Originally built by Dr. Merrill Lessley in the early 60’s, the grandfather clock is the one prop that has stood in every Ballet West production. In 2016, Lessley told The Salt Lake Tribune that he had either designed or built many of the original sets and props in the basement of Daynes Music, just a stone’s throw from the Capitol Theatre. “Willam and I were good friends and I actually really enjoyed working with him,” Lessley told The Tribune. “Artistically he was so disciplined and so focused. In all of his works he would come at them with an overall artistic objective. And he was a mentor—he modeled the artistic behavior he was hunting for.”
Originally built by Dr. Merrill Lessley in the early 60’s, the grandfather clock is the one prop that has stood in every Ballet West production. In 2016, Lessley told The Salt Lake Tribune that he had either designed or built many of the original sets and props in the basement of Daynes Music, just a stone’s throw from the Capitol Theatre. “Willam and I were good friends and I actually really enjoyed working with him,” Lessley told The Tribune. “Artistically he was so disciplined and so focused. In all of his works he would come at them with an overall artistic objective. And he was a mentor—he modeled the artistic behavior he was hunting for.”
Originally one-dimensional, early in Property Master Cory Thorell’s career he added sides to the façade, making it more real and life like. Over the years, Cory has treated the grandfather clock with kid gloves to ensure this historic prop keeps ticking year after year.
