By Alexandria Ramirez, Deseret News
The design on the recently completed terrazzo floor of the grand lobby of the George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Theater is designed to represent different groups who have inhabited the Salt Lake Valley, said Salt Lake artist Laura Sharp Wilson during a preview of the floor on Monday.
It is one of two commissioned art projects the theater will house and is titled “Thread, Trail, Rope and Yarn.” Wilson said she uses “weaving” concept she felt was present in rugs made by Native Americans, cloth made by pioneers and modernist weaving by Anni Albers.
“I wanted something interactive, which isn’t necessarily the easiest thing to do with a floor,” Wilson said of the 5,000-square-foot entryway. “It’s a way of leading you through the architectural space.”
In addition, Wilson said she chose a color scheme of muted tones including purple, green, khaki and gray which she said she has observed locally. She wanted to create a design the linear design of the building, she said.
Salt Lake County Center for the Arts will run the theater. The $119 million theater is designed for Broadway-type events, said Cami Munk, communications manager for the Salt Lake County Center for the Arts. The first season includes a dozen shows, such as “Matilda the Musical,” Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Cinderella,” “Beautiful — The Carole King Musical,” Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas,” “Dirty Dancing — The Classic Story on Stage” and “The Lion King.”
Sean Morgan, director of planning at GTS Development, said the theater is 80 percent complete. Construction is scheduled to end Aug. 19, he said.
The Eccles Theater is scheduled to open Oct. 21, 2016.