PROVO — It used to be a JC Penney, then Murray Music, then the Provo Furniture store and several other businesses in between. Now, 177 W. Center is the Center Street Musical Theatre and the fruition of a dream for Gavin and Sharilyn Grooms.
Theater has always been in their blood. For Gavin Grooms it started around age 5 with his first television appearance back in Rochester, N.Y. In Los Angeles, Sharilyn was one of the lucky children appearing with Miss Mary Ann on Romper Room.
So it's no wonder that when they met at then-Ricks College, these two thespians would make a perfect match. It took three months from first date to wedding day. They have since had seven children, and over the years together they've continued doing what they love best — theater.
Opening a theater in Provo came naturally to them. It just took a bit longer than they thought.
Gavin is a singer and has recorded professionally. Sharilyn says she spends much of her time caring for the children and working behind the scenes making costumes and selling tickets. But theater life in California wasn't what Gavin wanted.
"I made the decision a life in professional theater was not going to work with a family," Gavin said. "But I didn't want to give theater up." Grooms spent a good portion of the past 20 years as a builder and contractor.
In 1991 the Groomses decided to leave California and come to Utah to raise their family. For the past 13 years they have continued to dabble in theater through LDS stake productions and in various community and professional parts. The right time for their own theater didn't happen until last year.
"It all came together in 2003," Sharilyn said. For nearly 10 years they tried off and on to get a location to start a theater, but the timing wasn't right. Oddly enough it was another family-run theater that got the Groomses back on track to find their dream.
"I had been cast as Mr. Brocklehurst in Hale Center Theater's 'Jane Eyre' production," Gavin said. "I read on their Web site about Ruth and Nathan Hale. He (Nathan) was a frustrated actor, too. It was then I knew I wanted to do more."
On Dec. 30, 2003, the family was sitting in front of the television watching a basketball game, when Sharilyn got an itch, grabbed the car keys and left the house.
"I went for a drive and checked out locations, buildings, warehouses. I drove down Center Street a second time and saw the building," she said. "Less than 24 hours later we had made an offer."
With a lot of patience, hard work and sweat, the Center Street Musical Theatre opened March 23. The Groomses know it will take a year or more for the community to recognize they are there, but in the meantime they are planning and presenting several productions that seem to be bringing in the crowds.
Their current production is "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat." While audiences are familiar with the script and music, the Groomses say they have made it a bit more interesting with some special effects and some audience participation.
What makes this community theater unique in Utah Valley is that it will produce only musicals — and it offers dinner.
"We are determined to stick with musical theater," Gavin said. "We have live orchestras for every show, and we want to give people in the community the opportunity to share their talents of singing and dancing."
Their next production will be "The King and I."
"We wanted to find a niche," Sharilyn said. "There is a desire for performers to have opportunities to do musicals." The Groomses have been pleasantly surprised with the audiences they have had for "Joseph."
"We have had huge audiences with 'Joseph,' " Gavin said. "Some nights in December are totally sold out."
The Groomses believe their talents and this theater are gifts from on high. The miracles they are experiencing with the theater give them a feeling of deep obligation to keep its production's clean, uplifting and appropriate for the whole family.
"I really believe this is a blessing," Sharilyn said. "It is important things done at the theater are not offensive. We also feel like there's lots of great stories to tell."
The other niche is the dinner theater aspect. Currently the meals are mostly catered by Romano's Macaroni Grill and other restaurants. Some food is prepared on site. Eventually they want to prepare all meals at the theater. There is plenty of room and time.
The theater also offers a variety of dance classes, youth theater workshops and voice lessons. For more information or to reserve tickets for productions call 764-0535.
E-mail: pugmire@desnews.com