Q&A with Director Valerie Rachelle on The Taming of the Shrew

Director Valerie Rachelle is returning to the Utah Shakespeare Festival this season with an uproariously funny production of Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew. Festival audiences may remember her as the director of last year’s delightful Jane Austen’s Emma The Musical. Additionally, Rachelle was the Assistant Director of USF’s 2005 production of All’s Well That Ends Well.

Her other directing credits include the Utah Festival Opera, Syracuse Opera, PCPA Theatrefest, Sierra Repertory Theatre, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and the Oregon Cabaret Theatre, where she also serves as the Artistic Director. In addition to directing, Rachelle has an extensive academic career, with teaching experience at the University of Southern California, PCPA, and Southern Oregon University.

Rachelle received her MFA in Directing from UC Irvine, and her BFA in Acting at CalArts.

The Festival met up with Rachelle to ask her more about her experience here this season.

The Festival: Why were you excited to direct this play?

Rachelle: I [was] excited because of the challenge and the design we’ve come up with. It’s a world you want to watch and be a part of… and to surprise the audience with what we’re going to do. I’m excited that Lindsay Jones is creating new music and to be in the outdoor theater, because you’re out in the elements and you have to accept the world you’re in and live in this live environment.

The Festival: This play is often considered “problematic” because of its challenging themes of patriarchy, abuse, and sexism. How do you plan on tackling the “problem areas” of the play?

Rachelle: A lot of people don’t [perform] the induction Shakespeare wrote, which includes two scenes before the play starts. It includes Christopher Sly mistreating a female innkeeper, and some higher-ups observe this and decide to take Christopher Sly, dress him up as a lord, and show him The Taming of the Shrew to teach him a lesson. The whole point of the play is not to teach men how to tame their women, but to teach Christopher Sly how to treat others better.

Shakespeare actually didn’t finish the play. Usually [other productions] will bookend the induction with an [epilogue]. We aren’t adding any text, but we will highlight what Christopher Sly has learned.

We are setting up The Taming of the Shrew as a play-within-a-play; as theatre magic. It’s going to be colorful and cartoony. All of the violence in it is going to be done with feathers and food items. There’s no weapons in the show. We are approaching the abuse as slapstick farce, not actual abuse. It’s to heighten it and show Christopher Sly how ridiculous he is treating people.

The Festival: As playgoers, what should we watch for in this play that would help us more fully enjoy and understand it better?

Rachelle: The first goal is for audience members to laugh. It’s going to be very silly on purpose. We want to take this world and put it into something that isn’t real life. We want audience members to see these characters and recognize their faults—we will heighten them to the extreme, so we can laugh at them.

We are adding musical numbers, and so my goal is for audience members to be cheering them on to change Christopher Sly. I also want them to see that in the play, there is true love. Kate and Petruchio do love each other, and if society would allow them to be who they are, they wouldn’t have to live in this cocoon of “the man is in charge and the woman has to follow.” They have an understanding of their relationship and that it’s more equal, but society is forcing them to act a certain way.

The Festival: What challenges came with preparing to direct this play?

Rachelle: The biggest challenge [was] trying to make the theme work in a contemporary society. It’s hard to show a lesson that’s like “The woman should follow the man in every footstep.” We’ve found a way to present it in a way that we’re showing these behaviors—not to say that that’s how it should be, but that’s what it shouldn’t be.

True love is more about listening and responding to each other honestly, rather than forcing will upon somebody. But we’re going to illustrate this in a way that will make you laugh rather than make you cry. We’re going to use music, color, and comedy to do this.

A lot of companies decide not to do this show because it’s “problematic,” but I think they forget that the play is showing us what not to do, rather than what to do.

The Festival: What do you hope audience members will take away from this play?

Rachelle: I hope audience members leave laughing, and that they feel that Christopher Sly got what was coming to him. I want them to come to their own realization of how to better listen to and understand their own partners.

The Festival: You directed Jane Austen’s Emma The Musical last season. Can patrons expect any parallels with this show?

Rachelle: It’s a very different story and very different style of play, but similarities might be that it’s about being a better person, finding love, listening and changing, and following your heart.

The Festival: How long have you been a director? How long have you been with the Festival? What draws you to directing?

Rachelle: I’ve been directing since I was 22, which means I’ve been directing for 27 years. This is my third season with the Festival, and I continue to direct because I love it so much. It’s the love of my life.

The Festival: Anything else you want Festival audiences to know?

Rachelle: It’s all storytelling. Musical theater, dance, opera, anything live—it’s all storytelling, just done in different ways. That doesn’t mean the story changes; you’re just telling it in a different way. That’s what I love about live arts—it’s all just for the audience to be entertained, enlightened, and engaged. We create empathy by telling stories, and we don’t have to tell super serious stories to do that. Sometimes you worm your way into minds through laughter.

Get your tickets to The Taming of the Shrew, running now through September 7 in the Engelstad Shakespeare Theatre. Visit bard.org or call 800-PLAYTIX.

Education Department Honored with Prestigious Award

By Katie Neves, guest writer

Last week, Deseret News recognized the Utah Shakespeare Festival’s Education Department during their third annual Honors in Education Gala.

The gala, which is held in conjunction with First Lady Abby Cox’s “Show Up for Teachers” initiative, honors outstanding educators throughout the state of Utah. While primarily recognizing teachers and school staff, Deseret News also selected six businesses with an excellent record of educational programming and outreach—including the Utah Shakespeare Festival.

“This award means that our efforts are noticed,” said Education Director Stewart Shelley, “and that we have set a precedent over the past years in regards to educational programming. We’ve set a high standard to live up to.”

The Festival’s Education Department was selected for the award due to the wide variety and high quality of its programming. The Festival offers programs for learners of all ages and ability levels, serving districts and students across the state of Utah and beyond. Programs include the Shakespeare in the Schools tour, which brings free professional performances to the entire Intermountain West; and the Juvenile Justice program, which introduces the works of Shakespeare to youth in the Southwest Utah Youth Center.

In addition to summer camps and youth classes, Seminar Grove experiences, and various workshops, the Festival also hosts the annual Shakespeare Competition, which brings together thousands of students across the country to learn, compete, and collaborate in Shakespearean study and performance. Through its outreach, the Festival has worked with 34 school districts, 31 charter schools, 818 teachers, and 20,836 students in the 2023-2024 school year alone.

Education has always been a high priority for the Festival. Before becoming the Festival’s Executive Managing Director, Michael Bahr spent 24 years as the Education Director, fostering an environment of excellence, inclusivity, and innovation.

Current Education Director Stewart Shelley stepped into the role this past April, after working with the Department since 2022. After 19 years as a high school theatre teacher, a Bachelor’s in Theatre Arts Education from BYU, and a Master’s in Educational Administration from Grand Canyon University, Shelley understands the power of theater in the development and education of young people.

Currently, the Education Department is working to partner with schools throughout the state of Utah who haven’t yet been reached by the Festival. “We want to have a presence state-wide,” said Shelley. “The Festival is currently re-envisioning the strategic plan, and we are excited to see how our department can align with the new mission, vision, values, and goals.” With the recent addition of a new education staff member, Sophie Grzywacz as Education Programs Manager, and a continually-growing team of teaching artists, the Festival’s Education Department aims to make Shakespeare and theater arts more accessible than ever before.

Other ways the department is hoping to reach more students is through Shakespearience, a program that offers discounted matinee tickets and other perks throughout the months of August and September to school groups. Also, USF School Days where school groups can get free tickets to two selected performances in September, is due to generous funding from the state.

The Deseret News Honors In Education award underscores the Festival’s commitment to educational excellence and community outreach. It is a testament to the dedication and hard work of the entire Education Department, who strive to inspire and educate Utah students and teachers through the power of the theatre.

To learn more about the Festival’s Education Department, visit bard.org/about/education, or reach out at USFeducation@bard.org.

Festival Develops Custom Costume Inventory Program

By Liz Armstrong, guest writer

There’s nothing quite like a night spent at the theatre, and although being immersed in a play can feel a little like magic, an immense amount of work happens behind-the-scenes to make it happen.

There’s a lot that goes into producing our high quality plays––including everything from props, sound, set design, costumes, and more. Additionally, most everything that touches the stage at the Utah Shakespeare Festival is made in-house.

The actors may be the star of the show, quite literally, but what they wear plays a large role in the feeling, storytelling, and execution of the production. Costume Director Jeff Lieder knows this, and has spent nearly four decades at the Festival working on costumes.

The Costume Making Process

This season, over 60 individuals comprised the seasonal costume and costume crafts teams. Costumes are built from scratch, pulled from the Festival’s inventory, or purchased.

“We reuse as much as we can,” Lieder said. “For this season’s Silent Sky, the clothes are from the turn of the century in 1912, and so we were able to pull things from our stock in addition to borrowing some things from Arizona Theatre Company that were used in a production years ago.”

David Mickelsen was the costume designer of an original version of Silent Sky when Lauren Gunderson was writing it in Cleveland and came this season to design the same show for the Festival.

This year, a lot of the costumes in The Taming of the Shrew were built from scratch because of the design style.

“The color and nature of the show required that a lot of it has to be cohesive,” Lieder explained.

The Festival purchased pieces this season as well. Lieder noted that uniforms were made for the production of Much Ado About Nothing in Scotland due to efficiency.

“It takes 40 hours or more of labor to make a man’s suit coat, and that’s not including the cost of the material, and so it was cheaper and easier for us to have them made across the world than do them in-house,” he said.

Once the season has closed, most costumes are stored in Festival facilities. If they are no longer needed, stock is sold to other theatres, or to schools and community groups during the Shakespeare Competition hosted by the Festival each fall for bargain prices, along with props and other items.

The Costume Inventory Process

It’s the 63rd season of the Festival, and so quite the costume collection has accumulated over the years. Pulling costumes from inventory was proving to be difficult. To help solve the issue, a costume inventory program was created.

“The program was developed by Randy Handley, who worked at the Festival when he was a student,” Lieder explained. “The program is customized to the Festival.”

The process includes applying heat set bar codes on each costume piece, and then uploading photographs and information about the piece into the system.

“The program makes costumes [more accessible]” Lieder said. “During the winter or if they aren’t in Cedar City, designers can search for a specific piece.”

The program will also make it easier to find what the Festival has already, saving time and money for all those involved.

“We won’t have to remake them if we already have and can find them,” Lieder said.

Eileen and Allen Anes made a donation several years ago to start this costume inventory process.

“They’ve always been fans of the Festival and the Costume Department, and they saw the need for the inventory process,” Lieder said. “They were really generous donors to start it out.”

The Future and the Challenges

Although the Festival is in the process of inventorying all the costumes, it will take some time to input all of the information, especially with Lieder being the only full time, year-round staff member in the Costume Department.

“We have thousands of items in storage and are just now starting this process,” Lieder said.

Another challenge for the Costume Department are the facilities where the costumes are stored.

Although there is a storage facility, the conditions make it difficult for employees to work there.

“We are hoping that someday, a donor would be willing to build another building for us to expand so we can get to the costumes [into a less crowded space] and have a facility that is temperature-controlled,” Lieder expressed.

For those that are interested in donating to the Costume Department, please contact the Development Department at devasst@bard.org.

To see the fabulous costumes in action this season, visit our photo gallery or better yet, purchase tickets today at bard.org/plays.

Festival Announces Passing of Jyl Shuler, Former Development Director

With deep sadness, the Utah Shakespeare Festival announces the sudden passing of our dear friend, Jyl Shuler, former Development Director and lifetime advocate for the Festival. Jyl worked for the Festival as Development Director for 29 years, leading fundraising efforts through periods of tremendous growth and rigorous financial challenges. Jyl was instrumental in raising millions of dollars to build the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Center for the Arts. She was especially gifted at creating long-lasting, genuine relationships with Festival friends. During her tenure, essential connections were cultivated with patrons, donors, and institutions that have provided the foundational support that sustains the Festival today.

Jyl was hired in 1988 as the Festival’s first full-time Development Director. Working closely with Festival Founder Fred C. Adams and former Executive Director R. Scott Phillips, Jyl built a legacy of generous giving on all levels. “Jyl was a ray of light with a huge heart. She brought a magic sparkle to the work, and people trusted her,” states Michael Bahr, Executive Managing Director. “Jyl’s fundraising accomplishments paved the way for the growth of the Festival. Jyl acquired the Festival’s first corporate gift. She obtained the first seven-figure gift, and this happened because of her genuine love for those who give.”

As part of a dedicated team, Jyl, Scott, and Fred cultivated relationships with key philanthropic foundations in the state, underscoring the importance of the Festival’s mission. Jyl’s efforts in this area––such as fostering combined support from the Marriner S. Eccles, Emma Eccles Jones, and George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundations–– were instrumental in securing the support the Festival needed to thrive.

The building of the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Center for the Arts required a wide range of contributions from patrons, donors, board members, and university personnel. Jyl was instrumental in creating these lifelong Festival friends, a testament to her ability to unite people and nurture connections. Through the focused collaboration of a team of fundraisers, she helped to fulfill this community dream.

Jyl loved serving people, organizing galas, and planning fundraising trips and parties. These events sparked and solidified lifelong friendships with patrons. Jyl’s impact is remembered by hundreds on social media sharing memories and comments, including: “I felt Jyl was the Festival’s heart.” “Jyl maintained warm and lasting relationships with our family for 25 years.” “ Fred and Jyl were always the face of the Festival for us.” “Jyl was a positive driving force in development and a warm, welcoming spirit for the Festival.” Jyl was a second mother, mentor, and faithful friend.” “Jyl was a beautiful human being who contributed to the success and growth of the Festival.” “I’ll dearly miss her jovial ‘Hey Kiddo’ and ‘Huzzah!’”

Jyl retired from the Festival in October of 2017. She actively continued to advocate for the Festival, providing suggestions for future growth, participating in events, and was a catalyst for further building of community. Southern Utah University President Mindy Benson shared, “Jyl is a bright light, full of creativity, service mentorship, and love to all who had the opportunity to spend time with her, work with her, and learn from her. She will be missed. She continues to make a difference through all of us.”

Funeral services will be held Saturday, July 20, at 11 a.m. in the Great Hall of the Hunter Alumni Center at Southern Utah University, 405 West University Blvd, Cedar City, Utah 84720. A viewing will be held prior to the service, from 10 to 11 a.m. in the Whiting Room. It is requested that attendees wear a touch of pink, as that was Jyl’s favorite color.

Click here for the obituary and link to livestream the services.

Q&A with The Winter's Tale Director

In her first year with the Utah Shakespeare Festival, director Carolyn Howarth is taking on one of Shakespeare’s most underrated—and most beautiful—plays: The Winter’s Tale. And, though she’s new to the Festival, Howarth has a rich background in Shakespeare. She directed shows for 14 seasons at the Colorado Shakespeare Festival, as well as at the Orlando Shakespeare Theatre, Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival, and the Sierra Shakespeare Festival. Her productions have also appeared at Perseverance Theatre Company, Capital Stage, and Foothill Theatre Company, where she also served as the artistic director.

As an actor, Howarth has appeared onstage at Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival, Jewish Theatre San Francisco, Maxim Gorky Theatre, and a number of regional theaters across the country.

Howarth received her BA and MFA from UC Davis, where she also worked as a professor. Her other teaching credits include the University of South Carolina, the University of Alabama, and Sierra College.

The Festival sat down with Howarth to learn more about her approach to The Winter’s Tale.

The Festival: Why were you excited to direct this play?

Howarth: I love this play. It was one of my first professional productions when I started as an actor. I thought about this play a lot. It’s a later Shakespeare play, which don’t come up a lot. It’s only the second time in my entire career that it’s crossed my path, so I was excited for that.

I was excited because it’s hard and complicated and it deals with messy humans that are trying to figure stuff out, and I find the form of the play and [the two worlds coming together] so fascinating. I was also excited to be at the Festival because it’s been on my bucket list for a long time.

The Festival: This play has a lot of dark themes, such as betrayal and jealousy. How did you balance these ideas with the lighter ones?

Howarth: You can’t shy away from dark moments in plays because then the moments of lightness don’t mean anything. This play is beautifully structured, because you have this world of jealousy, betrayal, and infidelity, and then you go to this idyllic world where they’re singing and dancing… and Shakespeare balances it all very nicely and takes those two worlds into the fifth act and combines them.

Even in the moments of darkness, there’s humor that’s often ironic and satiric. It’s those moments that [show us] how we behave as humans, whether for good or for bad. That allows us to laugh and to find that personal connection.

The Festival: You noted in a production design meeting that this is ultimately a play about faith. Can you expand more on that?

Howarth: There’s a myriad of themes in the play, including loyalty, family, Pagan and Christian… it’s so full of contrast. For me, though, it’s all leading to the ending moments of rebirth and resurrection and reunion. In order for those things to happen, the characters have to have hope and faith and believe in the reality of miracles.

Love is redefined as a miracle. Shakespeare’s audience really believed in the supernatural, in a way that we don’t as much contemporarily, and for them faith was “anything can happen in theatre and can represent anything.”

The Festival: As playgoers, what should we watch for that would help us enjoy/understand the play even more? Are there any special hidden surprises you’ve implemented in the show?

Howarth: There is an article of clothing that will keep reappearing throughout the play. There’s also a scenic element that will reappear in various places and surprise the audience. On a philosophical level, Shakespeare was pulling from a lot of sources, but there’s little things that crop up in our notion of “fairytales.” There’s a lot of fairytale moments littered throughout the play that are fun to look for.

It’s fun to look for the turns in the characters. The big one is Leontes and his many shifts. But some of the comic characters have shifts, too. It’s also fun to look at the characters that oppose one another. Who in Bohemia feels the same in Sicilia thematically?

The Festival: What challenges came with preparing to direct this play?

Howarth: Shakespeare wrote big plays. This one spans 16 years of time, and there’s always things you have to figure out how to solve. Modern day audiences look at these plays through a modern lens; so how do you stay true to Shakespeare but present these themes [for audiences today]? We keep doing Shakespeare’s plays because he managed to put so much humanity in his plays; he transcends time and [continues] to teach us lessons. We recognize human behavior in his plays.

The Festival: What do you hope audience members will take away from this play?

Howarth: I hope they leave with a feeling that we as humans need each other—now more than ever—for empathy, compassion, community, and friendship; and that that is possible. Grace is attainable through forgiveness, and I hope audience members leave feeling that possibility. You can always find a way to move past feelings of hatred.

There’s a lot of fun in this play too, and I hope people are entertained by those moments.

The Festival: How long have you been a director? What draws you to directing?

Howarth: I started acting in junior high and then did actor training and was working as a professional actor for years. I was primarily acting and directing [only] occasionally, but as I aged, the acting roles became fewer and farther between and it shifted. I’ve been directing for 28 years.

I love directing because I love puzzles. I’m addicted to crossword puzzles and sudoku, and directing for me is a puzzle, because it’s all about figuring out how those pieces fit together.

The other huge part of directing for me is being able to work with brilliant colleagues to create. It’s about the collaboration, and I’m in more of those worlds as a director than I was as an actor.

The Festival: Anything else you want Festival audiences to know?

Howarth: I would encourage people to not be afraid of these plays they haven’t heard of. I realize it’s not a Romeo and Juliet, but these lesser-known titles bring so much substance, and they’re such a delight. They’re so deep and thick and rich with drama and humor. It’s a gorgeous show.

Get your tickets to The Winter’s Tale, running now through September 6 in the Engelstad Shakespeare Theatre. Visit bard.org or call 800-PLAYTIX.

Q&A with Henry VIII Director

Derek Charles Livingston, the director of new plays at the Festival, directed this season’s production of Shakespeare’s political drama, Henry VIII.

In past few years at the Festival, Livingston served as the interim artistic director, and the director of last season’s A Raisin in the Sun. He also played Thurgood Marshall in the Festival’s production of Thurgood in 2022. Livingston was previously the managing artistic director at the Celebration Theatre, program manager/production and new play producer at the Playwrights Project, and the artistic producer for Plays in Progress at Cygnet Theatre. He won the New Hampshire Drama Award for his leading role in Driving Miss Daisy, and the LA Scenie Award for directing Sweeney Todd and M Butterfly.

Livingston received an MFA from the UCLA School of Theatre, Film and Television, as well as a BA in theatre arts from Brown University.

The Festival talked to Livingston and asked him about his preparation and experience directing this historical drama.

The Festival: Why were you excited to direct Shakespeare’s Henry VIII?

Livingston: It’s not done often, so it’s a chance as an artist to delve into a Shakespeare play that a lot of people don’t know, to give it shape. I’m always thrilled by political intrigue because the human decisions, selfishness, and selflessness come from people’s internal wants.

I’m excited for audiences to get to see the character of Katharine who I think is one of the best female characters Shakespeare ever wrote. People know about Lady Macbeth and Kate [from The Taming of the Shrew] and Beatrice [from Much Ado About Nothing] and Juliet, but Queen Katherine has some amazing monologues. Anytime we can elevate the voice of women within Shakespeare, we should do it.

The Festival: King Henry’s love affairs often get a bad rap. What should we know to better understand the circumstances in this play?

Livingston: He has an awful reputation when it comes to wives and women. It’s important for our audiences to know that we are the Utah Shakespeare Festival, and that we’re presenting the Henry that Shakespeare wrote—which requires some context and understanding. Shakespeare couldn’t disparage Anne Boleyn, because that would be to disparage Queen Elizabeth [who was Henry and Anne’s daughter], and was very loved. He was walking a tightrope in creating this play, and what he chose to focus on were specific moments of crisis.

This play focuses on two relationships: his relationships with Katharine and Anne. The audience should come in expecting to learn about Shakespeare’s interpretation of the relationships.

Deservedly so, Henry has a bad reputation when it comes to his wives and other women—as there were extramarital relationships as well—but there was almost seven years between the time Henry met Anne and declared his interest, and when he made her his wife—which speaks to me that there must have been a real affection and love there [to span that time period].

The Festival: For those that are intimidated by Shakespeare’s more political plays, what would you say? Why should they come see Henry VIII?

Livingston: We think we know who Henry was, but here’s a chance to see the alternative of it. My plan was to stage and create a show that anyone can follow the storyline without necessarily understanding every nuance of the language. There are moments that are visually arresting, such as the coronation for Anne and the christening of Elizabeth.

[In addition], Bill Black, one of our longest-serving costume designers, does his best work in this [time] period, and he designed this show. It really should offer something for people that just lean into pure theatricality, to be able to enjoy, and the language will come.

Go to our seminars and orientations, as it really helps set up the context of the play. That’s why Fred [C. Adams] started them, so people could approach Shakespeare fearlessly.

The Festival: As playgoers, what should we watch for in this show? Are there any special “Easter eggs” you have implemented into the play as a director?

Livingston: Patrons should look for paper. Anytime a piece of paper appears onstage, someone’s life is about to change. That to me is the level of political intrigue in which we are playing. I want people to watch for how decrees and papers and letters are almost used as a sword.

Our set designer Apollo Weaver and I talked about what some of the emblems on the flags in Henry’s court should look like, and plan to combine the house of York and Lancaster to create the Tudor line symbolically.

There’s [also] the great seal, which is something that would mark an official letter, carried by Wolsey, and patrons should watch how this becomes an important moment, along with Wolsey’s ring.

The Festival: What statement/realization/feeling do you hope audience members leave with after seeing the play?

Livingston: I want people to leave saying, “Henry really emerged and pulled that off. He went through that crisis and emerged as his own person.”

I hope they walk away appreciating the moments of royal pomp and pageantry. I hope that patrons, especially if they came with the preconceived notion of who Henry is, go and do their own research to understand how and why Shakespeare wrote the play the way he did.

There’s been a recent book on Anne Boleyn that explores her mind and her position within the time, and she was far more than just the lady-in-waiting. She was a woman with her own mind and was probably very influential to Henry on the idea of moving away from the Catholic church. [We aimed to make] sure that Anne comes across as an intelligent woman with her own mind, so audiences will be intrigued by her as well, because history gives her a bad rap.

The Festival: What challenges came with preparing to direct this play?

Livingston: The biggest challenge is the known story of Henry, and all the variations and interpretations of the Tudor family—so I think people approach this play with a very strong notion of who they think Henry VIII is. The challenge is acknowledging that, but also being faithful to the story that Shakespeare is trying to tell.

Because Shakespeare wrote the play for an audience that understood [royalty], those things aren’t necessarily explained to our modern audience. This can get very lost on a modern American audience, and so part of the challenge has been to make sure to tell the story of this king who is in romantic, constitutional, political, and moral crises in a royal realm without the audience necessarily having to know what each of these royal ranks mean and represent.

The Festival: You have a long history of directing highly-acclaimed shows. What draws you to be a director?

Livingston: I continue to direct because I love bringing stories to the stage and I love creating compelling and interesting moments where the audience leans in and really listens. I love working with actors and being in the rehearsal process, and the collective discovery that can happen.

To purchase tickets to Henry VIII, visit bard.org or call 800-PLAYTIX.

Shakespeare Under the Stars: Theatre in the Engelstad Shakespeare Theatre

For 63 years patrons have enjoyed their yearly dose of Shakespeare and live theatre under the stars at the Utah Shakespeare Festival in Cedar City. Prior to 2016 they thronged to the outdoor Adams Memorial Theatre, a beloved but retired performance space. Since then, performers and patrons alike have delighted in Festival performances in the open-air Engelstad Shakespeare Theatre, where the majority of productions presented are written by the Bard. Both the Adams and Engelstad Theatres were inspired by Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in London.

There is something so unique and special about seeing live theatre in an outdoor space where night falls, stars come out, and temperatures cool off while you sit and revel in the incredible performances on the stage. This season, already off to a great start, patrons can experience this very memorable opportunity by seeing Shakespeare’s Henry VIII, The Winter’s Tale, and The Taming of the Shrew in the Engelstad.

Make sure not to miss Henry VIII this season. Besides being done outdoors, another reason to catch this play is that it is rarely performed. The last time the Festival produced this regal history was nearly 30 years ago! It is also a part of the Festival’s “Complete the Canon” initiative as well as the final piece to the “Shakespeare’s History Cycle” initiative, both started over a decade ago.

Artistic Director John DiAntonio says, “Audiences won’t want to miss this rare opportunity. The production is filled with grand pageantry, including the coronation of Anne Boleyn and the christening of Princess Elizabeth. But none of that will take away from the gripping human drama at the story’s center.”

Another brilliant production in the Engelstad this season is The Winter’s Tale. Though originally grouped with Shakespeare’s comedies, it is now considered a romance (Elizabethan romance contains both tragedy and comedy, a melancholy tone, and the remedy of a past injustice). Centering around the actions in two dynamically different European kingdoms, Utah Theatre Bloggers call this production “highly entertaining and accessible…[with] tremendous professional acting and impressive staging…[it] deserves to be seen and appreciated.”

The third show in the outdoor theatre this season is the hilarious and touching The Taming of the Shrew. Often considered a problematic story for modern audiences, the Festival’s production is considerate of problematic plot points and is “packed with zany comedy and ingenious comedic performances,” says Utah Theatre Bloggers.

Presented as a play-within-a-play (not often done with this show), the fiery Katherine and the braggart Petruchio discover ways to meet on common ground and as Front Row Reviews say, “We are left pondering the definition of selfless love and what it means to truly care for each other.”

Get your tickets now for these outstanding outdoor performances. They are experiences you don’t want to miss. Visit bard.org or call 800-PLAYTIX for more information.

The Festival Opens 63rd Season

The Utah Shakespeare Festival officially opened last week, and is celebrating its 63rd season in Cedar City, offering an enriching and fun cultural experience that captivates audiences of all ages. The Festival has become a cherished tradition for many theatre lovers, families, and newcomers alike. If you’ve never been, come and discover the magic this summer!

The play lineup in the Festival’s three theatres includes Shakespeare’s Henry VIII, The Winter’s Tale, The Taming of the Shrew, and Much Ado About Nothing, along with the hilarious comedy The 39 Steps, the moving and tender Silent Sky, and the inspirational The Mountaintop. The latter two will open on July 15 and 16, respectively.

“The Festival’s 2024 Season focuses on history makers and extraordinary characters,” says Artistic Director John DiAntonio. “This dynamic line-up of plays invites audiences to explore the question: ‘Who can we trust?’ Living in an age of endless choices, updates, and opinions, it’s an important theme to explore.”

“Strong female characters are another theme this season,” comments Executive Managing Director Michael Bahr, “with Queen Katherine, Queen Hermione, ‘Kate the Cursed,’ and Beatrice teaming up to represent some of Shakespeare’s strongest women. They are not to be outdone, however; the women from The 39 Steps, Silent Sky, and The Mountaintop are all exceptional too!”

In addition to the mainstage productions, enjoy free family fun at The Greenshow every evening at 7:10 pm, Monday through Saturday. This year’s themes are Royals, featuring Queen Elizabeth I and Mary, Queen of Scots (before performances of Henry VIII), Folk Festival (before performances of The Winter’s Tale), and Commedia (before performances of The Taming of the Shrew). These dynamic family-friendly outdoor shows feature singing, dancing, stories, music, and audience participation. Bring a blanket and stretch out on the grass or cozy up on a bench for these lively 30-minute pre-show performances. Also this season, the Festival again welcomes the Paiute Tribe of Utah with special Greenshow performances on July 8 and 23, and August 7 and 29.

What is affectionately known as the Festival Experience ensures that audiences’ participation goes beyond––and sometimes behind––the stage. An expansive array of seminars, orientations, Backstage Tours, Repertory Magic, classes, camps, and more aim to enhance patrons’ understanding of Shakespeare and other playwrights’ works and the process of repertory theatre. Some are free; others have an admission fee. Much of the Festival Experience is thoughtfully designed to demystify the Bard’s language and themes, making his works accessible and enjoyable for all, regardless of prior exposure to Shakespeare.

For those interested in even more theatrical experiences, the Festival also hosts a new play reading series called Words Cubed in August where audience and actors come together with playwrights to experience and discuss their new works. Additionally, students from London’s renowned Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts (RADA) will present a condensed touring production of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream July 30-August 3 in the Anes Studio Theatre.

We invite you to experience the magic of the Utah Shakespeare Festival this season. Whether you’re sharing the joy of Shakespeare with your family for the first time or rediscovering his or other playwrights’ genius, the Festival offers a welcoming, engaging, and unforgettable experience for everyone. Get your tickets today at bard.org, by calling 800-PLAYTIX, or visiting the Ticket Office near the clocktower.

Spotlight on Familiar Faces: Returning Actors Shine at the Utah Shakespeare Festival

The Utah Shakespeare Festival kicks off its 63rd season on TONIGHT (on June 17) and invites audiences to experience a lineup of timeless classics and compelling new works through October 5. Celebrating the return of beloved patrons, the Festival is equally thrilled to welcome back many esteemed members of the seasonal company.

Each of the Festival’s productions listed below not only showcases the performing talents of returning actors, directors, and artists, but also underscores the Festival’s commitment to nurturing a community of artists who grow and evolve alongside their audience.

Henry VIII by William Shakespeare

Festival Director of New Plays/Artistic Associate Derek Charles Livingston is directing Shakespeare’s final history play, Henry VIII, which is rarely produced and last at the Festival nearly 30 years ago. Last season, Topher Embrey charmed Festival patrons as Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. This year he leads Henry VIII in the title role, with Cassandra Bissell returning as Queen Katherine and Chris Mixon as Cardinal Wolsey. Other returning actors joining them on stage include: Evelyn Carol Case, Christopher Centinaro, Trent Dahlin, Darin F. Earl II, John Harrell, Geoffrey Kent, Marco Antonio Vega, Spencer Watson, Henry Woronicz, and Braedon Young.

The Winter’s Tale by William Shakespeare

Filled with contrast, one of Shakespeare’s later and lesser-known plays, The Winter’s Tale, balances themes of jealousy and love. Audiences will journey from conflict to reunion with returning actors Geoffrey Kent as Polixenes and Tracie Lane as Hermione. The cast also includes other familiar faces: Michael Doherty, Topher Embrey, John Harrell, Chris Mixon, Bailey Savage, Christopher Centinaro, and Kinsley Seegmiller.

The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare

After delivering a sparkling Jane Austen’s Emma The Musical in her Festival directorial debut last season, Valerie Rachelle returns to direct The Taming of the Shrew. Returning actors include: Chris Mixon as Baptista Minola, Blake Henri as Grumio, Cassandra Bissell as Tranio/Huntsman, Topher Embrey as Christopher Sly/Curtis, and Melinda Parrett as Josephina/Widow/Server. The cast also features returning actors John Harrell, Geoffrey Kent, and Christopher Centinaro.

Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare

Beloved director Brad Carroll returns to direct Much Ado About Nothing. Returning actors bringing this romantic romp to life include Henry Woronicz as Leonato, Jimmy Nguyen as Claudio, Melinda Parrett as Beatrice, and Marco Antonio Vega as Don John. Additional familiar faces include: Ashley Aquino, Evelyn Carol Case, Trent Dahlin, Darin F. Earl II, Blake Henri, Matthew Wangemann, Spencer Watson, and Braedon Young.

The 39 Steps by Patrick Barlow

Having played a clown in the Festival’s 2010 production of The 39 Steps, Aaron Galligan-Stierle is returning to the play, this time as the director. Audiences will laugh out loud with returning actors Michael Doherty as Clown #1, Tracie Lane as Annabella/Margaret/Pamela, and Bailey Savage as Clown #2.

Silent Sky by Lauren Gunderson

Directed by Festival veteran Melinda Pfundstein, Silent Sky features Katie Cunningham returning to the Festival to portray Henrietta Leavitt. Additional returning actors include Kat Lee as Margaret Leavitt and Sarah Shippobotham as Williamina Fleming.

The Mountaintop by Katori Hall

Cameron Knight is returning to direct The Mountaintop at the Festival, having directed The Tempest and Richard III in the past. Following Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., audience members watch as he confronts both his mortality and the future of his work. “It puts a human touch and human connection on the legend that is Martin Luther King Jr. and brings him back down to the people,” Knight said.

Tickets for Henry VIII, The Winter’s Tale, The Taming of the Shrew, and Much Ado About Nothing, as well as The 39 Steps, Silent Sky and The Mountaintop can be found online at bard.org or by calling 800-PLAYTIX.

Welcome 2024 Anes Company Members

As the curtains prepare to rise on the Festival’s 63rd season, beginning this week in the Engelstad Shakespeare Theatre, and the following week in the Randall L. Jones Theatre, a delightful blend of returning and new artists arrived last week on Monday, June 10, to begin the process for two productions in our third space, the Anes Studio Theatre. These shows will open in mid-July and run through October 5.

The gathering was filled with anticipation, nostalgia, excitement, and some nervous energy. Artistic Director John DiAntonio gave a warm welcome by saying, “You are in an extraordinary place and it’s easy to take that for granted…but you are surrounded by some of the best artists in the country and in a community that is thrilled to have you…I hope you fill up your cup this summer through the art and through connections.” Featuring two captivating period pieces penned by esteemed contemporary playwrights, this group of theatre technicians have since jumped enthusiastically into their work.

Audiences can expect to be transported by these stories––Silent Sky by Lauren Gunderson, directed by Melinda Pfundstein, and The Mountaintop by Katori Hall, directed by Cameron Knight––that delve into the lives of some important historical trail blazers.

The inspiring narrative of Silent Sky tells a story of indomitable spirit about pioneering astronomer Henrietta Leavitt. Her relentless pursuit of knowledge and truth weaves a tale not only about difficult challenges she faced but also of discovering light and love within.

The Mountaintop tells a fictional but powerful story of Martin Luther King Jr.’s final night on earth. While his legacy is full of potency and grace, this poignant story also serves as a reminder of his struggles, vulnerabilities, and pressures to be a leader in a pivotal time.

Both directors have a strong history with the Festival, and lead artistic teams and casts who are preparing extraordinary productions. One of the advantages of performing in the Anes Theatre is the opportunity to experience these stories in an intimate setting. With only 200 seats, audiences are very close to the action onstage. Another exciting element in this space this season is the use of projection to tell the stories. Without giving anything away, it will be something not to be missed.

Welcome to the 2024 Anes company!

Tickets and information for Silent Sky and The Mountaintop, along with the Festival’s other productions including Shakespeare’s Henry VIII, The Winter’s Tale, The Taming of the Shrew, and Much Ado About Nothing, as well as the hilarious whodunit comedy The 39 Steps, can be found online at bard.org or by calling 800-PLAYTIX.