase tickets.