Utah Shakespeare Festival Opens 64th Season

The Utah Shakespeare Festival is excited to announce the opening of its 64th season. After months of preparations and six weeks of an intensive build process and rehearsal schedule, the Festival welcomes patrons to experience another wonderful season of live theatre, now through October 4. 

The Utah Shakespeare Festival is a professional theatre, hosted on the campus of Southern Utah University and was started in 1961 by the late Fred C. Adams and his wife Barbara. 

“Fred will always be remembered as a passionate visionary who saw Cedar City and the university (College of Southern Utah at the time) as an ideal home for a world-class theatre,” says Executive Managing Director Michael Bahr. “Because of the town’s history with putting on plays, its connection to the works of William Shakespeare, and its location near some of the most beautiful recreation destinations in the country, Fred knew the Festival could be a thrilling addition to the campus and community.” 

Today, with a year-round administrative staff of 30, a seasonal staff of over 200 theatre professionals, and a volunteer base of 350 local residents, the Festival welcomes over 100,000 guests to the annual productions each year. 

From Shakespearean masterpieces to laugh-out-loud comedies and modern favorites, this season offers something for everyone. The lineup includes William Shakespeare’s dark and tragic Macbeth, the historical romance (and rarely-performed) Antony and Cleopatra, and the pastoral comedy As You Like It in the outdoor Engelstad Shakespeare Theatre. 

In the beautiful indoor Randall L. Jones Theatre, audiences won’t want to miss the witty and touching Steel Magnolias by Robert Harling*,* the Tony Award-winning musical comedy A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder by Steven Lutvak and Robert L. Freedman, and the Victorian satire The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde. 

In the intimate Anes Studio Theatre, patrons can enjoy the World War II love story Ken Ludwig’s Dear Jack, Dear Louise, a week-long traveling production of Twelfth Night by the students of London’s Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) at the end of July, and two new plays––one of which is Lauren M. Gunderson’s Muse of Fire––for the annual Words Cubed staged reading new play program during August. 

“All of these productions represent the very best––and sometimes the most challenging––parts of all of us,” comments Artistic Director John DiAntonio who oversees each show from hiring the directors and casting to ensuring finishing touches are complete before the curtains rise and audiences show up. “We are thrilled to celebrate these stories and these artists, and welcome everyone to experience the power of live theatre.”

In addition to the plays, other opportunities referred to as the Festival Experience ensure that audiences’ participation goes beyond––and sometimes behind––the stage. A variety of seminars, pre-show orientations, Backstage Tours, Repertory Magic, classes, camps, and more aim to enhance patrons’ understanding of Festival productions and the process of repertory theatre. And no evening at the Festival would be complete without attending The Greenshow. Bring the whole family for this free 30-minute celebration starting at 7:10pm, Monday through Saturday, where everyone is invited to sing, dance, and play along.

Tickets are on sale now! Visit bard.org, call 800-PLAYTIX, or visit the Ticket Office for more information and to reserve your seats.