2026 Directors in the Anes Studio Theatre
The Utah Shakespeare Festival is thrilled to announce the directors for the shows in the Eileen and Allen Anes Studio Theatre for the 2026 season. “These two amazing directors are so excited to come to the Festival and tackle these shows in this beloved space, for our celebratory sixty-fifth season. I can’t wait for our guests to experience them!” says Artistic Director John DiAntonio.
Productions in the Anes Studio Theatre are favorites of our patrons because of the intimate nature of the space: with only 200 seats, it provides an up close and personal experience to remember for a lifetime!
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein
By David Catlin
Based on the book by Mary Shelley
Directing this bold retelling of the Gothic masterpiece is Risa Brainin, who is making her Utah Shakespeare Festival debut in 2026. She is a freelance director and Founder/Artistic Director of LAUNCH PAD, a new play development program at UC Santa Barbara. She served as Artistic Director of Shakespeare Santa Cruz, Associate Artistic Director at both Indiana Repertory Theatre and Kansas City Repertory Theatre, and Resident Director of the Guthrie Theater. Directing credits include The Acting Company, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Denver Center Theatre, Gulfshore Playhouse, Pittsburgh Public Theater, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, and Syracuse Stage among others. A graduate of the Carnegie Mellon University Drama Program, Brainin is a member of the National Theatre Conference and the College of Fellows of the American Theatre.
David Catlin’s adaptation of Mary Shelley’s classic novel Frankenstein weaves together the haunting tale of Victor Frankenstein and his creation with the real-life circumstances that inspired Mary Shelley to write it. Blending fiction and reality, the play delves into the depths of human ambition, the consequences of scientific pursuit, and the blurred line between creator and creation, offering a profoundly human and contemporary take on a timeless story.
“One of the things I love most is that as the play goes on the Creature becomes more human, and Victor Frankenstein, the creator who ruthlessly abandons his creation, becomes more monstrous,” says Brainin. “The question that continually intrigues me is what is one’s responsibility to one’s creation and its life thereafter? With the growing use of AI, that question cannot be any more pressing than it is right now. The innovations of today will affect everything about tomorrow. So, what is our responsibility to the future?”
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein previews on July 13, 2026, and runs through October 3, 2026.
The Book Club Play
By Karen Zacarías
Veteran Festival actor Matt Zambrano returns to direct The Book Club Play. Audiences may remember him in Scapin in 2012 and Peter and the Starcatcher in 2013, among others. His work has also been seen all over the country, including at Shakespeare Theater of D.C., Milwaukee Rep, Creede Repertory Theater, Colorado Shakespeare Festival, The Denver Center Theater, and Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Other credits include the film The People vs. George Lucas, the web series Orcs of New York, the podcast Story Pirates, and teaching at Disney Theatrical Group, among many others. He received his MFA from National Theater Conservatory and is a member of Actors’ Equity Association.
The Book Club Play is described like “Lord of the Flies with wine and dip,” and is a comedy about a tight-knit group of friends whose carefully curated lives unravel when their book club becomes the subject of a documentary. As tensions rise and secrets emerge, the laughs build in this witty satire about literature, the chaos of group dynamics, and the stories we tell ourselves, proving real life is often the most unpredictable plot of all.
“I love working on Karen’s plays,” says Zambrano. “She is so good at writing comedies with real, three-dimensional people and I can’t wait for audiences to experience The Book Club Play. It’s rare that a script makes me laugh out loud even after I’ve read it before, but every time I come back to this play I find a new line or moment that manages to tickle my funny bone.”
The Book Club Play previews July 14, 2026, and runs through October 3, 2026.
Don’t miss our upcoming Cyber Monday sale on December 1 and 2 and join us in 2026 for a thrilling and delightful season! For more information including content advisories, visit our website at bard.org or call the Ticket Office at 800-PLAYTIX, Monday through Friday, noon to 5pm. No window service is available until next spring.
