Kurt Elison & The Lehi Arts Council

Kurt Elison & The Lehi Arts Council | Roots & Branches RB-040

Kurt Elison, president of the Lehi Arts Council, shares his lifelong passion for theater, the growth of youth arts programs in Lehi, and why the arts are essential to community identity. Watch the interview and read the full transcript.

Kurt Elison & The Lehi Arts Council

A Life Built on Stage

Primary Topics Discussed

What You'll Discover

Moments That Matter

Waking Up to Music

The Little Witch

A Daughter's Pull

Three-Minute Sellouts

The Magic of Frozen

Bright Star and the Audible Gasp

Youth Groups and Dismantling Sets

A Father in the Audience

What This Interview Teaches Us About Lehi

The Threads That Connect

Community Service

Youth Development

Creative Expression

Family Legacy

Collaboration

Accessibility

Small-Town Relationships

Cultural Enrichment

Words That Stay With You

Related Lehi Topics

Buddy Deimler on Agricultural Education & FFA

Heather Tucker & The Lehi Literacy Center

John Jay Harris on Education & the Purple Pig

Tim Brantley on Lehi High School

John Wallwork on Skyridge High School

All Episodes

Preserving the Story in Images

Kurt inside the Lehi Arts Center theater space

Youth rehearsals for Shrek, Frozen, or other productions

Ceramics or digital art classes in session

Backstage set building or costume preparation

Audience interactions with cast members after a show

Full Transcript

Chapter 1: Introduction to Roots and Branches of Lehi

Chapter 2: Meet Kurt Elison — Longtime Lehi Resident

Chapter 3: Kurt's Professional Background

Chapter 4: Lehi Arts Council — Overview & Mission

Chapter 5: Programs and Activities at Lehi Arts

Chapter 6: Theater Programs & Community Impact

Chapter 7: Challenges & Successes in Local Arts

Chapter 8: Personal Journey & Passion for the Arts

Chapter 9: The Cost of Producing a Show

Chapter 10: Technical Requirements Behind Frozen

Chapter 11: Marketing, Outreach & Audience Engagement

Chapter 12: Collaboration Between Theater & Community

Chapter 13: The Future of Lehi Arts

Chapter 14: Community Support & Involvement

Chapter 15: Family & Personal Connections to Theater

Chapter 16: Conclusion & Gratitude

Quick Links

Contact

Theater, community, and creative life in Lehi, Utah. How a lifelong passion for the stage became one of the city's most vibrant community institutions.

Growing up backstage with a drama-teacher father and piano-teacher mother

The explosive growth of Lehi Arts Council youth programs

Producing Frozen and the technical magic of community theater

Why the arts are essential to Lehi's small-town identity

For nearly three decades, Kurt Elison has called Lehi home—a place he chose with his wife because it sat perfectly between their childhood cities of Orem and Salt Lake. What began as a practical midpoint soon became the center of Kurt's life, family, and service. Today, he is best known as the president of the Lehi Arts Council, where he leads one of the most vibrant community arts programs in Utah County.

From youth theater workshops to ceramics, digital art, choirs, and full-scale productions like Frozen , Kurt has helped build a creative home where Lehi residents of all ages can learn, perform, and belong. His programs sell out in minutes, his volunteers donate countless hours, and his productions bring families together in ways that feel uniquely "Lehi."

In a city known for sports, growth, and tradition, Kurt reminds us that the arts are just as essential to community identity. Through his work with the Lehi Arts Council, he helps preserve the small-town feeling residents cherish—creating spaces where neighbors gather, children discover their talents, and stories come alive on stage. This episode explores how a lifelong love of theater, rooted in family legacy, became a gift to an entire community.

Join host Ryan Harding for a warm, wide-ranging conversation with Kurt Elison about theater, family legacy, and the creative heartbeat of Lehi, Utah.

President, Lehi Arts Council

State of Utah

From childhood theater to modern Lehi productions

501(c)(3) nonprofit on Center Street

Kurt's lifelong connection to theater and the arts, from a three-year-old "little witch" in The Wizard of Oz to directing mainstage productions today

An overview of Lehi Arts Council programs: visual arts, music, youth theater, and mainstage productions for adults

The explosive growth of youth workshops—and why they sell out within three minutes of registration opening

A behind-the-scenes look at producing Frozen , including new snow machines, fog machines, and a $70,000 budget

The partnership between Lehi Arts and the city, from park-tax grants to the beautiful new storage garage built on site

The emotional and communal power of live theater, from audible gasps at intermission to standing ovations

The urgent need for a future dedicated theater space in Lehi—and what it would take to build one

How arts programs serve youth who don't fit traditional sports pathways, including the beloved "Stage for Everyone" special-needs program

Kurt describes growing up in a home filled with music and theater, saying he "woke up to a piano playing every morning" and spent his childhood backstage with his drama-teacher father. His mother taught piano; his father taught drama and produced at Sundance Summer Theatre. Three pianos sat in one room of the house. That environment shaped a life.

He recalls his first stage role at age three as a "little witch in The Wizard of Oz ," jumping out of a pot before being tossed back in by the Tin Man. He and his brothers got progressively smaller as puppets took their place—a story his family still teases him about.

Kurt explains how his daughter's involvement in youth theater pulled him back into the arts after a decade-long break during early parenthood. What started as helping with sets turned into directing, then leading the entire council. "It's in my blood," he says. "It's hard to get it out of your blood once it's in there."

The Lehi Arts Council's youth workshops sell out in minutes—sometimes "within 3 minutes"—because demand is so high. Kurt and his team have iterated through multiple registration systems trying to keep up. They squeeze in as many kids as space allows, but the building on Center Street is always busy.

Kurt describes the massive technical and financial effort behind producing Frozen . The show required new snow machines, a specialized fog machine that shoots upward for Elsa's transformation, and a total budget of roughly $70,000—nearly double their typical summer show. The rights alone for major Broadway shows can run $5,000 to $10,000.

He recounts the emotional impact of directing Bright Star , where audiences "audibly gasped" at intermission before being moved by the show's powerful second half. "You rarely walk away from a theater experience with a downer," Kurt says—and then gives you goosebumps proving it.

Community volunteers—including youth groups—regularly help dismantle sets, clean storage areas, sort costumes, and support productions. Kurt tells of arriving after one group had been in and finding an entire set broken down and hauled away. An Eagle Scout even built new costume racks for the organization.

Kurt reflects on his father attending every show he directed before passing away, calling it a meaningful bond they shared through theater. His father also directed two shows for the Lehi Arts Council. That legacy lives on: all of Kurt's children are involved in theater in some way, from teaching to performing to simply showing up in the audience.

Lehi's arts community has grown steadily over the past 20-plus years, especially in youth theater and visual arts. What began as modest programming has expanded into a multi-faceted organization serving hundreds of families per session.

The Lehi Arts Center building on Center Street is city-owned but operated by a nonprofit, reflecting a longstanding public-private partnership. The city maintains the structure; the council maintains everything inside. This model has allowed arts programming to thrive without requiring the city to manage creative operations directly.

Park tax grants have historically funded major upgrades such as sound systems, lighting, and seating. Kurt leveraged one year's grant—originally intended for performance rights—to completely redesign the theater's audio system with help from a professional sound designer who volunteered his expertise.

Lehi's strong sports culture has shaped community identity for generations, but arts programs have expanded to serve youth who prefer creative outlets. Kurt explicitly frames theater as "their sport" for kids who aren't drawn to athletics. The council's "Stage for Everyone" program includes special-needs performers paired with volunteer buddies—a model of inclusion that has grown "almost every time."

Local schools rely on community arts groups for support with sets, costumes, and technical expertise. Kurt spends days at Willow Creek Junior High building scenery, even though his own children have moved on. This symbiosis between public education and community organizations is part of what makes Lehi's cultural infrastructure work.

Utah County's broader theater ecosystem—including Hale Centre Theatre, SCERA, Timpanogos Arts, and others—creates a collaborative regional culture rather than pure competition. Kurt describes coordinating with neighboring organizations to alternate shows, share resources, and avoid scheduling conflicts. That coordination is rare and valuable in a growing region.

Hundreds of volunteers make every production possible, from set builders to costume sorters to concession stand operators.

Theater builds confidence, empathy, and belonging. For many kids, it's the place they finally find their people.

From digital art on iPads to pottery in a working kiln, the Arts Council makes creative expression accessible and affordable.

Three generations of Elisons have lived theater. Kurt's father directed for the council; now his son studies musical theater at SUU.

The Arts Council partners with Lehi City, local schools, neighboring theaters, and community groups to share resources and avoid conflict.

Workshop fees are kept affordable. Ticket prices for youth productions are discounted because families already paid participation fees.

In an 84-seat theater, there is no screen between audience and actor. After the show, the cast lines up to shake hands. That's the Lehi way.

In a city of nearly 100,000, the Arts Council preserves the cultural spaces where neighbors gather, children discover talent, and stories come alive.

43 years of agricultural education and how a town of 8,000 became an economic powerhouse without forgetting its farming roots.

How a city-funded program on Main Street helps over a thousand Lehi children a year discover the joy of reading.

Growing up in Lehi since 1972, from the beloved Purple Pig Pizza to pioneering autism education and photographing historical markers.

A life spent building up Lehi's students and why family involvement makes Lehi schools thrive.

Leading Utah's largest 6A schools and why strong families and student belonging define education in this community.

Browse the complete Roots & Branches of Lehi archive and discover more stories from your neighbors.

To fully capture this episode for the historical record, the following photographs and visual materials would enrich the archive:

A portrait showing the intimate 84-seat venue and its volunteer-built upgrades.

Documenting the energy and scale of children's and junior theater programs.

Showing the breadth of visual arts programming beyond theater.

Highlighting the volunteer labor that makes professional-quality productions possible.

Capturing the community intimacy that distinguishes Lehi Arts Council from larger regional venues.

The following transcript preserves the full conversation between Ryan Harding and Kurt Elison for search indexing, historical reference, and accessibility. Speaker labels and chapter breaks have been added for readability.

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• Episode 34 Buddy Deimler on Agricultural Education & FFA 43 years of agricultural education and how a town of 8,000 became an economic powerhouse without forgetting its farming roots.
• Episode 19 Heather Tucker & The Lehi Literacy Center How a city-funded program on Main Street helps over a thousand Lehi children a year discover the joy of reading.
• Episode 35 John Jay Harris on Education & the Purple Pig Growing up in Lehi since 1972, from the beloved Purple Pig Pizza to pioneering autism education and photographing historical markers.
• Episode 18 Tim Brantley on Lehi High School A life spent building up Lehi's students and why family involvement makes Lehi schools thrive.
• Episode 17 John Wallwork on Skyridge High School Leading Utah's largest 6A schools and why strong families and student belonging define education in this community.
• View All All Episodes Browse the complete Roots & Branches of Lehi archive and discover more stories from your neighbors.
• Read Full Transcript