News From the Festival
Festival’s Educational Tour Presents Hamlet
CEDAR CITY, UT— The Utah Shakespeare Festival is once again hitting the road with its Shakespeare-in-the-Schools touring production—this year performing the famous and monumental story of Hamlet.
From January to April, the Festival will take its production of Hamlet to more than 25,000 students in five western states. The tour will spend 14 weeks on the road visiting schools, community centers, and correctional facilities in Utah, Nevada, Wyoming, Colorado and Arizona with over 65 performances for more than 120 schools. Directing this year is Frank Honts, who has been at the Festival the past three seasons as a Flachmann Fellow in Dramaturgy.
To kickoff the tour, the play will be performed for the public in the Auditorium Theatre at Southern Utah University on January 20 at 7:30 pm. Tickets are $5 for general admission and may be obtained on the Festival website at bard.org or by calling the Festival’s ticket office at 1-800-PLAYTIX or 435-586-7878. Admission is free for SUU students.
In its 22nd year, this educational outreach program features a 75-minute version of Shakespeare’s Hamlet,** including costumes, sets, and theatrical lighting. Also included is a fifteen-minute post-show discussion with the actors and optional workshops in Stage Combat, Performing Shakespeare’s Text, Technical Theatre and Developing Character through Improvisation.
“Hamlet is my favorite piece of literature, my favorite play, my favorite story,” said Honts. “And when I think about what young people living in the United States in 2016 are experiencing, I think that Hamlet’s story isn’t so far away from theirs and that it will have resonance and currency to them.”
In directing the play, Honts has focused on the story, “the ways in which the players can bring new light to this story,” and the telling of it to young people—all within the confines of a small touring company. As such, his production aims to reveal the inner workings of theatre by having the actors first appear as a traveling troupe of players who are visiting various venues to tell the story of their friend, Hamlet.
“This strips away the preciousness of theatre,” said Honts. “Anyone can do it. There is a universality to story telling. All you need is a story and some people who are willing to tell it.”
It also allows for some interesting casting choices. For instance, the troupe of actors have chosen the roles for each actor based upon the most appropriate way to tell the story. In this case, that means that a female actor is playing the male lead of Hamlet. Also, a female actor will be playing the female role of Gertrude and the male role of the Ghost of Hamlet’s Father.
Ten professionals from all over the country are coming together to bring this production to students. The company consists of seven actors, a company manager, a stage manager, and a technical director.
Three cast members were seen in this past 2015 season at the Festival: Allie Babich (Hamlet) was Ensign Nellie Forbush in South Pacific, Ela Delahay in Charley’s Aunt, and Vixen in Dracula. Kelly Rogers (Gertrude/Ghost/Gravedigger) appeared as Cordelia in King Lear, Amy Spettigue in Charley’s Aunt, and Mina in Dracula. Marco Antonio Vega (Laertes/Rosencrantz/Player King) appeared as Bardolph in Henry IV Part Two, King of Burgundy in King Lear, and in various roles in The Taming of the Shrew.
Other cast members bring extensive experience from other theatres to this production of Hamlet: Natalie Blackman (Ophelia/Player Queen/Osric) has appeared at Illinois Shakespeare Festival, Pioneer Theatre Company, Circle in the Square Theatre for Young Audiences, and Salt Lake Acting Company. Domonique Champion (Polonius/Marcellus/Player/Priest/Attendant) has worked at Houston Shakespeare Festival, Tennessee Shakespeare Company, and Shakespeare Walla Walla. Kyle Curry (Horatio/Guildenstern/Player) has worked at the Virginia, Kentucky, Houston, Dallas, Oklahoma, and Chicago Shakespeare festivals. Jacob Mundell (Claudius/Barnardo/Gravedigger) has performed in thirty-five states through two national tours, summer repertory, and a Renaissance fair. He is a graduate of Southern Utah University.
The support crew is made up of three theatre professionals: Devery North (Company Manager) has worked previously with the Utah Shakespeare Festival, serving as company management assistant for the 2015 season. Kaitlyn Driesen (Stage Manager) credits include Legends in Concert; Shrek the Musical, Jr.; Oklahoma! and Disney’s Cinderella. Katie Kahut (Technical Director) first worked with the Utah Shakespeare Festival last fall with its production of Dracula.
In addition to support from the Shakespeare for a New Generation program which is sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts, this tour’s school performance partners are the Utah State Office of Education: Professional Outreach Programs in the Schools, Mountain West Small Business Finance, Ally Bank, UBS Bank, and Southern Utah University.
For a complete tour schedule, visit www.bard.org/tour.
For a complete tour schedule visit www.bard.org/tour.
Enjoy a Festival Christmas at the Frontier Homestead Stake Park Museum
Are you looking for a fun, family friendly, affordable way to celebrate the Christmas season? How about Christmas at the Homestead—the Frontier Homestead State Park Museum, that is!
The Utah Shakespeare Festival and the popular state park in Cedar City are once again partnering to provide a weeklong Christmas celebration December 7 to 12 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. each day. The cost is only $1.50 per person or $5 for the entire family, and there will definitely be something for everyone—young, old, and in between.
“Nothing will get you in the holiday spirit quicker and more completely than spending an evening at Christmas at the Homestead,” said Joshua Stavros, Festival media and public relations manager. “It’s an enchanting experience with everything that makes Christmas special: music, friends and family, entertainment, and holiday goodies.”
All the museum’s regular features, hands-on activities, and exhibits will be open each night. In addition, different entertainment will be featured each evening, music and dance performances at 6 and 7 each evening, and Christmas story readings at 6:30 and 7:30. Performances will include a bell choir, the Festival Playmakers, Suzuki Strings, Half Step, In Jublio, and others. Featured readers include Harold Shirley, Don Marchant, Ellen Treanor, Kathy Wyatt, Fred C. Adams, and others.
Walking through the various museum structures, visitors will get a feeling of yesteryear. Each will be decorated with a themed tree and other decorations. For instance, Ben Hohman, properties and display director for the Festival, is creating a paper Christmas tree, and he and the Festival staff made a 15-foot snowman entirely out of tumbleweeds.
Of course, Santa will be in the Hunter House each evening from 5:30 to 8. Each night will also include different treats: popcorn and hot cider, scones and hot chocolate. Roving musicians will entertain holiday revelers as they walk among the various buildings. There are also different hands-on activities each evening: print-making for Christmas cards, dipping candles, etc.
“Partnering with the Utah Shakespeare Festival has allowed us to significantly expand our Christmas celebration from one evening to an entire week,” said Park Manager Todd Prince. “This is a great opportunity for individuals and families to benefit from an affordable and entertaining holiday experience. Christmas at the Homestead gives us a chance to celebrate our rich heritage and give something back to the community.”
For the latest information and details, visit the museum website: www.frontierhomestead.org.
Festival Founder To Receive Cultural Achievement Award
Utah Shakespeare Festival Founder Fred C. Adams will soon have one more award to put on his already-crowded mantel. The Utah Cultural Alliance (UCA) recently announced that Adams will be the recipient of the Cultural Achievement Award.
The award will be presented at UCA’s annual meeting and luncheon on December 7, where Adams will also be the keynote speaker.
The award is given annually to an individual who has made a significant and lasting impact on the overall cultural community throughout Utah. Past recipients include Raymond Tymas-Jones, dean of the College of Fine Arts and associate vice president for the arts at the University of Utah; Diane P. Stewart, philanthropist and art collector; Peter Corroon, former Salt Lake County mayor; Keven Johnson, former state archaeologist; Geralyn White Dreyfous, award-winning filmmaker and founder of the Salt Lake City Film Center; Doug Fabrizio, host and executive producer of RadioWest on KUER Radio; Katharine Coles, current poet laureate of Utah; and Tony Larimer, veteran educator, actor, and director.
“Fred almost means more to Utah’s cultural sector than even the institution he created, the Shakespeare Festival,” said Crystal Young-Otterstrom, UCA executive director. “He embodies everything that we look for in this award. He is a powerhouse of energy, full of endless ideas, and he knows how to make his ideas a reality. . . . He has employed hundreds of actors and dramaturges, introduced thousands of children to theatre and Shakespeare, and created a cultural institution in southern Utah whose impact is felt around the entire state.”
Fred C. Adams is the founder and executive producer emeritus of the Utah Shakespeare Festival, which will launch its 55th season in May. Other awards he has received include the Douglas N. Cook Lifetime Achievement Award from the Shakespeare Theatre Association in 2015, the Governor’s Economic Visionary Award in 2011, the Burbage Award from the Shakespeare Theatre Association in 2010, the Governors Humanities Award in 2010, the Utah Pioneer of Progress Award in 2005, the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year in 2003, the Utah Theatre Association Lifetime of Service Award in 2000, the Institute of Outdoor Drama Mark R. Sumner Award in 1998, BYU’s Distinguished Service Award in 1995, Utah Business Magazine’s Outstanding Leader in 1989, the first Governor’s Award in the Arts in 1989, and others.
He received his BA and MFA degrees from Brigham Young University in Theatre Arts and Russian. He did pre-doctoral studies at Catholic University and University of Utah. The author of many articles appearing in several professional magazines, he has lectured for institutions and professional organizations throughout the United States and Europe.
“It’s very generous thing,” said Adams of the award. “I’m flattered of course, and have to ask, when so many others are more deserving, ‘Why me?’”
Festival Hires Sponsorships and Special Events Coordinator
The Utah Shakespeare Festival recently welcomed back Justin Jorgensen in a new position at the Festival: sponsorships and special events coordinator.
Jorgensen received his bachelor of arts degree from Concordia University, then his master of fine arts in arts administration at Southern Utah University in 2013. During his time in Cedar City, he worked as a graduate assistant at the Festival.
Since then, he has been working at New Village Arts in Carlsbad, California, including stints as associate artistic and development director and director of connectivity. In those roles he worked directily with patrons, donors, the board of directors, and other stakeholders focusing on audience development, grassroots fundraising campaigns, special events, and marketing initiatives.
“After I graduated from SUU, I didn’t feel like I was saying ‘good-bye’, but more like I was saying ‘see you soon’,” he said upon returning to the Festival. “I am thrilled to be back in this new position raising vital funds to preserve the Festival’s past and prepare for our future in the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Center for the Arts.”
In his new position at the Festival, he will be overseeing the Festival’s individual, corporate, and foundation sponsorships, fundraising galas, and other special events.
“I am thrilled to be back in Cedar City working with the Festival,” he said. “I am ready to jump right in and join the fantastic Festival staff.”
"Inherit the Wind" Scheduled as Part of Exploring Human Origins
As part of the Cedar City Library’s Exploring Human Origins exhibit, the Utah Shakespeare Festival has joined forces with the library and the community to present a staged reading of scenes from Inherit the Wind, a play which is based on the famous 1925 “Scopes Monkey Trial” in Tennessee.
The scenes from the play will be presented November 11 at 7 p.m. in the Cedar City Festival Hall.
The production is directed by Festival Education Director Michael Bahr and features Peter Sham and Scott Knowles, assistant professors of theatre arts at Southern Utah University Theatre; Ryan Paul, curator at the Frontier Homestead State Park Museum; Steve Turner, SUU theatre arts student; and others. A discussion with the performers will follow the performance. Admission is free.
“I am so excited that we can come together to celebrate the things that make us human and discuss one of the great debates of the 20th century,” said Bahr. “Inherit the Wind is particularly appropriate because it formulates the arguments of both sides of the issue of evolution and religion in a way that elevates the discussion. I can’t wait to share it with our community.”
The staged reading is the last of a number of activities centered around the Smithsonian Institution’s Exploring Human Origins exhibit which has been at the library since October 16. The Cedar City Library was one of only 19 libraries in the country chosen to present the popular exhibit.
Festival Season a Wholehearted Artistic Success
The most recent season at the Utah Shakespeare Festival, the last in the iconic Adams Shakespearean Theatre, was a wholehearted artistic success, according to Artistic Directors David Ivers and Brian Vaughn. The last spotlight was dimmed on October 31, after a Halloween production of *Dracula—*and now 2015 is one for the books.
“I am very pleased with the artistic excellence of the season,” said Ivers. “The Festival continues to attract top talent in our field, and the strength of our programming, coupled with the immense beauty and welcoming spirit of our community continues to keep us on the radar as one of the top destination theatres in the country.”
“The season was generally very well received by audiences, reviewers, and theatre professionals,” added Vaughn. “It was a solid artistic season.”
The Festival this year put a lot of resources and effort to new technology in the theatre, bringing an enhanced experience to the plays. For instance, the Festival purchased new computerized moving lights and high-tech projection equipment to provide some amazing lighting effects in such shows as Amadeus and beautiful (and spooky) projections in Dracula. “We embarked into new territory in some of our production areas,” said Ivers. “By allocating resources to our these areas, we were able to attract top-notch artists and improve the quality of our final product.”
But, putting technology and special effects aside, the historical appeal of the Festival has long been the strength and quality of its actors, and 2015 was no exception. “It was one of the strongest acting companies we’ve had in a long time,” said Vaughn.
Especially memorable for both Ivers and Vaughn was the Festival’s production of the extraordinary Amadeus. Both mentioned the size and scale of the production (especially Ivers, who played the huge and challenging role of Salieri), and both were proud of the work. “It was one of the most powerful productions we have had in some time,” said Vaughn, “and it was ascetically beautiful across the board.”
Memorable for Executive Director R. Scott Phillips was The Taming of the Shrew. Phillips was assistant director on the show, while Fred. C. Adams, Festival founder, was the director. “The Taming of the Shrew was the most popular show with our audiences and also received universally positive reviews,” said Phillips. “It was a joy to work on and was a fitting conclusion to the amazing life of the Adams Shakespeare Theatre.”
Of course, no discussion of 2015 would be complete without exploring how it helps set the stage for the huge changes planned for 2016. The 2015 productions of Henry IV Part Two, King Lear, and The Taming of the Shrew were the last Festival productions in the aging Adams Theatre.
Next season, the Festival will have moved into the new Beverley Taylor Sorenson Center for the Arts, including the new Engelstad Shakespeare Theatre which replaces the Adams Theatre, and the new Eileen and Allen Anes Studio Theatre, a 200-seat theatre designed for intimate productions, as well as the existing Randall L. Jones Theatre.
The move gives the Festival a dedicated rehearsal hall for the first time in its history, as well as the latest technology and audience comforts in all three theatres. The audience experience will also be enhanced by having everything—including plays, seminars, The Greenshow, and the new Southern Utah Museum of Art—all in a cohesive center, with everything easily accessible.
In addition, having all three theatres will open up some exciting scheduling and production possibilities for the Festival, and the excitement generated during the 2015 season as construction as been moving ahead rapidly will definitely carry over to 2016.
“It was a bittersweet year as we bid farewell to the Adams Theatre, and it is with great excitement that we look forward to an engaging first season in the new Engelstad Shakespeare Theatre in the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Center for the Arts,” said Ivers.
The 2016 season includes Shakespeare’s warm comedy Much Ado about Nothing, the conclusion of the story of Prince Hal/King Henry in Henry V, and a new, swashbuckling Ken Ludwig adaptation of Alexandre Dumas’s The Three Musketeers in the new Engelstad Theatre. In the new Anes Theatre will be a modern version of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar and a hilarious two-person tour-de-force musical, Murder for Two. The Randall Theatre will feature the Festival’s production of Disney and Cameron Mackintosh’s Mary Poppins, Neil Simon’s The Odd Couple, and the hilarious Marx Brothers farce, The Cocoanuts.
Tickets and more information are available online at www.bard.org and by calling the Ticket Office at 800-PLAYTIX.
Play On Podcast | Ep. 54: Brad Berridge, Sound Designer
Check out the latest episode with sound designer, Brad Berridge. Brad designed for both Dracula and The Two Gentlemen of Verona for our fall season. Learn more about his journey in the arts, the process of a sound designer and listen to some sound clips from this season’s Dracula! You don’t want to miss this!
Come “Dressed to the Teeth” for Dracula’s Costume Night
Tyler Pierce as Dracula
Cedar City, UT – Celebrate Halloween and the Utah Shakespeare Festival’s spooky rendition of Bram Stoker’s gothic story by attending Dracula’s Costume Night.
For the last two showings of Dracula on October 30 and 31, the Festival is sponsoring a costume contest and inviting playgoers to come “dressed to the teeth” in hopes of winning a prize for the best Halloween costume. Audience members will vote for the best costume, and a grand prize of a pair of tickets to a 2016 play will be awarded each night. Other prizes of Festival memorabilia will be awarded to other costumes that we can sink our teeth into.
The play begins at 7:30 p.m. both evenings in the Randall L. Jones Theatre, but to enter the contest, you must be in the theatre in costume by 7:15.
“What better way to celebrate the end of our 2015 season and the spooky fun of Halloween than a night with Count Dracula and costumed fun?” asked Joshua Stavros, Festival media and public relations manager. “I can’t wait to see who and what will be there.”
The Festival’s productions of Dracula, The Two Gentlemen of Verona and Charley’s Aunt continue through October 31. For more information and tickets visit www.bard.org or call 1-800-PLAYTIX.
From Food Drives to Blood Drives
Cedar City, UT – Fall is the season of community involvement at the Utah Shakespeare Festival. From food drives to blood drives, from community donations to joint dramatic productions with the community—the Festival and the Cedar City area come together in unique ways during October and November.
Fall Food Drive
The 12th annual Fall Food Drive wraps up October 31, as the Festival and community members work together to collect food for the Iron County Care and Share. Thus far, the partnership has collected over 800 pounds, so there is still plenty of work to do.
Local residents can participate by donating six items of nonperishable food per individual on the day of the performance directly to the Festival and receive a half-price ticket to any Tuesday through Thursday performance. Food donation barrels are located in the Randall L. Jones Theatre lobby next to the ticket window.
“The support of our community is so critical to the success of the Utah Shakespeare Festival Fall Food Drive,” said Executive Director R. Scott Phillips. “Since 2003 the Festival has provided a forum where generous and caring playgoers can see great theatre and support those less fortunate through our annual fall food drive. And over the years, our guests have demonstrated time and time again their generosity and support of those in need by supplying food as part of a ticket purchase.”
Residents of Iron, Washington, Kane, Garfield, Sevier, Piute, and Beaver counties in Utah are eligible for the discount, as well as patrons from Lincoln County, Nevada. All residents should bring proof of residency and six nonperishable food items for each discounted ticket they wish to purchase. This offer is good Tuesday through Thursday on the day of the performance only. There is a limit of four discounted tickets per resident I.D.
Dracula’s Blood Drive
The Festival, the Red Cross and Count Dracula just completed a spooktacular blood drive Dracula (from this season’s popular horror play) encouraged ghouls, goblins and vixens to signup, roll up their sleeves and have their veins drained.
The one-day event netted 22 pints of blood, enough to potentially save the lives of over 60 people in need. Nine of the donors were “first-timers.”
In Utah, every eight minutes someone needs blood, and the Red Cross strives to collect an average of 2,350 units of blood in the state each week to meet patient’s needs. Blood is needed everyday for cancer patients, accident victims, premature babies, and other ill or injured people. The Festival and our community were happy to help.
State Bank of Southern Utah Challenge Donation
Citing their desire to give back to the community that has supported them for over 50 years, State Bank of Southern Utah (SBSU) officials recently presented a check for $50,000 to the Festival. The bank’s donation will assist with the approximately $750,000 still needed to complete landscaping and fund equipment for the $38 million complex, located on the campus of Southern Utah University.
“The Festival is a huge asset and will continue to benefit our community for years to come,” explained Tyler Brown, SBSU director of marketing. “We hope this gift will not only help the building of the new center, but challenge other community minded businesses that are able to give.”
Presenting the SBSU donation to the Festival were Brown; Eric Schmutz, president and chief executive officer; Kirk Jones, director of operations; and Linda Wilson, member of the board of directors.
The new center, which is currently under construction, includes two new theatres for the Festival and will be ready for the opening of the 2016 Festival season in July.
Exploring Human Origins and Staged Reading of Inherit the Wind
From October 16 to November 12, the Cedar City Public Library will be one of only 19 libraries in the county to present the Smithsonian exhibit, Exploring Human Origins. As part of the month-long celebration, the Festival has joined forces with the library and the community to present a staged reading of a scene from Inherit the Wind, a play which is based on the famous 1925 “Scopes Monkey Trial” in Tennessee.
The reading, directed by Festival Education Director Michael Bahr, will be November 11 at 7 p.m. in the Cedar City Festival Hall. A discussion with the performers will follow the performance. Admission is free.
“I am so excited that we can come together to celebrate the things that make us human and discuss one of the great debates of the 20th century,” said Bahr. “Inherit the Wind is particularly appropriate because it formulates the arguments of both sides of the issue of evolution and religion in a way that elevates the discussion. I can’t wait to share it with our community.”
Tickets for the Festival’s 2015 season, which will run until October 31, are now on sale. The fall season includes The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Dracula and Charley*’s Aunt*.For more information and tickets visit www.bard.org or call 1-800-PLAYTIX.