Utah Shakespearean Festival

The Utah Shakespearean Festival is a festival of repertory productions of the works of William Shakespeare and other dramatists. The Festival is held during the summer and fall on the campus of Southern Utah University in Cedar City, Utah, within a day's drive of seven national parks and other attractions. It is 2½ hours northeast of Las Vegas, Nevada and 3½ hours south of Salt Lake City, Utah.

Awards

In 2000, the Festival was the recipient of America's Outstanding Regional Theatre Tony Award, presented by the American Theatre Wing and the League of American Theatres and Producers. In 2001 it received the National Governors Association Award for Distinguished Service in the Arts for Artistic Productions.

The Seasons

The Festival produces a six-show repertory season in the summer of each year. Traditionally, three of the plays produced are Shakespearean or other period (such as the works of Christopher Marlowe) texts (often a comedy, a drama, and a history) and three non-Shakespearean classics or works by more contemporary dramatists, one of which is usually a musical. The Shakespearean plays are usually performed in the outdoor Adams Shakespearean Theatre, which is modeled after Shakespeare's Globe Theatre. The other plays are performed on an indoor proscenium stage, the Randall L. Jones Theatre. The Auditorium Theatre is used for matinee performances of plays normally produced at night in the Adams, and as a rainstage for Adams performances. Shows of the summer season usually run from mid-June through early September. During this season a short skit and musical act are performed outside before most of the plays. Called the Green Show, it often includes poking fun at Shakespeare buffs, comedy skits, sword fighting and musical routines. On some days smaller side stages are used to showcase dumb shows, craftsmen, and storytellers. During and before the performance people dressed (roughly) in period clothing walk around the courtyard (green) selling programs, telling jokes, and offering a selection of treats. As women always sell pastries, a common line is to "Try the tarts, and the pastries aren't bad either."

Recently, the Festival has begun producing a three-show fall season as well. The fall season usually consists of one Shakespearean play, a contemporary work or non-Shakespearean classic, and a musical. The fall season is staged in the Randall Theatre only, between late September and the end of October. The 2007 season included "The Tempest", "'Art'", and "The Mousetrap".

The Festival also produces a "Plays in Progress" series, featuring staged readings of new plays in a workshop setting. This program is now called The New American Playwrights Project or N.A.P.P. These workshops take place each August at The Festival.

The 2008 summer season includes: "The Two Gentlemen of Verona", "Othello", "Cyrano de Bergerac", "The Taming of the Shrew", "Fiddler on the Roof", and "The School for Wives". The fall season includes: "Julius Caesar", "Moonlight and Magnolias", and "Gaslight".

History

The Festival was founded in 1961 by Fred C. Adams. After a stint in the New York theatre scene, he made his way to Cedar City, entering College of Southern Utah (later renamed as Southern Utah University) in 1959. He soon realized the potential for such a venture in the area, hoping to draw on the 150,000 or so tourists that come to the area's National Parks in the summer. He first traveled to Ashland, Oregon to observe the operations of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, which is often regarded as one of the foremost festivals in the world. While in Ashland, Adams met and entensively interviewed OSF's founder, Angus L. Bowmer.

The Festival produced its first season in 1962 on a makeshift platform on the college campus, drawing from students and townspeople to form its first company, who not only acted, but also built their own props, costumes, and stage. This first season featured three of Shakespeare's plays: "The Taming of the Shrew", "Hamlet", and "The Merchant of Venice". The first season yielded some 3,300 audience members and around $2,000 in profit, which was reinvested in the company to produce a second season the following year. In the years to come, the Festival would grow tremendously, and now plays to an estimated audience of 150,000 and has an operational budget of $5 million.

The Adams Shakespearean Theatre (also known as the Adams Memorial Theatre) was constructed on the University campus, and was completed in 1977. Designed by Douglas N. Cook, it is world-renowned for its accuracy in duplicating Shakespeare's Globe; the BBC used it as a filming location in 1981 for a documentary series on Shakespeare. Within a few years, the Adams Theatre will be replaced by a similar theater, which will include wider seats, and a retractable roof. The modern Randall L. Jones Theatre was completed for the 1989 season. Plans for a third theatre are being developed; it is expected to be a black box space, and will feature modern plays by living dramatists. The new theatre is part of the master-planned Utah Shakespearean Festival Centre for the Performing Arts, which will house a Renaissance study center, restaurants, pubs, and support facilities. It is expected to be completed within 10 years.

Education

The Utah Shakespearean Festival has many educational programs, from Summer and Fall Classes to a school tour. A Shakespearean competition takes place each October, with schools from across the southwest United States participating. The Shakespeare for Jr. Actors program, for ages 11 to 15, gives students an opportunity to learn about the plays of the season and see them all. At the end of the session, students perform scenes from the three Shakespeare plays.

Executive Directors

Fred C. Adams served as executive director of the festival from its founding until 2005, when he retired. Although retired, Adams continues to advise and assist the program.

R. Scott Phillips was appointed interim director in 2005. In October 2007 Phillips was named the executive director. [cite news | author=Ivan Lincoln | title=Shakespearean fest names new executive director | url= | work=Deseret Morning News |pages=E13 | date=21 October 2007| accessdate=] Phillips has been associated with the festival since 1974, when he was a junior at College of Southern Utah. He performed public-relations work for the festival during the summers. He became the festival's first full-time paid employee in 1977; he was managing director for 15 years and marketing director for 13 years before that.

The Green Show

The Green Show is an outdoor performance that precedes each play, excluding matinees. It is free. The actors do skits and most of them have minor rools in the six plays of the season.

References

External links

* [http://www.bard.org/ Utah Shakespearean Festival official website]
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