News From the Festival
Royal Academy of Dramatic Art Returns to Perform The Winter’s Tale at Utah Shakespeare Festival
Utah Shakespeare Festival is proud to welcome the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) from London. A group of recent graduates is performing a touring production of Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale in the Anes Studio Theatre, as part of a strategic partnership between the two theatre organizations.
The condensed, ninety-minute version of the play will be presented from July 28 to August 1 at 9:30am, with post-performance talk backs with the company scheduled for July 28, 30, and 31 at 11am.
“Festival patrons thoroughly enjoy the work presented by RADA and many schedule their visits to coincide with these 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 has a long and illustrious history and boasts a number of exceptional alumni that have seen success as actors, including Cynthia Erivo, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Allison Janney, Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Hopkins, Alan Rickman, and Ralph Fiennes. Perhaps the next RADA “star” may just be on the Festival stage this summer.
Now marking seven years of this creative collaboration, it represents a commitment to foster international artistry of Shakespeare’s works. Each season, the Festival hosts RADA’s acclaimed touring production.
This thriving exchange was born in 2019 from a casual conversation about RADA’s powerful staging of Hamlet. It has since evolved into a vital cultural pipeline. While the touring group spends the school year performing specially adapted Shakespeare plays for children across London, their summer trip to Cedar City introduces Festival audiences to fresh, contemporary interpretations straight from the UK.
“The RADA collaboration brings a refreshing surge of creative energy to our season each July” says Artistic Director John DiAntonio. “We are honored to showcase the work of these exceptionally talented young artists in addition to our own exciting repertory lineup.”
Bahr agrees: “We are so grateful for the relationship with RADA that we have been able to develop and share. 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-2026.
Utah Shakespeare Festival Announces 2027 Season
As we celebrate the opening of our 65th season and welcome you back to the Festival, we’re also thrilled to share a glimpse of what’s ahead in our 2027 season.
We invite you to watch our official 2027 Season Title Announcement video above to view our nine productions!
Tickets are available now. To purchase and learn more, visit bard.org/plays/2027 or call our Ticket Office at 800-PLAYTIX (800-752-9849).
In our largest, outdoor space–the Engelstad Shakespeare Theatre:
The Crucible
By Arthur Miller
Engelstad Shakespeare Theatre
June 21 - September 2, 2027
Set amid the hysteria of the Salem witch trials, The Crucible transforms historical events into a searing allegory about paranoia, integrity, and power. As accusations fly and reputations crumble, one man’s moral stand becomes an act of defiance against collective fear. Miller’s taut drama lays bare the dangers of mass suspicion and the ease with which truth can be distorted.
Henry V
By William Shakespeare
Engelstad Shakespeare Theatre
June 22 - September 3, 2027
A rousing tale of leadership, courage, and unity, Henry V follows the young king as he rallies England to an unlikely victory over France at Agincourt. Through fiery speeches, Shakespeare captures both the glory and the cost of war. The play is a sweeping story of transformation—from reckless prince to noble leader—and asks what it truly means to be a hero.
The Merry Wives of Windsor
By William Shakespeare
Engelstad Shakespeare Theatre
June 23 - September 4, 2027
Sir John Falstaff hatches a scheme to woo two wealthy women for their money—only to find himself the target of their hilarious revenge. Set in a bustling English town, The Merry Wives of Windsor brims with mischief, mistaken identities, and middle-class triumph. Shakespeare’s most purely comic play celebrates wit, love, and the joy of comeuppance.
In our beautiful large indoor space–the Randall L. Jones Theatre:
The Drowsy Chaperone
Music and lyrics by Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison
Book by Bob Martin and Don McKellar
Randall L. Jones Theatre
June 24 - September 4, 2027
A love letter to golden-age musicals, The Drowsy Chaperone bursts with tap-dancing joy, witty parody, and infectious heart. As a reclusive musical theatre fan drops the needle on his favorite record, the show springs to life in his apartment—complete with glamorous stars, mistaken identities, and nonstop laughter. Equal parts satire and celebration, it’s an irresistible valentine to the magic of theatre.
Arsenic and Old Lace
By Joseph Kesselring
Randall L. Jones Theatre
June 25 - October 2, 2027
Darkly hilarious and deliciously twisted, Arsenic and Old Lace follows two sweet elderly sisters who have a peculiar dark hobby. Their nephew Mortimer discovers their secret just as his deranged brother returns home, setting off a farcical chain of events. It’s a madcap comedy where good manners meet mayhem, and murder has never been so charming.
William Shakespeare’s Land of the Dead
By John Heimbuch
Randall L. Jones Theatre
June 26 - October 2, 2027
London, 1599. Shakespeare’s Henry V has just opened at the Globe Theatre when a mysterious plague sweeps through the city—one that leaves its victims dead… and then decidedly not dead. Trapped inside a quarantined playhouse, Shakespeare and his company must battle the undead, rivalries, and their own ambitions in a thrilling race for survival. This fast-paced mash-up of Elizabethan history, sharp comedy, and zombie horror is unlike anything else you’ve seen before.
In our intimate, 200-seat indoor space–the Eileen and Allen Anes Studio Theatre:
The Two Noble Kinsmen
By William Shakespeare and John Fletcher
Anes Studio Theatre
July 21 - October 2, 2027
A rarely-produced Shakespearean gem—and the only Shakespeare play never before produced by the Utah Shakespeare Festival—The Two Noble Kinsmen follows two devoted friends whose bond is shattered when they fall in love with the same woman. Set in ancient Greece, this sweeping tale of romance, rivalry, honor, and obsession explores how desire can transform even the noblest of hearts.
Into the Breeches!
By George Brant
Anes Studio Theatre
July 22 - October 2, 2027
When the men of a Shakespeare theater company leave to fight in World War II, a group of inexperienced actresses step in to save the season. Determined to mount an all-female production of Shakespeare’s Henry IV and Henry V, they embark on a hilarious and heartfelt journey of confidence, community, and purpose. This uplifting comedy celebrates the power of art and the connections that sustain us in difficult times.In the brand new George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Music Center at Southern Utah University:
All the Devils Are Here: How Shakespeare Invented The Villain
Created and Performed by Patrick Page
Directed by Simon Godwin
Eccles Music Center
July 28 - August 7, 2027
Dubbed “The villain of Broadway” by Playbill, Patrick Page has never shied away from exploring his dark side. Now, with this tour de force show, he turns his attention to the twisted motivation and hidden humanity at the heart of Shakespeare’s greatest villains. Moving swiftly through the Shakespeare canon, Page illuminates the playwright’s ever-evolving conception of evil by delving into more than a dozen of his most wicked creations. Thrilling, biting, hilarious, and enlightening, what Page delivers is a masterclass on the most terrifying subject of them all: human nature. Created and performed by Patrick Page, and directed by Simon Godwin, the duo bring the fullness of Shakespeare to life in this dynamic, contemporary, and accessible take on Shakespeare’s villains, promising an evening of mesmerizing artistry, powerful storytelling, and a rare intimacy that will redefine your perception of Shakespeare and his villains. Following each performance, the audience is invited to a 15-20 minute talkback with Patrick, moderated by Patrick, to explore the world of Shakespeare’s villains and his relationship to them more intimately.
The Festival Announces External Understudies for 2026 Season
With the 65th Season of the Utah Shakespeare Festival opening soon, there is one group of performers with a unique job. Understudies are a critical part of each production at the Festival who ensure that performances can continue should there be a reason the cast members cannot perform.
What does it actually take to be an understudy? These performing artists study the lines, movements, staging, exits/entrances, costume changes, and if needed, music and choreography of another performer (or performers) in the event they must step in. Much of the time understudies are either in the production already as another character (or characters), or are a part of the acting company and prepare understudy roles in shows of which they are not a part of the main cast.
Actors called external understudies focus on preparing assigned understudy roles only. They are not cast in other productions this season, though they may have other positions at the Festival.
For this season, the external understudies are:
Brittni Shambaugh Addison is the understudy for Helen in Troilus and Cressida, Horatio in Hamlet, Olivia in Twelfth Night, and Miss Skillon in See How They Run. Addison earned an MFA in Directing from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. She has performed at Creede Repertory Theatre, Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival, and Cleveland Play House, among others. She is the winner of the Best Lead Performance Award from Cultural Voice of North Carolina for her performance as Narrator in Every Brilliant Thing.
Nick Case is understudying Menelaus/Pandarus/Myrmidon in Troilus and Cressida and Lionel Toop/Bishop of Lax in See How They Run. Case teaches at UNLV where he recently earned an MFA in acting. Performing credits include productions at Nevada Conservatory Theatre, Fulton Theatre, Interlakes Theatre, and APEX Theatre Studio, among others.
Kristina C. Harding is the understudy for Agamemnon/Ulysses in Troilus and Cressida and Gertrude in Hamlet. Previously at the Festival, she performed in Pericles and The Comedy of Errors, and understudied roles in Silent Sky and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. She has also performed with American Crossroads Theatre, Hoosier Shakespeare, Women of Will, and Kayenta Center for the Arts.
Molly Pearson will understudy Ida/Penelope in See How They Run. She was previously seen at the Festival as Louisa in The Sound of Music and at Tuacahn Ampitheatre in The Hunchback of Notre Dame. She is currently pursuing a BFA in musical theatre at Southern Utah University, where she performed in Alice By Heart, The Anastasia Trials in the Court of Women, and Pippin.
Giuseppe Michael Pipicella is understudying Percy/Victor/Byron/Creature in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Will/Rob in The Book Club Play. He recently performed in the Festival’s Shakespeare in the Schools tour of The Comedy of Errors. He has also performed with Montana Shakespeare in the Parks, Orlando Shakespeare Theater, and Wisconsin Shakespeare Festival, among others. He teaches at the University of Central Florida where he also earned an MFA in acting.
Patrick Vest will understudy Priam/Nestor in Troilus and Cressida, Ghost/Polonius in Hamlet, Malvolio in Twelfth Night, and Man in See How They Run. He was previously seen at the Festival in Antony and Cleopatra, As You Like It, Macbeth, Henry VIII, and Much Ado About Nothing. He earned an MFA in acting from Alabama Shakespeare Festival and has also performed at Rubicon Theatre, Laguna Playhouse, and Asolo Rep, among many others.
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. For tickets and information, visit bard.org or call 800-PLAYTIX.
“Under the Greenwood Tree”: A Brief History of The Greenshow
By Kathryn Neves
Every summer, families from all over Utah—and beyond—gather in the Ashton Family Greenshow Commons beneath the towering “greenwood” trees (as Shakesepeare might say). As the smell of fresh tarts wafts over the air, boys and girls sit around the wooden stage and wait for the telltale sounds of festive music and laughter. And it comes. Performers dance out to the sounds of flutes and tambourines. The Greenshow begins.
This beloved institution has been around since the Festival’s beginning. “It’s a fundamental part of the Festival Experience,” said Executive Managing Director Michael Bahr. “Since the first years of the Festival, patrons have been immersed in a live theatrical experience, preparing them for the evening that awaits.”
Immersion: that was the original goal of The Greenshow founder, Barbara Gaddie Adams. As she and her husband, Fred C. Adams, worked to bring about the Festival’s first season, she felt that something was missing. They needed a transition; something to guide audiences out of the modern world and into the bygone, spellbinding world of William Shakespeare.
Music was the best way to do it. Barbara, an accomplished musician herself, gathered together a group of local performers and taught them a number of madrigals and dances. Glynis Adams Neves, daughter of Fred and Barbara—and early Greenshow performer herself—remembers that time fondly. “My mother taught my sister and cousins and I to play the recorder,” she said. “She would research songs, music, and dances from the time period, and taught [us] to play the instruments. From the time I was eight or nine, I played the recorder and sold tarts. It was a lot of fun.”
The early days of The Greenshow featured live music from Renaissance-style recorders and lute guitars. Community members sang English folk songs and performed dances like the maypole, pavane, and galliard. The Greenshow also featured a Punch and Judy puppet show, complete with hand-crafted puppets and authentic scripts from the mid-17th century. Local children played the recorder before and after the show, while tart sellers wandered through the delighted crowd. It was a celebration of Shakespeare performed for—and by—the community.
Audiences loved it. Local Cedar City children would ride their bikes to come and watch, and many of the same families attended night after night. The performance, free and available to everyone, was a unique and wholesome way to spend the evening, and come together with the community.
Over the years, The Greenshow has evolved and grown with the Festival. Modern Greenshows have expanded from the purely Renaissance-style performances, and now feature themed “nights” that explore different cultures and eras—like Scotland, Ireland, Italy, America, and local performances from members of the Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah—often themed after the evening’s play.
While the show may look very different from the early days, that same sense of community spirit is alive and well today. On a different lawn, but just as green; on a newer stage, but just as magical. Families still come each night for an evening of free live entertainment. “For 65 years, The Greenshow continues to be the flagship of the Festival, the epitome of live, interactive, intimate performance,” said Bahr. “Cedar City citizens love it and attend each year. It signals that summer has arrived—and the gathering of community, visitors, and company has commenced.”
This year’s Greenshow will feature three different themes: Stratford, an exploration of Shakespeare’s home and era; Americana, a celebration of America250; and recurring favorite Celtic, featuring folk music and dancing from Ireland. And just like the early years of community gathering, families and friends come together to celebrate performance, music, and the friendly welcome of the Utah Shakespeare Festival.
Don’t miss these free 30-minute performances each Monday through Saturday evenings at 7:10pm, June 18 through September 5 on The Greenshow lawn. For more information, visit bard.org/plays/greenshow or call 800-PLAYTIX (752-9849).
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.