News From the Festival
Crafting the Casts at the Utah Shakespeare Festival
By Liz Armstrong, guest writer
Casting is a crucial and complicated step in the world of repertory theatre, and it quite literally sets the stage for the season. The process involves collaboration between actors, directors, and Artistic Director John DiAntonio and Artistic Associate Tanya J. Searle. We’re letting you in on the behind-the-scenes, step-by-step, starting at the beginning of auditions and concluding with the actors walking onstage for performances throughout the season.
The Crucial First Step
The process for a season starts about eighteen months out. That’s right, the “seasonal” Utah Shakespeare Festival works tirelessly year-round, with at least two seasons in the works at any given time.
“Once the shows are selected for the next season, and directors have been hired, the artistic team will study the plays and determine how many roles need to be cast,” DiAntonio explained.
From there, DiAntonio and Searle create a detailed casting breakdown of all the season’s characters, and then estimate how many actors will be needed to fill all those roles. Sometimes multiple roles within a show can be performed by a single actor, reducing the number of actors needed to cast all the characters. With some Shakespeare plays having such large casts, there can be over a hundred characters in a season.
“We post the ‘Casting Call’ on our website, the Actors’ Equity Association (AEA) website, and other platforms,” DiAntonio said. A casting call includes information for the actors on which roles are open to audition for, what is required from the actor, and how to audition. “From there, we start receiving auditions.”
Auditioning: An Audacious Art-Form
The Festival holds auditions in a variety of formats. There are in-person auditions required by the AEA union for equity actors that are held in both Los Angeles and Cedar City, which also includes in-person auditions for Southern Utah University students. Actors can also audition virtually from across the county by submitting self-tapes. If a show requires children, in-person auditions may also be held for those roles in Cedar City.
“We have five acting fellows every year, which is a part of our ongoing partnership with SUU,” DiAntonio said. “These undergraduate actors bring an invigorating energy to the professional company each season.”
This year, DiAntonio even went to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival last fall to hold auditions for interested actors there.
“The use of video auditions has definitely increased since the pandemic,” Searle said. “There are some challenges for actors with video submissions, but it does open up access to folks who may not have been able to be seen in a more traditional, pre-pandemic, in-person format."
Due to this, there is no shortage of these video auditions.
“This year we received 1,200 video auditions and 300 in-person auditions. We rely heavily on video because we are in a remote area,” DiAntonio said. “Some theatres fly to New York and use a casting director and in-person callback auditions with their finalists. It would be lovely to do that, but our talented company comes from all over the country, so using video is extremely useful.”
The directors play a large role in the audition and casting process.
“We get recommendations from the play directors about what they are looking for in a particular role. We ask questions like: ‘For each role, what special quality do you hope the actor will bring?’ ”
In addition to asking the directors what type of actor they’re looking for, they can also provide the Festival with a list of actors from their network or from the Festival’s former company.
“We will take that list, and if they’re new to us, we’ll encourage them to submit a general audition,” DiAntonio said.
The Festival also reaches out to the last few years of Festival alumni to let them know auditions are coming up and encourage them to submit an audition.
This is how the Festival gathers the primary group of candidates. From there, DiAntonio and Searle start going through audition submissions to create a pool of finalists, searching for people that may be a good fit for a particular role or series of roles. Since this is a repertory company, nearly every actor in the company will be in two to three shows and many will have at least one understudy assignment too.
DiAntonio noted that auditioning is an art form in itself.
“Auditioning is a special skill set and can be very intimidating and stressful for actors. I try to make it an enjoyable process for everyone. Actors have to deal with so much rejection,” DiAntonio said. “We’re casting 40 people out of 1,500 auditions, so the odds are stacked against you. But people are still putting themselves out there: their talent, their time, their effort, and their heart. It’s vulnerable and nerve-wracking, and I understand that from my own experience as an actor.”
Those few minutes of auditioning are vital, not only to landing a role, but as a form of artistic expression.
“It’s important to me that in those few minutes of an audition, that the actor can feel proud of what they did and say, ‘You know, I got to do a little bit of this art that I love today.’ So no matter the outcome, they feel proud of their work and they get a taste of the collaborative atmosphere that is synonymous with the Festival,” DiAntonio expressed.
The Challenges of Casting for Rep
Casting for repertory theatre is extremely nuanced and difficult.
“It’s incredibly complicated,” DiAntonio explained. “In the 2025 rep matrix, every show conflicts with one other show because of the performance schedule. So an actor cast in Show A couldn’t be in Show B, for example, but they could be in the four other shows in the season.”
Every role has to be covered by the understudy system as well.
“We usually have five to seven external understudies, who are folks that are coming to the Festival [to exclusively] understudy multiple roles across different shows,” DiAntonio said. “However, the majority of roles are covered from within the production, so someone in a supporting role can cover a lead role, for example.” But there’s always a trickle-down effect when an understudy goes on, so external understudies are critical.
Actors also have a limited number of performances they can do in a week, which is another important guide for Searle and DiAntonio.
“Every actor has a track, so they may be in two or three shows and they may have understudy assignments,” Searle said. “We try to make sure that everyone in the acting company has a balance of tracks and a reasonable number of shows per week.”
Casting for rep also includes a great amount of compromise.
“It’s about finding the best combination of people. It’s a collaboration, like everything we do, so there’s a lot of back and forth with the show directors and actors,” DiAntonio said.
If an actor isn’t cast, it isn’t because they aren’t talented.
“We see a tremendous number of really talented people that we end up not being able to hire. It’s very nuanced,” DiAntonio stressed. “The needs of a show can really fluctuate, so if we’re doing a musical, we may need actors who can sing certain parts or play instruments. Or, a play may require certain stage combat skills, or dance, or verse skills.”
Ultimately, it’s about finding the best combination of company members for the specific season.
“You want artists that will grow together and support each other, and that’s really in the fabric [of the Festival] that’s been cultivated over the years,” DiAntonio said.
The Rewards of Casting for Rep
As each track is established, the difficult matrix of casting starts sliding into place.
“It’s daunting at first, but it’s a good feeling when everything starts to come together in a beautiful way [like a puzzle],” DiAntonio said.
One of the most rewarding parts for the casting team is getting to experience the talent the actors share.
“It can be tedious at times reviewing so many audition videos. But it’s thrilling to discover new exciting talent who are passionate about the work we are doing and want to be a part of the Festival,” DiAntonio said.
Repertory theatre can be rewarding for the actors, too.
“I’ve heard many actors say that it is fun to get to play a dark drama one night and sometimes in another afternoon, you’re doing a musical or a comedy,” Searle explained. “So it’s fun to not have to do the same thing every single performance and to be able to work all of those muscles across the season. And it’s great for our audience to see those actors in [very different roles].”
Casting for repertory theatre is not easy, as it is both an art and a science. Creating a cohesive and collaborative ensemble is vital to the success of the season.
Curious who was cast for our 2025 season? Stay tuned for our cast announcements coming soon!
Diving into Dramaturgy: Meet Isabel Smith-Bernstein
By Liz Armstrong, guest writer
Dramaturgy is a vital part of theatre, and Isabel Smith-Bernstein has been fulfilling this role at the Festival since 2015. Sometimes called the “experts on the play,” dramaturgs are there to support the director’s vision of the play and give context.
“We have to understand what I call the four contexts of dramaturgy: when a play is written, when a play is set by the playwright, when a play is set by the director, and when the play is being performed,” Smith-Bernstein explained. “The ‘whens’ also function like ‘whys’ and it’s my job to understand how those contexts speak to each other.”
About Smith-Bernstein
Smith-Bernstein defined dramaturgy as a job in contexts in storytelling. It makes sense that she pursued dramaturgy, as storytelling has always been a part of her life. As a child, her dad would make up “Ferdinand” stories at bedtime. At age three, Smith-Bernstein was exposed to more storytelling by attending a family-friendly Shakespeare-in-the-park. In just first grade, she participated in a musical adaptation of Tuck Everlasting.
“Shakespeare came into my life in middle school, and it was an important part of my speech therapy,” Smith-Bernstein explained. “I’ve had a stutter my whole life and lines of verse were great for practicing speech therapy techniques.”
What better way to help with speech than utilizing the work of The Bard?
In high school, she acted and unknowingly took on the role of dramaturgy. In college, Smith-Bernstein originally planned on becoming a lawyer, but that quickly changed.
“While I was there, I was introduced to the world of dramaturgy and I double-majored in dramaturgy and history,” Smith-Bernstein said.
Later, she received a master’s in English Literature. Her educational journey didn’t stop there, though, and Smith-Bernstein completed her Ph. D. in performance in 2022.
“My dissertation, ‘Views of Tyranny in the United States Through Shakespeare’s Richard III, 1749-2022,’ was born while working on Richard III at the Folger Shakespeare Library in 2013 and I was working on Richard III [at the Festival] while I was completing it,” Smith-Bernstein said.
The Festival has been Smith-Bernstein’s artistic home for a decade now, and she wouldn’t have it any other way.
“The Festival has a deep commitment to Shakespeare, and it’s a gift to be able to make plays with great people,” she said.
Diving into Dramaturgy
As a dramaturg, Smith-Bernstein will help with the world-building, cut parts of the script, do research, and summarize that research into an “actor packet” for the whole team working on the play to reference. She also attends rehearsals to answer contextual questions and make storytelling notes.
Smith-Bernstein clears up the expectation that she is supposed to be the “historical police.”
“This can be the job if you’re working on a period piece and the goal is historical accuracy, but with Shakespeare it is actually rarely that,” Smith-Bernstein explained. “Shakespeare wasn’t historically accurate at all."
Ultimately, Shakespeare and Smith-Bernstein are both interested in how to tell the best story, the best way possible. For the dramaturg, this means focusing on consistency.
“Does the internal logic of the world that the whole team has created with the director make sense? Does it track through the entire play? An example of this is the witches in [this season’s] Macbeth,” Smith-Bernstein said. “We’ve discussed just how magical they are and the rules and limitations of the magic. The world of the play has to be consistent rather than accurate to make it immersive and believable.”
Studying Seminar Directing
Smith-Bernstein has been the dramaturg at the Festival since 2015. Some of her favorite plays at the Festival include The Winter’s Tale in 2024, Richard III in 2021, and Hamlet in 2019. She will be the dramaturg this upcoming season for As You like it, Macbeth, and Antony and Cleopatra. But her role doesn’t stop there. Smith-Bernstein also serves as Festival Seminar Director.
After every single performance, the Festival hosts talkbacks the next morning in the Seminar Grove, where patrons who attended the previous day’s performance can come together to discuss the plays.
“No other theater in the United States has talkbacks following every performance. As Seminar Director, I facilitate this discussion,” Smith-Bernstein said. “I start with some background on the play, and then open up the Grove for questions and feedback. We have a deep discussion about the plays and the performances and what they mean to us.”
A bit of a biased fan of the shows in the Engelstad Shakespeare Theatre, Smith-Bernstein encourages patrons to attend this season.
“The humanities, and theatre in particular, are vital to our nourishment and development as human beings in society. Through theatre, we are exposed to perspectives and ideas that differ from our own, and so we are taught empathy,” Smith-Bernstein said.
“This season will be moving, exciting, and entertaining.”
To purchase tickets this season, visit bard.org.
Festival Educational Offerings for Educators
Teachers, did you know that the Festival has summer classes just for you? You can expand your Shakespeare and theatre knowledge, come away from these onsite opportunities with lesson plans and hands-on experience to enrich your classrooms, and receive professional development credits for completing a course.
“These camps are a fun and inspiring way to not only gear up for the coming school year, but also refresh, and refill your own cup before embarking on teaching adventures of the Fall,” says Education Director Stewart Shelley.
Teaching Shakespeare
July 14-17, 2025
Specifically for English and Theatre educators, this in-person course provides active and engaging classroom approaches for any teacher of Shakespeare text. Tuition is $300 and includes a ticket to four plays and three Southern Utah University professional development credits.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course is aimed at providing active and engaging classroom approaches to language arts and theatre teachers and others who teach Shakespeare’s text - or really any classical texts. It’s all about speaking, hearing, and seeing the text on its feet rather than simply reading it. The course will teach you how to create learning activities to get your students out from behind their desks and explore connections to contemporary themes, characters, and stories that keep your students’ attention and help them find relevance in classical literature texts.
INTENDED AUDIENCE
Teachers in English Language Arts and/or Theatre or who teach Shakespeare in other forms or classes:
● Those who may be anxious about teaching Shakespeare.
● Those who want to better understand Shakespeare’s writing tools.
● Those who are willing to adopt an active, performative, student-centered mindset in approaching teaching Shakespeare and other classical texts in the classroom.
● Those who would like to explore how to use simple performance tools/techniques to actively engage students with Shakespeare’s texts.
● Those who are seeking to fulfill English or Theatre endorsement requirements/competencies such as: ELA - Critically Interpreting Texts and Speaking and Listening; Theatre - Contextualize Dramatic Text: Script Analysis and Theatre History
EXPECTED LEARNING OUTCOMES
Participants will be able to demonstrate their understanding of teaching Shakespeare in the classroom by participating in various exercises and activities surrounding Shakespeare’s text and exploring the curriculum created by the instructor.
● This course will consist of direct instruction, interaction with Festival company, learning activities and assessments that can be replicated by participants in Language Arts classes, Theatre classes, or other authentic educational settings.
● The instructor will incorporate pedagogy principles and demonstrate instructional strategies while teaching methodology; lesson planning evidence, handouts, and assessments will be provided as resources for participants.
● All course materials and instruction will be practical and shared with teachers so they can take them directly back to the classroom and make them applicable for their teaching situation and students.
Click here to register. Registration closes June 30, 2025.
Tech for Teachers
July 21-26, 2025
This is a great in-person professional development course for any educator or director. Festival technicians and experts create a hands-on learning experience for designing, building, and running a production. You will take home ready-to-teach tech theatre lesson plans and files of resources. Tuition includes a ticket to four plays, the opportunity to watch post-production scenic changeovers, and three Southern Utah University Professional Development Credits.
Click here to register. Registration closes July 4, 2025.
It’s not too early to purchase tickets for the 2025 season of the Utah Shakespeare Festival. The play lineup for the 64th season includes Shakespeare’s Macbeth, Antony and Cleopatra, As You Like It, along with the Tony Award-winning musical A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, the classic The Importance of Being Earnest, the touching Steel Magnolias, and the nostalgic Dear Jack, Dear Louise. Get tickets by clicking here, or call the ticket office at (800) PLAYTIX.
Young Theatre Artists Invited to Train with Festival Actors at Summer Camp
Each season the Festival hosts a series of summer camps that are the perfect opportunity for young aspiring theatre lovers to experience a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of training with industry professionals, while meeting other students of a similar age.
For those interested in attending, consider these reasons:
- It’s an amazing chance to learn from theatre artists in Festival productions.
- For students in high school, there is an intensive pre-professional college training camp taught by Festival artists.
- Sleep-away summer camps allow students to spend a week at the Festival learning and playing with other like-minded students.
- Actor training camps are divided into two age groups: one for pre- and early teens and one for older teens.
- Those choosing overnight camps get to have the experience of staying in Southern Utah University student housing. (It’s also a perfect opportunity to check out the beautiful campus!)
- Have a beginner and unsure about sleep-away camp? That’s okay; there is also a day camp option for those living or staying in the area.
- There are scholarships available! Please click here for more information on the program you are interested in.
Playmakers Summer Day Camp
June 9-21, 2025
Ages 5-17
From 2-4 p.m. Monday to Friday, students will have the opportunity to build theatre skills through movement, voice, improv, and more with a final Saturday performance. Tuition is $150 and includes a T-shirt and a ticket to one play.
Click here to register. Registration closes May 30, 2025.
Junior Actor Training
July 14-19, 2025
Ages 12-14
Taught by professional Festival actors, this week-long sleep-away camp is for young actors who want to train in scene work, stage combat, voice and movement, and more. Tuition is $1,200 and includes all meals, tickets to seven plays, and dormitory accommodations. There is also a payment option of $600, which includes all of the above excluding dormitory accommodations.
Click here to register. Registration closes July 4, 2025.
Actor Training
July 21-26, 2025
Ages 15-18
Taught by professional Festival acting and artistic company members, this week-long sleep-away camp is for all older teenage actors who want to train in scene work, stage combat, voice and movement, and more. Tuition is $1,200 and includes all meals, tickets to seven plays, and dormitory accommodations. There is also a payment option of $600, which includes all of the above excluding dormitory accommodations.
Click here to register. Registration closes July 4, 2025.
Questions for the Education Department? Call 435-865-8333 or email usfeducation@gmail.com.
Also, it’s not too early to get your tickets for the 2025 season of the Utah Shakespeare Festival. The play lineup for the 64th season includes Shakespeare’s Macbeth, Antony and Cleopatra, As You Like It, along with the Tony Award-winning musical A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, the classic The Importance of Being Earnest, the touching Steel Magnolias, and the nostalgic Dear Jack, Dear Louise. Get tickets by clicking here, or call the ticket office at (800) PLAYTIX.
Youth Casting Call for Macbeth
The Utah Shakespeare Festival is seeking young actors based in Southern Utah for its upcoming summer production of Macbeth. Auditions will be held Saturday, March 22, 2025, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Festival in the Frehner Rehearsal Hall. Please sign up for an audition slot HERE. Each child who is cast will be paid a stipend of $600 for the season.
Rehearsals and performances will be scheduled from May 5 to September 4. All actors must be available for all scheduled rehearsals and performances. Please note that this will not mean every day, but will include some Saturday rehearsals. Once the play opens, Macbeth plays two times a week (Monday and Thursday), June 19 to September 4 at 8 p.m. in the outdoor Engelstad Shakespeare Theatre.
Macbeth by William Shakespeare
Directed by John DiAntonio
The Macduff children appear in one significant scene in the second act of the play.
Role: Macduff’s Son
Age: 10-15
- This role requires acting ability, including learning lines and staging.
- We encourage children of any gender and ethnicity to audition for the role.
- For the audition, please prepare this page from the play, Act 4, Scene 2. Young
performers will be asked to read this scene with someone from our casting department.
The lines don’t need to be memorized for the audition, but being familiar with the lines and meaning is preferred. They may also be asked to tell us a favorite story.
Role: Macduff’s 2nd Child
Age: 7-10 (can be older, but should look young)
- This role does not have any scripted lines, but the actor should be able to follow
direction and remember staging. - We encourage children of any gender and ethnicity to audition for the role.
- For the audition, young performers may be asked to tell us a favorite story, and may be asked to act out some stage business with someone from our casting department.
A note to parents: This Shakespeare play is a tragedy and includes themes of fear, corruption, violence, and greed. The full script can be found here. Macduff’s family, his wife, and all their children are murdered in the play (Act 4, Scene 2). We are still in discussion of how much stage violence will take place on or off the stage. If your child is interested in being a part of the stage combat, please let us know during the audition.
For questions, please email casting@bard.org.
Windsor Court Makeover Is Happening!
Last fall the Utah Shakespeare Festival announced an exciting project called “Extreme Makeover––Windsor Court Edition” where the Cedar City community was invited to adopt a living space or two at the Festival’s Windsor Court apartments and help improve the aging facility. Participants were given guidelines to help freshen up, redecorate, or renovate their chosen apartment before they are needed to house the Festival’s seasonal company, coming later this spring.
Festival Company Manager Karin Edwards and Assistant Company Manager Bailey Rodriguez created the idea alongside the Cedar City Chamber of Commerce and have been in charge of the project. They have contributed countless hours to the project, including arranging and collecting donations from businesses and organizations, reaching out to volunteers, setting up Festival staff work days, and so much more.
Located on the Festival grounds, the Windsor Court apartments consist of 35 units on the corner of 100 West and Shakespeare Lane, all in various states of comfort. Nine units are part of the makeover project this go-around. Additionally, six other apartments are receiving attention by the Festival’s facilities department who make improvements on an annual basis. Other units received improvements in recent years. The plan is to make sure that all 35 have been touched in at least the last three years.
There has been a wonderful response to this project by the community. Businesses and groups that are sponsoring improvements in at least one unit include Habitat for Humanity/ReStore, Cedar City Chamber of Commerce, Cedar Valley Roofing, Visit Cedar City-Brian Head Tourism Bureau, Potter & Son’s Floor Store, as well as individual members of the Festival staff. These participants have been hard at work with designs for their apartments, most of whom have chosen specific decorative themes. As Extreme Makeover participants, they will compete for fun awards to celebrate their work and creativity once the makeover work period ends on March 7.
There have also been many businesses who have stepped up to provide generous support through donations and contributions.
American Pacific Corporation president Kris Griffith donated $5,000 to assist with the refurbishment. ReStore donated $50 worth of store credit to each team. Kustom Kontainers donated a 40-foot shipping container in which supplies and donations have been stored onsite. BZI donated welding materials that Festival Production Manager Richard Girtain is using to improve the stairs. Legacy Flooring, Pioneer Flooring, and Millcreek Flooring in St. George donated various types of flooring that participants are welcome to choose from and use. ACE Hardware, Home Depot, Lowes, and The Mattress Store donated essentials. Sherwin-Williams and Jones Paint and Glass donated lots and lots of paint. FRDM Turf is hoping to help make improvements to the grounds around the apartments.
Other organizations that have been involved in various ways include the Guild of the Utah Shakespeare Festival, Ye Olde Catholic Thrift Shoppe, and JustServe volunteers. Visit Cedar City has offered to donate beautiful photos of our area for decor.
If you’re still interested in assisting with this project, monetary donations help immensely. Or there are lots of smaller projects that volunteers can help complete even if you only have short periods of time. The competition part of the Extreme Makeover may be ending March 7, but there is still plenty of work to do beyond that before the seasonal company arrives.
“This project is more than just improving these living spaces,” says Edwards. “It has once again shown me how amazing this community is in working together; contributing time, resources, and skills to help others; and building meaningful bonds with others in our town.”
For more information about this project, visit FAQs or contact Edwards or Rodriguez at companymanager@bard.org.
Festival Announces New Director of Communications
The Utah Shakespeare Festival is excited to announce Brittney Corry as the new Director of Communications. Corry has served as the Festival’s Marketing Manager since August of 2022, and began her new position last month.
She is a Cedar City native and graduated from Southern Utah University with a degree in strategic communication. She has also taught dance throughout the area for many years and owned her own studio. In addition, she has also done freelance graphic design work, enjoys spending time with her family in the outdoors, and loves making connections and giving back to the community.
“We are thrilled that Brittney will be serving as the Festival’s Director of Communications,” says Executive Managing Director Michael Bahr. “She is an energetic, articulate, and organized leader who cultivates relationships and strategic initiatives that have made an impact on the Festival.”
Her role includes leading the comprehensive marketing, advertising, and creative communication strategies of the Festival, adhering to the mission, vision, values, and goals of the organization. She also works closely with community, campus, and media partners in order to promote connection and memorable experiences for Festival guests. Continuing to tell the story of the Festival and importance of theatre and the arts is something very important to her.
“I feel incredibly grateful to step into this role,” Corry said. “Theatre has the power to inspire, challenge, and connect us in ways that feel more important than ever. The Festival is so much more than the plays on stage—it’s the conversations they spark and the experiences they create for our audiences. I’m excited to continue sharing that story in meaningful ways.”
One of the things she is most looking forward to is “building on the incredible work that has been done and finding new ways to engage with Festival audiences. This organization has a rich history of storytelling, and I’m eager to collaborate with our team to ensure that tradition continues in fresh and innovative ways.”
“Brittney is electric in a collaborative situation, offering key suggestions that move ideas forward and amplifying others on her team,” Bahr says. “We are fortunate to have a leader like Brittney, who understands the importance of the Festival’s future, effectively communicates this vision, implements plans and supports those around her. I believe it is her authentic love of people and mission-centric strategies that make her effective.”
“Collaboration is at the heart of everything I do,” Corry says. “Some of the best ideas come from conversations where people feel heard and valued, and I’m eager to continue fostering that environment at the Festival.”
Corry has spent the past few years bringing a unique perspective to the Festival. “As a local, I understand the values of this community, and I also recognize what visitors are looking for when they come to experience the Festival,” Corry said. “It’s been incredible to bridge those perspectives and find ways to make the Festival even more engaging and welcoming.”
Looking ahead, she’s eager to continue strengthening those connections. “The Festival has always felt larger than life to me—something truly special. Now, having been part of it for several years, I’m even more inspired by its impact. I’m excited to take on this new role and help the Festival continue to thrive for years to come.”
Festival Expresses Thanks in Reaching 'Believe in One Million' Goal
By Liz Armstrong, guest writer
“I can no other answer make but thanks and thanks, and ever thanks.” – Twelfth Night
In 2023, the Utah Shakespeare Festival launched the Believe Campaign to inspire connectivity, asking beloved patrons to believe in the power of live theatre. We would like to express our heartfelt thanks to our donors and patrons, who came together in 2024 to help our goal of one million dollars in Individual Giving become a reality.
For year two of the three-year campaign, the Festival launched “Believe In One Million.” As a nonprofit organization, the Festival relies heavily on donations from individuals, businesses, government, and corporations.
Development Associate Emily Cacho explained that to emphasize the importance of giving, this campaign was launched to inspire patrons to help the Festival reach its goal of one million dollars in Individual Giving.
“Believe In One Million was the goal [in 2024],” Development Associate Cacho said. “We usually get around $850,000 each year from individuals, and we wanted to push the marker further.”
With our donors’ help and extreme generosity, the Festival not only met this goal– but exceeded it.
“The Believe Campaign went really well. Our donors are really important to us and they all came together to help make our $1,00,000 goal possible,” Cacho expressed.
Cacho expresses a heartfelt thank you and explains that the idea for the Believe campaign hearkens back to the beloved moment in Peter Pan when the audience is asked to believe in order to save Tinkerbell: the Festival is asking patrons to believe in hope and good and the magic it brings.
Our beloved patrons did just that.
“I believe in the Utah Shakespeare Festival and the magic it has provided over my time here the past eight years and I think our donors and patrons believe just as strongly as I do,” Cacho said. “It is amazing what we have been able to accomplish together.”
To witness for yourself what this goal will help the Festival achieve and to immerse yourself in the magic Cacho refers to, purchase tickets to the 2025 season today. Enjoy the power of live theatre with Shakespeare’s Macbeth, Antony and Cleopatra, and As You Like It;the comedy The Importance of Being Earnest; the musical comedy A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder; the touching Steel Magnolias; and the endearing Dear Jack, Dear Louise.
“We are so excited and grateful,” Cacho concluded. “This will mean a great start to 2025 and will continue on for years to come."
Festival Announces Passing of Former Longtime Art Director
It is with sadness that the Festival announces the passing of Phil Hermansen, former Art Director and graphic designer, on February 15, 2025. Phil spent 22 years at the Festival, from 1995 to 2017, and left an indelible mark during decades when the Festival grew and changed in significant ways.
“Phil was an incredible artist who was instrumental in providing the ‘look’ of the Festival starting in the mid-1990’s,” says Executive Managing Director Michael Bahr. “His graphic images were fundamental in capturing the stories of the plays and the entire Festival Experience.”
Phil was known for his creativity, his love of art and visual storytelling, and his reserved but warm professionalism. As a part of the Festival’s marketing and publications team, he was a generous collaborator on all kinds of projects.
Kami Terry Paul, now general manager, was part of the same marketing team for many years with Phil. “He created the graphic look of the Festival for years. Several logos, dozens of souvenir programs, and hundreds of ads, posters, and graphics came directly from his creative skill,” Paul says.
“Phil was always actively imagining and creating magnificent designs,” Bahr continues. “Some of my favorite memories were when he would share ideas and drawings. I could see a tip of the iceberg of the brilliance flashing through the sketches on his drawing pads that he always kept nearby.” Many of these hand-drawn sketches and illustrations played a visual part in designs and campaigns throughout the years.
Not one to praise his own work, it frequently received recognition and awards, and he helped to establish the Festival’s standard of high quality visual art and publications. Through his close bond with so many, but especially the late former publications manager Bruce Lee and Festival photographer Karl Hugh, he brought joy, creativity, and inspiration to the organization.
“He was so dedicated to the Festival, and he was always trying new things to improve himself as an artist,” continues Paul.
Current Art Director Clare Campbell comments how much she enjoyed getting to learn from him as their time at the Festival overlapped.
“Phil was so kind and creative. He was also a great mentor to learn from, whether it was in person or through the legacy he left behind through his work,” Campbell says.
A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, Feb. 22 at 2 pm at the LDS meetinghouse located at 500 West 400 North in Cedar City, Utah. The full obituary can be found at mcmillanmortuary.com/obituaries/philip-hermansen.
Phil’s Festival family sends our deepest condolences, prayers, and love to his family during this difficult time.
This Season's Shakespearean Power Couples
By Kathryn Neves, guest writer
Valentine’s Day is here, bringing with it boxes of chocolates and candy hearts. This time of year, love is greeting cards and rose bouquets and heart-shaped jewelry. For Shakespeare, though, love is rarely so simple; after all, as he tells us, “the course of true love never did run smooth.”
This year at the Utah Shakespeare Festival, we’ll see three of his most sensational romances take the center stage—showing us that love can be thrilling, tragic, powerful, and even a little mischievous. Let’s take a closer look at these Shakespearean lovebirds––romantic, tragic, and just the right kind of messy for Valentine’s Day.
Rosalind and Orlando—As You Like It
“That thou didst know how many fathom deep I am in love! But it cannot be sounded: my affection hath an unknown bottom, like the bay of Portugal.” Act 4, Scene 1
As You Like It is one of Shakespeare’s best romantic comedies. With mistaken identities, role reversals, and a forest full of love letters nailed to trees, this play is always an audience favorite. The story follows Rosalind and Orlando, who fall in love at the beginning of the play. After being banished from the court, Rosalind flees and disguises herself as a young man named Ganymede—and, upon meeting Orlando in the woods, offers to cure him of his lovesickness. Still disguised as a young man, she acts out a romantic relationship with Orlando––Rosalind is playing Ganymede playing Rosalind. In the end [spoiler alert], all is revealed; there’s a wedding, the lovers return to the court, and they all live happily ever after.
Rosalind and Orlando have one of the most fun relationships of any Shakespearean couple in the canon. Their witty banter rivals even Beatrice and Benedick, or Kate and Petruchio. While disguised as Ganymede, Rosalind has the freedom to say exactly as she feels, and to display her wit in all its glory. In fact, Rosalind has the most lines of any female Shakespeare character—and is the only woman to have more lines than any of the men in her play. And she fits perfectly with Orlando; from his silly love letters posted on all the trees, to Rosalind’s teasing and clever turns of phrase, these two wordsmiths are made for each other.
Antony and Cleopatra—Antony and Cleopatra
“My heart was to thy rudder tied by th’ strings, / and thou shouldst tow me after.” Act 3, Scene 11
Antony and Cleopatra is the story of the tragic and tumultuous love affair between Cleopatra, the Queen of Egypt, and Antony, a triumvir of Rome. In the middle of a complicated and violent political conflict, Antony continually chooses Cleopatra over himself, his men, and all of Rome; [and another spoiler alert] the result of their story is a disaster that ends in a double suicide (à la Romeo and Juliet), and the formation of the new Roman Empire.
For centuries before Shakespeare wrote Romeo and Juliet, people considered Antony and Cleopatra––though older in age–– to be the prime example of star-crossed lovers. Separated by their nations and their families, caught up in violent conflict, and driven to desperation at the thought of being apart, these historical figures (and their countless fictional counterparts over the centuries) were prime fodder for Shakespeare’s pen. Like Romeo and Juliet, these lovers are overly hasty and reckless. Their rash decisions lead to heartbreak. But, like the best romantic dramas, Antony and Cleopatra’s passion is unstoppable—and always entertaining.
Macbeth and Lady Macbeth—Macbeth
“This have I thought good to deliver thee, my dearest partner of greatness, that thou might’st not lose the dues of rejoicing by being ignorant of what greatness is promised thee.” Act 1, Scene 5
One of Shakespeare’s most brilliant works, Macbeth is a tragic tale of ambition, greed, vulnerability, and fear coming together to cause ruin, culminating in one of the bloodiest tragedies in the English language. After three witches prophesy that he will be king, Macbeth and his wife take fate into their own hands. They murder the current king, discredit his heirs, and embark on a bloodbath that ends with dozens of bodies slain across the field of Dunsinane—[yet another spoiler alert] including themselves.
This horror and bloodshed might not seem like a great atmosphere for a romance; but believe it or not, Lady Macbeth and her husband are one of the best power couples in the entire canon. From the very beginning, Macbeth only trusts one person: his wife. Likewise, Lady M drops everything in order to support her husband’s plans (and okay, sure. Those plans are murder—but she’s a “ride-or-die” kind of wife). The Macbeths are on equal footing; something especially meaningful in Shakespeare’s time, when women were considered the property of men. They counsel and confide in each other; they make plans together; and when the danger comes, the Macbeths face it together. Really, if they weren’t committing regicide, we’d probably all be rooting for them.
Shakespeare’s greatest love stories remind us that love is rarely straightforward, and that’s what makes it unforgettable. This Valentine’s Day, we’re celebrating love in all its messy, wonderful forms. We hope to see you this summer for an unforgettable season of romance at the Utah Shakespeare Festival. Happy Valentine’s Day!