800-PLAYTIX (752-9849) Login

David Ivers, Artistic Director - Guest Blog

Thoughts From David

I was approached last week by our PR department to do a little blogging on behalf of USF…Now…I’ve never done this before so you’ll have to forgive the form if it’s somehow not to “industry” standards.

I took the job (the blogging job) for several reasons. First, I thought: “Well, this will be good: force me as one of the Artistic Directors to formulate a few thoughts about what I’m doing at USF to help ‘move the needle’ and share a few thoughts about what’s in the works for the future….you know; have the courage to put it in INK.”

Now, on the heels of THAT thought, this arrived:

“MAN…..this will be so cool when, at 9pm, after my sons have read and cleaned and brushed and shared some thoughts about the universe and asked the big questions and are finally asleep and all the little plastic toys that scar my feet are picked up and put away; after Steph (my wife) and myself finish the dishes and prep the house for the next morning; after that’s all done and we SIT and re-introduce ourselves to each other, she will invariably ask:

“How was work today, anything new?”

I will get to say:

“Good. Good. Yeah. Did a little Bloggin’.”

“Excuse me?” I can hear.

“Yup…did…uh….did a little Bloggin’. Blogging.”

“Really?”

“For USF…you know Nikki (Our PR Director) asked and I said yes…. (silence) I have a blog….(longer silence) I’m a blogger.”

“What did you BLOG about, dear?”

“Just wrote a bit about, the work Brian and myself are doing as we continue to look for new plays to produce at Utah Shakespeare and contemplate commissioning mores classics like the recent Sense and Sensibilitythat just closed in our 2014 summer season.

I wrote a bit about how the new Beverly Taylor Sorenson Center for the Arts (BTSCA) will certainly require us to adjust our thinking in terms of HOW we program and WHAT we program. I’m excited (I wrote) about the possibility of opening our season a bit earlier and looking at how we might extend the Fall component of our work to allow greater access for our student and local population. The BTSCA will incorporate a smaller, flexible theater which will allow us to produce intimate works of varying genres to help build an audience during portions of the year that are not typically programmed.

I continued, Brian and myself along with Executive Director Scott Phillips and General Manager Zach Murray are meeting weekly to strategize effective ways to produce our work more efficiently, to organize the Utah Shakespeare Festival in a way that protects our resources and improves the support we offer our full and seasonal staff.

We are currently working with our board to complete a Long Range Plan, which has been stalled over the last two years as other priorities, and challenges have moved higher up the list. I’m excited, I wrote, about the progress being made with the caliber of artists who appear on and off our stages and hope to continue the trend as we look toward a 2015 season that will bring noted stage, film and TV actor TONY AMENDOLA to USF as King Lear.”

“You sound excited” smiled Steph.

“I am…there was a lot to share in my little Blog debut. Things like our great working sessions with a really dedicated production staff on how the 2016 and 2017 season line-up(s) look. How our repertory of plays may weave in and out of the calendar year and how we support our local southern Utah community as we continue to reach out beyond our borders.

We have a new and innovative approach to branding recently brought to us by our Marketing and Communications team that will certainly support our mission.

And, I’m eager to share results and details of upcoming casting sessions as we put together the 2015 company and I’m hopeful we will be in a position to announce our 2016 season in the new BTSCA sooner than later (3 titles have been chosen!).

All in all, it’s been great to share a few thoughts with our friends and supporters as we continue to build some of the best theatre in our country.”

“Wow.”

Steph quipped. “Big day….can’t wait to read it.”

What's On

images/2024_web_500x350_thumbnail_main-03.jpg
The Taming of the Shrew

June 19 - September 7, 2024

Engelstad Shakespeare Theatre

images/2024_web_500x350_thumbnail_main-06.jpg
Silent Sky

July 12 - October 5, 2024

Eileen and Allen Anes Studio Theatre

images/2024_web_500x350_thumbnail_main-04.jpg
Much Ado About Nothing

June 21 - October 5, 2024

Randall L. Jones Theatre

images/2024_web_500x350_thumbnail_main-02.jpg
The Winter's Tale

June 18 - September 6, 2024

Engelstad Shakespeare Theatre

images/2024_web_500x350_thumbnail_main.jpg
Henry VIII

June 17 - September 5, 2024

Engelstad Shakespeare Theatre

images/rada-1-.png
RADA 2024 Production

July 30-August 3, 2024

Eileen and Allen Anes Studio Theatre

images/2024_web_500x350_thumbnail_main-07.jpg
The Mountaintop

July 13 - October 5, 2024

Eileen and Allen Anes Studio Theatre

images/2024_web_500x350_thumbnail_main-05.jpg
The 39 Steps

June 22 - October 5, 2024

Randall L. Jones Theatre

© Utah Shakespeare Festival 2024 www.bard.org Cedar City, Utah