Why is Antony and Cleopatra Rarely Performed?

Antony and Cleopatra’s “Unique Personality” with Director Carolyn Howarth

By Liz Armstrong, guest writer

The Utah Shakespeare Festival is thrilled to present Shakespeare’s tragedy Antony and Cleopatra in its 2025 season. Not often done, it was last produced here almost 20 years ago in 2006. This is only the fourth production in the Festival’s 64-year history.

Despite it being one of Shakespeare’s rarely-produced plays, Director Carolyn Howarth noted that she’s “never been quite so surprised by a play as I am by Antony and Cleopatra” due to its “unique personality.”

This isn’t a light statement, as Howarth has directed 14 seasons at the Colorado Shakespeare Festival, The Winter’s Tale at the Festival last year, and many other theatres including Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival and Perseverance Theatre Company. Howarth boasts experience as a former artistic director of Foothill Theatre Company and has a BA And MFA from UC Davis. Perhaps most vital to her role as director, Howarth loves Shakespeare, and her insight into Antony and Cleopatra was essential in discussing the Festival’s decision to produce this work.

Folger Shakespeare Library’s stance on the play aligns with Howarth’s, noting that the play is one that is difficult to categorize in just one of the following genres: history, comedy, tragedy, or even Liebestod (a story about lovers dying for love). 

So, if it is so intriguing and genre-bending, why is it rarely produced? Perhaps the most obvious is the structural complexities. It’s difficult to produce because of its frequent, short scenes and location shifts between Egypt and Rome. And although its resistance to fit in one genre makes it interesting, it also contributes to what critics have called “thematic ambiguity.” 

Howarth noted that directing Antony and Cleopatra was difficult because of its sprawling scope, multiple geographic locations, wide time span and plethora of characters, and dense poetry.

Uncut, this play is a combination of 42 scenes, 66 characters, 26 locations, five fights, a sea battle, and six deaths!

Howarth and Dramaturg Isabel Smith-Bernstein broached the massive project of trimming it down, working together to cut the lengthy script in preparation for the production. With the cast and crew, the dramaturg and director successfully undertook this massive artistic challenge–– navigating the complexity of the play with perseverance and ambition before rehearsals began. 

“It is truly epic and operatic in scope and rather daunting to tackle,” Howarth said. “The title characters have uncertain heroic virtues. They have, at times, rather ambiguous actions and motivations.” Antony and Cleopatra portrays historic and famous icons––“rock stars” of their day, and “one of the all-time great power couples” who “are magnificently messy, complicated characters.”

This sprawling epic runs through September 5 in the Engelstad Shakespeare Theatre.

To witness this enormous feat, purchase tickets today at bard.org or by calling 800-PLAYTIX.

"Something 'Winged' This Way Comes": Bringing Hecate to Life at the Utah Shakespeare Festival

By Kathryn Neves, guest writer

Terrible and gaunt, with spectral 20-foot wings and a harrowing cry, a powerful figure rises above the stage, terrifying witches and kings alike. This is Hecate, the goddess of witchcraft, brought to life with striking power in the Utah Shakespeare Festival’s 2025 production of Macbeth. While most productions cut Hecate out entirely, this season the Festival embraces her, shedding light on this oft-forgotten piece of Shakespearean (and actually, Greek) lore.

Hecate appears only twice in Shakespeare’s script––in Act 3, Scene 5, and in Act 4, Scene 1. In her first appearance, she materializes to frighten and scold the Weird Sisters—reprimanding them for speaking with Macbeth without consulting her first. She tells the witches that they must show Macbeth visions which will give him a false sense of security—”And you all know,” she says, “security is mortals’ chiefest enemy.” In her second scene, Hecate appears to praise the witches for their work, as Macbeth is shown mysterious apparitions and visions pertaining to his future.

As interesting as Hecate is, most scholars believe that she was not actually written by Shakespeare. There was a tendency, after Shakespeare’s death, for certain writers to insert their own work into his plays. The Hecate scene is a likely example; it’s generally agreed that Thomas Middleton was responsible. And for this reason, almost every production of Macbeth erases Hecate entirely. This season, however, director John DiAntonio saw the opportunities and the raw power in this hidden gem of a character.

“If we were going to include Hecate, we needed to give her a meaningful arc,” said DiAntonio. The Festival’s production includes Hecate in three places; at the end of Act I, where she addresses the Weird Sisters directly; during the cauldron scene, where she acts as a puppetmaster of the witches and the apparitions; and finally at the end, where she appears to drag Macbeth away. 

DiAntonio’s central image, the inspiration for Hecate, was the classic “Angel of Death” archetype: burnt black wings, gaunt face and body, and otherworldly movements and vocalizations. All of this adds up to her thematic importance. “Macbeth’s arc spirals into darkness,” said DiAntonio. “And Hecate is the gatekeeper of that journey.”

Choreographer Trey Plutnicki feels similarly. “Hecate’s involvement serves as a reflection of Macbeth’s actions,” he said. He and the rest of the Macbeth team worked to build a balance; crafting Hecate as a terrifying, all-powerful figure, while still allowing the character of Macbeth to have his own agency and arc. “I hope people see Hecate as a physical manifestation of fate.” 

As the choreographer, Plutnicki drew inspiration from a variety of sources—from comics, to movies, to video games. “I find a lot of these characters translate well to stage choreography,” he explained. He worked with all the performers involved—from the wing puppeteers to the “minions” who lift Hecate to fly her across the stage—and created a cohesive design. “They share a vocabulary of movement that unifies them.”

For costume designer Lauren Roark, the greatest challenge was the physical scale. The Engelstad Shakespeare Theatre’s large stage created an obstacle: how do you make a character look imposing and otherworldly in such an expansive space? The answer was to create a truly massive puppet: wings spanning twenty feet in length, lightweight enough to move, to collapse, and to store. 

“What’s seen onstage is the result of countless hours of backstage labor, and this project is a clear example of how essential that work is,” said Roark. Working with a team of designers and technicians, the process involved research and engineering, construction of bones and 3D-printed joints, painting and attachment, and close attention to detail. Even now, there is a team who continues to work on the wings—maintaining and troubleshooting them throughout the entire run of the show. “These wings would not have been possible without the time, talent, and dedication of everyone involved.”

The overall goal with Hecate was to create a creature who was viscerally terrifying and technically innovative. Along with the “Angel of Death” image, actor Caitlin Wise drew inspiration from many sources: “Hecate is Death Angel meets Vampire meets Queen of the Underworld meets Soul Sucker.” Collaborating with several other performers, Wise brings this harrowing figure to life several times a week; “flying” across the stage with the help of her minions, flapping her massive wings with the assistance of talented puppeteers. 

Wise’s Hecate brings a sense of doom and fate that pervades the entire production. “I have a deep affinity for ‘extended characters,’ with huge emotions and supernatural power. The sky’s the limit for big choices,” said Wise. “I want audiences to experience something visceral, ever-changing, and tangible—something only live theatre can provide.”

With including Hecate, DiAntonio’s Macbeth doesn’t just resurrect a rarely-seen character; it deepens the supernatural world of the play. What might have been a theatrical oddity becomes, instead, a stunning centerpiece. The team’s bold artistic vision and technical innovation have created a character that leaves audiences amazed performance after performance. It’s an example of what live theatre does best: not just interpreting the classics, but reawakening them.

Don’t miss the chance to see this once-in-a-lifetime production. Get tickets online at bard.org, or by visiting or calling the Ticket Office at 800-PLAYTIX.

The Festival’s Words Cubed Program Welcomes Two Playwrights

The Utah Shakespeare Festival is thrilled to announce the selection of two new plays and welcome their playwrights for the annual Words Cubed new play program. Affairs of State by Tony Manzo and Muse of Fire by Lauren M. Gunderson will be presented on select dates August 8 through 23 in the Anes Studio Theatre. 

Words Cubed seeks to nurture and develop openly submitted and selected plays by providing a professionally supported platform to receive readings and workshops. Playwrights spend a week at the Festival in rehearsals with directors, actors, and stage managers as they refine and rework their plays. At the end of the week, the revised plays are presented as staged readings, followed by a lively, interactive discussion between the playwright, actors, and audience. 

“The selection process begins about a year in advance,” says Festival Artistic Director John DiAntonio. “This year, we received 275 play submissions, which were thoughtfully reviewed and narrowed down by our dedicated team of twenty play readers, ultimately leading us to the final two selections.”

DiAntonio continues: “At the Festival, we’re often immersed in the classics, but it’s important to remember that even Shakespeare’s plays were once world premieres. They had a first audience. They were tested. Characters were cut, scenes revised, and improvements made. Supporting new work honors that same spirit of discovery and evolution in the theatre.”

Join us this summer for these two new works, and contribute to their development. In general, the plays in this series are written for contemporary adult audiences, and may contain themes and language not appropriate for children and that some may find offensive.

AFFAIRS OF STATE
by Tony Manzo
August 8, 9, 20, and 22, 2025
9:30am

Affairs of State is a sharp, fast-paced dramatic comedy about a scandal-hit Congressman and the reporter who could save—or ruin—his career. With just weeks left in his re-election campaign, he’s facing criminal accusations, and she’s chasing the story that could launch her career. But as tensions escalate, their tangled past resurfaces, forcing them to decide how much they’re willing to risk—for the truth, for power, and maybe for each other.

“What drew us to Affairs of State is its razor-sharp dialogue, rich characters, and the way it captures the urgency and complexity of our current moment. It’s a play that’s both entertaining and unflinchingly honest, asking big questions about integrity, ambition, and the personal cost of public life,” explains DiAntonio. “As a Festival committed to both classical and contemporary voices, we’re thrilled to champion a piece that feels this fresh, relevant, and theatrically electric. I cannot wait to see actors Walter Kmiec and Kathryn Tkel bring this two-person play to life.” 

Kmiec can be seen as Macbeth in this season’s Macbeth, as well as roles in Antony and Cleopatra and As You Like It. Tkel is playing Cleopatra in Antony and Cleopatra and roles in both Macbeth and As You Like It, as well. Stage directions will be read by actor Evelyn Carol Case, who is performing as one of the Weird Sisters in Macbeth and Ouiser in Steel Magnolias.

Tony Manzo is a freelance writer for full-service advertising agencies in New York City. His comedies have been performed at regional theatres across the country. His theatrical credits include On the Treetop, produced by The American Theater of Actors; Saving Allison, optioned by Miracle Entertainment; The Wedding, directed and produced by Sherwood Arthur; and Waiting in the Wings. His one-act play, Flight to Paris, has been staged by Know Theatre, The Lakeshore Players, Women in Theatre, and the Acme New Works Winter Festival. The Lifeguard was presented at the William Inge Festival, and Status of Forces was featured at the Cimientos Festival of New Plays. Most recently, A Heart-Warming Story was produced by the Barn Theatre.

MUSE OF FIRE
by Lauren M. Gunderson
August 15, 16, 21, and 23, 2025
9:30am

Muse of Fire is an intimate two-hander diving into the life and love of William Shakespeare and his wife, Anne Hathaway, at the volatile moment of Will’s retirement from London and a life on the boards. Exploring art, ambition, and the searing emotional and creative fuel behind the world’s greatest playwright, Muse of Fire grapples with the sacrifices, joys, losses and loves of a life in the theatre, while excavating the muscular heart of a storyteller and his muse.

Lauren M. Gunderson has been one of the most produced playwrights in America since 2015, topping the list three times. Her play Silent Sky was produced at the Festival during the 2024 season, as was her play The Book of Will during the 2019 season. She will also be acting in the readings of Muse of Fire on August 15 and 16.

“We’re beyond excited that Ms. Gunderson herself will be joining us to read the role of Anne Hathaway during the first two performances of Muse of Fire. To have the playwright embody this richly-drawn character adds an extraordinary layer of intimacy and insight to the experience,” says DiAntonio. She will be joined by actors Casey Murphy as Will and Nic Sommerfeld for stage directions.

For its last two readings, Festival company members Melinda Parrett and Geoffrey Kent will step into the roles, with Gabriel W. Elmore reading the stage directions. Parrett is performing in this season’s A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder and The Importance of Being Earnest. Kent can be seen as Antony in Antony and Cleopatra, and roles in As You Like It and Macbeth. Elmore is Orlando in As You Like It, as well as roles in Antony and Cleopatra and Macbeth.

Gunderson is a two-time winner of the Steinberg/ATCA New Play Award for I and You and The Book of Will, the William Inge Distinguished Achievement in Theater Award, the Lanford Wilson Award, the Otis Guernsey New Voices Award, and was a finalist for the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize, the Arthur L. Weissberger Award, and John Gassner Award for Playwriting.

Her musical adaptation of The Time Traveller’s Wife premiered in London in 2023 and her new play Billie Jean about tennis icon Billie Jean King is Broadway bound after premiering at Chicago Shakespeare this summer. Revolutionary Women, her new anthology of five plays, was published by Bloomsbury in 2023.

Her play The Catastrophist, about her husband virologist Nathan Wolfe, premiered digitally in January 2021 and is now in The COVID Art Capsule in the Library of Congress. She co-authored the Miss Bennet trilogy with Margot Melcon. The Half-Life of Marie Curie premiered off-Broadway and at Audible.com.

Her picture book Dr. Wonderful: Blast Off to the Moon is available from Two Lions/Amazon. She is the book writer for musicals with Dave Stewart and Joss Stone (The Time Traveler’s Wife), Ari Afsar (Jeannette and I and You), Joriah Kwamé (Lady M), Kira Stone (Built for This) and Kait Kerrigan and Bree Lowdermilk (Justice and Earthrise).

For more information or to purchase tickets for Words Cubed or for the 2025 season at the Festival, please visit the Festival Ticket Office, bard.org, or call 800-PLAYTIX.

Windsor Court Makeover: Year Two

Now in its second year, the Windsor Court Renovation Project invites the community to help refresh housing for the Utah Shakespeare Festival’s seasonal staff. These 1960s-era apartments have supported artists for decades, and the goal is to create a more comfortable, welcoming space for those who bring live theater to Cedar City.

The Windsor Court apartment complex has been used by the Festival for the past 25 years. As a part of the college town of Cedar City, it can be difficult to find and keep housing year-round for Festival company members and staff. This apartment complex is used to house those in residence during the late winter, spring, summer, and early fall, giving only a small window of time to perform any kind of improvements. 

Although our Company Management team does an excellent job of making sure these apartments are clean and ready for the company before their arrival each season, age and use have taken their toll. In an effort to keep these apartments habitable for as long as possible, the Festival created the idea of teaming up with the campus and community to invite individuals and businesses to adopt apartments to help improve their living conditions. 

“Last year we had a very successful first year for this renovation project,” says newly-appointed Company Manager Bailey Rodriguez. “Ten of the 35 apartments received customized attention last time and we’re excited to invite interested businesses, families, and individuals to participate again.”  

But it’s more than just a home improvement project. It is an opportunity for the Festival and community members to work together and transform Windsor Court into a space that is safe and reflective of the high caliber work these artists bring to the Festival.

Company member and actor Blake Henri (Macbeth, Antony and Cleopatra, and As You Like It) comments, “One of the hardest things about taking long contracts out of state, is the feeling of missing home, family, friends, pets, etc. The apartment makeovers may seem small, but to us, they mean the absolute world. Walking in and seeing plants, decorations, paintings, furniture, the walls painted, knick knacks, it immediately feels like a home and not a ‘place to stay’ for half a year. The community is the best part about the Festival and knowing that they helped with the apartments truly, truly, truly makes it feel like a home away from home where we can rest, recharge, regroup, and do our best work. From the bottom of my heart, thank you!”

Whether you’re able to adopt an apartment, donate, or lend a hand, there are many ways to get involved. Round up friends, family, or coworkers and create a team to take on the improvements of an entire apartment. Or monetary donations are also a huge help. Also, financially sponsoring a team to do the work; donating resources; contributing specific labor like cleaning, painting, adding flooring or countertops; or simply decorating are critical to the project.

“We want to continue growing a sense of community where everyone is invited to be a part of the Festival,” says Rodriguez. “By working together on Windsor Court, we’re hoping to continue to connect the town and the organization in a new and meaningful way.” 

Sign-ups run through October 17 by filling out an interest form here. There is no fee to enter or participate. Renovations will run from November 1 through February 20, 2026. To celebrate, there will be a community open house in the spring to view the renovated apartments.

For more information on the logistics of the project, visit these FAQs, this About the Project flyer, or contact Rodriguez at bailey@bard.org.

USF Announces New Development Director 

The Utah Shakespeare Festival is thrilled to announce the appointment of J. Woody Lotts as its new Development Director. He is set to begin duties in mid-August after recently serving as Executive Director at Tacoma Refugee Choir and Director of Individual Giving with Auburn Symphony Orchestra. He will be responsible for directing the Festival’s fundraising efforts, maintaining and building relationships with donors, doing grant work, and performing in an administrative leadership capacity, among other responsibilities. 

With a strong background in arts administration, Lotts (known as Woody) is passionate about community connections and creative expression. He received an MFA in Arts Leadership from Seattle University and a BA in Theatre Performance from Northern Arizona University. 

His work with various theatres and performing arts organizations throughout his career also include Numerica Performing Arts Center, Book-It Repertory Theatre, Phoenix Theatre, and Colegio Lord Byron in Arequipa, Peru. He enjoys leading financial growth and sustainability practices; helping to foster artistic and educational experiences; and collaborating with boards of directors, staff, donors, and artists. \

Lotts’ philosophy about relationship building centers around valuing others. As a member of the Festival staff, he is thrilled that his work will be rooted in teamwork, transparency, and a shared love for creative storytelling.

“It all comes back to the people,” he says. “There is something deeply inspiring about working with individuals who care—who genuinely pour themselves into the work because they believe in the power of theatre, education, and community. That culture of care is rare.”

Lotts is looking forward to his interactions with donors and sponsors as a crucial part of his new position.

“It’s about understanding the stories, motivations, and passions that inspire individuals, foundations, and corporations to give,” he comments. “Patrons aren’t just donors—they’re champions of our work, partners in our mission, and a vital part of the Festival family. Successful fundraising means guiding us to heights we haven’t yet reached, building a culture of philanthropy that celebrates our donors, and honors the vision of [the late Festival founder] Fred Adams. It’s about genuine relationships and shared purpose.”

Lotts and his wife, Osiris, are excited by the prospect of moving to Cedar City. In addition to the stunning natural beauty of the area, the “warmth and hospitality of the people…made us feel like this could be home…there’s a special kind of magic here––art, nature, and community all intertwined.”

“We are eager to welcome Woody to the year-round staff,” says Executive Managing Director Michael Bahr. “I know our patrons will love his enthusiasm for the work, the authentic way he connects with individuals, and his experience with other arts organizations.”

Lotts expressed gratitude and what feels like a privilege to “be part of something that matters so much to so many. The legacy of this Festival, the passion of its supporters, and the commitment of the people who bring it to life—it’s humbling.”

Utah Shakespeare Festival Launches Culture and Community Initiative 

By Liz Armstrong, guest writer

The Utah Shakespeare Festival is pleased to announce a renewed goal of celebrating being a vibrant community space that honors varying perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences through a Culture and Community initiative.

Spearheaded by Artistic Director John DiAntonio, the Culture and Community initiative was created in order to remain focused on making sure that every person at or coming to the Festival feels included, seen, heard, and valued. 

“Our culture and community work is at the heart of who we are as a company. The staff and board crafted a new statement in the spirit of founder Fred C. Adams and the legacy he began more than sixty years ago,” DiAntonio said. “I hope everyone feels welcome at the Festival—just as I did when I was first greeted by Fred on The Greenshow lawn nearly twenty years ago.”

Part of the statement is as follows: 

“The Utah Shakespeare Festival remains committed to being a gathering space for connection and shared ideas. The Festival strives to foster a culture of respect, kindness, curiosity, and collaboration among artists, audiences, and staff. Grounded in the timeless works of Shakespeare and other playwrights, we celebrate the richness of diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences.”

Ongoing Culture and Community initiatives are currently taking place in the following categories: Accessibility, Artistic Practice, Company Culture, Facilities and Housing, Education and Community Engagement, Human Resources and Hiring Practices, and the Culture and Community Committee.

Some of these initiatives include offering ASL-interpreted, open captioned, and sensory-friendly performances; regularly evaluating the stories the Festival tells and the voices elevated on stages; fostering an environment that welcomes diverse ideas and perspectives; and maintaining and improving equitable housing options for company members. 

The addition of the Culture and Community Committee will help ensure that Festival productions and experiences are accessible and welcoming to all patrons, company members, and community members and will include rotating members from different departments, seasonal staff, and the Board of Governors. The committee will advise staff, support implementation, and help prioritize future initiatives. 

For more information on all listed initiatives and the full culture and community statement, visit our Culture and Community page. 

“Storytelling has the power to engage, uplift, and transform,” DiAntonio continued. “This culture and community work strengthens our bonds—not only among artists and staff, but with the communities we serve—and ensures the Festival remains a vibrant, relevant, and inclusive space for all.”

To be a part of this transformative power of storytelling, the Festival invites you to participate in the 64th season, going now through October 4. Visit bard.org for more information on this season’s lineup and activities.

Royal Academy of Dramatic Art to Perform Twelfth Night at Utah Shakes

Next week the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) from London is bringing a group of recent graduates to perform a touring production of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night at the Utah Shakespeare Festival, as part of a strategic partnership between the two theatre organizations.

The ninety-minute version of the play will be presented from July 29 to August 2 at 9:30 each morning in the Anes Studio Theatre located at the Beverley Center for the Arts.

“Each year, Festival patrons have asked me, ‘When is RADA coming? We love attending the Festival during that time so we can also see their performances!’” says Executive Managing Director Michael Bahr. “This is an excellent opportunity to see high quality work performed by one of the world premiere actor training institutions.”

The RADA training program boasts a number of exceptional alumni that have seen success as actors, including Cynthia Erivo, Alan Rickman, Allison Janney, Anthony Hopkins, Ralph Fiennes, Tom Hiddleston, and Phoebe Waller-Bridge. Perhaps the next RADA “star” may just be on the Festival stage this summer.

In its sixth year, the partnership between the Festival and RADA includes a commitment to present the annual RADA touring production at the Festival and to work to hire at least one RADA student or graduate in the Festival acting company each season.

The idea for the artistic exchange program began in 2019 when a friend of the Festival mentioned he had seen a very strong production of RADA’s Hamlet. That conversation soon expanded into a strategic partnership between the two theatre companies where one of RADA’s Shakespeare for Young Audiences touring groups would bring a show to the U.S. During the school year, this program performs specially-adapted Shakespeare plays for school children all over London.

Touring to Cedar City gives Festival audiences the chance to see the art of contemporary Shakespeare from the Bard’s homeland and the actors have an opportunity to connect with the Festival and its people, programs, and productions. 

During the previous five years, this has been a wonderful opportunity for the Festival to expand its artistic horizons and collaborate with one of the most prestigious training academies in the world.

“The RADA collaboration brings a refreshing surge of creative energy to our season each August,” says Artistic Director John DiAntonio. “We’re honored to showcase the work of these exceptionally talented young artists as part of our dynamic repertory lineup.”

Bahr agrees: “We are so grateful for the relationship that we have been able to develop and share over the last five years. It serves as a testament to the artistic and educational commitment of both RADA and the Festival. It is a wonderful cultural exchange between artists, audiences and organizations!”

Tickets are $20 and are available by visiting the Ticket Office, calling 800-PLAYTIX, or purchasing online at bard.org/plays/rada-2025.

Festival Welcomes New Marketing Manager

By Kathryn Neves, guest writer

The Utah Shakespeare Festival is pleased to welcome MaKaylee Cole as the new marketing manager. Bringing with her a strong background in communications and a passion for storytelling, Cole plans to expand the reach of the Festival’s marketing, and to deepen the connection between the Festival and its audiences.

Originally from Lehi, Utah, Cole moved to Cedar City to attend Southern Utah University, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Strategic Communication and a minor in Graphic Design. Her interest in marketing began in high school, while working at a family-owned print and copy shop. “That experience sparked my passion for the creative and strategic aspects of communication,” she said, “which led me to pursue a degree in the field.”

Since graduating from SUU, Cole has managed marketing campaigns for a range of clients, particularly in Cedar City; from local businesses to authors and thought leaders, her work focuses on helping clients to define their voice and grow their audiences. Her time in Cedar City, both as a student and as a digital marketing manager, has well-equipped her to connect with the Festival’s audiences and the local culture.

“While I was at SUU, I learned about the Festival and its deep connection to both Cedar City and the University, and only heard amazing things,” she said. “When I saw this job opening, I was thrilled. I could feel the culture, love, and passion everyone had for the organization. I knew I wanted to be a part of it.”

As marketing manager, Cole has several goals moving forward, including brand recognition, revenue growth, and patron engagement. “Overall, I want to continue to support the goals of past and current years,” she said, emphasizing the Festival’s values of connection and growth. “I’d love to carry some of those ideas into future projects and campaigns.”

Cole is eager to dive into her new role and become a part of the Festival family. “I honestly can’t choose just one thing that excites me most,” she said. “Just having the chance to be in the room is exciting.” With her experience and creativity, as well as her love for Cedar City, she’s poised to build meaningful connections—with the audiences, the artists, and the community that makes the Utah Shakespeare Festival so beloved.

To Bard or Not To Bard: Festival Introduces New Junior Bard Program

By Kathryn Neves, guest writer

This summer at the Utah Shakespeare Festival, our youngest patrons will have an exciting new opportunity to look forward to—the Festival’s Junior Bard program! Inspired by the National Parks Junior Ranger program, this fun-for-all-ages activity quest will give young theatre-lovers a chance to dig deeper into Shakespeare, the Festival, and the magic of theatre.

“The idea came about in a staff meeting where we were brainstorming ideas to really connect with our community,” said Festival Education Director Stewart Shelley, “especially children and youth—as they are the rising generation of theatre patrons.” Shelley noted that one of the most common questions he hears in the Seminar Grove is the question of community outreach, specifically toward youth: What are we doing to connect with the younger generation? The answer: lots! From the annual Shakespeare Competition to the Shakespeare in the Schools education tour, from student summer camps and classes to initiatives with local students, education and youth outreach has always been a high priority at the Festival. And with this new Junior Bard program, children will have a fun, free, and accessible way to dive deeper into the Bard as they visit the Beverley Taylor Sorensen Center for the Arts.

The program is centered around an activity booklet, which young guests can fill out and enjoy in order to earn a Junior Bard pin. With acrostic poems, coat-of-arms design, word scrambles, and interviews about the Festival Experience (to name just a few!), the program is designed to take participants on a journey through the Festival itself. 

To earn the pin, participants must complete as many activities as they are years old (guests twenty-five or older are invited to complete the whole booklet). “It invites participants to become more actively involved in the Festival Experience,” Shelley said, highlighting the play orientations, seminars, and backstage tours. “We are hopeful that it will highlight the many different experiences one can have at the Festival, in addition to seeing the plays.” Once the booklet is complete, participants can be sworn in as Junior Bards and receive their pin after play orientations at 1:15 pm and 6:45 pm in the Balcony Bards Seminar Grove.

In preparation for this summer’s program, Shelley worked with Festival Creative Director Clare Campbell on the design of the pin. Then he reached out to a pin vendor to print the pins for program participants. “I had a delightful interaction with him. He commented that he takes his son to Shakespeare in the Park at his home on the East Coast; and after seeing the pin and learning who we are, he said his son would be thrilled to participate in a program like this,” Shelley said. “I am excited to send him a booklet and pin for his son, and to invite them to Utah to join us.”

The Festival’s education department looks forward to the connection, community-building, and fun that this new program will provide. “This is an opportunity for our guests to interact face-to-face with Festival staff, and explore the Beverley Center and our theaters on a deeper level—perhaps with a different lens than they have in the past,” Shelley said. “It provides a different and new opportunity to learn more about Shakespeare’s plays, the theatre, and the welcoming and warm community that we share here at the Festival.”

This summer, be sure to pick up a free booklet at the Ticket Office, in the Engelstad gift shop, or in the Festival administration offices, and earn your commemorative pin while you’re here. Whether you’re solving a word scramble before Macbeth, or designing a mask during The Greenshow, the Junior Bard program invites the young––and young-at-heart––to dive deeper into their Festival Experience. With a season of some of the Bard’s best hits and other contemporary favorites, it’s the perfect time to discover the magic both on and offstage. 

For questions about the Junior Bard program, email usfeducation@bard.org.

Regency Ball is Coming

Back by popular demand, you are cordially invited to attend a delightful evening of elegance, charm, and revelry at the Festival’s Regency Ball. Join us Thursday, July 17, from 5 to 7pm, following the matinee performance of The Importance of Being Earnest. This special event, hosted by Festival board member Andrea Golding, will take place in the stunning Gilbert Great Hall on the campus of Southern Utah University.

Step into the refined world of the early 19th century as guests learn authentic Regency-era dances, enjoy light hors d’oeuvres, and celebrate in the spirit of a bygone era—one that might have shaped Lady Bracknell in her youth. (Yes, we know Earnest is set in a later period, but surely even Oscar Wilde would agree: any excuse for a ball is a good one.)

Formal or themed attire is not required, but it is most enthusiastically encouraged—dust off your gowns, cravats, and gloves if you wish to embrace the full experience.

Tickets are $50 and may be purchased online (click here) or by contacting the Ticket Office at (800) PLAYTIX. Don’t miss this enchanting Festival tradition!