Timon of Athens: A Problem Play or a Timely Message for Modern Society?

This season, the Festival presents Timon of Athens for only the second time in its 62-year history, and that was 30 years ago, in 1993. Although rarely-performed, deemed to be unfinished, and one of Shakespeare’s least popular works, this “problem play” may have the timely and valuable message just right for us today. And if you’re a die-hard Shakespeare fan, now is the time to add this show to your to-do list. 

We watch throughout the play as this title character helps his supposed friends and is generous with gifts. But after ignoring warnings from his true friends, Timon faces a tragic ending and learns a valuable lesson about true friendship and a materialistic society. Here are some more things you may not know about Timon of Athens:

1. William Shakespeare wasn’t the only playwright for Timon of Athens. It is theorized that Thomas Middleton, an English Jacobean playwright and poet, also worked on the play. Scholars’ critique of the “unevenness” of the play may be attributed to the fact it could have been written by two authors. Director Lisa Peterson, however, loves that Shakespeare collaborated with the younger writer and found new ways to tell stories. 
2. The play shares themes from Shakespeare’s King Lear. Both plays focus on ingratitude: the two lead characters also house anger against the selfishness and hypocrisy of mankind. Peterson believes that Timon of Athens and Coriolanus also share similar themes, asking the question “what does society owe to our remarkable individual and what does that individual owe to society?”
3. During Shakespeare’s time, the slang term “Timonist” was used for someone who was unsociable.
4. The real Timon of Athens wasn’t unsociable, however, living in the fifth century– placing him as a contemporary of Socrates and Pericles. 
5. Many scholars consider the play unfinished—or perhaps “unpolished” is a more fitting description. There is no evidence that it was performed in Shakespeare’s time, and until the last twenty years, very few scholars gave it much attention. Still, it is one of Shakespeare’s most rarely-performed plays, along with Coriolanus. 
6. Although it is categorized as one of Shakespeare’s tragedies, it’s argued that the play may be more fitting as a satire, because of the harsh perception Timon expressed of human nature. Because Timon of Athens doesn’t fit neatly into a category, it’s often called one of the Bard’s “problem plays.” Peterson certainly regards it as one of Shakespeare’s most experimental plays. 
7. The cave Timon retreats to is symbolic for the emotional isolation he feels. Similarly, the fate of his acquaintance Alcibiades is meant to mirror Timon’s.
8. The word “dog” is used often throughout the play, and critics argue whether this was an insult or a compliment. In the play, it is used by Apemantus about Timon’s friends and is clearly meant as an insult, but William Empson, who wrote The Structure of Complex Words argued that dogs “flatter men because they want attention, but also out of genuine affection.” To further complicate the debate, later in the play, dogs are placed above men and are said to be what men should aspire to. 
9. Timon has an interesting approach to friendship, using gifts to create what he thinks is “true friendship.” However, he refuses to accept gifts in return and views gift-giving as a sort of competition for prestige. Similarly, Queen Elizabeth I and King James I used lavish gifts to entice nobles and ultimately ended up in debt, like Timon. 
10. Although Timon of Athens reveals how a materialistic society that is money obsessed is corrupting and reflects the Elizabethan and Jacobean nobles of the time, it may be the perfect play for today’s age. Critics argue that an American capitalist society could learn a thing or two from the play. 

The 2023 season of the Utah Shakespeare Festival begins June 21 and runs to October 7 and features Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Jane Austen’s Emma The Musical, A Raisin in the Sun, The Play That Goes Wrong, Timon of Athens, and Coriolanus, as well as all numerous experiences surrounding the plays, such as The Greenshow, seminars, orientations, and backstage tours.

Timon of Athens: "A Wild Ride"

“Like madness is the glory of this life,” Timon of Athens, Act I Scene II

The Utah Shakespeare Festival announces the cast members for this summer’s production of Timon of Athens, directed by Lisa Peterson, who is making her directorial debut at the Festival this season. She is also directing Coriolanus and is a two-time OBIE Award-winner for her productions of An Iliad and Light Shining in Buckinghamshire. Her most recent production, Good Night, Oscar starring the Tony Award-nominated Sean Hayes, is currently on Broadway. 

“I think of Timon of Athens as one of the most experimental of Shakespeare’s plays,” Peterson said. “It’s about an extraordinary individual who ends up being in conflict with his own society. It asks the question ‘what does society owe to our remarkable individual and what does that individual owe to society?’” 

Timon of Athens is the perfect play for the present day, exploring themes of friendship, wealth, and the foibles of materialistic society. Ultimately, Timon learns that you can’t buy friendship, just as money can’t buy happiness. Shakespeare’s tragedy is satiric, clever, and will be sure to deeply move our patrons. 

“We’re doing [the play] in the period in which it was written––1607––so it’s a Jacobean satire,” Peterson said. “I think the show is quite funny––until it isn’t. It’s going to be a wild ride.”

The cast is as follows: 

Elijah Alexander is returning to Festival as Timon in Timon of Athens and Tullus Aufidius/Roman Citizen in Coriolanus. His productions previously at the Festival include Richard III, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Tempest, The Merchant of Venice and more. Alexander has performed at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, California Shakespeare Festival, and The Guthrie, among many others. He can be seen as Atticus Aemilius in seasons two and three of The Chosen TV series and is a member of Actors’ Equity Association.

Anastasha Blakely is returning to the Festival as Isadore/Poet in Timon of Athens and Valeria/Roman Citizen in Coriolanus. She is also understudying the roles of Menenius Agrippa/Citizen in Coriolanus and Lucullus/Caphis in Timon of Athens. Previously at the Festival, she was in last season’s The Tempest and All’s Well That Ends Well, and the Shakespeare in the Schools education tour of A Midsummer Night’s Dream in 2012.

Jasmine Bracey is returning to the Festival as Lucullus/Caphis in Timon of Athens and Menenius Agrippa/Roman Citizen in Coriolanus. Bracey’s previous roles at the Festival include Prospero in The Tempest, Belarius in Cymbeline, and Mrs. Dickenson in Intimate Apparel. She is a member of Actors’ Equity Association and has performed at Berkeley Repertory Theatre, The Guthrie, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, and The Goodman, among others, as well as films and television. 

Christopher Centinaro is debuting at the Festival as Sempronius/Merchant/Soldier in Timon of Athens and Adrian/Roman Citizen in Coriolanus. He has performed at Indianapolis Shakespeare Company, Studio Theatre, Ruth N. Halls Theatre, and Kean University. 

Jack Doherty will be Servilius/Soldier inTimon of Athens and Nicanor/Roman Citizen in Coriolanus. Making his debut at the Festival, Doherty has also performed at the Round Barn Theatre and Western Michigan University. 

Darin F. Earl II is returning to the Festival as Varro/Painter in Timon of Athens and Sicinius Velutus/Roman Citizen in Coriolanus. He is also understudying Alcibiades in Timon of Athens and Coriolanus in Coriolanus. He was Othello in this year’s Shakespeare in the Schools education tour of Othello and has also performed at Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey and Scranton Shakespeare Festival, as well as in television shows and films. 

Nell Geisslinger will be Apemantus in Timon of Athens and Junius Brutus/Roman Citizen in Coriolanus. Previously at the Festival, she was in Twelfth Night, Sense and Sensibility, and Boeing Boeing. In addition to eleven seasons with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Geisslinger has performed at South Coast Repertory Theatre, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Actors Theatre of Louisville, and more, in addition to film and television roles. She is a member of Actors’ Equity Association.

James Ryen is making his Festival debut as Alcibiades in Timon of Athens and Coriolanus in Coriolanus. He is a member of Actors’ Equity Association and has participated in seven seasons at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, as well as performing at American Repertory Theatre, New Art Theatre, Huntington Theatre Company, and more. He is also an active television and film actor.

Gabrielle Francine Smith will be making her debut at the Festival as Flaminius/Jeweller/Soldier in Timon of Athens and Virgilia/Roman Citizen in Coriolanus. She is also understudying the roles of Flavius in Timon of Athens and Volumnia/Citizen in Coriolanus. Smith has also performed at the Phoenix Theatre Company, Sierra Repertory Theatre, Kansas Repertory Theatre, Oregon Cabaret Theatre, and more.

Jeremy Thompson is returning to the Festival as Ventidius/Factotumus/Soldier in Timon of Athens and Titus Lartius/Roman Citizen in Coriolanus. Previously at the Festival, he recently performed in the Festival’s Utah tour of Every Brilliant Thing earlier this year and was in All’s Well That Ends Well, King Lear, Trouble in Mind, and Cymbeline, to name a few. Thompson has also performed at Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Island Shakespeare Festival, Idaho Repertory Theatre, and Book-It Repertory Theatre. 

Sheila Tousey will be Flavius in Timon of Athens and Volumnia/Roman Citizen in Coriolanus. Although this is her debut at the Festival, she has performed at Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, and Yale Repertory Theatre. She is also a member of Actors’ Equity Association.

Jeorge Bennett Watson will be Lucius/Hortensius in Timon of Athens and Cominius/Roman Citizen in Coriolanus, making his Festival debut this season. He has performed at Manhattan Repertory Theatre, The Huntington Theater, Williamstown Theater, and Resident Ensemble Players and is a member of Actors’ Equity Association and is also a prolific film and television actor.

The 2023 season of the Utah Shakespeare Festival runs from June 21 to October 7 and includes Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Jane Austen’s Emma The Musical, A Raisin in the Sun, The Play That Goes Wrong, Timon of Athens, and Coriolanus, as well as all the experiences surrounding the plays, such as The Greenshow, seminars, orientations, and backstage tours. Tickets and information are available by calling 800-PLAYTIX or visiting bard.org.

The Greenshow: A Celebration of Community

The Utah Shakespeare Festival is excited to announce the cast members for this summer’s production of The Greenshow, written and directed by Britannia Howe, who also directed Cymbeline in 2021 and The Greenshow in 2018, 2019, and 2021. The themes for Howe’s two Greenshows are The Hills of Appalachia and English Regency Garden Party.

In addition, a third Greenshow theme will be Paiute Heritage and Celebration and will be produced and performed by the Paiute Tribal Youth Performers from five local Paiute Bands.

Native Youth Coordinator Roger Clark explained that different youth performers will rotate through the summer’s performances and include (pictured, starting top left, then clockwise) Ashton Aguayo, Reggie Harjo, Charlie Parashonts, Sully John, Lydia Fisher, and Mars Jake. This Greenshow will include drumming, singing, dancing, and flute playing, along with audience participation. This is the first time in the Festival’s history that another organization has produced an entire Greenshow, and Clark and his youth performers are very excited about the opportunity. 

Howe comments that “The Greenshow celebrates community at the Utah Shakespeare Festival by audience participatory storytelling. And I hope that you join us to help tell those stories. I hope to see you on The Green.”

For the Greenshows directed by Howe, the cast is as follows:

Ashley Aquino, new to the Festival, will perform as a Featured Performer in The Greenshow and Mustardseed in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and is an understudy for Lady Montague/Paris Page/Female Ensemble in Romeo and Juliet. She was recently seen as Frenchie in Cabaret, Lucy in You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown, Mary Amnesia in Nunsense, and Helena in A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Southern Utah University; Janet in The Drowsy Chaperone and Baker’s Wife in Into the Woods with Broadway Bound; and Glory/Marvalyn/Rhonda in Almost Maine with Simon Fest Theatre Company. She is appearing courtesy of the Southern Utah University Fellowship Program. 

Taylor Hendricks, who is also new to the Festival, will be seen as a Featured Performer in The Greenshow and Moth in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and is understudying the roles of Snout/Starveling in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Sampson in Romeo and Juliet. He recently performed in Matilda and The Play That Goes Wrong for Syracuse Stage, as Barnaby Tucker in Hello, Dolly! by Douglas Morrisson Theater, and as Robert Martin in The Drowsy Chaperone for Los Positas Theater.

Avery Peterson is also new to Festival audiences and appears courtesy of the Southern Utah University Fellowship Program. She will be seen as a Featured Performer in The Greenshow and Ensemble in Romeo and Juliet, and is also understudying the roles of Mrs. Elton/Mrs. Weston/Elizabeth Martin in Jane Austen’s Emma The Musical and Peaseblossom/Cobweb in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. She has appeared as Sally Bowles in Cabaret, Sister Mary Hubert in Nunsense, Hermia in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Gentlewoman/Apparition in Macbeth at Southern Utah University, as well as Ariel in The Little Mermaid and and Gertrude McFuzz in Suessical at Lifehouse Performing Arts. 

Marissa Swanner is new to the Festival as well and is a Featured Performer in The Greenshow and Mrs. Elton/Ensemble in Jane Austen’s Emma The Musical. She is also understudying Miss Bates in Jane Austen’s Emma The Musical. Previous experience include directing and choreographing Tick, Tick… BOOM! at Lyrique Music Productions, and performing in The King and I with Drury Lane Theatre, South Pacific and All Shook Up at Flat Rock Playhouse, Breakfast at Tiffany’s at Dinah Washington Center, and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel on Amazon Prime. 

Matthew Wangemann, also new to the Festival, will be seen as a Featured Performer in The Greenshow and as Thistleweed in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. He is also understudy for the Musician Fairy in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Montague/Friar John/Capulet Cousin/Friar Lawrence/Abram in Romeo and Juliet. He appears courtesy of the Southern Utah University Fellowship Program, and has performed in such productions at SUU as Cabaret, Falsettos, Into the Woods, Macbeth, and Radium Girls. He has also been in productions at Hale Center Theatre (Orem), Pickleville Playhouse, and Catalyst Theatre. 

Spencer Watson returns after being a Featured Performer in last year’s Greenshows. He will again be seen as a Featured Performer in The Greenshow. He is also understudying the roles of Mr. Elton/Frank/Robert in Jane Austen’s Emma The Musical and Chris/Robert/Max in The Play That Goes Wrong. He has performed as Smee in Peter Pan at Pickleville Playhouse, and Betty/Edward in Cloud 9, Whizzer in Falsettos, the Wolf/Cinderella’s Prince in Into the Woods at Southern Utah University.

The 2023 season of the Utah Shakespeare Festival runs from June 21 to October 7 and includes Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Jane Austen’s Emma The Musical, A Raisin in the Sun, The Play That Goes Wrong, Timon of Athens, and Coriolanus, as well as all the experiences surrounding the plays, such as The Greenshow, seminars, orientations, and backstage tours. Tickets and information are available by calling 800-PLAYTIX or visiting bard.org.

10 Facts About The Greenshow

Every Monday-Saturday during the summer, starting on June 21, the Festival puts on a 30 minute Greenshow that starts at 7:10 p.m. This family-friendly outdoor entertainment contains singing, dancing, stories, music, and audience participation. 

This season, the themes include: The Hills of Appalachia, English Regency Garden Party, and Paiute Heritage and Celebration, which will rotate on different nights throughout the week. To find out which show is on for the night, visit our calendar at bard.org. 

Held on the Ashton Family Greenshow Commons, the show is free and open to the public. It is the perfect way to get a taste of the Festival, or to settle in before an evening production. We can’t wait to see you there! 

1. Britannia Howe is returning to direct The Greenshow once again. She has plenty of experience at the Festival, having directed it in 2018, 2019, and 2021. Howe also directed Cymbeline in 2021 in the Anes Studio Theatre. 
2. The Hills of Appalachia is “influenced by themes in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, myths of fairy folklore,” says Howe. A Midsummmer Night’s Dream plays this season in the Englestad Shakespeare Theatre. 
3. English Regency Garden Party is a theme that hasn’t been done before at The Greenshow, and takes its inspiration from Jane Austen’s Emma The Musical, being performed in the Randall L. Jones Theatre this season.
4. Inspired by the Paiute Tribal Youth Performers from the Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah who performed each night preceding The Greenshow in 2021 and 2022, this is the first time that another group outside of the Festival has ever been in charge of a Greenshow night. 
5. Barbara Adams, the wife of the late Festival Founder Fred C. Adams, was the force that continually kept The Greenshow improving and growing. The Festival was founded in 1961, and in those beginning years, Barbara actually taught a group to play recorders and go downtown to sing medieval music and invite people to come to the Festival that evening.
6. A form of pre-show entertainment, the early years of the show contained a version of dancing, music, and a Punch and Judy puppet show. Now, The Greenshow rotates through three different nights, each containing an elaborately different theme. 
7. The Greenshow is very reminiscent of theatre during Shakespeare’s time. It was common for stages to have an open pit in front, where people could stand and watch. Our beautiful green lawn area represents this open space. Additionally, with minimal scenery, the dialogue, dancing, and music is the most important part––just like in Shakespeare’s day. 
8. When Shakespeare’s plays were performed during his time, the performances took place in the afternoon because it was too dark at night. Our Greenshows perform during daylight as well, so no additional lighting is necessary. Also, the colorful costumes– just like they were years ago– are an important part of the production. 
9. Enjoy a tart during the show! Did you know that we have lovely employees that walk around in traditional Shakespearean costumes and sell our famous tarts that will be made by a local bakery? What could be better?!
10. The Greenshow is extremely family-friendly. It’s common for entire families to come together, with young children dancing to the music and often being selected for audience participation if they wish to volunteer. Some people even bring picnics or their dogs––the more, the merrier! 

The Greenshow will open June 21 and run until September 9. Don’t miss out! For more information, and to purchase tickets to the season’s plays, visit bard.org.

Paiute Tribal Youth Return to Perform at The Greenshow

In 2021 and 2022, the Paiute Tribal Youth Performers from the Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah took the stage before The Greenshow each evening. The performances consisted of dancing, flute playing, and drumming by the talented local youth.

This year, the Festival is excited to announce that the Paiute Tribal Youth Performers will have the entirety of a Greenshow to share their talent. Their show will be one of three themed shows that will rotate throughout the week––in addition to Director Britannia Howe’s English Regency Garden Party and The Hills of Appalachia.

Native Youth Coordinator Roger Clark explained that different youth performers will rotate through the summer’s performances and that there will be drumming, singing, dancing, and flute playing. 

This is the first time ever that another organization outside of the Festival has produced an entire Greenshow, and Clark is excited about the opportunity. 

“It will give us the opportunity to better build awareness of the indigenous people of this area, with the focus on the Paiute Indian Tribe,” Clark said. “We are excited to share our youth’s talents.” 

Our Festival patrons can expect to be immersed in a deeply rich and historical culture. 

“The Native American culture has been around for thousands of years, while Shakespeare was born only in 1564,” Clark said. “It’ll be different from what [patrons] will see in the theatre.” 

From Clark’s perspective, Shakespeare is quite modern in comparison to what the Paiute Tribal Youth Performers are sharing. Because of this, the performance will provide patrons with the opportunity to enjoy an ancient and long-standing tradition in addition to the more modern productions the Festival has prepared this season. 

“It will be good for [patrons] to know and understand the beauty of the Native American culture,” Clark said. The Festival acknowledges the land whereon it sits is the traditional and ancestral homelands of the Nung’wu (Southern Paiutes).

Clark noted that there will be audience participation, so those seeing the show will have the opportunity to participate while learning about the Paiute culture. 

For more information on The Greenshow, visit bard.org. The Paiute Heritage and Celebration Greenshow will be on Wednesday evenings at 7:10 pm beginning June 21 and is free and open to the public.

Festival Welcomes Two Staff Members

Recently the Festival welcomed two individuals to new positions on the year-round staff. Liz Armstrong and Amy Gold began in early May and are excited to be a part of preparing for the upcoming season. 

Liz Armstrong, a native of Spring Creek, Nevada, is the Festival’s new Communications Associate. She recently completed her Master of Arts in Professional Communication at Southern Utah University. She also has a Bachelor of Arts in English and Communications from SUU and worked as a part-time writer and content creator for the Festival as well as an Accent Editor for SUU News while she finished her degrees. 

Her love of writing goes back to when she was a child.

“Growing up, I was constantly reading and writing, and I always knew I wanted to be a writer. I would write fictional stories and mail them to my grandparents, who encouraged my hobbies and made me feel I could pursue it as a career, alongside with my wonderful parents and teachers.”

During her time at SUU News, Armstrong had the opportunity to interview Festival Director of Development and Communications Donn Jersey for a piece called “Theatre Under the Stars.” 

She comments that during their interaction he was “welcoming, encouraging, and made me really believe in myself as a writer.” It was her first introduction to the Festival, and she says she walked away from that experience and thought: “my dream job would be to work there.” 

A year or so later, with Jersey’s business card still taped to the inside of her notebook, she says she worked up the courage to ask him if there were any job openings at the Festival. She was hired to write articles for the Festival’s former Publications Manager Bruce Lee, who “helped me become more confident as a writer.” She also ran the Festival’s social media for a time.

When asked what attracted her to the new position, Armstrong replied: “I love the atmosphere of the Festival and felt I was ready for more.” 

In her new position, she will assist with marketing, publications, advertising, and overall communications while continuing to write for the Festival.

Amy Gold, originally from Upper Michigan, is the Festival’s new Business Operations Assistant. She is a Cedar City resident and is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Arts Administration from SUU. She is also very active with other local arts organizations, such as Suzuki Strings Cedar City and the Orchestra of Southern Utah, the local community orchestra. 

When asked about her experience in the arts, like Armstrong, she says it goes all the way back to her childhood.

“I learned the violin growing up and played in pit orchestras for our high school musicals which started my love for theatre,” says Gold. 

As a music major in college at BYU-Hawaii, she says she developed tendonitis and ended up taking some time off from music. “[I] ventured into acting classes. Best detour ever.”

She even nearly finished a theatre minor before the program was discontinued. Since then she’s worked and lived in various places including teaching music in public schools and in private lessons while raising her family. 

She was familiar with the Festival prior to moving to Cedar City in 2016 when her husband took a job at SUU. A friend who taught English and Shakespeare and who attended every season highly recommended it. Then a neighbor took her to see Mary Poppins and she’s been attending ever since. 

With her children raised and out of the house, she decided to pursue the arts administration graduate degree. She found that instead of looking for a summer internship this year as part of the program, she would apply for this position with the Festival instead. 

“In deciding to work full-time, it was really important to me that the place be as good a fit as the position. And this fits on both counts! The energy here is electric. I feel very fortunate to have been hired on here!”

When asked what she’s looking forward to the most, she says “working with great people, seeing the shows, and meeting people from all over!”

She will be responsible for assisting the business office at the Festival with financial paperwork, purchasing, contracts, and bookkeeping.

Festival Welcomes 2023 Company During Arrival Day

We are thrilled to announce that we welcomed the Festival’s seasonal company last week! Monday, May 8, was arrival day for actors, directors, designers, and artists who checked in, attended group meetings, took tours, and excitedly gathered in preparation for the season to come. 

In the Randall L. Jones Theatre for the opening meeting, returning company members embraced one another while also welcoming those here for the first time. 

“Welcome to the 62nd season of the Utah Shakespeare Festival,” Interim Managing Director Michael Bahr exclaimed. “We are so thrilled to have you here!” 

The number of seasonal artists who come each year and are required to put a season together is extensive and includes directors, designers, stage management, the performing company, voice and speech coaches, music directors/conductors/composers, fight and intimacy directors, choreographers, dramaturgs, hair and makeup artists, props artisans, costume and craft technicians, carpenters, painters, scenic artisans, electrics/sound technicians, guest services, concessionaires, and facilities personnel, among others. These groups of people are in addition to the year-round staff at the Festival. 

Following the welcome meeting hosted by Bahr and Interim Artistic Director/Director of New Play Development Derek Charles Livingston, the company wasted no time getting to work–– attending first rehearsals; checking out shops and work spaces; taking measurements for the performing company; and settling in for the magical season ahead. 

Publications Manager Marlo Ihler noted that the excitement was palpable during arrival day. 

“Meeting the incoming company members in person takes all the work we’ve been doing to prepare for this season to a whole new level,” Ihler said.

Director of Development and Communications Donn Jersey compared the feeling of arrival day to that of a child on Christmas Eve.

“The company arrival day has the same appeal to me . . . the hurried anticipation of all the gifts that will fill me with joy,” Jersey said. “To quote Lin Manuel-Miranda, the plan is to fan this spark into a flame.” 

That evening the entire company, year-round staff, families and friends, and special guests were treated to an opening BBQ dinner, hosted by the Guild of the Utah Shakespeare Festival. It was held in the courtyard of the beloved retired Adams Memorial Theatre that the Festival used for decades. 

In the first rehearsal for A Midsummer Night’s Dream with Director Jessica Kubzansky, cast, and crew, the director shared what she hoped the play would achieve this season. 

“There is so much hate in the world, I thought it was important that we tell a story about how we get to a place of more authentic and inclusive love. This is a story about humanity,” Kubzansky said. 

Although Kubzansky was speaking about the play she is directing, this statement can be applied to the Festival’s mission as a whole, as well as the productions this season. 

“At the end of the night people are changed and moved . . . and there is joy,” Kubzansky said. 

That is exactly the feeling we hope you get when you attend a night (or afternoon) of theater––a kind of rejuvenation, healing, inspiration, and introspection.

We can’t wait to see you when we open June 21, and in the meantime, our entire company and staff will be hard at work in preparation for a magnificent season.

Furthermore, after keeping our doors locked for the safety of our company and staff during the pandemic, we are excited to announce that our administration building is now open during business hours! Our front desk will now be staffed by both volunteers and our Company Management staff. Please visit us in the Festival Administration Building of the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Center for the Arts from 9am to 5pm Monday through Friday. 

For more information about the shows or to purchase tickets, call 800-PLAYTIX or visit bard.org/plays.

A Raisin in the Sun: An American Classic

The Utah Shakespeare Festival is excited to announce the cast members for this season’s production of A Raisin in the Sun, including familiar faces to Festival audiences as well as new company members making their first appearance here.

Director Derek Charles Livingston is thrilled to direct this great American classic. This is a much anticipated title, as it has been produced in every major theater in America, and now it is the Festival’s turn. “I think audiences will really enjoy getting to know the Younger family,” says Livingston. A Raisin in the Sun is an example of fine playwriting and great characters, dialogue, and “a lot of plot twists that will keep your heart palpitating,” he said.

The cast is as follows:

Jeffrey Marc Alkins is new to the Festival and is performing the roles of George Murchison and Moving Crew in A Raisin in the Sun and Jonathan in The Play That Goes Wrong. He has worked on Broadway in Mr. Saturday Night and off-broadway as Richard of Gloucester in Richard III at The Flea and Planchet in The Three Musketeers at Classical Theatre Harlem as well as playing the Antipholi in The Comedy of Errors at Shakespeare Theatre NJ, and many more. He is a member of Actors’ Equity Association.

Maureen Azzun is new to the Festival and will appear as Beneatha in A Raisin in the Sun and Cobweb in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. She has performed as Louise/Ruby/Etta in More Than a Maid with Black Ensemble Theater, Friend in Queen C at Trap Door Theatre, and Emerson in First Date on the Brain with Drawing Cats Productions. She was also in the films Erick and Alisha, Rosemary, and Five-Finger Discount.

Nazlah Black is making their Festival mainstage debut as Mrs. Johnson in A Raisin in the Sun and Sandra in The Play That Goes Wrong. They toured in the Festival’s 2023 Shakespeare in the Schools production of Othello as Emilia and Bianca. Black played Viola in Twelfth Night at Emit Theatre, Cordelia in King Lear at Barefoot Shakespeare, and Gwendolyn in The Importance of Being Earnest at Encounters Theatre. They also played Rosalind in the film As You Like It, presented by Shakespeare in the Woods. 

Topher Embrey is new to the Festival, appearing as Bobo and Moving Crew in A Raisin in the Sun and Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Past regional theatre roles include Christmas Present in A Christmas Carol at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Sicinius Veletus in Coriolanus at the Colorado Shakespeare Theatre, Sir Toby in Twelfth Night at the Nashville Shakespeare Festival, and Dromio of Ephesus in The Comedy of Errors at the American Shakespeare Center, among numerous others. He is a member of Actors’ Equity Association. 

Dylan Fleming is performing the role of Joseph Asagai and Moving Crew in A Raisin in the Sun, Flute in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and is new to the Festival. He has performed as Omari in Everyman Theatre’s digital release of Pipeline, as Isa in Kill Move Paradise with Rep Stage, and as T.T. Williams in The Member of the Wedding with 1st Stage. 

Monique Gaffney will play the role of Lena Younger in A Raisin in the Sun and is new to the Festival. She performed as Monica Coleman in Speaking Truth to Power at Common Ground Theatre, Ashley in The Virgin Trial at Cygnet Theatre, Cynthia in Sweat at San Diego Rep, and many more. She has also appeared on film and television in Tiger Cruise, La Mujer Hambriente, Lincoln Heights, Veronica Mars, and The Chronicle. She is a member of Actors’ Equity Association. 

Blake Henri will play the role of Karl Lindner in A Raisin in the Sun and Robert in The Play That Goes Wrong and is new to the Festival. He played The Poet in The Iliad at Oklahoma Shakespeare, Murray in The Odd Couple at WaterTower Theatre, Boddy in Clue at Dallas Theater Center, and much more. Henri has appeared on film and television on Love and Death, American Underdog, Great Plains, and more. 

Corey Jones is returning to the Festival and will perform in the roles of Walter Younger in A Raisin in the Sun and Theseus/Oberon in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. He performed at the Festival in 2017 as Tate in How to Fight Loneliness and King John in King John, Caliban in The Tempest in 2013, and Aaron in Titus Andronicos and Rev. Sykes in To Kill a Mockingbird in 2012. Among his many roles, he has played The General in the first and second national Broadway tours of The Book of Mormon, Bruce Laird in the world premiere of A Distinct Society at Pioneer Theater Company, Captain Markinson in A Few Good Men at La Mirada Theatre, Dr. Gibbs in Our Town at South Coast Repertory, and Creon in Oedipus at American Players Theater. He has performed on film and television in Trigger, 11/11/11, Franklin and Bash, A Letter from Birmingham Jail, and Checkout. He is a member of Actors’ Equity Association. 

Kayland Jordan is making her Festival debut as Ruth Younger in A Raisin in the Sun and Helena in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. She has been seen as Annabelle “Belle” Pierson in Mirrors at NYTW, Louella in Fancy Maids at Teatro SEA, Lady in Red For Colored Girls…, and Jo in Thorns for African American Museum. She has also performed in numerous films and television shows, including Betty (HBO), In Ice Cold Blood (OXYGEN), Emergence (ABC), and Keep Me At Bay (MICA). She has also been a member of American Fight Directors. 

Dylan Nelson and Alyvia Ridgel will be debuting at the Festival as young performers, alternating in the role of Travis Younger in A Raisin in the Sun. Dylan has performed in productions of Willy Wonka Jr., Once On This Island Jr., Dear Edwin Jr., and Once Upon A Mattress Jr. Alyvia is new to acting and is excited to work on this production. 

The 2023 season of the Utah Shakespeare Festival runs from June 21 to October 7 and includes Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Jane Austen’s Emma The Musical, A Raisin in the Sun, The Play That Goes Wrong, Timon of Athens, and Coriolanus, as well as all the experiences surrounding the plays, such as The Greenshow, seminars, orientations, and backstage tours. Tickets and information are available by calling 800-PLAYTIX or visiting bard.org.

The Play That Goes Wrong: A Bit Like a Clown Car

The Utah Shakespeare Festival is thrilled to announce the cast members for this summer’s comedy, The Play That Goes Wrong, which features both new and returning actors.

For those who enjoy hilarious farces, this show is described by director Geoffrey Kent as if “Noises Off drank a case of Red Bull.” It is a play within a play, put on by a group of amateur actors where practically nothing goes as planned and everything falls apart…including the set. It is “one of the more complex shows that the [Festival] has staged in recent memory.” Its scenic elements are “a bit like a clown car”: just when you think there aren’t any more tricks to be seen, it will surprise you over and over!

The cast is as follows:

Jeffrey Marc Alkins is new to the Festival this year and is performing the roles of Jonathan in The Play That Goes Wrong and George and Moving Man in A Raisin in the Sun. He has worked on Broadway in Mr. Saturday Night and off-broadway as Richard of Gloucester in Richard III at The Flea, Planchet in The Three Musketeers at Classical Theatre Harlem, Orderly in Me and the Girls: A Noel Coward Musical at Mary MacArthur, and many more. He is a member of Actors’ Equity Association. 

Nazlah Black is making their Festival mainstage debut as Sandra in The Play That Goes Wrong and Mrs. Johnson in A Raisin in the Sun. They toured in the Festival’s 2023 Shakespeare in the Schools production of Othello as Emilia and Bianca. Black played Viola in Twelfth Night for Emit Theatre, Cordelia in King Lear at Barefoot Shakespeare, and Gwendolyn in The Importance of Being Earnest at Encounters Theatre. They also played Rosalind in the film As You Like It, presented by Shakespeare in the Woods. 

Laura Brennan performed with the Festival’s Shakespeare in the Schools education tour of Much Ado About Nothing in 2022. This season will be her mainstage debut as well, playing Stage Hand in The Play That Goes Wrong and Harriet Smith and Ensemble in Jane Austen’s Emma The Musical. She has also performed with Hoosier Shakespeare Festival, Texas Shakespeare Festival, Cider Mill Playhouse, and First Folio Theatre, among many others. 

Rhett Guter returns to the Festival, playing Chris in The Play That Goes Wrong and Mr. George Knightley in Jane Austen’s Emma The Musical this season. He has performed in over twenty Festival productions between 2005 and 2021, including Ragtime, The Pirates of Penzance, Peter and the Starcatcher, The Music Man, and The Greenshow. He is also a magician and prolific choreographer, having choreographed numerous productions here. He is a member of Actors’ Equity Association. 

Blake Henri will play the role of Robert in The Play That Goes Wrong and Karl Lindner in A Raisin in the Sun and is new to the Festival. He played The Poet in The Iliad at Oklahoma Shakespeare, Murray in The Odd Couple at WaterTower Theatre, Boddy in Clue at Dallas Theater Center, and much more. Henri has appeared in film and television on Love and Death, American Underdog, Great Plains, and more.  

Chris Mixon returns for his eleventh season at the Festival since 2002. This time he will be playing Dennis in The Play That Goes Wrong and Mr. Woodhouse and Ensemble in Jane Austen’s Emma The Musical. His theatre work includes the national Broadway tour of How to Succeed in Business Without Trying, world and NYC premieres at Pearl Theatre Company, and productions at Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, Pioneer Theatre Company, Geva Theatre, Orlando Shakespeare Theatre, and Alabama Shakespeare Theatre, among many others. He also has film and television credits including The Rosa Parks Story (CBS), All My Children (ABC), One Life to Live (ABC), and Law & Order (Wolf Films/Universal TV). He is a member of Actors’ Equity Association. 

Melinda Parrett returns as Annie in The Play That Goes Wrong and Miss Bates and Ensemble in Jane Austen’s Emma The Musical. She has performed in nearly twenty productions at the Festival since 2007, including as Mrs. White in Clue, Elsa Schraeder in The Sound of Music, Titania and Hippolyta in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Adelaide in Guys and Dolls, and Reno Sweeney in Anything Goes. Other theatres she has worked at include Denver Center, Goodspeed Opera House, Geva Theatre, Santa Cruz Shakespeare, and Oregon Cabaret Theatre. She is a member of Actors’ Equity Association. 

Jim Poulos returns for his fourth season at the Festival, having previously played Ross in Macbeth, Henry VI and Ensemble in Henry VI Part One and The Conclusion of Henry VI: Parts Two and Three, and The Duke and Ensemble in Big River. This season he will perform as Max in The Play That Goes Wrong and Mr. Elton and Ensemble in Jane Austen’s Emma The Musical. Other theatres include American Repertory Theatre, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Geva Theatre, Denver Center, and Great River Shakespeare Festival, among others. He is a member of Actors’ Equity Association.​​ 

Cameron Vargas is new to the Festival and will perform the roles of Trevor in The Play That Goes Wrong and Robert Martin and Ensemble in Jane Austen’s Emma The Musical. He has also acted in Dogfight at Sierra Repertory Theatre, West Side Story and Little Women at Granbury Theatre Company, Indivisible With… and Julius Caesar at Milwaukee Rep Project, and several others at PCPA.

Grace Wissink is also new to audiences at the Festival. This season she will perform as Stage Hand in The Play That Goes Wrong and Elizabeth Martin and Ensemble in Jane Austen’s Emma The Musical. Previous experience includes Hamlet at Playmakers Repertory Company, Nia and Dance Nation at Kenan Theatre Company, Fun Home at Company Carolina, and The Birthday Party at LAB! Theatre. 

The 2023 season of the Utah Shakespeare Festival runs from June 21 to October 7 and includes Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Jane Austen’s Emma The Musical, A Raisin in the Sun, The Play That Goes Wrong, Timon of Athens, and Coriolanus, as well as all the experiences surrounding the plays, such as The Greenshow, seminars, orientations, and backstage tours. Tickets and information are available by calling 800-PLAYTIX or visiting bard.org.

Festival Throws 22nd Annual Bard's Birthday Bash

The Festival celebrated William Shakespeare’s 459th birthday in April with a three-day bash! The Bard is regarded as one of the greatest writers in the English language, as well as one of its most revered and studied dramatists, and we love involving the community––and especially students––when we celebrate him. The Bard’s Birthday Bash took place on April 19-21 this year. 

Since the Festival was founded in 1961 by the late Fred C. Adams, we have celebrated the genius, magic, brilliance, and importance of Shakespeare’s works and continue to recognize him as the cornerstone of our mission.

“It’s a way to celebrate Shakespeare and theatrical performance, and to get a taste of theatre, dance, and youthful energy and optimism,” Interim Managing Director Michael Bahr said. 

The 22nd annual event targets local elementary school students, in order to build excitement and connection to Shakespeare at a young age. Community members were also welcome to attend. 

The celebration took place on the grounds of Southern Utah University and consisted of jousting, dancing the Maypole, performances in the Adams Memorial Theatre, theatre games, and birthday cake with Queen Elizabeth. This year, the bash was even more special––an extra day was added to the schedule to make room to celebrate with even more students, teachers, and community members. 

“Celebrating The Bard with young people is one of the highlights of the year. These students come with such enthusiasm and joy, while participating in both performative and physical activities,” Associate Education Director Stewart Shelley said. 

“As the 2023 school year comes to a close, it is wonderful to see students out-of-doors, laughing, playing, and enjoying this birthday celebration together,” Shelley added. 

A cadre of volunteers from the Festival’s education department, Guild of the Utah Shakespeare Festival, and SUU Play Team members ran the event. 

“Students rotated through the different activities and shared in the celebratory festivities,” Shelley explained. “Many schools were able to perform a brief piece of Shakespeare’s literature with us on the Adams stage, and others who didn’t bring a piece had the opportunity to learn and perform some lines while here.”

To register for next year’s Birthday Bash, email usfeducation@bard.org with the name of the school, the teachers, contact information, and the approximate number of students. For information about the Festival’s upcoming season and to purchase tickets, visit bard.org or call 1-800-PLAYTIX.