10 Frequently Asked Questions About Education Courses at the Utah Shakespeare Festival

Welcome to the exciting world of the Utah Shakespeare Festival! Our education courses, designed for theatre enthusiasts, educators, aspiring actors, and students, offer a unique learning experience. Here are some common queries about our courses to help you understand what we offer:

1. Who are these education courses for?

Our education courses cater to a broad audience. They are designed for aspiring actors honing their skills, educators seeking professional development and continuing education credits, theatre lovers keen to deepen their understanding of theatrical arts, and students looking for a hands-on experience in a world-class professional theatre setting.

2. What types of courses does the Utah Shakespeare Festival offer?

The festival offers a variety of courses, both online and in-person. These include online courses designed to enrich the theatre experience, in-person professional development for educators, and sleep-away summer camps for youth offering practical, hands-on experience.

3. What added value can I get from my Festival experience by taking these courses?

By participating in these courses, you can gain an in-depth understanding of theatre, engage with artists, and earn continuing education credits. These continuing education credits are granted through Southern Utah University, and transfer to other states. Our courses offer an elevated Festival experience by introducing a variety of perspectives and lenses through which to view live theatre, and opportunities for educators to enrich their teaching practice through intensive 3-day professional development courses at the Festival. Furthermore, our summer camps offer an immersive theatre experience, including interactions with professional actors, designers, and technicians, and the opportunity to perform in a replica of Shakespeare’s Globe theatre.

4. What is the goal of the online courses?

Our online courses aim to enrich your theatre experience, whether you’re earning continuing education credits or simply broadening your knowledge. Each module encourages learners to view theatre through the perspective of different types of artists, offering insights into the many art forms involved in theatre production. Participants will have access to exclusive interviews with artists and company members, and interactive discussions where you can post your ideas and thoughts. 

5. How flexible are these online courses?

Our courses are self-paced, allowing you to move through them at your own speed. They are built around attending performances at the Festival, and can be accessed at any time during the season.

7. What kind of interaction can I expect in these online courses?

All participants will receive individualized feedback and comments from the education director, Katherine Norman.

8. What are the in-person educator courses like?

We offer four in-person courses for educators here at the Festival. Come spend an intensive three or four days with a small group of like-minded teachers and dive into topics like theatre tech, teaching Shakespeare, or using theatre as a method for teaching multiple subjects. All in-person courses include attending performances together!

9. What opportunities does the festival offer for students?

Our summer camps are perfect for students ages 12-18 seeking to develop their theatre skills and interact with professional actors, designers, and technicians. The camps offer hands-on experience in a world-class professional theatre setting, including performing in a replica of Shakespeare’s Globe theatre. We offer both day camps and sleep-away camps, designed to cater to students’ different needs and preferences.

10. How can I enroll in these online courses and find more information about the summer camps?

Enrollment details for online courses and detailed information about the summer camps are available here.

The Utah Shakespeare Festival’s educational courses offer an enriching and immersive experience, whether you’re an educator, a theatre lover, or an aspiring actor. We invite you to join us and deepen your appreciation and understanding of the theatrical arts.

10 Reasons the 2023 Season at the Utah Shakespeare Festival is the Most Exciting Yet!

By Liz Armstrong

Next week we welcome audiences for the 2023 Season, starting with a Romeo and Juliet preview on June 21. The Festival offers over four months of live theatre, running Monday-Saturday. Most days, there are four different shows along with a free nightly Greenshow that plays into September. There’s ample opportunity to attend this season and share in our belief in the power of theater. 

The lineup for the 2023 season includes: Romeo and Juliet (officially opening June 23), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (opening June 24), A Raisin in the Sun (opening June 29), Jane Austen’s Emma The Musical (opening July 1), The Play That Goes Wrong (opening July 4), Timon of Athens (opening July 17), and Coriolanus (opening July 18). 

Here are some fun facts that make this sixty-second season extra special: 

1. Last time the Festival produced Romeo and Juliet was in 2017. Betsy Mugavero played Juliet, and now, six years later, she is directing the very same play. For the beloved Festival actor, this is a very full-circle moment. 
2. Former Festival actor Geoffrey Kent has returned to make his directorial debut with The Play That Goes Wrong. Previously at the Festival, Kent was an actor in Treasure Island, Shakespeare in Love, As You Like It, Othello, and more. 
3. Lisa Peterson is also making her directorial debut at the Festival with Timon of Athens and Coriolanus. She 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 Sean Hayes, is currently on Broadway. Winning Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Play for his role as Oscar, Hayes said, “Half of my performance I owe to Lisa Peterson, the director. She’s phenomenal.” 
4. Actor Elijah Alexander, known for his role as Atticus Aemilius in The Chosen TV series, will be Timon in Timon of Athens and Tullus Aufidius/Roman Citizen in Coriolanus. Don’t miss out; tickets are going fast!
5. Speaking of Timon of Athens, the last––and only––time the Festival has produced this play was 30 years ago!
6. This is the first time the Festival is producing A Raisin in the Sun and The Play That Goes Wrong. 
7. The famous tarts are made fresh locally, directly from Park Place Eatery. What’s better than enjoying a tart at a free 30-minute Greenshow this summer? 
8. A lot of hard work goes into a repertory theater to produce seven shows in a season, and so the number of staff and company members rise exponentially during the season. From a year-round staff of 25 members, the Festival employs a seasonal staff of over 300 from June to October. 
9. This is the first time that both plays in the Eileen and Allen Anes Studio Theatre have both been works of Shakespeare. 1992 was the first time four of the Bard’s plays were produced, and since then, the number of Shakespeare’s plays have always fluctuated between three and four. This season, the Festival boasts four, with Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Coriolanus, and Timon of Athens. 
10. This is the eleventh time the Festival has produced A Midsummer Night’s Dream and the ninth time Romeo and Juliet has been produced. 

For more information or to purchase tickets for the 2023 season, visit bard.org or call 800-PLAYTIX.

Educational Opportunities at the Festival

Shakespeare himself once said, “Ignorance is the curse of God; knowledge is the wing wherewith we fly to heaven.” What better way to gain knowledge than to take an educational class here at the Festival?

There are a variety of courses, targeted toward aspiring actors as well as teachers and simply those who want to get more out of their attendance at the Festival’s shows. These interactive courses allow lovers of the arts to explore the world of theatre while gaining valuable skills and insights. 

For Anyone:
NOTE: These classes aren’t just for educators, but for anyone who loves Shakespeare and wants to learn more. The more, the merrier!

SHAKESPEARE SURVEY
June 21 - October 7, 2023
Tuition: $130 (does not include play tickets)
Registration closes August 12, 2023.
Credits: 1 SUU Professional Development credit 

Shakespeare Survey is a self-paced, individualized-learning course available anytime throughout the Festival season. Educators of all kinds receive SUU professional development credit for attendance at two plays, pre-show orientations, post-show seminars, and completion of online course materials. For general patrons, participating in the course will provide an elevated Festival experience by introducing a variety of lenses and broadened perspectives through which to view live theatre. Play tickets must be purchased separately. Click here to register. 

SHAKESPEARE FORUM
June 21 - October 7, 2023
Tuition: $260 (does not include play tickets)
Registration closes October August 12, 2023.
Credits: 2 SUU Professional Development credits 

Shakespeare Forum is a self-paced, individualized-learning course available anytime throughout the Festival season. Educators of all kinds receive SUU professional development credit for attendance at four plays, pre-show orientations, post-show seminars, and completion of online course materials. For general patrons, participating in the course will provide an elevated festival experience by introducing a variety of lenses and broadened perspectives through which to view live theatre. Play tickets must be purchased separately. Click here to register. 

SHAKESPEARE SEMINAR
June 21 - October 7, 2023
Tuition: $300 (does not include play tickets)
Registration closes October August 12, 2023.
Credits: 3 SUU Professional Development credits 

Shakespeare Seminar is a self-paced, individualized-learning course available anytime throughout the Festival season. Educators of all kinds receive SUU professional development credit for attendance at six plays, pre-show orientations, post-show seminars, and completion of online course materials. For general patrons, participating in the course will provide an elevated festival experience by introducing a variety of lenses and broadened perspectives through which to view live theatre. Play tickets must be purchased separately. Click here to register. 

For Educators:

THEATRE METHOD FOR THE CLASSROOM—ELEMENTARY
June 28-30, 2023
Age: Educators in Elementary setting
Tuition: $300 (includes 3 play tickets)
Registration closes June 26, 2023.
Credits: 3 SUU Professional Development credits
Register here.

THEATRE METHODS FOR THE CLASSROOM—SECONDARY
July 5-7, 2023
Age: Educators in Secondary setting
Tuition: $300 (includes 3 play tickets)
Registration closes June 23, 2023.
Credits: 3 SUU Professional Development credits
Register here.

These professional development courses explore methods of developing and implementing drama as a method of teaching across varied curricula. The course will provide an introduction to the philosophy, methodology, and practice of drama as pedagogy based on current neurological, psychological, and sociological research. Tuition includes classroom materials, special sessions with Festival actors, and tickets to three plays.

TEACHING SHAKESPEARE
July 17-20, 2023
Tuition: $300 (includes 4 play tickets)
Registration closes July 7, 2023.
Credits: 3 SUU Professional Development credits 

Teaching Shakespeare is aimed at providing active and engaging classroom approaches for language arts teachers and others who teach Shakespeare’s text. The class will help you get out from behind the desk and explore theatre techniques to hook student engagement with Shakespeare’s text. Tuition includes tickets to four plays. Register here.

TECH FOR TEACHERS
July 24-26, 2023
Tuition: $300 (includes 3 play tickets and the opportunity to watch post-production changeovers)
Registration closes July 14, 2023.
Credits: 3 SUU Professional Development credits 

An essential professional development course for any educator or director! Learn the secrets and acquire the tools necessary to present a play from the technician’s point of view. Festival technicians create a hands-on learning experience of designing, building, and running a production. Tuition includes tickets to three plays, plus the opportunity to watch post-production changeovers. Register here.

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 Announces External Understudies

Many may not be familiar with what it actually takes to prepare to be an understudy. What is an understudy and what does it mean to be an external understudy? The Festival announces these external understudies who will work behind the scenes this season to prepare roles for which they may or may not ever be asked to perform. These artists studies the lines, movements, staging, exits/entrances, costume changes, and if needed, music and choreography of another performer in the event they must fill in, so that the show can go on!

This group of actors are called external understudies because their focus is preparing these assigned understudy roles only. While they are incredibly important to the process, they are not cast in productions this season, though some do have other positions within the Festival.

Nick Denhalter will understudy Dennis, Jonathan, and Trevor in The Play That Goes Wrong, plus Cominius/Citizen in Coriolanus and Lucius/Hortensius in Timon of Athens. Denhalter graduated from Southern Utah University with a BFA in classical acting. He has performed at Southern Utah University, Iron Stage Theatrical, and Off the Cuff Comedy. Denhalter has been in the Festival’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream in 2011, To Kill a Mockingbird in 2012, and King Lear and The Sound of Music last season. 

Derek Charles Livingston is currently the Interim Artistic Director and Director of New Play Development at the Festival. After playing Thurgood in Thurgood last season, he will return to the stage to understudy for Bob/Moving Crew in A Raisin in the Sun, which he is also directing. Livingston received a BA in theatre arts from Brown University and an MFA in film production and direction from University of California-Los Angeles School of Theater, Film, and Television. He received the New Hampshire Drama Award for Best Actor and has played Tupolski in The Pillowman, Simon in The Whipping Man, and Nat Turner in Insurrection: Holding History, to name a few of his roles. 

Rita Martin will understudy Lena Younger (Mama) and Mrs. Johnson in A Raisin in the Sun, as well as Mrs. Bates in Jane Austen’s Emma The Musical. She is affiliated with Christians in Theatre Arts and has performed at Hale Center, The Grand Theater, and University of Utah’s Babcock Theater and Black Box Theatre.  

Lawrence Mbaki will understudy George Murchison and Joseph Asagai in A Raisin in the Sun. This is his second season at the Festival, having been in Much Ado About Nothing.

Darci Ramirez will understudy Juliet in Romeo and Juliet and Hermia in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, as well as serve as dramaturg for A Raisin in the Sun. She received a BFA in acting from Brigham Young University and was a KCACTF Irene Ryan Award Finalist. She is a director, actor, dramaturg, and has done voice-over work. She has been involved in productions with Salt Lake Acting Company, Brigham Young University, the Noorda Center for the Performing Arts, Harrington Center for the Arts, and Utah Valley Artists. Previously at the Festival, Ramirez was the seminar manager from 2018-2022 and an assistant dramaturg last season for King Lear, Sweeney Todd, The Sound of Music, and The Tempest, as well as understudying in All’s Well That Ends Well. 

Jacob Sorling will understudy Understudy for Aufidius/Nicanor/Titus Lartius/Citizen in Coriolanus and Timon/Servilius/Ventidius/Factotumus/Soldier in Timon of Athens. Last season, he understudied Caliban and others, and actually went on for Sebastian, Trinculo, and Ferdinand in The Tempest. Sorling has performed at The Second City Hollywood, The Pack, and Rise Comedy and received a BA from Adams State University. His film credits include Inch Thick Knee Deep and Death Parts Us.

Elise Thayn will understudy for Junius Brutus/Virgilia/Valeria/Citizen in Coriolanus and Apemantus/Flaminius/Isadore/Jeweller/Poet/Soldier in Timon of Athens. Last season, she played Mariana in All’s Well That Ends Well and was an understudy for Miranda, Ariel, Antonio and others in The Tempest. She has been in The Tempest, The Wolves, Cabaret, and Mother Courage and Her Children at Southern Utah University, where Thayn also received a BFA in Theatre Arts.

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.

Coriolanus: "Shakespeare's Most Powerful Play"

“Action is eloquence,” Coriolanus, Act III Scene II 

The Utah Shakespeare Festival announces the cast members for this season’s production of Coriolanus, directed by Lisa Peterson, who is making her directorial debut at the Festival this season. She is also directing Timon of Athens 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, is on Broadway and stars Sean Hayes who just last night won a Tony Award for Lead Actor in a Play.

“Coriolanus is one of Shakespeare’s most powerful plays with some of his most beautiful writing,” Peterson said. “It is a contemporary play. It’s so much about, ‘what does it take to step up and lead?’”

Featuring beloved returning Festival actors and those arriving for the first time, this rarely-performed Shakespeare play follows the hot-headed Coriolanus– obsessed with becoming Rome’s ruler. This play focuses on themes of ambition, love, family, and power.

“This bold group of twelve actors are going to put on both plays,” Peterson said. “It seems impossible, but I love the impossible.”

The cast is as follows: 

Elijah Alexander is returning to Festival as Tullus Aufidius/Roman Citizen in Coriolanus and Timon in Timon of Athens. 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 RSC Royal Shakespeare Theatre, New York Theatre Workshop, The Public, five seasons at Oregon Shakespeare Festival, three seasons at California Shakespeare Festival, The Denver Center, and The Guthrie, among many others. He is a member of Actors’ Equity Association and SAG-AFTRA and currently portrays the character Atticus Aemilius in The Chosen TV series.

Anastasha Blakely is returning to the Festival as Valeria/Roman Citizen in Coriolanus and Isadore/Poet in Timon of Athens. 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 The Tempest, All’s Well That Ends Well, and the Shakespeare in the Schools education tour of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. 

Jasmine Bracey is returning to the Festival as Menenius Agrippa/Roman Citizen in Coriolanus and Lucullus/Caphis in Timon of Athens. 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. 

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

Jack Doherty will be Nicanor/Roman Citizen in Coriolanus and Servilius/Soldier in Timon of Athens. 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 Sicinius Velutus/Roman Citizen in Coriolanus and Varro/Painter in Timon of Athens. He is also understudying Coriolanus in Coriolanus and Alcibiades in Timon of Athens. 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. 

Nell Geisslinger will be Junius Brutus/Roman Citizen in Coriolanus and Apemantus in Timon of Athens. Previously at the Festival, she was in Twelfth Night, Boeing Boeing, and Sense and Sensibility. 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. She is a member of Actors’ Equity Association.

James Ryen is making his Festival debut as Coriolanus in Coriolanus and Alcibiades in Timon of Athens. 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. 

Gabrielle Francine Smith will be making her debut at the Festival as Virgilia/Roman Citizen in Coriolanus and Flaminius/Jeweller/Soldier in Timon of Athens. She is also understudying the roles of Volumnia/Citizen in Coriolanus and Flavius in Timon of Athens. 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 Titus Lartius/Roman Citizen in Coriolanus and Ventidius/Factotumus/Soldier in Timon of Athens. Previously at the Festival, he recently performed in the Festival’s Utah tour of Every Brilliant Thing earlier this year and has been 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 Volumnia/Roman Citizen in Coriolanus and Flavius in Timon of Athens. Although this is her debut at the Festival, she has also performed at Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, and Yale Repertory Theatre. She is a member of Actors’ Equity Association.

Jeorge Bennett Watson will be Cominius/Roman Citizen in Coriolanus and Lucius/Hortensius in Timon of Athens, making his Festival debut. He is an active stage, film, and television actor and has performed at Roundabout Theater, Arena Stage, Studio Theater, The Huntington Theater, Williamstown Theater, and Resident Ensemble players to name a few. He is a member of Actors’ Equity Association.

Kinsley Seegmiller and Rory Shakespear will alternate playing Young Martius in Coriolanus as young performers. Kinsley is from Cedar City and will be in the fourth grade in the fall. She loves traveling with her family, gymnastics, and is excited to perform at the Festival this season. Rory is also from Cedar City and has performed in Once Upon a Time with Cedar City Children’s Musical Theater; in Matilda and Brigadoon with Cedar Valley Community Theater; and in Honk with the Festival’s Playmakers. 

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.

Coriolanus: The Journey of an Unlikeable Hero

10 Facts You May Not Know About Coriolanus

One of Shakespeare’s last tragedies ever written, Coriolanus, follows a Roman general who becomes a military hero. He seems to be the perfect leader––until his unlikable temperament results in his downfall. Exploring themes of leadership, ambition, and power, Shakespeare’s play is powerful, heartbreaking, and intense. 

This season’s production is only the third time the Festival has produced this play in its sixty-two year history, with previous productions being in 1977 and 2007. Here are ten more facts about the play and our production you may be interested to know:

1. Scholars consider Coriolanus unusual for Shakespeare’s works, as it follows a single narrative line. Additionally, some of its most striking moments are accentuated by silence. Still, Director Lisa Peterson considers the play to be one of Shakespeare’s most powerful. 
2. Although Coriolanus faced military success, his temperament was not suitable as a leader, which resulted in his downfall. This brings up an interesting theme that Peterson will play on in her production, asking the question: “what does it take to step up and lead?”
3. Peterson has made the artistic decision for Coriolanus to be produced in a modern setting this year at the Festival. (The other play in the Anes Studio Theatre this season, also directed by Peterson––*Timon of Athens––*will, however, be set in the time of its creation, around 1607.)
4. Along with Antony and Cleopatra, Coriolanus was the last of Shakespeare’s tragedies. Although they are both Roman plays, Coriolanus is set in a time period two centuries earlier, while Antony and Cleopatra takes place in Imperial Rome. 
5. Coriolanus was written around two to three years after Timon of Athens, and scholars speculate it was first performed in 1609 or 1610 at the Blackfriars Theatre in London.
6. The play is based on the life of Caius Marcius Coriolanus, Rome’s leader, who was a hero in the early fifth century and late sixth century. Shakespeare most likely took inspiration from The Life of Caius Martius Coriolanus written by biographer Plutarch. The text was later translated into English by Sir Thomas North in 1579.
7. The play is historically accurate in the fact that it is set after the fall of Tarquin, who was the last king of Rome. Ultimately, the play shows the struggle that occurred during the transitional period when Rome was moving from monarchy to republic. 
8. The play may be rarely-performed because of its unlikeable characters, yet the political appeal of Coriolanus allows for a continual buzz of discussion amongst scholars and politicians alike.
9. This is one of the few Shakespeare plays that was actually banned in a democracy in modern times. In the 1930s, it was banned in France, and post-war Germany prohibited it due to its themes of militarism.
10. A 2011 British film adaptation placed the setting as contemporary, reminiscent of Yugoslav Wars. Adaptations of the story have proved to be difficult because of Coriolanus’ questionable integrity. Although he is a successful military hero, our protagonist is still unlikeable.

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.

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.