SCERA Center for the Arts — Attraction in Orem

I pulled into what an appeared to be a busy parking lot. Upon discovering the main entrance doors as locked, I began to explore for an alternative entry. A small plaque that read the words “God Rest ye Merry Gentlemen,” welcomed me into a winding walkway along the courtyard. Waltzing through a side door into what looked like a museum, decked out in festive holiday style, the small corner stand was empty save for a young boy handing out popcorn. I purchased a single ticket and continued down the hall. Ill-placed doors within the corridor loomed ominously, their unsettling size amplifying the absence of signs to guide my path.

As the movie starts, the lights go dark and no one else enters to watch the movie. And as it continues, I find myself sinking deeper into my chair, gradually realizing the air is growing steadily colder. My feet are like bricks and my hands are like ice. The acustics make it so all noise echoes through the room and changes pitch. The eerie sounds of Christmas past cling to old tapestries and linger in the shadows. When the movie finishes and the lights turn on, old record music starts playing.

“Christmas bells are ringing”.

I laugh as I walk out the back doorway and pause.

“Christmas bells are ringing”.

The boy is gone. I am all alone.

I do not know where it is they would have me leave.

“Christmas bells are ringing”.

A giant golden curtain blows from a nonexistent breeze.

A smell hits in strong waves. Recollections surge to the pit of my stomach—a chilling tale of a woman enticing young men into her bed and breakfast. She poisons them, preserves their bodies, and stores them in one of her rooms upstairs.

“Christmas bells are ringing.”

I skip ahead to what appears to be an exit door and fumble as I cannot get it open. Terror wracks my soul. I rattle the handle and push against it until it creaks open. Stumbling against the steps I bolt like a flash of lightning, running for my life.

I try to start my car but cannot feel the wheel clutched in my hands or the pedals beneath my boots. I breathe in and remember the doors here are locked. I am safe. I am in control. Laughing nervously, I shakily calm down.

As I steer out of the parking lot, the shadows watch me leave.

God Rest ye Merry...

I am extremely disappointed with the way my niece was treated during her dance program, particularly by the instructor “Lizzie” (or “Lizzy”). Moments before her scheduled performance in front of her family, she was asked by this instructor to leave the stage—without explanation or proper communication. Even more upsetting, she was excluded from the second dance entirely, while the rest of the class continued as if nothing had happened.

My niece went home heartbroken and in tears, saying she never wants to dance again. We later learned that there were four students whose behavior had been addressed, and the instructor was reportedly told to speak with all their parents. She admitted she only spoke with one set. This raises a deeply troubling concern: Why was only one student removed from the stage—and notably, the only child of color?

This experience is not only hurtful but unacceptable. This wonderful family is left feeling ignored, disrespected, and questioning whether bias played a role in this decision. I hope the organization takes this seriously and makes the necessary changes to ensure every child is treated with fairness, dignity,...

In July 2025, we visited the Scera Center for the Arts in Orem, Utah. The Scera Theater is located in Orem, on the East side of State Street and 800 South. We went to the free "Cries of Freedom" musical play. This play takes place on Thursday through Saturday, July 3rd to 5th, 2025. The play featured well-performed singing and dancing, with a highly patriotic theme of freedom and liberty. I already loved America, and after seeing the "Cries of Freedom" musical, I love America even more. Also, I am a veteran, and we veterans were invited to the stage to be thanked for our service. It was an emotional moment for me and my fellow veterans, and I shook what seemed like a hundred different hands. I highly recommend "Cries of Freedom" and the Scera Center for the Arts. This was a great and highly...