Meeting of the
UPACA BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Thursday February 19, 2026, 9:00am
O.C. Tanner Lounge - Eccles Theatre
w/Cisco WebEx option
Attendees: Sarah Dibble Lata, Matt Castillo, Ross Romero, Jennifer Bruno, Darrin Casper, Helen Langan, Danny Walz, Dee-Dee Darby-Duffin, Taylee Foulger, Victor Hamburger, David Hallock, Cate Kizerian, Jacque Jones, Isaac Higham, Rachel Otto, Ross Romero
Roll call and Introductions: Mr. Casper called the meeting to order at 9:01am.
Welcome: Mr. Casper welcomed all.
Review public comments: No public comments.
Approval of minutes: October 23, 2025
Ms. Darby-Duffin moved the request to approve the minutes. Mr. Walz moved to second. Unanimously approved.
Call for new UPACA Board Chair and Vice Chair - Darrin Casper
Mr. Casper nominated Dee-Dee Darby-Duffin for the position of Chair, noting that it is customary for the current Vice Chair to be nominated for Chair. Ms. Darby-Duffin accepted the nomination. No additional nominations were received.
Mr. Casper moved the request to approve Ms. Darby -Duffin for Chair. Mr. Walz moved to second. Unanimously approved.
Mr. Casper nominated Jennifer Bruno for Vice Chair. Ms. Bruno accepted. No other nominations were received.
Mr. Casper moved the request to approve Ms. Bruno for Vice Chair. Ms. Darby-Duffin moved to second. Unanimously approved.
Mr. Castillo thanked Mr. Casper for his service as Chair and advised the Board that, pursuant to the Board's bylaws, the Chair and Vice Chair position carries a two-year term. The Board will not hold an election for Chair and Vice Chair until 2028, unless an unexpected resignation or other interim change necessitates action prior to that time.
Eccles Theater 10-year celebration programming proposed budget- Matt Castillo
Mr. Castillo shared that the team, in collaboration with its partners, has been actively planning the upcoming 10-year celebration for the fall season. The Board previously approved a budget of $27,500 to support this initiative.
The team now proposes hosting a one-evening performance that reflects the spirit of the Eccles Theater, Broadway, and the Eccles Series-an 'Evening of Broadway' featuring show tunes and related performances. The program would include a featured one-act performance by a headline artist with strong name recognition, a performance by an emerging artist, and participation from local and community performers.
A key priority is ensuring the event remains accessible to the broader community. In addition to standard ticket pricing, the team proposes offering a designated block of tickets at a significantly reduced rate-approximately $10 per ticket. To support this accessibility effort and secure talent for the performance, the team is requesting an additional $75,000. The event is tentatively scheduled for November.
The floor was opened for questions and comments.
One question raised concerned community program outreach. Mr. Castillo noted that the organization already offers the Arts for All program and will also explore additional programs within Arts & Culture including the ZAP program and our resident program, as well as partnerships with Salt Lake County agencies, Salt Lake City and their partners, to help promote this event and maximize community engagement.
It was confirmed that the requested $75,000 would be in addition to the $27,500 previously approved and set aside for the celebration. A suggestion was made to use this opportunity to approach donors to determine whether they would be interested in sponsorship of this event to help defer some of the costs associated with this request.
When asked where the additional $75,000 would be sourced from, Mr. Castillo confirmed that the request would effectively increase the operations budget by that amount. He further confirmed that sufficient funds are available and that the organization is able to absorb the additional expense. The Board was assured that the budget can accommodate this request.
Ms. Darby-Duffin moved the request to approve the 10-year celebration programming budget. Ms. Langan moved to second. Unanimously approved.
Eccles Theater Food & Beverage Committee. Appointing and reconvening Food & Beverage Committee - Matt Castillo
Mr. Castillo explained that the intent is to reconvene and reorganize this committee. Historically, the committee has provided valuable guidance on strategic and operational matters, including recommendations to the Board related to food and beverage services at Eccles.
He noted that several requests have recently been received from Tin Angel, and the team would like to reactivate the committee to review and analyze these requests. The committee would then present a set of recommendations to the Board at a future meeting.
It was proposed that the committee consist of two to four members. Mr. Castillo recommended that the CRA be represented on the committee, as the restaurant operates within the portion of Eccles governed by a separate operating agreement with the CRA. He noted that CRA representation could provide valuable insight and connections.
Mr. Walz volunteered to serve in this capacity, citing his relevant connections. Ms. Langan and Ms. Darby-Duffin also volunteered to serve.
Committee Members: Danny Walz, Dee-Dee Darby-Duffin, and Helen Langan.
Mr. Walz moved the request to approve the Food & Beverage Committee members. Ms. Darby-Duffin moved to second. Unanimously approved.
Broadway Across America 2025 Successes 26-27 Season Rollout - Victor Hamburger
Mr. Hamburger delivered a slide presentation to the Board highlighting the special event performance of A Beautiful Noise. At the conclusion of the show, the lead actor invited the audience to record a birthday message for Neil Diamond. The moment became even more memorable when it transitioned into a live FaceTime session, during which the audience sang 'Happy Birthday' to Mr. Diamond. In response, Mr. Diamond joined live via FaceTime and performed 'Sweet Caroline' for the audience. This unique and interactive exchange generated national social media press coverage for Eccles.
Mr. Hamburger also reviewed the 2026-2027 Broadway season lineup, which includes:
- Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
- The Outsiders
- Beauty and the Beast
- Buena Vista Social Club (Jazz)
- Operation Mincemeat
- Maybe Happy Ending
- The Sound of Music
- The Great Gatsby
Additionally, we have added productions of Beetlejuice and Six to the lineup. We are also pleased to report that Zions Bank has renewed its sponsorship of Broadway at the Eccles for the next three years.
Mr. Hamburger provided an overview of the Season Updates. He highlighted the transition to an eight-show package, which now offers subscribers the flexibility to swap and drop performances. He also noted the continuation of last season's adjustment to the auto-renewal process, with renewals now processed 7-10 days after the season announcement rather than on the announcement date.
In terms of pricing, two of the five pricing levels remain flat, and the two lowest pricing levels have been reduced. Only Price Level 1 experienced an increase this season, and that adjustment was limited to 2.7%. Additionally, season tickets will be offered to the waitlist earlier than in previous years.
Regarding annual subscriber renewals, Mr. Hamburger reported that 86% of subscribers have renewed to date, with nine days remaining in the renewal period. Current renewal rates are tracking 2% higher than this time last year, with a target goal of 89% or 90% renewal.
He also provided a historical overview of annual subscriber renewals, shared demographic information about subscribers, and highlighted recent sales performance.
He then reviewed BAA's Education and Community Outreach initiatives and their growth in Salt Lake City. Highlights include:
- Expanded support of the Utah High School Musical Theatre Awards.
- Improved IA Training program, resulting in better-qualified crew members.
- Masterclasses and workshops conducted in public schools.
- Partnerships with Big Brothers Big Sisters mentoring programs.
- Talkbacks for schools, groups, and education partners during Thursday evening performances.
- Festival experiences in conjunction with Broadway productions.
The floor was then opened for questions and comments. All questions were addressed and answered.
Eccles Theater Technical Outreach 2025 Program Highlights - David Hallock, Cate Kizerian
Due to time constraints, this topic will be deferred to a future meeting and is expected to be added to the April agenda.
Current Budget and Activity Reports - Sarah Dibble, Matt Castillo
Mr. Castillo said Ms. Dibble provided an overview of the 2025-year end results, these are still unaudited. We are working on closing the books. Ms. Dibble reported that it was an outstanding year. She noted that revenue goals were exceeded and operational expenditures came in under budget.
She presented slides detailing Eccles' Site Operating Budget, Building Operating Budget, Arts for All Operating Budget, and the Net Operating Income distribution to Owners. These reports had been emailed to all Board members prior to the meeting for their review.
Due to time constraints, Ms. Dibble proceeded directly to the Owners' Distribution report. She provided a revenue breakdown, noting that total revenue is approximately $4 million, with $1 million allocated to the Capital Reserves Fund, $1.6 million designated for transfer to the CRA, and $1.3 million for transfer to Salt Lake County.
Mr. Castillo added that revenue in this industry typically follows a three- to five-year cycle. He emphasized that the organization budgets conservatively each year and that the pre-budget preparation process helps ensure strong financial results, although performance may vary from year to year.
The final item discussed was the Site Operating Budget, which exceeded revenue goals. Mr. Castillo noted that significant progress was achieved in 2025, marking the first year that Black Box utilization exceeded 50%, with a target of 60%. He attributed this success to enhanced community engagement efforts, which have contributed to increased site activation.
Questions and comments were welcomed and addressed throughout the presentation.
Director's Updates, Arts & Culture/Ecles Theater - Matt Castillo
No time.
Meeting adjourned at 10:01am.
Next Meeting: April 23, 2026
2026 Meeting Schedule
All meetings start at 9:00am and are held in the O.C. Tanner Lounge at the Eccles Theater with a Web-Ex option.
(Dates, times, locations subject to change. Additional meetings may be added)
a. February 19
b. April 23
c. June 18
d. August 20
e. October 22
f. December 10
Notice of Special Accommodations (ADA)
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, individuals needing special accommodations (including auxiliary communicative aids and services) during this meeting should notify Angela Vanderwell at avanderwell@slco.org.
Notice of Electronic or Telephone Participation
Electronic telephonic participation is available for this Body upon request.