News From the Festival
Utah Shakespeare Festival Marks 65 Years of Storytelling and Connection
The Utah Shakespeare Festival celebrates its landmark 65th anniversary season this summer centering on the theme “Generations Gather Here.” The upcoming season honors more than six decades of artistic excellence while celebrating the Festival’s enduring role as a cornerstone of community, artistry, and cultural innovation in the American West.
Since its founding in 1961, the Festival has evolved from a small outdoor stage into a Tony Award-winning institution. This year’s anniversary also marks a decade since the opening of the Beverley Taylor Sorensen Center for the Arts, a transformative facility on the Southern Utah University campus that united the Festival’s theaters with the Southern Utah Museum of Art (SUMA). This “magical oasis of story” continues to serve as a vital space for artistic excellence, community engagement, student opportunity, and professional mentorship.
“The Utah Shakespeare Festival has remained relevant for 65 years because of its attention to story––the importance of telling incredible stories that unite us,” said FestivalExecutive Managing Director Michael Bahr. “Our theaters are designed for intimacy, where the communication between actor and audience creates a shared energy you simply won’t find anywhere else. We are the antidote to the digital screen; we are about real human connection.”
The 65th anniversary season features a robust lineup that balances classical rigor with modern vibrancy, including Hamlet,Twelfth Night, Troilus and Cressida, Something Rotten!, See How They Run, She Loves Me, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, and The Book Club Play. Beyond the stage, the Festival Experience includes the nightly Greenshow—a free gift of song and mirth to the community—and the long-running Seminar Grove, where patrons and scholars engage in candid dialogue about the plays’ themes and relevance.
To celebrate not only the opening of the Festival’s 65th season, but to celebrate the tenth year of the Beverley Center, the community is invited to attend a Beverley Center Anniversary Celebration on Friday, June 26. It is an all-day event featuring a street fair, live music, SUMA activities and exhibits, a special Seminar Grove presentation, plays, and more!
This season also aligns with the broader “Americana” celebration, highlighting stories of place, purpose, and community-building that mirror the history of Cedar City. From a new experience-based activity list called “Festival Quest" to historical exhibitions at the neighboring SUMA, this exciting anniversary year is designed to be an accessible, life-changing experience for long-time patrons and first-time visitors alike.
“We are grounded in the beautiful foundational work of the past, which catapults us into who we are aiming to be,” Bahr said. “We treat Shakespeare like a living, modern playwright informed by the present. This 65th year isn’t just a look back; it’s a launching pad for the next 65 years of humanity and discovery.”
For tickets and information, visitbard.org or call the Festival Ticket Office 800-PLAYTIX (752-9849).
Utah Shakespeare Festival and Larry H. Miller Utah Summer Games Celebrating Anniversary Seasons
The Utah Shakespeare Festival and the Larry H. Miller Utah Summer Games (USG) are excited to announce this summer’s collaboration for 2026. Both organizations are hosted on the campus of Southern Utah University in Cedar City, and are popular destinations for theatre and sports enthusiasts from throughout the state and region.
Both organizations are celebrating anniversary seasons, having existed independently for decades as departments of Southern Utah University. The Festival marks 65 years as a world-class theatre experience, while USG boasts 40 years of excellence in promoting sports participation. This collaboration celebrates both groups’ legacies and their impact on the community.
“Celebrating these mile-marker anniversaries together is beyond exciting! Both institutions––the Festival and the Games––were created by visionaries, Fred C. Adams and Gerald R. Sherratt,” says Festival Executive Managing Director Michael Bahr. “Their vision was always about bringing people together in a communal celebration of art and sport.”
As part of their Larry H. Miller Utah Summer Games 40th Anniversary Celebration Series, USG invites Festival patrons to participate in multiple weekly events from May 28 through June 27, including a special exhibit at the Southern Utah Museum of Art (SUMA), a Special Olympics Opening Ceremony, a community pancake breakfast, Summer Street Fest, and events at Brian Head Resort. Most are free to the public.
The most notable community event in USG’s Celebration Series is their Larry H. Miller Utah Summer Games Block Party and Opening Ceremony on Friday, June 5, 2025, at 5pm and 8pm respectively at the SUU Eccles Coliseum. It will feature the largest fireworks display in southern Utah, live music, a Parade of Athletes, a Walk250 celebration, and more. For more information on the Celebration Series or to purchase Opening Ceremony tickets, visit utahsummergames.org.
As the concluding event in USG’s Celebration Series, the Festival is pleased to invite USG participants and their families to experience award-winning live theatre while in Cedar City. Celebrate “Utah Summer Games Night at the Festival” on Saturday, June 27 with two free tickets to that night’s performance of Twelfth Night at 8pm in the outdoor Engelstad Shakespeare Theatre. In addition, athletes are also eligible for up to four half-price tickets for performances June 25-27. Athletes can reserve their tickets by calling 800-PLAYTIX or by visiting the Festival Ticket Office in person, and must either be wearing their USG athlete t-shirt or have proof of USG registration when picking up their tickets.
In addition, USG participants are invited to also attend The Greenshow––a free, 30-minute family-friendly Festival pre-show––which plays each evening Monday through Saturday at 7:10pm on the outdoor Greenshow stage. On “Utah Summer Games Night at the Festival,” the theme will be Americana, a perfect way to commemorate America250.
To experience even more Festival, USG athletes and their families can return and get additional discounted tickets throughout the season. Enjoy 10% off anytime from June 27 through October 2 using the online code 26USG10 (excludes premier seating and closing performances).
Please visit bard.org/about/usf-usg for more information.
The Festival’s 65th season runs June 18 through October 3, and includes Shakespeare’s Troilus and Cressida, Hamlet, and Twelfth Night, along with the Tony Award-winning musicals Something Rotten! and She Loves Me, the hilarious farce See How They Run, the bold reimaginig of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, and the contemporary comedy The Book Club Play.
Expand Your Festival Experience: Enroll Now for Youth Summer Camps and Adult Courses for Teachers
Looking for a way to add to your Festival Experience? Or do you have a young theatre enthusiast in your life? Every summer the Festival offers a unique range of educational opportunities for patrons and their families to enjoy in addition to the daily options like seminars and orientations that focus on the plays.
For youth ages 5-17 there are various summer theatre camps where they can train directly with industry professionals and other theatre instructors. There are both day camps and sleep-away ones, depending on desired involvement. There are even scholarships available for those interested in participating that may need some extra financial assistance.
Beyond youth programs, the Festival provides specialized summer classes for educators to expand their Shakespeare and theatre knowledge. These onsite opportunities allow teachers to develop practical lesson plans and gain hands-on experience to enrich their classrooms and/or theatre productions while earning professional development credits.
FOR YOUTH:
Playmakers Summer Day Camp
June 8-20, 2026
Ages 5-17
From 2-4 p.m. 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.
Register for Playmakers Summer Day Camp. Registration closes May 30, 2026.
Junior Actor Training
July 20-25, 2026
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.
Register for Junior Actor Training. Registration closes July 4, 2026.
Actor Training
July 13-18, 2026
Ages 15-18
Taught by professional Festival acting and artistic company members, this week-long sleep-away camp is for all older teenage 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.
Register for Actor Training. Registration closes July 4, 2026.
FOR TEACHERS:
Teaching Shakespeare
July 13-16, 2026
Specifically for English and Theatre educators, this in-person course provides active and engaging classroom approaches for any teacher of Shakespeare text - or really any classical texts. The course will teach how to explore connections to contemporary themes, characters, and stories that keep students’ attention and help them find relevance in classical literature texts. Tuition is $300 and includes a ticket to four plays and three Southern Utah University professional development credits.
Register for Teaching Shakespeare. Registration closes June 30, 2026.
Tech for Teachers
July 20-22, 2026
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. Participants will take home ready-to-teach tech theatre lesson plans and files of resources. Tuition is $300 and includes a ticket to four plays, the opportunity to watch post-production scenic changeovers, and three Southern Utah University professional development credits.
Register for Tech for Teachers. Registration closes July 4, 2026.
Questions for the Education Department? Call 435-865-8333 or email usfeducation@gmail.com.
Don’t forget to get your tickets for the 2026 season of the Utah Shakespeare Festival. The 65th anniversary season includes Shakespeare’s Troilus and Cressida, Hamlet, Twelfth Night, the musicals Something Rotten! and She Loves Me, the classic farce See How They Run, the bold reimagining of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, and the contemporary satire The Book Club Play. Get tickets by visiting bard.org/about/education, or call the ticket office at (800) PLAYTIX.
A Season of Celebration at the Utah Shakespeare Festival
By Liz Armstrong, guest writer
The Festival is celebrating a momentous season, which includes a historic 65 years of the Festival, 10 years at the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Center for the Arts, and a tribute to 250 years of the United States of America.
The Festival welcomes friends, patrons, company, and staff to celebrate more than six decades of artistic excellence and attention to meaningful storytelling. Since its founding in 1961, the Festival has evolved from a small outdoor stage into a Tony Award-winning institution, and has endured as a cornerstone of community and cultural innovation in the American West.
“Since our inaugural year, generation after generation has come together to build, share, and experience the work at the Festival,” says Executive Managing Director Michael Bahr. “We welcome all to join the legacy!”
Generations Gather Here
Generations Gather Here is this season’s inspiration and tagline. For many, coming to the Festival includes coming with friends or family year after year, and creating time-honored traditions of seeing theatre together and then sharing it with others. It is not uncommon to see three or four generations seated together in Festival spaces; in fact, many of today’s adult patrons first discovered the magic of the Festival as children attending with their grandparents.
Founder Fred C. Adams was a master at sharing his love of Shakespeare and other storytellers, and wanted all ages to feel at ease here, to gain an appreciation for the art of theatre, and to bring loved ones to experience it too. This season, we will be sharing stories, including the impact Fred had on Festival guests and artists.
Patron Gaylene Anderson says:
“When I first came to the Utah Shakespeare Festival years ago, I wondered who the friendly white-haired man with the fancy shirts was. He would walk around all over campus talking to everyone, acting as if each person was his long time friend. It was easy to get to know him. He would walk right up to you with a smile on his face and begin a conversation in the most comfortable way. As we attended the Festival each year I found myself looking for him to continue our conversation. He was absolutely part of the Festival for me.”
10th Anniversary of the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Center for the Arts
This year’s anniversary also marks a decade since the opening of the Beverley Taylor Sorensen Center for the Arts, a transformative facility on the campus of Southern Utah University. In 2016, it brought together the Festival with the Southern Utah Museum of Art (SUMA), which is celebrating its own 10th anniversary.
The kick off to this special season, there will be an all-day celebration on June 26th, including opening week performances in the Engelstad Shakespeare Theatre and Randall L. Jones Theatre, opening exhibits at SUMA, live music, a vendor street fest, and other special events to honor the ten-year anniversary of the Beverley Center.
“We are partnering with SUMA, providing items for them to create a 65th anniversary exhibit celebrating the Festival and in particular, Hamlet, which was produced in the Festival’s first season and is being produced this season as well,” Properties Director Ben Hohman says.
In 2016 when the Beverley Center was dedicated, a three day celebration took place. The lead donors, James Levoy Sorenson and Beverley Taylor Sorenson, for whom the center is named, held a deep-seated belief that the arts could “lift us, enchant us, and beautify our world.”
“I was so fortunate to be a part of the Festival at that time, and witnessed the planning, construction, and completion of this incredible Beverley Center,” Bahr says. “We are so grateful to have these facilities––the dreams of visionaries that became reality and continue to bless generations, all edified together by performing and visual arts.”
Fred C. Adams and Jimmie Jones, a visual artist whose work is housed at SUMA, were major parts of building the $39.1 million complex.
“This arts center will provide inspiration and a place to reflect and learn for hundreds of thousands of guests and artists for years to come,” Adams predicted in 2016.
Celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Beverley Center proves just how right Adams was with this statement.
“Lots of fun and interactive activities are planned throughout the season as we gather again this year to celebrate the power of live theater and the arts, and how they can bring us together,” Hohman says.
Celebrating America250
Celebrating 250 years since the Declaration of Independence was signed, the Festival is excited to include a tribute to our country in this season’s lineup. One of the Greenshows, directed by Trey Plutnicki and written by Britannia Howe, will exhibit an “Americana” theme.
Plutnicki says that last season he realized the tunes during the Mountain Wilderness Greenshow felt so at home in that space.
“[Watching] audiences singing along to familiar music, dancing to new age folk, it was harmony. With Americana Night, I want to similarly evoke that bit of nostalgia,” Plutnicki says.
Ultimately, the Greenshow director hopes to evoke the feeling of hope and belonging––inspired, in part, by his own experiences.
“Americana Night is about celebrating that sense of community that I found in Cedar City all those years ago, and I hope audiences find it on the Greenshow lawn, too,” Plutnicki says.
Bahr noted that it will be a “landmark year to be in Southern Utah.”
“We are honored to celebrate so many thrilling anniversaries in Cedar City this year,” Bahr said. “It isn’t just a look back at all these milestones; it’s a launching pad for the next decades of humanity, community, and discovery.”
The 65th anniversary season at the Festival features an exciting lineup that balances classics with vibrant modern stories, including Hamlet, Twelfth Night, Troilus and Cressida, Something Rotten!, See How They Run, She Loves Me, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, and The Book Club Play. For tickets, visit bard.org or call 800-PLAYTIX.
Local Community Invited to Utah Shakespeare Festival Open House
The public is invited to a Community Open House hosted by Utah Shakespeare Festival at the Beverley Center for the Arts on Monday, April 20, 2026. The event runs from 4-6pm in the Randall L. Jones Theatre lobby and patio (at approximately 300 West and Shakespeare Lane).
Back by popular demand, this event is designed to offer a behind-the-scenes look at the Festival, sharing the magic with our community that makes this place what it is, while also commemorating Shakespeare’s April 23 birthday. Guests will tour the Beverley Center, learn about the Festival’s 65-year history, and discover what it takes to put on a professional theatrical season. Those in attendance will also get a sneak peek into the eight productions of the 2026 season and see the artistic vision behind each. In addition, there will be birthday cake and ticket giveaways throughout the event.
Festival Executive Managing Director Michael Bahr invites all to stop by. “We’re so excited to be celebrating the 65th Season of the Festival and share what we have planned with you––our friends, neighbors, partners, and patrons.”
Community-building has always been an integral part of the Festival’s mission and purpose. This year’s open house coincides with another beloved education event during the school days on April 21-23: Bard’s Birthday Bash. Each year, the Festival invites young students in the Iron County School District to the Festival grounds to celebrate Shakespeare’s birthday and discover the joy and value of his work.
Beginning under the leadership of Bahr when he was the Festival’s Education Director, students rotate through five party stations: jousting, performance, court dancing, mask making, and cake with Queen Elizabeth and William Shakespeare. While Bard’s Birthday Bash is exclusively for students K-5, all community members are welcome to attend this year’s open house the early evening of April 20.
“If you’ve never been to the Festival but are curious to learn more, or if you’ve been coming for years and want to get to know us on a deeper level, this is a fantastic time to visit!” said Artistic Director John DiAntonio. “Stop by anytime that evening. Bring the whole family or come by yourself; all are welcome. Bring your questions. We can’t wait to meet you.”
The Festival Announces the Cast of The Greenshow
A beloved tradition and free gift to our community, The Greenshow is the heart of the Festival Experience, bringing laughter, music, dance, and storytelling to life on summer evenings for thousands of our guests. We’re thrilled to share the cast of our evening pre-show performing company, who will be directed and choreographed by returning artist Trey Plutnicki. He is a familiar face at the Festival, having choreographed the past two years of The Greenshow following two successful seasons as a performer.
“The Greenshow has always been about welcoming audiences to the Utah Shakespeare Festival,” says Plutnicki. “This year, we have three brand-new themed Greenshows coming to the lawn: Stratford Night, Celtic Night, and Americana Night. I love coming to the Festival for The Greenshow, creating three original works that can only be performed in Cedar City, and dancing on the lawn with the community.”
Helping create the wonderful Greenshow productions with Plutnicki are Writer Britannia Howe, Scenic Designer Ben Hohman, Costume Designer Diana Girtain, Music Director Brandon Grayson, Voice/Speech/Text Coach Steven Eng, Fight Director/Intimacy Director Caitlyn Herzlinger, and Stage Manager Grace Porter.
Both new and returning actors make up this cast, which is as follows:
Kyleen Doman is new to the Festival and is a Featured Performer in The Greenshow. She is currently pursuing a BFA in acting at Southern Utah University and will appear this season courtesy of the SUU Fellowship Program, a partnership between SUU’s Theatre Department and the Festival. She has performed roles in The Three Sisters, Julius Caesar, and The Prom.
Luke Elison is also appearing courtesy of the SUU Fellowship Program and is pursuing a BFA in musical theatre at SUU, where he recently played Pippin in Pippin and roles in Mr. Burns, a Post-Electric Play and The Secret Garden. Debuting at the Festival, his roles this season include being a Featured Performer in The Greenshow.
Ivy Robbins is new to the Festival and is a Featured Performer in The Greenshow. She has been in Pippin; Mr. Burns, A Post-Electric Play; Sweet Charity; and The Secret Garden, all at Southern Utah University, where she is currently pursuing a theatre degree. She is appearing courtesy of the SUU Fellowship Program.
Veronique Robledo makes her Festival debut as a Featured Performer in The Greenshow. She has performed in Sweet Charity, Pippin, and The Secret Garden at Southern Utah University. She has also worked at The New Play Lab at Kayenta Center for the Arts. She is a current musical theatre major and is appearing courtesy of the SUU Fellowship Program.
Ty Saunders is also a Southern Utah University musical theatre major, appearing courtesy of the SUU Fellowship Program for the first time at the Festival, and will be seen as a Featured Performer in The Greenshow. His work at SUU include Mr. Burns in Mr. Burns, a Post-Electric Play and various other roles in Pippin, Cloud 9, and Black Comedy.
Matthew Wangemann returns for his third season, as a Featured Performer in The Greenshow. Previously at the Festival he was in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Romeo and Juliet, Much Ado About Nothing, and The Greenshow in 2023 and 2024. He has performed Off-Broadway at the Vital Theatre Company, as well as at Alliance Theatre, Shakespeare in the Woods, Hale Center Theatre, and Pickleville Playhouse. He earned a BFA in musical theater from SUU.
Celebrating its 65th season from June 18 through October 3, the Festival offers main stage tickets online at bard.org or via 800-PLAYTIX. Please note that while the season continues into October, the free, public performances of The Greenshow conclude on September 5.
The Festival Announces the Cast of She Loves Me
Meet the cast of this season’s charming and heartwarming musical, She Loves Me, an enemies-to-lovers story set in a 1930s perfume shop. Michael Perlman returns to direct this production in the Randall L. Jones Theatre, after helming Ken Ludwig’s Dear Jack, Dear Louise last season.
“I could not be more delighted to help bring the magic of She Loves Me to Utah this summer,” says Perlman. “Widely considered one of those rare ‘perfect’ musicals, it’s a true romantic comedy with heart, rich and recognizable characters, and gorgeous music. The exemplary design team has created a world that will transport you, and the extraordinary cast will guarantee an experience that captures what musical theatre can do.”
Collaborating with Perlman as lead artistic staff are Music Director/Conductor/Track Creator Brad Carroll, Choreographer Leigh Scheffler, Scenic Designer Jo Winiarski, Costume Designer Jen Gillette, Lighting Designer Tom Mays, Sound Designer Joe Payne, Intimacy Coordinator Caitlyn Herzlinger, and Stage Manager Terence Orleans Alexander.
Both returning and new cast members make up the performing company for She Loves Me:
Zac Barnaby returns to the Festival for his third season, as Ensemble/Busboy in She Loves Me. He was previously in A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, The Winter’s Tale, and The Greenshow. He is currently a musical theatre student pursuing a BFA at Southern Utah University, and has performed in Falsettos; You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown; and Ride the Cyclone.
Ilana DeAngelo debuts at the Festival as Ensemble in She Loves Me. She has performed at the Colorado Shakespeare Festival, Kentucky Shakespeare Schools and Parks Tour, and Little Theatre of the Rockies. She earned a BA in musical theatre from the University of Northern Colorado and a classical acting degree from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.
Ali Ewoldt makes her main stage debut as Amalia Balash in She Loves Me. She previously performed as Mei in the Festival’s 2021 world premier of the musical Gold Mountain at West Valley Performing Arts Center in Salt Lake City. Broadway credits include Christine in The Phantom of the Opera and Cosette in Les Misérables. She has also performed Off-Broadway and regionally, specifically at Pioneer Theatre Company, Sacramento Music Circus, The Muny, and Goodspeed, among others. She has appeared on The Michael J. Fox Show and in the short films Yield, Mia, and The Cactus. Other performing credits include with the NY Pops at Carnegie Hall, with Houston Symphony, and with Kaohsiung Symphony and the Boston Pops. She earned a BA in psychology from Yale University and is a member of Actors’ Equity Association.
Brian Gonzales debuts at the Festival as Ladislav Sipos in She Loves Me. His Broadway credits include Mister Saturday Night, Aladdin, Shrek The Musical, and 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. He has also performed at The Fulton, Dallas Theater Center, and 5th Avenue Theater, among others. His television credits include Elementary and Law & Order, and he is a member of Actors’ Equity Association.
Henry Hawes makes his first appearance at the Festival as Arpad Laszlo in She Loves Me. He has also performed at Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities, Manoa Valley Theatre, Creede Repertory Theatre, and American Stage Theatre Company. He has a BA in musical theatre from the University of Northern Colorado.
Matt Koenig returns as Georg Nowak in She Loves Me. Previously he was in the Festival’s productions of Clue, The Comedy of Errors, Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure, and Twelfth Night. He has performed at Cleveland Play House, Pioneer Theatre Company, PCPA, and Oregon Cabaret Theater, among many others. He can be seen in The Chosen and Alien Abductions, as well as the films California King and Homestead. He is the head of the BFA program in acting at Baldwin Wallace University, has an MFA from UC Irvine, and is a member of Actors’ Equity Association.
Colden Lamb appears as Ensemble/Headwaiter in She Loves Me in his first appearance at the Festival. He has also worked at San Diego Musical Theater, PCPA, and Sierra Rep, among other theatres. He has also worked with youth, teaching at SDMT Academy, Moonlight Youth Theater, and Saint Augustine High School. He earned a BA from San Diego State University.
André Love returns to the Festival as Ensemble in She Loves Me. He was previously seen in Sweeney Todd, Big River, Ragtime, Clue, and The Greenshow, among others. Other places he’s performed are Alabama Shakespeare Festival, the Denver Center, and Suncoast Broadway. He attended Otterbein University and is a member of Uzima African Dance Troupe.
Sophia Lynn is new to the Festival, and will perform as Ensemble in She Loves Me. She has also worked at the American Gothic Performing Arts Festival, New Perspectives Theatre Company, and One Hundred Acre Wood Theatre. Other credits include productions for the Ultimate Bublė Experience in Times Square and the North Pole Express-NYC with TopView Entertainment. She has also been involved with industry workshops for Dolly Parton’s Smokey Mountain Christmas Carol National Tour, Frozen at Papermill Playhouse, and Matilda at Flatrock Playhouse. She was trained at the Institute for American Musical Theatre (IAMT).
Chris Mixon returns for his 14th season, as Mr. Maraczek in She Loves Me. He favored audiences last season with his performances in Antony and Cleopatra, Macbeth, and As You Like It. Other Festival productions include The Taming of the Shrew, The Winter’s Tale, The Play That Goes Wrong, The Book of Will, and The Foreigner. He also performed in the national Broadway tour of How to Succeed…Trying, as well as eight seasons at Off-Broadway’s Pearl Theatre Company. Mixon has also worked at The Denver Center, Milwaukee Rep, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, among many others. He has been on All My Children, Law & Order, and in The Rosa Parks Story, and is a member of Actors’ Equity Association and SAG-AFTRA.
Ash Moran debuts at the Festival, as Ensemble in She Loves Me. Other roles include Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors, Maureen in Rent, Queen of Heart in Alice By Heart, and Annie in The Play That Goes Wrong, among others. Moran is a two-time winner of the Michigan Regional Wilde Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Musical, and earned a BFA in musical theatre from Oakland University.
Pascal Pastrana makes his Festival debut as Steven Kodaly in She Loves Me. His work on Broadway includes The Great Gatsby, A Beautiful Noise, and Mean Girls; his Off-Broadway credits include Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion and Rock and Roll Debauchery. He has also worked at Paper Mill Playhouse, Theater Raleigh, The MUNY, Syracuse Stage, and Colonial Theater. HIs screen credits include the Netflix show Uncoupled and the films Silk and Eighty-Sixed. He earned his BFA in musical theatre and is a member of Actors’ Equity Association.
Jackson Poulin is new to the Festival and is Ensemble in She Loves Me. He performed in the first National Tour of Miracle on 34th Street, and has done work on Off-off-Broadway as well as regionally at Tibbits Opera House and Syracuse Stage. He has teaching/directing credits at Northwestern University NHSi and Clarkstown Theatre Company, and holds a BFA from Syracuse University.
Jason Rexx is debuting as Ensemble in She Loves Me. He has also performed as Charley Kringas in Merrily We Roll Along at Vintage Theatre, Shakespeare in Something Rotten! at StageDoor Theatre, Joseph in Joseph…Dreamcoat at Performance Now Theatre Company, and other productions at The Denver Center, Arvada Center, and Town Hall Arts Center. He holds a double BA in vocal music education and psychology from Concordia College-Moorhead, and a MS in educational leadership from Western Governors University.
Meggie Siegrist debuts as Ilona Ritter in She Loves Me. She has also performed at Phoenix Theatre Company, San Luis Obispo Rep, over a dozen productions at Arizona Broadway Theatre, and five years at The Palace Theatre in the Dells. She holds a BFA from the University of the Arts.
Heidi Carann Snider is new to the Festival, as Ensemble in She Loves Me. She has performed in shows at Lone Tree Arts Center, Creede Repertory Theatre, Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company, and Town Hall Arts Center. She earned a BFA in musical theatre from Colorado Mesa University.
Emily Song Tyler returns as Ensemble in She Loves Me after previously understudying for the Festival’s 2021 world premier of the musical Gold Mountain at West Valley Performing Arts Center in Salt Lake City. She also worked at Signature Theatre, Geva Theatre Center, Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival and Cygnet Theatre. Her screen credits include the film Paw Patrol Live at Home and the HBO show That Damn Michael Che. She received training at the American Musical Dramatic Academy.
The Festival’s 65th season runs June 18 through October 3, 2026. She Loves Me plays in rotation with See How They Run and Something Rotten! in the Randall L. Jones Theatre. Don’t miss these outstanding productions, as well as more shows in our other two amazing theatres. Get your tickets online at bard.org or by calling 800-PLAYTIX (800-752-9849).
The Festival Announces the Cast of Something Rotten!
The Utah Shakespeare Festival is excited to announce the cast of this season’s musical comedy, Something Rotten! Hilariously connected to the world of Shakespeare, the story follows two brothers who are determined to outshine the Bard by inventing the first musical. Directed by Alan Muraoka, known for his longtime work on Sesame Street, this delightful musical is a shout out to theatre, filled with lots of heart and romance.
“I am so excited to share the Utah Shakespeare Festival’s premiere of Something Rotten! with our audiences of all ages!” says Muraoka. “This show is a love letter to both Shakespeare and Broadway musicals, with wonderful songs, antic comedy, and big, splashy production numbers. And those who are familiar with the works of Shakespeare will get the clever nods to many of his famous works. But even if you aren’t familiar with these works, you’ll still have a toe-tapping good time. And (spoiler alert) there will be tap dancing eggs!”
Lead artistic staff who are collaborating with Muraoka are Music Director Jeremy Mann, Choreographer Alli Betsill, Conductor Brad Carroll, Scenic Designer Jo Winiarski, Costume Designer Tracy Christensen, Lighting Designer Tom Mays, Sound Designer Joe Payne, Track Creator Brandon Grayson, Voice/Speech/Text Coach Steven Eng, Fight Director/Intimacy Coordinator Caitlyn Herzlinger, and Stage Manager Tanya J. Searle.
The cast for Something Rotten! includes both new and returning actors and is as follows:
Zac Barnaby returns to the Festival for his third season, as Ensemble in Something Rotten! He was previously in A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, The Winter’s Tale, and The Greenshow. He is currently a musical theatre student pursuing a BFA at Southern Utah University, and has performed in Falsettos; You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown; and Ride the Cyclone.
Ilana DeAngelo debuts at the Festival as Ensemble in Something Rotten! She has performed at the Colorado Shakespeare Festival, Kentucky Shakespeare Schools and Parks Tour, and Little Theatre of the Rockies. She earned a BA in musical theatre from the University of Northern Colorado and a classical acting degree from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.
Ali Ewoldt makes her main stage debut as Portia in Something Rotten! She previously performed as Mei in the Festival’s 2021 world premier of the musical Gold Mountain at West Valley Performing Arts Center in Salt Lake City. Broadway credits include Christine in The Phantom of the Opera and Cosette in Les Misérables. She has also performed Off-Broadway and regionally, specifically at Pioneer Theatre Company, Sacramento Music Circus, the Muny, and Goodspeed, among others. She has appeared on The Michael J. Fox Show and in the short films Yield, Mia, and The Cactus. Other performing credits include with the NY Pops at Carnegie Hall, with the Houston Symphony, and with Kaohsiung Symphony and the Boston Pops. She earned a BA in psychology from Yale University and is a member of Actors’ Equity Association.
Brian Gonzales debuts at the Festival as Nostradamus in Something Rotten! His Broadway credits include Mister Saturday Night, Aladdin, Shrek The Musical, and 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. He has also performed at the Fulton, Dallas Theater Center, and 5th Avenue Theater, among others. His television credits include Elementary and Law & Order, and he is a member of Actors’ Equity Association.
Henry Hawes makes his first appearance at the Festival as Ensemble in Something Rotten! He has also performed at Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities, Manoa Valley Theatre, Creede Repertory Theatre, and American Stage Theatre Company. He has a BA in musical theatre from the University of Northern Colorado.
Clara Hevia is new to the Festival, as Ensemble in Something Rotten! She performed in the national tour of Cats, and at Umbrella Stage, Commonwealth Shakespeare Company, Saratoga Shakespeare Company, and Lyric Stage Company of Boston/Lyric Back Stage, among others. She received her BM in vocal performance/musical theater from NYU Steinhardt.
Luke Sidney Johnson returns for his ninth season, as Ensemble in Something Rotten! Last season he was in The Importance of Being Earnest and A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, and other favorite Festival roles include Younger Brother in Ragtime, Simeon in Joseph…Dreamcoat, and King of France in King Lear. He has also performed at Pioneer Theatre Company, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, and Playmill Theatre. He earned a BFA in musical theater from Southern Utah University.
Matt Koenig returns as Nick Bottom in Something Rotten! Previously he was in the Festival’s productions of Clue, The Comedy of Errors, Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure, and Twelfth Night. He has performed at Cleveland Play House, Pioneer Theatre Company, PCPA, and Oregon Cabaret Theater, among many others. He can be seen in The Chosen and Alien Abductions, as well as the films California King and Homestead. He is the head of the BFA program in acting at Baldwin Wallace University, has an MFA from UC Irvine, and is a member of Actors’ Equity Association.
Colden Lamb appears as Ensemble in Something Rotten! in his first appearance at the Festival. He has also worked at San Diego Musical Theater, PCPA, and Sierra Rep, among other theatres. He has also worked with youth, teaching at SDMT Academy, Moonlight Youth Theater, and Saint Augustine High School. He earned a BA from San Diego State University.
André Love returns to the Festival as Ensemble/Minstrel in Something Rotten! He was previously seen in Sweeney Todd, Big River, Ragtime, Clue, and The Greenshow, among others. Other places he’s performed are Alabama Shakespeare Festival, the Denver Center, and Suncoast Broadway. He attended Otterbein University and is a member of Uzima African Dance Troupe.
Sophia Lynn is new to the Festival, and will perform as Ensemble in Something Rotten! She has also worked at the American Gothic Performing Arts Festival, New Perspectives Theatre Company, and One Hundred Acre Wood Theatre. Other credits include productions for the Ultimate Bublė Experience in Times Square and the North Pole Express-NYC with TopView Entertainment. She has also been involved with industry workshops for Dolly Parton’s Smokey Mountain Christmas Carol National Tour, Frozen at Paper Mill Playhouse, and Matilda at Flatrock Playhouse. She was trained at the Institute for American Musical Theatre (IAMT).
Chris Mixon returns for his 14th season, as Brother Jeremiah in Something Rotten! He favored audiences last season with his performances in Antony and Cleopatra, Macbeth, and As You Like It. Other Festival productions include The Taming of the Shrew, The Winter’s Tale, The Play That Goes Wrong, The Book of Will, and The Foreigner. He also performed in the national Broadway tour of How to Succeed…Trying, as well as eight seasons at Off-Broadway’s Pearl Theatre Company. Mixon has also worked at the Denver Center, Milwaukee Rep, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, among many others. He has been on All My Children, Law & Order, and in The Rosa Parks Story, and is a member of Actors’ Equity Association and SAG-AFTRA.
Ash Moran debuts at the Festival, as Ensemble in Something Rotten! Other roles include Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors, Maureen in Rent, Queen of Heart in Alice By Heart, and Annie in The Play That Goes Wrong, among others. Moran is a two-time winner of the Michigan Regional Wilde Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Musical, and earned a BFA in musical theatre from Oakland University.
Pascal Pastrana makes his Festival debut as Shakespeare in Something Rotten! His work on Broadway includes The Great Gatsby, A Beautiful Noise, and Mean Girls; his Off-Broadway credits include Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion and Rock and Roll Debauchery. He has also worked at Paper Mill Playhouse, Theater Raleigh, the Muny, Syracuse Stage, and Colonial Theater. HIs screen credits include the Netflix show Uncoupled and the films Silk and Eighty-Sixed. He earned his BFA in musical theatre and is a member of Actors’ Equity Association.
Jackson Poulin is new to the Festival and is Ensemble in Something Rotten! He performed in the first National Tour of Miracle on 34th Street, and has done work on Off-off-Broadway as well as regionally at Tibbits Opera House and Syracuse Stage. He has teaching/directing credits at Northwestern University NHSi and Clarkstown Theatre Company, and holds a BFA from Syracuse University.
Jason Rexx is debuting as Nigel Bottom in Something Rotten! He has also performed as Charley Kringas in Merrily We Roll Along at Vintage Theatre, Shakespeare in Something Rotten! at StageDoor Theatre, Joseph in Joseph…Dreamcoat at Performance Now Theatre Company, and other productions at the Denver Center, Arvada Center, and Town Hall Arts Center. He holds a double BA in vocal music education and psychology from Concordia College-Moorhead, and a MS in educational leadership from Western Governors University.
Meggie Siegrist debuts as Bea in Something Rotten! She has also performed at Phoenix Theatre Company, San Luis Obispo Rep, over a dozen productions at Arizona Broadway Theatre, and five years at the Palace Theatre in the Dells. She holds a BFA from the University of the Arts.
Heidi Carann Snider is new to the Festival, as Ensemble in Something Rotten! She has performed at Lone Tree Arts Center, Creede Repertory Theatre, Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company, and Town Hall Arts Center. She earned a BFA in musical theatre from Colorado Mesa University.
Emily Song Tyler returns as Ensemble in Something Rotten! after previously understudying for the Festival’s 2021 world premier of the musical Gold Mountain at West Valley Performing Arts Center in Salt Lake City. She also worked at Signature Theatre, Geva Theatre Center, Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival and Cygnet Theatre. Her screen credits include the film Paw Patrol Live at Home and the HBO show That Damn Michael Che. She received training at the American Musical Dramatic Academy.
The Festival’s 65th season runs June 18 through October 3, 2026. Something Rotten! plays in rotation with See How They Run and She Loves Me in the Randall L. Jones Theatre. Don’t miss these outstanding productions, as well as more shows in our other two amazing theatres. Get your tickets online at bard.org or by calling 800-PLAYTIX (800-752-9849).
The Festival Announces the Cast of The Book Club Play
Get ready for some serious fun with the cast of The Book Club Play! Directed by returning actor and director Matt Zambrano in the Anes Studio Theatre, this witty and high energy comedy by Karen Zacarías explores a tight-knit group of friends who become the subject of a documentary during their book club get-togethers.
“I am so incredibly thrilled for Festival audiences to experience this side-splitting comedy, written by one of the most prolific playwrights in the American theater and starring an amazing group of actors,” says Zambrano. “There’s something for everyone in The Book Club Play, and I can’t wait to get started on it. I think it will be the perfect companion piece to Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, with more twists and turns than Kolob Canyon.”
Collaborating with Zambrano are Scenic Designer Jason Simms, Costume Designer Devon Painter, Lighting Designer Claire Chrzan, Sound Designer/Composer Melanie Chen Cole, Choreographer/Fight Director/Intimacy Coordinator Christina Traister, and Stage Manager Emily Marie Wilke.
The cast for The Book Club Play includes both new and returning actors:
Travis Ascione is new to the Festival, and is debuting as Rob/Sam in The Book Club Play. His work has been seen at Texas Shakespeare Festival, Citadel Theatre, YPT Chicago, and Shakespeare & Company. His voiceover credits include The Saints with The Merry Beggars and he has an MFA in acting from the University of Southern Mississippi.
Sean Dale debuts at the Festival as Alex/Carl in The Book Club Play. He has performed at Alliance Theatre, Texas Shakespeare Festival, Atlanta Shakespeare Company, and in the United Kingdom at Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Arcola Theatre, and Tristan Bates Theatre. His teaching credits include Kennesaw State University and Emory University, and he holds an MFA in acting.
Emily Fury Daly appears for her inaugural season at the Festival as Ana in The Book Club Play. Her Off-Broadway work includes La Mama Experimental Theatre and Soho Playhouse, and she has also performed at American Players Theatre, Great River Shakespeare Festival, Pittsburgh Public, Pacific Conservatory Theatre, and Chautauqua Theater Company, among others. She has been on NBC’s Chicago Med, appeared at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and is a member of Actors’ Equity Association.
Jacob Dresch makes his first appearance at the Festival as Will/Frank in The Book Club Play. He performed Off-Broadway at Red Bull Theatre in School for Scandal, and has also been seen at Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, Orlando Shakespeare Theater, Colorado Shakespeare Festival, and Denver Center, among others. His teaching credits include MSU Denver, CU Boulder, DeSales University, New York Film Academy, and UC Irvine. He received Colorado Theatre Guild’s Henry Award and is a member of Actors’ Equity Association.
Chloe McLeod returns for her second season at the Festival as Jen/Elsa in The Book Club Play. Audiences may remember her in The Taming of the Shrew, The Winter’s Tale, and Henry VIII in 2024. In addition, she has performed in four seasons at the Colorado Shakespeare Festival and several shows at the Denver Center, where she has also taught. She has participated in multiple new play workshops across the country and received training at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy.
Regan Sims makes her Festival debut as Lily/Mrs. Simpson in The Book Club Play. She has worked Off-Broadway at 59E59 and ART/NY Theater, as well as at Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Huntington Theater Company, Two River Theater, and in the United Kingdom at Shakespeare’s Globe in London and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Other credits include work with Recent Cutbacks, Story Pirates, and Broken Box Mime Theater. She received her BFA in acting from Rutgers and is a member of Actors’ Equity Association.
The Festival’s 65th season runs June 18 through October 3, 2026. The Book Club Play performs in rotation with Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein in the Anes Studio Theatre starting July 14. Don’t miss these incredible productions, as well as more shows in our other two amazing theatres. Get your tickets online at bard.org or by calling 800-PLAYTIX (800-752-9849).
The Festival Announces the Cast of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein
Meet the cast of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein! Director Risa Brainin and this talented group of newcomers make their Utah Shakespeare Festival debuts this summer, bringing a visceral new energy to David Catlin’s haunting Gothic adaptation of Mary Shelley’s classic tale.
“I’m honored to be directing at the Utah Shakespeare Festival for the first time with David Catlin’s Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. And what a prescient moment to be in conversation with this great masterpiece,” says Brainin. “A central question of the story is ‘what is one’s responsibility to one’s creation and its life thereafter’? With the growing use of AI, that question is on everyone’s minds. The innovations of today will affect everything about tomorrow. So, what is our responsibility to the future? Catlin’s fresh, unique, rich adaptation of the novel brings the Frankenstein story in conversation with Percy and Mary Shelley’s own lives. The play has something for everyone: mystery, humor, pathos and love.”
The lead artistic staff who are creating the world of this play are Scenic Designer Jason Simms, Costume Designer Devon Painter, Lighting Designer Claire Chrzan, Sound Designer/Composer Melanie Chen Cole, Voice/Speech/Text Coach Steven Eng, Choreographer/Fight Director/Intimacy Coordinator Christina Traister, and Stage Manager Emily Marie Wilke.
The cast for Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein includes all new actors to the Festival, as follows:
Travis Ascione is debuting as Byron/Creature/Others in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. His work has been seen at the Texas Shakespeare Festival, Citadel Theatre, YPT Chicago, and Shakespeare & Company. His voiceover credits include The Saints with The Merry Beggars and he has an MFA in acting from the University of Southern Mississippi.
Sean Dale debuts at the Festival as Polidori/Others in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. He has also performed at Alliance Theatre, Texas Shakespeare Festival, Atlanta Shakespeare Company, and in the United Kingdom at Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Arcola Theatre, and Tristan Bates Theatre. His teaching credits include Kennesaw State University and Emory University, and he holds an MFA in acting.
Jacob Dresch makes his first appearance at the Festival as Percy/Victor/Felix in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. He performed Off-Broadway at Red Bull Theatre in School for Scandal, and has also been seen at Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, Orlando Shakespeare Theater, Colorado Shakespeare Festival, and Denver Center, among others. His teaching credits include MSU Denver, CU Boulder, DeSales University, New York Film Academy, and UC Irvine. He received Colorado Theatre Guild’s Henry Award and is a member of Actors’ Equity Association.
Emily Fury Daly appears for her inaugural season at the Festival as Mary/Elizabeth in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Her Off-Broadway work includes La Mama Experimental Theatre and Soho Playhouse, and she has also performed at American Players Theatre, Great River Shakespeare Festival, Pittsburgh Public, Pacific Conservatory Theatre, and Chautauqua Theater Company, among others. She has been on NBC’s Chicago Med, appeared at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and is a member of Actors’ Equity Association.
Regan Sims makes her Festival debut as Claire/Others in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. She has worked Off-Broadway at 59E59 and ART/NY Theater, as well as at Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Huntington Theater Company, Two River Theater, and in the United Kingdom at Shakespeare’s Globe in London and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Other credits include work with Recent Cutbacks, Story Pirates, and Broken Box Mime Theater. She received her BFA in acting from Rutgers and is a member of Actors’ Equity Association.
The Festival’s 65th season runs June 18 through October 3, 2026. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein plays in rotation with The Book Club Play in the Anes Studio Theatre starting July 13. Don’t miss these incredible productions, as well as more shows in our other two amazing theatres. Get your tickets online at bard.org or by calling 800-PLAYTIX (800-752-9849).