2027 Directors in the Eileen and Allen Anes Studio Theatre
The Utah Shakespeare Festival is excited to announce the directors for the 2027 productions in the Anes Studio Theatre, our intimate 200-seat space. Here we will be concluding our “Complete the Canon” initiative of Shakespeare’s works, started in 2012, as well as producing a show originally scheduled in our canceled 2020 season. We welcome a very familiar face and director making her Festival debut.
The Two Noble Kinsmen
By William Shakespeare and John Fletcher
Eileen and Allen Anes Studio Theatre
A rarely-produced gem—the only Shakespeare play never before produced by the 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.
Returning to direct is longtime Festival artist Britannia Howe. Previously, she wrote The Greenshow for the 2026 season and wrote/directed The Greenshow six times between 2018 and 2025. She also directed Cymbeline and Every Brilliant Thing Tour. Her work has also been seen at Lyric Repertory Company, Utah Symphony, Illinois Shakespeare Festival, and Eugene O’Neill Theatre Center. She has taught, produced shows, and earned degrees from Southern Utah University and Illinois State University.
“What excites me most about this opportunity to direct The Two Noble Kinsmen is the chance to shape a rarely produced Shakespearean work into an immediate theatrical experience for contemporary audiences,” says Howe. “The production embraces the play’s mythic scale and physical urgency. This isn’t a slow, polite play; the characters are impulsive and make huge decisions very quickly. With prison walls, love at first sight, and loyalty turning on a dime, it carries a ’live fast, die young’ energy that should feel a little dangerous.”
The Two Noble Kinsmen previews on July 21, 2027, and runs through October 2, 2027.
Into the Breeches!
By George Brant
Eileen and Allen Anes Studio Theatre
When the men of a Shakespeare theatre 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 humorous 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.
New to the Festival, Laura Kepley is “thrilled to be making my Utah Shakespeare Festival debut with this warm and hilarious play that uplifts female leadership, service, and collaboration.” Her work at other theatres includes Public Theatre, Alliance Theatre, Asolo Rep, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, and Contemporary American Theatre Festival, among many others. She is also the artistic director of Cleveland Play House, which earned a Regional Theatre Tony Award during her tenure. Her teaching credits include Brown University and Case Western Reserve University. She earned an MFA from Brown University/Trinity Rep and is a member of Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC).
“Into the Breeches is a backstage comedy tailor made for theatre lovers,” says Kepley. “With humor, heart, and hijinks, the play celebrates the power of teamwork and community, reminding us that together we can find the light even in the darkest of times.”
Into the Breeches! previews July 22, 2027, and runs through October 1, 2027.
Visit bard.org to get your tickets today!
