News From the Festival
Festival Welcomes New Guest Services Manager Sara Cram
The Utah Shakespeare Festival is thrilled to announce the newest addition to our residential staff, Sara Cram. As the new Guest Services Manager, Cram will be responsible for managing day-to-day guest services at the Festival and interacting with the community and Festival patrons.
“I am thrilled to join the Festival team,” Cram said. “I am looking forward to continuing to foster the positive and inclusive atmosphere that’s been created here, while also contributing to work with the community and build strong relationships.”
Originally from Tremonton, Cram made the move to southern Utah to attend what was then Dixie College. While there, Cram married and eventually moved to Cedar City. She and her husband have lived here for 19 years and began ushering at the Festival six years ago.
Cram has a history with theatre, and it was that draw to the fine arts that encouraged her to apply for the Guest Services position at the Festival.
“I was involved in theatre in high school and college. When I lived in St. George, I participated in [Dixie’s] costume shop and worked on the backstage production of Tuacahn… and then because I didn’t graduate from Dixie and chose to have a family instead, I’ve always had the thought of, ‘What if I had pursued a career in theatre arts?’ ” Cram said. “And this was the opportunity to answer that question.”
In 2018, Cram saw the Festival production of Big River, and knew she had to get involved with the Festival. In addition to volunteering with her husband as an usher, Cram brings her family to Festival plays.
Cram graduated with her bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies from Southern Utah University in 2022. Her degrees of focus were psychology, women and gender studies, and communications.
Cram brings both educational and work experience to the Guest Services Manager role.
“All of my work experience has been [people-focused]. I’ve worked a lot with people, so it’s a natural progression for me to work in guest services,” Cram said. “I enjoy interacting with the general public, so it felt like a good next step.”
Cram is familiar with both serving the community and working on Southern Utah University’s campus, having recently worked as a Program Coordinator in the Community and Workforce Development Department.
“It was such a good environment and that absolutely prepared me for this position,” Cram reflected.
For Cram, serving as Guest Services Manager is a perfect fit, and the Festival couldn’t agree more. She looks forward to meeting and working with patrons, company members, and other guests.
This season, Cram is looking forward to expanding her horizons in theatre, especially eager to see the productions of The Mountaintop and Silent Sky.
For tickets and more information on the Festival’s 2024 season, visit bard.org.
Ten Fun Facts: What You May Not Know About Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing
Welcoming first audiences on June 21, one of Shakespeare’s most popular comedies is a must-see! Directed this summer by long-time Festival favorite, Brad Carroll, here are some fun facts to prepare you for Much Ado About Nothing.
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This will be the Festival’s ninth production of Much Ado About Nothing, the first being in 1965 and the most recent in 2016.
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This is the first time the Festival will produce this play indoors, in the Randall L. Jones Theatre, bringing a fresh approach to a classic play.
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Director Brad Carroll found design inspiration for this production from American Artist Maurice Prendergast. Painting in oil and watercolor, Prendergast created mosaic-like color and is associated with the art movement of Post-Impressionism.
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Shakespeare also drew inspiration while writing the play. Similarities between the Claudio/Hero plot can be found from Novelle by Matteo Bandeo. Scholars also believe Shakespeare used Ludovico Ariost’s poem “Orlando Furioso.”
2024 Production Renderings. Costumes by Brenda Van Der Weil. Scenic Designs by Jason Lajka. -
Much Ado About Nothing contains more prose than any other Shakespeare play. Only about 25 percent of the play is verse.
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Ever heard of the phrase, “curiosity killed the cat?” Shakespeare used this line in the play as well: “What, courage, man! What though care killed a cat?” Although an expression similar to our modern phrase first appeared in a play by Ben Johnson in 1598, Shakespeare seemingly made the phrase popular.
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Historians aren’t sure when the play was first performed. Although it was written between 1598 and 1599, no public performance of record was found until 1613.
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The comedic character of Dogberry in the play was written specifically for actor William Kempe. A member of Shakespeare’s troupe, he ironically left the group in 1599, before any recorded performance of the play.
2024 Production Renderings. Costumes by Brenda Van Der Weil. Scenic Designs by Jason Lajka. -
The comedic technique of “malapropism,” or the purposeful confusion of multisyllabic words, is sometimes referred to “dogberryism,” after the use of it by Dogberry in the play.
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The verbal sparring between Beatrice and Benedick is one reason the play is so popular and is the model for witty lovers. Some say Jane Austen took inspiration for her characters of Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice. Parallels between Shakespeare’s couple and Scarlett and Rhett in Gone With the Wind can also be seen.
It’s not too early to purchase tickets! Visit bard.org to purchase tickets and for more information about the play. Don’t miss out on our study guides, where you can find a synopsis, character summaries, and several articles on the play.
Much Ado About Nothing Through the Years
The Utah Shakespeare Festival has put on eight previous productions of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing. This will be the first year that the play will be produced in the inside space of the Randall L. Jones Theatre.
The play hit Festival stages in 1965, 1973, 1981, 1987, 1995, 2003, 2010, and 2016. Enjoy these pictures of past productions!
It’s not too early to purchase tickets! Visit bard.org to purchase tickets and for more information about the play. Don’t miss out on our study guide, where you can find a synopsis, character summaries, and several articles on the play.
Educational Offerings for Adults and Educators: Receive Southern Utah University Credit and Expand Theatre Knowledge
It’s not too early to purchase tickets for the 2024 season of the Utah Shakespeare Festival. The play lineup for the 63rd season includes Shakespeare’s Henry VIII, The Winter’s Tale, The Taming of the Shrew, and Much Ado About Nothing, along with the hilarious The 39 Steps, the moving Silent Sky, and the inspirational The Mountaintop.
But plays aren’t all that the Festival offers. Through our education department, adult courses are available to Shakespeare and theatre lovers and educators alike.
For Educators:
Teaching Shakespeare
July 15-18, 2024
Specifically for English and Theatre Educators, this in-person course provides active and engaging classroom approaches for any teacher of Shakespeare text. Tuition is $300 and includes a ticket to four plays and three Southern Utah University Professional Development Credits.
Click here to register. Registration closes July 1, 2024.
Tech for Teachers
July 29-31, 2024
This is a great in-person professional development course for any educator or director. Festival technicians and experts create a hands-on learning experience for designing, building, and running a production. Tuition includes a ticket to four plays, the opportunity to watch post-production scenic changeovers, and three Southern Utah University Professional Development Credits.
Click here to register. Registration closes July 17, 2024.
For Everyone:
USF also offers online courses throughout the season. Participants attend plays, seminars, orientations, and complete online enrichment content specially designed to complement the productions. For general patrons, participating in the course will provide an elevated Festival Experience by introducing a variety of lenses and broadened perspectives through which to view live theatre. For educators, participation will not only provide an elevated Festival Experience, but also professional development credits through Southern Utah University.
Shakespeare Survey (Two Plays)
June 10 - October 18, 2024
Shakespeare Survey is a self-paced, individualized-learning course available anytime throughout the Festival season. Tuition is $130 and includes a ticket to two plays and one Southern Utah University Professional Development Credit.
Click here to register. Registration closes August 16, 2024.
Shakespeare Forum (Four Plays)
June 10 - October 18, 2024
Shakespeare Forum is a self-paced, individualized-learning course available anytime throughout the Festival season. Tuition is $260 and includes a ticket to four plays and two Southern Utah University Professional Development Credits.
Click here to register. Registration closes August 16, 2024.
Shakespeare Seminar (Six Plays)
June 10 - October 18, 2024
Shakespeare Seminar is a self-paced, individualized-learning course available anytime throughout the Festival season. Tuition is $300 and includes a ticket to six plays and three Southern Utah University Professional Development Credits.
Click here to register. Registration closes August 16, 2024.
To purchase tickets and take advantage of educational offerings, and for more information, call the Festival Ticket Office at 800-PLAYTIX or visit bard.org.
Calling All Young Theatre Lovers to Summer Camp: Train with Festival Artists for a Once-in-a-Lifetime Opportunity
Festival summer camps are the perfect chance for young aspiring artists to experience a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to train with professionals.
“Getting to watch a Festival production and then study with the artists whose work you saw onstage is a unique opportunity for students,” says Education Director Katherine Norman.
For those thinking about attending, here are several reasons to sign up today for summer camp:
- For high school students, this is an intensive pre-professional college training program with Festival artists.
- It’s a chance to work with and learn from the artists you see onstage in Festival productions..
- Summer camps allow you to spend a week learning and playing with other like-minded students and theatre lovers.
- You can choose your focus! For high school students, there’s the option to study acting or technical theatre with Festival professionals.
- Unsure about sleep-away camp? That’s okay; choose what’s best for you and participate in our day camp instead.
- For those excited about our overnight camps, you can look forward to staying in Southern Utah University student housing and being completely immersed in the world of professional theatre.
- There are scholarships available! Please click here for more information on the program you are interested in.
Playmakers Summer Day Camp
June 10-22, 2024
Ages 5-17
From 2-4pm Monday to Friday, students will have the opportunity to build theatre skills through movement, voice, improv, and more with a final Saturday performance. Tuition is $150 and includes a T-shirt and a ticket to one play.
Click here to register. Registration closes May 31, 2024.
Junior Actor Training
July 15-20, 2024
Ages 12-14
Taught by professional Festival actors, this week-long sleep-away camp is for young actors who want to train in scene work, stage combat, voice and movement, and more. Tuition is $1,200 and includes all meals, tickets to seven plays, and dormitory accommodations. There is also a payment option of $600, which includes all of the above excluding dormitory accommodations.
Click here to register. Registration closes July 5, 2024.
Theatre Training
July 22-27, 2024
Ages 15-18
This program allows students to choose their focus: Acting or Technical Theatre. Taught by professional Festival acting and production company members, this pre-college professional training program is for high school students looking for a week-long intensive camp. Tuition is $1,200 and includes all meals, tickets to seven plays, and dormitory accommodations. There is also a payment option of $600, which includes all of the above excluding dormitory accommodations.
Click here to register. Registration closes July 12, 2024.
Questions for the Education Department? Call 435-865-8333 or email usfeducation@gmail.com.
It’s not too early to purchase tickets for the 2024 season of the Utah Shakespeare Festival. The play lineup for the 63rd season includes Shakespeare’s Henry VIII, The Winter’s Tale, The Taming of the Shrew, and Much Ado About Nothing, along with the hilarious The 39 Steps, the moving Silent Sky, and the inspirational The Mountaintop.
Educational Offerings for School Groups: Enjoy Discounted and Free Plays!
Educating and inspiring theatre lovers is a huge part of the Festival’s mission, and this often begins with young thespians. There’s a variety of educational opportunities for students; for teachers with school groups, Shakespearience and USF School Days are a must!
Education Director Katherine Norman explains the differences between the two offerings.
“Shakespearience offers discounted tickets for any Monday through Friday matinee in August and September. The tickets include awesome extras like workshops, tours, and talkbacks just for your students,” Norman said.
USF School Days, on the other hand, are two specific free performances set aside for Utah public and public charter school groups.
Shakespearience
Monday-Friday Matinees, August-September, 2024
Schools and education groups can enjoy a professional play, orientation, and other experiences with the Festival’s Shakespearience program at a discounted price.
The experience offers access to study guide materials that extend learning in classrooms, and the option to schedule personalized talkbacks, workshops, or art center tours for schools.
Shakespearience excludes premier seating and is subject to availability. Pricing is $10 per person for Utah public and public charter school groups, and $15 per person for private and out-of-state school groups. Group rates apply for groups of 12 or more guests. For more information, click here.
USF School Days
September 5, 2024 - Much Ado About Nothing at 2pm
September 11, 2024 - Silent Sky at 2pm
On September 5 and 11, Utah public and public charter school groups can attend the matinees of Much Ado About Nothing and Silent Sky for free! Due to funding from the state’s POPS program, the Festival is excited to offer these two shows at no cost for Utah public and public charter school students.
Designed to serve school groups, to qualify for this free program there must be a minimum of 12 people in your group and at least 75 percent of the attendees must K-12 students. For more information, click here.
To book Shakespearience and USF School Days tickets, call the ticket office at 800-PLAYTIX. Questions for the Education Department? Call 435-865-8333 or email usfeducation@bard.org.
It’s not too early to purchase tickets for the 2024 season of the Utah Shakespeare Festival. The play lineup for the 63rd season includes Shakespeare’s Henry VIII, The Winter’s Tale, The Taming of the Shrew, and Much Ado About Nothing, along with the hilarious The 39 Steps, the moving Silent Sky, and the inspirational The Mountaintop.
Shakespeare in the Schools: Meet the Team for Hamlet
CEDAR CITY, UT – The Utah Shakespeare Festival is thrilled to announce its 2024 team of Shakespeare in the Schools, its annual education touring production. This year, a team of nine will travel and bring one of the world’s most recognized plays to K-12 students: Shakespeare’s Hamlet.
Throughout the Intermountain West, the Festival’s touring program serves both rural and urban students and communities, providing access to professional theatre. This year, a condensed version of Hamlet will highlight themes of authenticity and reality under the ever-scrutinizing eye of the media and societal expectations. For more about the play, click here.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Stewart Shelley, Director
Along with directing this year’s Shakespeare in the Schools tour, Shelley is the Festival’s Associate Education Director. He was also Interim Education Director, Education Programs Manager, and Summer Camp Coordinator for the Festival.
Shelley received a Master of Arts in Education Administration from Grand Canyon University and is part of both the Utah Advisory Council of Theatre Teachers and the Shakespeare Theatre Association.
Kellie M. Beck, Tour Manager
Beck appeared Off-Broadway in Ars Nova and has worked for NYU Meisner, Signature Theater, and Philadelphia Orchestra, to name a few.
They received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre Performance-Directing from the University of Michigan.
Fiona Misiura, Stage Manager
Previously at the Festival, Misiura was the Production Assistant for Jane Austen’s Emma The Musical and The Play That Goes Wrong in 2023. She has also worked at Urban Stages and United Solo Festival as a Stage Manager, and American Academy of Dramatic Arts Company as a Production Stage Manager.
Misiura received a Bachelor of Arts in Theater and History from Ramapo College of New Jersey.
Blaize Adler-Ivanbrook, Actor
Adler-Ivanbrook will be taking on the roles of Horatio/First Player in Hamlet. He has also been in Two Gentlemen of Verona at American Theatre of Actors, Bliss Street at Theater for the New City, Uncle Vanya at Columbia University, and more.
He received a Bachelor of Arts in Theater and Geology from Colorado College and trained at Stella Adler Shakespeare and Chekhov Intensives.
Darin F. Earl II, Actor
Playing Claudius/Ghost of Hamlet, Earl II has also been in Timon of Athens and Coriolanus at the Festival, as well as tackling the role of Othello in last year’s Shakespeare in the Schools Education Tour.
He has also been in productions of Ye Bear & Ye Cubb Off-Broadway, and A Midwinter’s Night Dream, Romeo and Juliet, and more at Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey. Earl II received a Bachelor of Arts from Rider University.
Isa Guitian, Actor
Guitian is playing Polonius/Osric/Gravedigger. They have also been in productions of A Christmas Carol at Guthrie Theater, Measure for Measure at Illinois Shakespeare Festival, and The Old Man and the Old Moon at Door Shakespeare.
Guitian received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting from the University of Minnesota.
Adam Koda, Actor
Throughout the tour, Koda will play Hamlet. Some other productions have included Romeo and Juliet at Texas Shakespeare Festival, Sense and Sensibility at Pittsburgh Playhouse, and Twelfth Night at The Playground Theatre in London.
Koda received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Point Park University and has been in American Rust on Showtime.
Abigail Rose Nakken, Actor
Playing Gertrude/Marcellus, Nakken has also been a part of the Festival’s previous Shakespeare in the Schools productions of Macbeth and Othello. Other mainstage productions at the Festival include Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare in Love, and Cymbeline.
Nakken has also worked for Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, Kentucky Shakespeare, and Northern Stage. She received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Classical Acting and Shakespeare Studies from Southern Utah University.
Gianna Porfano, Actor
Playing Ophelia and more in this production, Porfano also boasts acting credits from productions of We Will Rock You at Scranton Shakespeare Festival, A Christmas Carol at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, and Sherlock Holmes Returns at Hunterdon Hills Playhouse.
Porfano received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from NYU Tisch Schools of the Arts.
Darci Ramirez, Actor
Playing Laertes/Rosencrantz/Player, Ramirez has held many roles at the Festival, including Seminar Manager from 2018 to 2022. She also understudied in Festival productions of Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, All’s Well That Ends Well, and more.
Ramirez directed Wood Painting at Brigham Young University, where she also received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting. She has also understudied at Salt Lake Acting Company, Brigham Young University, and Noorda Center for the Arts.
Artistic Team
Other members of the team include designers and artisans who work to create the visual and auditory world of the production. Sound design is by Ernesto Salamanca; scenic design is by Benjamin Hohman; props design is by Marielle Boneau; costume design is by ArianMarie Moye; costume construction is by Diana Girtain (draper), Amanda Castanon (costume technician), and Madison Granger (costume technician); voice and text coaching is by Evelyn Case; and fight choreography is by Amie Root.
ABOUT THE TOUR
Shakespeare in the Schools “brings quality Shakespeare performances and workshops to schools and communities throughout the Intermountain West,” and has been doing so for thirty years.
The tour offers either a 75-minute fully produced performance of the play, or an interactive 45-minute assembly designed for elementary audiences that explores elements of theatre and Shakespeare. Post-performance talkbacks and educational workshops are also included in the tour.
Funded by the State of Utah, the tour is offered free to all Utah public and public charter schools. At-cost and discounted rates are also available for private schools, public venues, and out-of-state locations.
The tour will start February 1 and run through April 20, 2024. Although the tour is fully booked, schools can request a place on the wait-list or reach out with questions to usfedcuation@bard.org or call 435-865-8333.
ABOUT FESTIVAL TOURS
The Festival will actually have two different touring productions on the road around the same time: Hamlet and Every Brilliant Thing, which is not part of Shakespeare in the Schools, but is also funded by the state legislature. While the audiences are similar, the goals for each show are different.
Shakespeare in the Schools is designed for audiences to have a condensed yet complete theatrical experience, with costume, scenic, and sound designs. Every Brilliant Thing, however, is a much smaller production with only two rotating narrators that aims to reach students with important messages about mental health and hope. More information about the latter show can be found at bard.org/brillianttour.
Festival Feature: Donna Law Appointed Executive Director of Utah Dept. of Cultural and Community Engagement
The Utah Shakespeare Festival would like to congratulate former Festival employee Donna Law on her new position as Executive Director of Utah Department of Cultural and Community Engagement.
Appointed by Utah Governor Spencer Cox, Law began this new position on January 3. She most recently served as the Associate Vice President of Community and Government Relations at Southern Utah University.
“I am thrilled with this new opportunity to support arts, museums, libraries, STEM, volunteerism, and other community building programs all across the state of Utah,” Law said.
Formerly at the Festival, Law served as Director of Communications and Marketing. Other positions at SUU included Executive Director of Development and Government Relations and Development Director.
Pursuing her passion for the arts, Law also spent time as Managing Director of the Orlando Shakespeare Company and Director of Development of the Idaho Shakespeare Festival.
SUU President Mindy Benson noted that “her extraordinary dedication and passion for furthering the arts and elevating communities everywhere will bless our entire state.”
Law indeed blessed the Festival during her time, helping to bring about the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Center for the Arts. She also served as a board member of Cedar City’s RAP Tax Arts Committee and Vice President of the Shakespeare Theatre Association.
Ultimately, all of Law’s work reflects back to her goal of furthering and supporting the arts, and her passion for such began in 1993, when she began volunteering right here at the Festival.
“My true passion for the arts and skills in arts administration began at SUU and the Utah Shakespeare Festival,” Law said.
Visit utah.gov and here to read more about Law’s new appointment.
Props Team Presents 19th Annual Holiday Light Display to Raise Money for Make-A-Wish Foundation
Festival husband and wife duo Ben Hohman and Marielle Boneau have gone all out once again with their holiday display, bringing lots of light––literally––to Cedar City and its community.
This is the 19th year that Properties Director Hohman and Assistant Properties Director Boneau have decked out their house at 26 North 1150 West in Cedar City. The display lights up every night from 5:30-10 pm and will run until December 31st, weather permitting.
The Display
The display has raised over $32,000 for Make-A-Wish Foundation in the 18 years it’s been running. In addition to receiving donations from the community, the couple also donates the value of their December power bill to the organization.
And lots of power is needed. An electrician installed an extra 120 amps of electricity in the back of the house just for the Christmas lights, which is four times the amount used inside. It’s safe to say that Hohman and Boneau love Christmas a whole “watt.”
3,000 more lights have been added this year, bringing the total to over 68,000 lights, which are choreographed to dance with 20 Christmas songs. The display also includes 70 plastic blow-molds, 30 lighted animal sculptures, over 55 inflatables, a homemade nine-foot wreath, and wire-frame animated sculptures.
Visitors can walk through Candy Cane Lane, taking in the light display in both the front and back yards. The display includes Santa’s Flight School, where reindeer are learning to fly, the Christmas Zoo, Winter Disco Land, Santa’s Workshop, Gingerbread Land, and more.
The Beginning
The idea to collect donations came about almost a decade ago. Hohman helps with the annual Make-A-Wish Christmas party and is a trained Wish Granter, so his involvement with the organization goes back a long time.
“We help decorate for the Christmas party each year, and we decorate the house as a fundraiser for the organization,” Hohman said.
That first year they were encouraged to become more involved with the organization after their friend Heather was impressed with their decorating, and so the couple started to collect donations at their light display.
The “Why”
When asked why the couple continues to put in over 700 hours to put up and take down the display each year, Hohman and Boneau said they do it for the community.
“The community has grown to love it,” Hohman said. “It’s become a tradition for a lot of families in town.”
“It started small, but grew quickly,” Hohman explained. “I tell everyone that I do it for Make-A-Wish and the children, but anyone who knows me, knows I do it because I enjoy it. I love the holidays.”
Boneau joked that because the display is for a good cause, it “legitimizes our Christmas craziness.” She comments, “Call it ‘crazy,’ we call it ‘passionate Christmas cheer!’” Either way, the Utah Shakespeare Festival is proud that this Props team continues to go above and beyond with the display.
Come see the display, “lighten” up, and get in the Christmas spirit. We promise, it’s sure to be merry—and definitely bright.
Donations can be made at the display or at their website. While on this page, check out video footage of the past 15 years of the display. Donations are accepted directly on the Make-a-Wish website here, as well as through Venmo @benslightdisplay.
Meet the Team: Every Brilliant Thing to Tour in 2024
The Festival is proud to announce the inspiring production of Every Brilliant Thing will once again sweep the state of Utah in 2024.
With the intention of “cultivating the use of proactive, life-affirming communication when you or those you love are confronted with depression,” this is one of the most critical pieces of work the Festival has ever produced, according to Director of Development and Communications Donn Jersey.
“This tour is about saving lives,” Tour Manager Jordan Simmons said.
The tour begins January 4 and concludes March 23.
“Young people need the affirmation that they are not alone. Each and every student that will watch this production will be reminded that they are needed, they are loved, and they belong here,” Governor Spencer J. Cox said.
The Plot
The story begins when, at seven-years old, the lone character learns that their mother is in the hospital after her first attempt to take her own life. Afterwards, they begin a list––a list of everything brilliant about the world, everything worth living for. With humor and inventiveness, the story explores depression and hope, uncertainty and change, relationships and solitude, risk and resilience, guilt and forgiveness.
Meet the Team
Britannia Howe - Director
Howe directed The Greenshow in 2018, 2019, 2021, and 2023, as well as Cymbeline in 2021. She is returning to the Festival this 2024 season with three new Greenshow scripts, inspired by the plays that are being produced in the Engelstad Shakespeare Theatre.
She has also worked at Illinois State University, Utah State University, and Illinois Shakespeare Festival to name a few. Howe received the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival National Directing Fellowship in 2011, and has taught at Illinois State University, Southern Utah University, and for the Festival’s Playmakers and Actor Training programs.
Howe received a Master of Fine Arts in Directing from Illinois State University, as well as a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Classical Acting and Theatre Education from Southern Utah University.
Jordan Simmons - Tour Manager
Simmons is returning as tour manager, having held the same position for the 2019/2020 and 2023 tours of Every Brilliant Thing.
“Every Brilliant Thing offers hope to those who may be struggling and in need of connection. This play provides a platform in which students can begin critical conversations with their parents and mental health professionals,” Simmons said.
He was the stage management administrative assistant and scheduler for the 2023 season at the Festival. Before that, he was the production assistant for the Festival’s mainstage production of Every Brilliant Thing as well as Twelfth Night in 2019. He has also been the production assistant for The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Mamma Mia at Pacific Conservatory Theatre and the stage manager for Part of the Story for Salt Lake Acting Company.
Simmons received a Master of Fine Arts in Arts Administration from Southern Utah University and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre Design and Technology from Utah State University.
Kathryn Whilden - Stage Manager
This is the second time Whilden is stage managing for the Festival’s production of Every Brilliant Thing.
Whilden received a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and Spanish from Wofford College. Previously at the Festival, she was the assistant stage manager for Jane Austen’s Emma The Musical, The Play That Goes Wrong, The Sound of Music, and Clue.
Whilden has also worked for Cape Fear Regional Theatre, Triad Stage, and Clinton Area Showboat Theatre.
Meet the Actors
Although this is a one-person show, the touring company consists of two actors, which means they alternate each performance. When not acting, each also helps the stage manager with production duties.
Marco Antonio Vega
Vega hit Festival stages this past season as Snout in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Paris in Romeo and Juliet. In previous years, he was in The Comedy of Errors, Richard III, and Henry V, to name a few. Vega is a recipient of the Festival’s Michael and Jan Finlayson Acting Award (2017).
Vega has also been Puck/himself in William Shakespeare’s Long Lost First Play (abridged) at Reduced Shakespeare Company and boasts teaching credits from Utah Tech University.
He received a Bachelor of Arts from Southern Utah University and a Master of Fine Arts from the University of San Diego.
Angelique Archer
“There are very few instances in life where you can make an immediate impact on the future generation. This tour is one of those instances,” Archer said. “Every Brilliant Thing, and the conversations it will create, will save lives.”
Although Archer is new to the Festival, this isn’t her first educational tour. She has been on tour with Cincinnati Shakespeare Company in Macbeth, Twelfth Night, and Julius Caesar, among others. She also performed in Cato at Clarence Brown Lab Theatre, The Taming of the Shrew, and Little Women at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company and more.
Archer also has film and television credits, having been in Monica, You Have No Idea, and Truth. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and Economics from Hamilton College.
“This show reminds students that they are not alone and provides them with resources to talk about their mental health struggles and get the help they need,” Archer said. “I became an artist because of the change theatre can make that will continue long after the play has ended. This show is a perfect example of the power and importance of this art form. It is a privilege to be a part of this tour and to bring this message to communities all over Utah.”
For more information on the play, click here for the study guide.
The touring company began rehearsals December 4, although they’ve attended meetings and trainings before arrival. To keep both the company and audience members as informed and safe as possible, the team participated in several suicide prevention trainings, such as QPR Institute Gatekeeper Training and “Talk Saves Lives” by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, presented by the Utah County Health Department.
Funded by the State of Utah, the Every Brilliant Thing Tour is free to any secondary education school in Utah that is interested. The production is in partnership with SafeUT and with the support of Governor Cox.
“Our partnership with SafeUT is crucial to our success, as SafeUT provides immediate and confidential access to licensed counselors who are ready to listen to any crisis or concern through the SafeUT app,” Simmons said.
For tour questions, contact Simmons at brillianttour@bard.org.