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A stage production of "The Little Mermaid," with an actor playing Ariel suspended over a cast of fish.

A typical company number at the Clayton Middle School play. Video: Erin Alberty/Axios

If you haven't seen the annual extravaganza that is the Clayton Middle School play, you might want to snag a ticket — and preemptively schedule jaw reconstruction surgery.

Why it matters: This is not your mother's junior high stage production of "The Little Mermaid."

Case in point: Here you can see Ariel's legs rip free from her fins as she becomes part of our world 'neath a Pink Floyd-esque laser light show.

Ariel's fin costume is torn away to transform into legs in a stage performance of the Little Mermaid 

What, your middle school play didn't have silks aerialists dangling from the ceiling?

Dancers and aerialists performing onstage in a stage production of The Little Mermaid

Here's Ursula in menacing, giant octopus form:

Ursula the sea witch appears as a giant octopus that fills the stage in a live production of The Little Mermaid.

The big picture: This level of spectacle is impressive — but not all that shocking in Utah, where production value is a cultural value.

Just look at our Pioneer Day parade floats.

Catch up quick: Clayton's theatrical exploits have prodded the boundaries of "extra" for about a quarter century.

They've also staged "Bye Bye Birdie," "Fiddler on the Roof," "Newsies," "Peter Pan," "The Sound of Music" and more.

Worth your time: Listen to this 13-year-old Mufasa belt out "They Live in You" from 2018's "The Lion King."

How it works: The program notes are full of thank-yous for an army of volunteers and donations — including a couple of foundation grants.

I noticed a friend listed in the program as a set guy alongside his now-adult son, a former cast member who still helps build the scenery.

Over the years, professional companies and performers have kicked in costumes, set elements and even diction coaching.

Fun fact: Clayton is a feeder middle school to East High, of "High School Musical" fame.

What's next: Performances are each night this week, with two on Saturday.

Midweek shows are your best bet; Saturday night is already sold out.

Disclaimer: My kid is in the ensemble. If you go, wave toward the group at stage left.

They find a place for every willing student!

The bottom line: It may take decades to build community support for a public school arts program — but once it's there, the sea's the limit.

How a middle school play became the hottest ticket in town

What, your junior high musical DIDN'T have aerialists dangling from the ceiling?

Ariel floats over the cast of "The Little Mermaid" in a stage production.

<figure><img alt="A stage production of &quot;The Little Mermaid,&quot; with an actor playing Ariel suspended over a cast of fish." height="449" id="d8f2617b-a9ef-4564-b4a5-1f3ba6172805" src="https://images.axios.com/0P4c7OfIz-5PYg6j3OBEX8OOxU8=/2026/03/02/1772471509809.gif" width="800"/><figcaption>A typical company number at the Clayton Middle School play. Video: Erin Alberty/Axios</figcaption></figure>If you haven&#x27;t seen the annual extravaganza that is the Clayton Middle School play, you might want to snag a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="ticket" data-vars-click-url="https://cur8.com/23580/project/134596" data-vars-content-id="1db6e6b3-b78f-4f54-9045-3a557ab5a8a8" data-vars-headline="How a middle school play became the hottest ticket in town" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://cur8.com/23580/project/134596" target="_blank">ticket</a> — and preemptively schedule jaw reconstruction surgery.Why it matters: This is not your mother&#x27;s junior high stage production of &quot;The Little Mermaid.&quot;

News

Things to Do

Education

Friday marks the last day of the Utah legislative session, and state lawmakers are racing against the clock to pass remaining bills before midnight.

Why it matters: Anything that unfolds during the final hours could make or break these policies.

A GOP-backed AI transparency bill has drawn strong opposition from the White House.

State of play: The bill would require frontier AI companies to publish safety and child-protection plans and include whistleblower protections for employees who report safety concerns, Axios' Maria Curi reported.

Friction point: President Trump signed an executive order last year to override state AI laws.

The bill's fate remains uncertain after the White House sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Kirk Cullimore last month, saying the bill went against "the administration's AI agenda."

The latest: Two other AI-related bills are making their way through the Legislature.

HB 438 would regulate "companion chatbots" and provide protections for minors who use them, while HB 276 would prohibit the distribution of deepfakes without the consent of the depicted individual.

A number of hardline immigration bills don't appear likely to make it past the finish line.

Catch up quick: Controversial proposals targeting undocumented immigrants — including those to expand E-verify, restrict certain public benefits, and revoke driving privilege cards — appear to have stalled.

Utah students would be effectively forced to watch an anti-abortion video that doctors have described as "misinformation," under HB 315.

The "Baby Olivia" video describes a fetus developing earlier than medical calculations, which date developmental events to the final menstrual period before pregnancy.

What they're saying: In a hearing last week, Katharine Caldwell, a Salt Lake-based family physician, called the video a "sensationalized and inaccurate and misleading representation of fetal development."

The latest: The bill passed the House this week and was recommended by a Senate committee on Wednesday.

🐄 Meanwhile, a bill to roll back restrictions on unpasteurized milk sales has passed the House and succeeded in a Senate committee last week.

Some bills with environmental implications are still pending, including:

A requirement that state water officials collect data and study water lost to leaky pipes, maintenance and valve failures in water systems.

What's next: We'll recap the fates of closely watched bills on Monday.

What we're watching on the last day of the legislative session

State lawmakers are racing against the clock to pass remaining bills before midnight.

Downtown city street with traffic, framed by tall modern buildings and greenery, leading to a neoclassical capitol building with a dome, hills in the background under a blue sky.

Lawmakers wrap their final day of the legislation session Friday. Photo by: Jim West/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Friday marks the last day of the Utah legislative session, and state lawmakers are racing against the clock to pass remaining bills before midnight.Why it matters: Anything that unfolds during the final hours could make or break these policies.

Politics

Nearly a third of Team USA's 72 paralympians have ties to Utah as the 2026 Winter Games kick off Friday.

State of play: Para snowboarding is the event where Utahns historically have mined most of their medals.

Here are a few of the shredders we're watching.

Brenna Huckaby: After losing her right leg to cancer at 14, this three-time gold medalist learned to snowboard while on a rehab trip to Utah.

The intrigue: Huckaby successfully sued the International Paralympic Committee after it eliminated her category and would not allow her to compete in the 2022 Games, even in another category with athletes whose impairments are considered less severe than her own.

After her court victory returned her to the roster, she won gold in the banked slalom event and bronze in snowboard cross.

Kate Delson: The 20-year-old Utahn is making her debut at the games as the youngest member of the U.S. Para snowboarding team.

Keith Gabel: The Ogden snowboarder arrives at his fourth Winter Games with two medals already around his neck.

He won bronze in 2014 and silver in 2018 in snowboard cross.

Noah Elliott: The reigning World Cup champion turned to Huckaby for advice in shifting to snowboarding from skateboarding in the 2010s, after his leg was amputated due to complications from osteosarcoma.

The alum of the Utah-based National Ability Center went on to win gold in banked slalom and bronze in snowboard cross in 2018.

Meanwhile in cross-country skiing, Sydney Peterson returns this year sporting the full medal set she won in 2022. She's pursuing a PhD in neuroscience at the U.

Dani Aravich also competed in track and field at Tokyo in 2020 and is helping organize the 2034 Winter Olympics here in Salt Lake.

Utah paralympians to watch at the 2026 Winter Games

Para snowboard and nordic skiing are where Utahns shine

Ogden snowboarder Keith Gabel snowboards at the 2022 Winter Paralympic Games at Zhangjiakou Genting Snow Park on March 06, 2022 in Zhangjiakou, China

Ogden snowboarder Keith Gabel at the 2022 Winter Paralympic Games in Zhangjiakou, China. Photo: Moto Yoshimura/Getty Images

Nearly a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="third" data-vars-click-url="https://utahsportscommission.com/from-utah-to-italy-part-two/" data-vars-content-id="5b2713dc-0551-4966-a143-627d04655c18" data-vars-headline="Utah paralympians to watch at the 2026 Winter Games" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://utahsportscommission.com/from-utah-to-italy-part-two/" target="_blank">third</a> of Team USA&#x27;s <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="72 paralympians" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2026/03/04/team-usa-paralympians-to-watch-milan-2026" data-vars-content-id="5b2713dc-0551-4966-a143-627d04655c18" data-vars-headline="Utah paralympians to watch at the 2026 Winter Games" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2026/03/04/team-usa-paralympians-to-watch-milan-2026" target="_self">72 paralympians</a> have ties to Utah as the 2026 Winter Games kick off Friday.State of play: Para snowboarding is the event where Utahns historically have mined most of their medals.

Sports

From light installations to tattoo artistry, there's lots to do this weekend in and around SLC.

🤩 Illuminate: The annual festival of light and art has moved to March this year, with interactive installations, live music and a drone show 5-10pm Friday and Saturday at Library Square. Free

⛸️ Synchronized Skating Championships: If the Olympics left you wanting more, see the nation's best on ice Thursday-Saturday at the Maverik Center. Tickets

🇬🇭 Ghana Independence Day: Celebrate the west African nation with food, performances and fun 4-8pm Saturday at the Utah Cultural Celebration Center. Tickets 

🖊️ Tattoo Expo: About 500 artists are showing off their best ink Friday-Sunday at the Salt Palace. Tickets

Salt Lake weekend events: "Illuminate" fest, synchronized skating and more

Also: Ghana's independance and a huge tattoo expo.

Illustration of a cassette tape with the tape unspooling to spell weekend. 

Illustration of lit marquee letters spelling "WEEKEND" sitting in a row of theater seats.

From light installations to tattoo artistry, there&#x27;s lots to do this weekend in and around SLC.🤩 <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Illuminate" data-vars-click-url="https://utaharts.org/en/illuminate/" data-vars-content-id="8b90810a-11af-45a4-87ec-2511792af9f9" data-vars-headline="Salt Lake weekend events: &quot;Illuminate&quot; fest, synchronized skating and more" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://utaharts.org/en/illuminate/" target="_blank">Illuminate</a>: The annual festival of light and art has moved to March this year, with interactive installations, live music and a drone show 5-10pm Friday and Saturday at Library Square. Free

A winter storm could bring more desperately needed snow to Utah's mountains, starting Wednesday.

Why it matters: The state's snowpack was back to a record low Tuesday, as water officials warn that Utah's lakes and reservoirs could fall to perilous levels later this year.

Meanwhile, the lack of snow has been catastrophic for the ski industry.

The latest: A foot or more of snow is expected at Alta before Friday, with 6 inches at Daniel's Summit in eastern Utah and three inches at the mountain passes of I-70 in central-southern Utah, per the National Weather Service.

Expect at least a trace in cities along the I-15 corridor, with at least an inch from Nephi to Cedar City. 

The good news: After unseasonable, late-February rain and snow-melting temperatures, Utah's mountain resorts should stay cold enough for the snow to sick around through the weekend.

Reality check: This storm will probably not compare to the monster snow dump two weeks ago — and even that did little to make up for the ongoing winter drought. 

March storm expected to bring relief — if small — to Utah's dry, warm winter

Illustration of snowfall accumulating and being shoveled off the screen.

Illustration of a beach chair and umbrella under snowfall. 

A winter storm could bring more <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="desperately needed snow" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/salt-lake-city/2026/02/11/storm-brings-hope-utah-snowpack" data-vars-content-id="d3214aff-e9b9-47e1-8063-9d4c2a51c39c" data-vars-headline="March storm expected to bring relief — if small — to Utah&#x27;s dry, warm winter" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/salt-lake-city/2026/02/11/storm-brings-hope-utah-snowpack" target="_self">desperately needed snow</a> to Utah&#x27;s mountains, starting Wednesday.Why it matters: The state&#x27;s snowpack was back to a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="record low" data-vars-click-url="https://nwcc-apps.sc.egov.usda.gov/awdb/basin-plots/POR/WTEQ/assocHUCut3/state_of_utah.html" data-vars-content-id="d3214aff-e9b9-47e1-8063-9d4c2a51c39c" data-vars-headline="March storm expected to bring relief — if small — to Utah&#x27;s dry, warm winter" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://nwcc-apps.sc.egov.usda.gov/awdb/basin-plots/POR/WTEQ/assocHUCut3/state_of_utah.html" target="_blank">record low</a> Tuesday, as water officials warn that Utah&#x27;s <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="lakes" data-vars-click-url="https://utahnewsdispatch.com/briefs/great-salt-lake-may-hit-record-low-in-2026/" data-vars-content-id="d3214aff-e9b9-47e1-8063-9d4c2a51c39c" data-vars-headline="March storm expected to bring relief — if small — to Utah&#x27;s dry, warm winter" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://utahnewsdispatch.com/briefs/great-salt-lake-may-hit-record-low-in-2026/" target="_blank">lakes</a> and <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="reservoirs" data-vars-click-url="https://www.deseret.com/utah/2026/03/02/how-to-stabilize-lake-powell-water-elevation/" data-vars-content-id="d3214aff-e9b9-47e1-8063-9d4c2a51c39c" data-vars-headline="March storm expected to bring relief — if small — to Utah&#x27;s dry, warm winter" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.deseret.com/utah/2026/03/02/how-to-stabilize-lake-powell-water-elevation/" target="_blank">reservoirs</a> could fall to perilous levels later this year.

Erin Alberty

Featured stories

What we're watching on the last day of the legislative session

Utah paralympians to watch at the 2026 Winter Games

Salt Lake weekend events: "Illuminate" fest, synchronized skating and more

March storm expected to bring relief — if small — to Utah's dry, warm winter

How a middle school play became the hottest ticket in town