Company Spotlight: Betsy Mugavero and Aaron Galligan-Stierle

Betsy Mugavero, Actor

Have you ever worked at the Festival before?
This is my 5th season. previous roles: Molly, “Peter & The Starcatcher,” Hermia, “A Midsummer Nights Dream,” Poppy, “Noises Off,” Agnes, “School for Wives,” Phoebe, “As You Like It,” The Boy, “Henry V,” Mopsa, “Winters Tale,” Jaquenetta, “Loves Labours Lost,” Haberdasher, “Taming of the Shrew.” My first season was in 2008.

Where’s your home base?
Still searching…

What’s your education/training background?
Masters in Fine Arts, University of California, Irvine and Bacheloe of Arts, Temple University.

What brought you to your field and what keeps you doing your craft?
A passion for storytelling and a curiosity for exploring the prism of life. As a theater artist I get to run the gamut of emotions and have endless adventures in my stage life.  The people that work in the theater are the most inspiring and exciting people I know. They keep me going and keep me thirsty for new collaborations and ideas.  Theater is so powerful in the way that it brings creative minds together to tell an unforgettable story about a human experience, and then the creative minds craft and build and sweat to bring that story to the masses so that an audience or an individual can leave the theater changed and hopefully more compassionate.  Compassion is something that is desperately needed in our crazy world and theater commits itself to providing avenues for people to find theirs.

How will you spend your time off while here?
Hiking in Zion! It’s my favorite place. What’s great about USF, and what others have said as well, is that you can rehearse all day with the same actors, directors and stage management team, but on the weekend you’ll find yourself traversing the chains on Angels Landing with a draper you’ve never known before, a trumpet player from the musical, and a scenic painter- people you otherwise may never have had the chance to interact with.  The beautiful hikes in Utah bring people together through their sense of wonder and adventure for this amazing backdrop of the Festival thus making our work as a company stronger.

What does the Festival Experience mean to you?
Living in the moment, off stage and on. Because the distractions in Cedar City are found in the nature surrounding it, when you come to this place you have a glorious opportunity to grow as an individual and artist. You’re inspired by your collaborators and by the beauty and power of the mountains surrounding you. The Festival can become a physical, spiritual and artistic experience unlike any other.

If it applies, do you have a favorite memory of working in the Adams Theatre?
I have a few…It’s a little cheesy, but my favorite memory of working in the Adams is actually one when i had a night off and went to see “Comedy of Errors” in 2009.  That night I saw Quinn Mattfeld play Antihpolus of Syracuse and completely fell in love with him. He was so funny and earnest and I’ll never forget how charmed I was watching him.

Also, when I was in “School for Wives” in 2008, we played at the Randall while “Cyrano” played at the Adams. “Wives” would come down earlier than “Cyrano” and I would sometimes sneak up the back steps of the Adams house and watch the last scene with Brian and Melinda as Cyrano and Roxanne. Their performances in that show were deeply felt and unforgettable. I strive to be as engaging and honest as they were in that piece.

I also absolutely loved our run of “Midsummer” in 2011. Fred directed and it was the 50th anniversary. The lovers all had a blast working together and falling to pieces under the actual night sky that the Adams provides.

If you could be a superhero, what would you want your superpowers to be?
You know, I don’t want to be a superhero. From the movies I’ve watched, it’s a pretty lonely life. I think I want to be a really good ice skater…don’t ice skaters and dancers in the Olympics seem super human as they spin and jump on ICE!??! I don’t understand the mechanics of all that and if given the power, I’d want to be able to do all of that.

If you had a time machine, where would you like to visit?
I’d like to see my parents as kids, my grandparents in younger years. I’ve had such a self centered upbringing as their progeny, I’d love to see what they were like when they were 5, 10, 15 years old. What their personalities and interests were. To be a fly on the wall of my parents first date when they were 17 and 18 would be weird but I totally wanna see that. They were at a carnival! So sweet. I think getting to see them as kids would be really special.

Aaron Galligan-Stierle, Actor

Have you ever worked at the Festival before?
7 seasons: Dromio of Syracuse in “The Comedy of Errors,” Feste in “Twelfth Night,” Smee in “Peter and the Starcatcher,” Lord Evelyn in “Anything Goes,” Launcelot Gobbo in “The Merchant of Venice,” Clown #2 in “The 39 Steps,” Leo Davis in “Room Service,” Flute in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” Mordred in “Camelot,” and Frankie in “Forever Plaid.”

Where’s your home base?
New York City

What’s your education/training background?
BFA in Musical Theater from Shenandoah University, MFA in Acting from Penn State

What brought you to your field and what keeps you doing your craft?
I was one of those crazy kids who knew exactly what I wanted to be when I grew up from the age of 5. I have always loved the community of passionate, empathetic, and imaginative artists that is the theater family. I love telling great stories, making people laugh, helping create a dialogue about tough subject matters, and allowing the community of theater goers to hopefully reflect, understand and experience this gift of life and our world in a deeper more meaningful way. And let me tell you…a life in the theater is FUN!

How will you spend your time off while here?
Most of the time will be spent with my amazing wife, Shannon and my two beautiful children, Devin and Zoe. I absolutely love the gift of getting to share this special place and this community with my family. We love the outdoors, the activities, the parades and most of all the people. It is wonderful to feel like such a part of this community.

What does the Festival Experience mean to you?
I always tell people that the Utah Shakespeare Festival is my artistic home. This is where I cut my teeth and learned by watching and getting to work with some of my favorite artists I have ever had the luck to meet. It is where I return again and again to be artistically inspired. When people ask me to name the top theatrical experiences of my career, I always say that 9 of my top 10 have all taken place here in Cedar City.

If it applies, do you have a favorite memory of working in the Adams Theatre?
I have a lot of great memories in that place, but getting to perform “The Comedy of Errors” there last year, with that absolutely amazing cast, will probably always be one of my favorite theatrical experiences.

If you could be a superhero, what would you want your superpowers to be?
My superpower would be that I could learn any new skill in minutes. Want to play piano? 5 minutes of study and I am a genius. Tap dance like Fred Astaire? 7 minutes. Juggling? Flying an airplane? Speak Russian? No prob. I could learn anything I wanted in no time flat.

Company Spotlight: Steven A Bridgman and Nigel Huckle

Nigel Huckle, Actor

Have you ever worked at the Festival before?
First Year

Where’s your home base?
It will be New York at the end of my time here at USF.

What’s your education/training background?
I have a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre from Shenandoah Conservatory in Winchester, Virginia. I’ve also trained at the Denver Center for Performing Arts, and with the Improv Conspiracy in Melbourne, Australia.

What brought you to your field and what keeps you doing your craft?
Well, my mom forced me to an audition when I was eight years old. It was for ‘Peter Pan’ at the regional theater in my hometown. I sang “My Heart Will Go On” from Titanic, and did a two-person scene with myself from “The Borrowers”. Funny enough, I got the part, and I was hooked from then!

I keep acting because yes, there is definitely a rush from being on stage. But also, you get to see the reward on people’s faces when they truly are moved and entertained from seeing your collective performance.

How will you spend your time off while here?
Well, I grew up in the Appalachian Mountains, so being in the Rockies is very exciting and fresh for me! I am definitely keen for some outdoor time! I’m also setting up for the move to New York, so I’m sure there will be a little bit of preparation for that happening, but you just can take life too seriously, can you? You’ve got to enjoy where you are while you can!

What does the Festival Experience mean to you?
The Festival Experience means working with one of the best theatre companies in the country. It means proving to myself that I can perform on the highest level. And it also means performing for an amazing community of loyal supporters of the Festival, and working alongside people who are so passionate about this place. It’s very exciting!

If you could be a superhero, what would you want your superpowers to be?
I would definitely want to fly. Think of how much you could get done so quickly!

If you had a time machine, where would you like to visit?
I think I would go back to the 50s or 60s. There is something interesting about that time period to me. Industry and design were developing identities for that era. There’s also an air of luxury that I sense when I watch films from the time. As a Taurus, we have an affinity for nice things. Might be fun to have a look!

Steven A Bridgman, Carpenter

Have you ever worked at the Festival before?
I was here back in 2009 as the Master Carpenter for Private Lives.

Where’s your home base?
Winterville, NC

What’s your education/training background?
AS in Architectural Technology
BS in Theatre Design and Technology
Currently in Graduate school, MFA Scenic Design at the University of Cincinnati-College-Conservatory of Music

What brought you to your field and what keeps you doing your craft?
Wanting to bring all the skills that I have learned throughout my life into some sort of constructive physical form.

How will you spend your time off while here?
Camping, Rock Climbing, Lounging

What does the Festival Experience mean to you?
Being apart of a larger group of semi like minded individuals.

If you could be a superhero, what would you want your superpowers to be?
Regeneration, super speed, flight, skilled martial artist.

If you had a time machine, where would you like to visit?
1800’s

Company Spotlight: Austen Strine and Brandon Beaver

Austen Strine, House Management

Have you ever worked at the Festival before?
No, this will be my first year!

Where’s your home base?
Cedar City, Utah. My family lives all over the country, and I feel best when we’re all together, so I guess home base is when my family gets together too.

What’s your education/training background?
Sales training more than anything else as far as vocational training. Lots of music and theatre schooling.

What brought you to your field and what keeps you doing your craft?
Laughter. Making others laugh and enjoy themselves, and in the process getting a solid amount of attention and respect is pretty much what I like best about theatre. I love the groove I get into where I can understand exactly what to do next to keep people laughing, because we’ve become so finely tuned to each other.

How will you spend your time off while here?
I teach voice lessons on the side, and I spend as much time as possible with my wife and son. I audition pretty frequently for professional theaters in utah when the season comes as well. I haven’t had much success, but I know I will soon! …hint hint

What does the Festival Experience mean to you?
Well, it’s a chance to let my nerd show. Kind of like a nudist colony, you know? …Okay, it’s not like that at all. Forget I said it. I love to dress up and make people enjoy their evenings. I suppose that’s why I like acting as well, haha!

If it applies, do you have a favorite memory of working in the Adams Theatre?
Ooooh, getting hired is definitely my favorite memory.

If you could be a superhero, what would you want your superpowers to be?
Probably something Tony-Stark-ish, like a massive intellect, rather than actual superpowers. Or something really realistic, and slightly boring like photosynthesis.

If you had a time machine, where would you like to visit?
Assuming it was able to travel through both time and space so that you don’t run into anything along the way, probably the future, to a time when mankind has pretty much solved the majority of social issues and dilemmas and can focus on the advancement of science and philosophy.

Brandon Beaver, Actor

Have you ever worked at the Festival before?
First Year

Where’s your home base?
I am originally from Tulsa, OK, but I am currently living in New York City.

What’s your education/training background?
I have a BFA in Musical Theatre from the University of Miami (FL)

What brought you to your field and what keeps you doing your craft?
My grandma. She saw at a young age how musically inclined I was and that I could not stop putting on a show around the house. From there, a ton of community theatre and before I knew it I graduated college. I keep in the field because I cannot imagine myself doing anything else as a career. I believe you gotta do what makes you happy no matter what.

How will you spend your time off while here?
VOLLEYBALL!! And I definitely want to hike. I also love almost every card or board game.

What does the Festival Experience mean to you?
An inviting and joyous place to see enjoyable, and hopefully impactful theatre.

If you could be a superhero, what would you want your superpowers to be?
Telekinesis. Moving things around without touching them. That’s the dream.

Literary Seminars Streamed Live

We are pleased to present live webcasts of Festival Literary Seminars from June 27 to -July 5. These seminars will be streamed live on YouTube, and will be archived and available after the seminars. Discussions of the Adams Shakespeare Theatre plays from the day before will be at 9 a.m. Mountain Time, and discussions of the plays in the Randall L. Jones Theatre will be at 10 a.m.

Follow the links below for the YouTube Channel, or click specific show links to the live event.

Literary Seminar YouTube Channel

Saturday, June 27
9 a.m.: Henry IV Part Two
10 a.m.: Charley’s Aunt

Sunday, June 28
9 a.m.: King Lear
10 a.m.: South Pacific

Tuesday, June 30
9 a.m.: The Taming of the Shrew
10 a.m.: Amadeus

Wednesday, July 1
9 a.m.: Henry IV Part 2
10 a.m.: Charley’s Aunt

Thursday, July 2
9 a.m.: King Lear
10 a.m.: South Pacific

Friday, July 3
9 a.m.: The Taming of the Shrew
10 a.m.: Amadeus

Saturday, July 4
9 a.m.: Henry IV Part 2
10 a.m.: Charley’s Aunt

Sunday, July 5
9 a.m.: King Lear
10 a.m.: South Pacific

South Pacific Actor Blog

South Pacific with Allie Babich (Nellie Forbush) and Michael Scott Harris (Emile de Becque)

One of the most beloved musicals of all time, South Pacific is a sweeping story of love threatened by the dangers of prejudice and war, all set to songs such as “Some Enchanted Evening,” “Younger Than Springtime,” and “Bali Ha’i." The roles of Nellie Forbush and Emile de Becque are played by Festival newcomers Allie Babich and Michael Scott Harris. We chatted with them to get their take on the play, their roles, and the Festival.

Talk about your approach to these iconic roles.

Allie: You bring as much of yourself to the role as you can. You start with what’s on the page and go with the story that’s written. I also found it helpful to read Michener’s  “Tales of the South Pacific” and draw from some of the imagery in there to fill in details.

Michael: What makes theatre a living art form is new people doing it and bringing their own experiences to it. Some people will already have a relationship with this play, but we have an entirely new generation who will see it for the first time. Bring yourself, be honest and play what’s on the page. Do your best. I’m a tenor. The two most famous Emile’s were bass-baritones. I’m not those guys. I can smoke all the cigars in the world and not be those guys. Hopefully we honor the show yet still bring something new to it.

What are your thoughts about the relevance of this story, set in World War II, to today?

Michael: There isn’t anything that limits it to World War II. American are occupying a land that’s not their own. It shows the aspect of war that is not the heroic part - the tedium. There’s still that culture clash on different levels. That’s why the piece still stands up. You could move it anywhere.

Allie: It was such a ground breaking musical in its day because of how it deals with race and with the interracial love stories. It was shocking in back then and many of the issues are still unresolved.

Michael: We want people to enjoy the performance, laugh and cry, but then the next day think about those unresolved issues. That’s the brilliance of the writers. The story gets underneath you.

Next, we discussed how they heard about the Festival and we had a small world moment.

Allie: I actually came to Utah Shakes my senior year of high school (2010) for the Shakespeare competition. I was with First Stage in Wisconsin. I did my first Shakespeare monologue – Paulina in Winter’s Tale. I then went to school at the University of Minnesota/Guthrie Theatre.  I’m here because of the High School Shakespeare Competition. It changed my life and put me on a course. (During this portion, Michael Bahr, Education Director, walked by and he and Allie connected – very fun!).

Michael: A while back, I was performing a musical reading and Jeremy Mann (Musical Theatre Director at UCLA and prior director at the Festival) was in the audience. He reached out to me and said “we need to work together.” This last winter, he reached out again to see if I would be interested in playing Emile. I put together a video singing “Some Enchanted Evening” and “This Nearly was Mine.” And here I am.

What are your impressions of the Festival?

Michael: I’m blown away by the generosity of heart from the people I get to work with. It’s wonderful!

Allie: I love this little slice of Shakespeare Heaven. It’s unbelievable that I get to work with these outstanding actors. I’m learning so much and having so much fun.

South Pacific opens in preview on June 27 and plays through September 4. You can purchase tickets online at www.bard.org or by calling 800-PLAYTIX.

You can learn more about our production at http://www.bard.org/plays/2015/south-pacific where you’ll find a complete cast list and links to director interviews, costume designs and study guides.

Festival Announces Flex Passes for 2016 Season

CEDAR CITY, UT — The Utah Shakespeare Festival will announce its 2016 season July 10 and begin selling tickets to the new season on August 4, but playgoers can purchase a “Festival Flex Pass” now to guarantee the best seats and save money. The new flex passes will ensure early purchase of seats to all the plays in the Randall L. Jones Theatre, as well as those in the new Engelstad Shakespeare Theatre and the new Eileen and Allen Anes Studio Theatre. Flex passes are on sale now.

The Festival Flex Pass has two distinct advantages:

“First,” said Kami Terry Paul, Festival associate communications and marketing director, “a Flex Pass will allow playgoers to purchase tickets for the 2016 season early, from July 30 to August 3, before the general public begins purchasing on August 4.” However, early purchase isn’t required. Passes can be redeemed for tickets anytime before December 2016, for tickets to the 2016 or 2017 season.

Second, the flex passes come with an added, built-in bonus, an additional 10 percent in purchasing power. For instance, a flex pass for $100 will give you $110 worth of tickets when you redeem it.

In addition, the passes can be used along with other discounts,” said Paul. “So you not only get the extra 10 percent in buying power, but you can get other discounts the Festival offers, such as senior discounts and our popular multi-play discounts—and if you purchase early, you get the best seats in the house.”

Flex passes must be purchased at the Ticket Office at the Adams and Randall Theatre or over the telephone (800-PLAYTIX), but can be redeemed for tickets at the Festival website, www.bard.org, as well as in person or on the phone.

“We have an exciting season planned for 2016, with new theatres and the exceptional quality theatre our guests expect from us,” concluded Paul. “We think the Festival Flex Pass is a great way to introduce you to the new theatres and the 2016 season.”

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Q. What, simply, is the Festival Flex Pass?
A. The Flex Pass is a simple way to purchase your tickets early, before the play titles are announced, and then redeem the pass for tickets after the season announcement and before the general public can purchase.

Q. What are the advantages of the Flex Pass?
A. First, it essentially reserves your space in line for when the season is announced and tickets go on sale. You can purchase your Flex Pass now and redeem it for tickets from July 30 to August 3, before tickets go on sale to the general public on August 4. If you still aren’t ready during those dates to purchase your tickets, you can redeem the Flex Pass any time through December 2016, you just lose the advantage of purchasing before the general public. Second, the Flex Pass comes with an added, built-in bonus, an additional 10 percent in purchasing power. For instance a Flex Pass for $100 can be redeemed for $110 in tickets. 

Q. When is the Flex Pass available to purchase?
A. It is available now by calling the Ticket Office at 800-PLAYTIX.

Q. When can I redeem my Flex Pass for actual tickets?
A. You may redeem it any time through December 2016, but if you want to the benefit of purchasing before the general public, you will need to redeem it between July 30 and August 3.  

Q. Are there any restrictions on the Flex Pass?
A. The Flex Pass is good for any play, any time, in any of our theatres, including the new Engelstad Shakespeare Theatre and the new Eileen and Allen Anes Studio Theatre. The only restriction is that it can only be redeemed for the best seating available on the date of redemption. It is not a guarantee of seat availability.

Q. How much do the Flex Passes cost?
A. The Flex Pass is available in any whole-dollar amount.

***Q.***But how do I know how much to purchase? What will ticket prices be next season?
A. We are not raising prices for 2016. In fact, all fees will now be included in the ticket price, saving you compared to this year’s total cost. So, if you prefer seats in the orchestra section, on a Friday night, the ticket would cost $50, the same as last year.

Q. But what if I miscalculate or change my mind?
A. When you redeem the Flex Pass for actual tickets, if the tickets are more than the value of your pass, you can simply pay the difference at that time. If the tickets are less than the value of your pass, you can use the balance anytime through December 2016 to purchase tickets for the 2016 or 2017 seasons.

Q. But I don’t even know the dates for the 2016 season. How can I plan my purchases now?
**A.**The Festival just today announced the dates for the season. Preview performances for five plays will begin June 27 and run through July 6. Opening performances for those five will be July 7 through 9. The season will then run through September 24, with some shows closing earlier and others be added in. Those exact dates, and the play titles will be announced July 10.

Q. How do I purchase a Flex Pass?
A. You can purchase them in person at any of our ticket offices or by calling 800-PLAYTIX. 

Company Spotlight: John Pribyl and Michael Pasquini

John Pribyl, Actor

Have you ever worked at the Festival before?
This is my first year working for the festival.

Where’s your home base?
Dallas, TX

What’s your education/training background?
I am in my last year at SUU where I will be receiving a degree in Theatre Arts with a minor in Shakespeare Studies.

What brought you to your field and what keeps you doing your craft?
Everything comes back to theatre for me. No matter how many other things I tried, theatre is the only thing that stuck. It’s a beautiful thing when you have the opportunity to do what you love every day. Theatre is unique in that it develops as quickly as the human experience does and is a way of learning from each other.

How will you spend your time off while here?
I take long walks and hike whenever I can. That coupled with my hobby of iPhone photography makes for some lovely Instagram posts.

What does the Festival Experience mean to you?
I adore my friends and I have many who are performing in the shows this year. Seeing them onstage gives me some of the greatest joy I have ever known. Though I would like to work as a professional actor as well, their success means the world to me. The Utah Shakespeare Festival is a family. Anyone who works here can feel a sense of comradery in one way or another. I felt it even before I started working this year.

If it applies, do you have a favorite memory of working in the Adams Theatre?
I have not worked in the Adams Theatre for the festival yet.

If you could be a superhero, what would you want your superpowers to be?
Telekinesis would allow me to manipulate things with my mind. This way I could get whoever makes the fudge to make me all the fudge I wanted. Reading minds is also a plus.

If you had a time machine, where would you like to visit?
I would want to be in the audience for Broadway’s first ever opening night of “A Chorus Line.”  Nothing like that show had ever been done before, and the experience  would be indescribably meaningful to me as a performer.

Michael Pasquini, Associate Lighting Designer in the Adams

Have you ever worked at the Festival before?
Fall 2006, Summer & Fall 2007 Electrician in the Randall.
Summer 2008 Assistant Lighting Designer (ALD) to Stephen Boulmetis in the Randall.
Fall 2010 & 2011 ALD to Donna Ruzika in the Randall.
Summer 2013 & 2014 ALD to Donna Ruzika in the Adams.
Fall 2014 ALD to Todd Ross in the Randall.

Where’s your home base?
Sarasota, FL

What’s your education/training background?
Booker High School Visual and Performing Arts Theatre Program in Sarasota, FL.
Florida State University School of Theatre in Tallahassee, FL.

What brought you to your field and what keeps you doing your craft?
I started out wanting to perform when I was younger. When I didn’t have the time to commit to be in shows, I found it easier to commit to the tech schedule and performances of a show at The Players Theatre in Sarasota. It was there that I ran a light board for the first time as a freshman in high school. I was fascinated with how the look of the stage would transform in an instant with the press of a button.

How will you spend your time off while here?
I love hiking as there are so many beautiful things to see here in Southern Utah; not all of them are visible from the road. Zion is my favorite place to hike.

Donna Ruzika, the Adams’ Lighting Designer, and I have a similar interest in exploring new things. Often we will take a drive and head down a road to see where it might lead. We chat and we laugh and have a great time finding places we never would have seen otherwise.

What does the Festival Experience mean to you?
Returning to the Utah Shakespeare Festival year after year is always exciting. It means getting to say hello to old friends while also getting the opportunity to make new friends. The dedication and support of everyone around makes the time here a cherished and fun experience.

If it applies, do you have a favorite memory of working in the Adams Theatre?
When I first arrived to Cedar City for the fall season of 2006, it was prior to the end of the summer shows. So, while I did not work that summer in the Adams, I did work the strike where we took everything down to put away until the next year. I was floored by how well run and organized the whole day was. I was also fascinated by how different the space was from any other theatre I had ever seen or worked in. When I returned in 2007, I was assigned to the Randall, but would come over to help every now and again in the Adams. It was such a foreign space to me. Not until 2013 did I finally work in Adams. It was a daunting experience working my first focus call where I was in charge of letting the electricians know where to go next while also letting Donna know what light she was focusing. Thanks to Jess, the master electrician, as well as those focusing, all went well.

If you could be a superhero, what would you want your superpowers to be?
To be able to fly, invisibility, super strength, ludicrous speed, and the ability to speak any language.

If you had a time machine, where would you like to visit?
Spello, Italy 1948 and Shelbyville, KY 1956.

Company Spotlight: Bill Black and Samantha Allred

Bill Black, Costume Designer

Have you ever worked at the Festival before? I
This is my 24th summer season.  I have also done 5 Fall seasons.  I have designed costumes for almost 50 plays.

Where’s your home base?
Knoxville, Tennessee.  I am the associate head of the Theatre Department at the University of Tennessee and the resident costume designer for the Clarence Brown Theatre Company - a LORT theatre in residence on the campus.

What’s your education/training background?
I have an MFA in costume design from the University of Illinois in Champaign/Urbana.

What brought you to your field and what keeps you doing your craft?
Like many folks in the theatre I started as an actor - at age 4.  I have always been an artist and sewing and clothing have been avenues of expression for me.  Being a costume designer is a perfect combination of actor, artist, and sewing.  I get to play all the parts in the play in my head while I’m designing the clothes.  The sketches are my art and the making of the costumes feeds my need to create clothes.

How will you spend your time off while here?
Seeing the beautiful sights that are part of the charm of Southern Utah - hiking and touring in nature.

What does the Festival Experience mean to you?
It’s been the highlight of my year every year for the past 24!  While I love what I do the rest of the year, my time here renews and refreshes me.  I feel like part of a family of artists whose spring and summer home is here.  I always feel like I’m coming home when I arrive here in May.

If it applies, do you have a favorite memory of working in the Adams Theatre?
The first dress rehearsal of my first production (The Merry Wives of Windsor) in 1992.  I rained all afternoon and just before time for the rehearsal to begin the rain stopped and there was a spectacular rainbow over the theatre.  We had a lovely dress rehearsal and I knew at that moment I was someplace I was supposed to be.

If you could be a superhero, what would you want your superpowers to be?
Making shoes fit anyone who put them on.

If you had a time machine, where would you like to visit?
Elizabethan Stratford upon Avon - that sounds corny but I mean it.

Samantha Allred, Actor

Have you ever worked at the Festival before?
Last year was my first year with the festival in which I was in the Greenshow, I was ensemble in Sense and sensibility and Rapunzel in Into the Woods.

Where’s your home base?
I most recently am from Cedar city where I am finishing up school at Southern Utah university.

What’s your education/training background?
By December of this year I will have my Bachelor’s in Fine Arts in Musical Theatre From SUU.

What brought you to your field and what keeps you doing your craft?
Well I have always loved theatre but once I got to college I found myself in the music program because I guess I thought it was more sensible. I was there for two years when in the spring if 2012 I was diagnosed with stage 2 cancer called Hodgkins Lymphoma. I immediately dropped school and underwent 6 months of intense chemotherapy. during that time though I discovered that life is really only worth living if you are doing what you really love, so I changed to theatre and haven’t looked back. I am now happy to report that I am happy and healthy and all doing what I love!

How will you spend your time off while here?
I love physical exercise so anything that has to do with that. I also love to keep my hands busy by doing crafts like crochet, or painting or drawing. Um I’m also reading Harry Potter for the first time this summer. I’m on book 3. Yay me.

What does the Festival Experience mean to you?
The festival experience means more to me than almost anything in the world. Starting as an audience member myself coming in the summer and see the festival from the outside with hopes to one day be in a show that is as beautiful and flawless as ones they put on. Then seeing my dream become a reality and knowing the kind of impact we are making as members of this company is one of the greatest achievements I have ever done.

Also knowing that our patrons are getting to be a part of much more than one or two single plays, but knowing they have 6 plays to choose from and talk backs and seminars and meet and greets and so much more is so satisfying as a member of this company.

If you could be a superhero, what would you want your superpowers to be?
Oh man…. um I’d like to slow down and freeze time. This is because you can pretty much accomplish many other super hero powers with this one power. You can, of course,  freeze time but you can travel super fast because of it (no time at all) you can be invisible because no one will see you come or go. You can beat just about anyone because they can’t fight someone who is super fast and I would just love not having to waste time getting from one place to another.

If you had a time machine, where would you like to visit?
Probably Rome in the prime of its reign. (: just because it’s very cool. Or maybe Jerusalem in Christ’s time because how freaking interesting would that be.

Company Spotlight: Tajh Oates and Brandon Burk

Tajh Oates, Junior Carpenter

Have you ever worked at the Festival before?
Nope. This is my first year.

Where’s your home base?
Statesboro, GA

What’s your education/training background?
I am a rising senior pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre at Georgia Southern University. I also spent last summer as the Carpentry Intern at Westport Country Playhouse in Westport, Connecticut.

What brought you to your field and what keeps you doing your craft?
In middle school, my parents pushed me to find a new extra-curricular activity, so I started doing theatre. I started acting, but when I didn’t get cast in a show, I asked what I could do to help out. Ever since then, I realized how much fun and enjoyment that comes from doing tech theatre. There’s always a sense of accomplishment, and the people that you are around are some of the craziest, friendliest, non-judgemental people you could ever be around. It’s also one of the only fields where everything you do is different. There’s never a boring time in a theatre.

How will you spend your time off while here?
Brotank Volleyball. It’s a thing. Also, I’ve heard that hiking and camping is a big thing here, so I would like to try that out.

What does the Festival Experience mean to you?
It means several things. It’s professional experience. It’s learning new tricks and skills from others. It’s getting to be a part of something bigger. It’s getting to know and learn from professionals in this industry, and not just in my field. And overall, it means that I get to join a family that I can be a part of forever.

If you could be a superhero, what would you want your superpowers to be?
I really want cryokinesis, or ice powers. I just think it’d be really cool and versatile.

If you had a time machine, where would you like to visit?
The 1920s. I love the cultural changes and newfound freedoms of the period. Also, I just want a reason to where a fancy tux all the time.

Brandon Burk, Actor

Have you ever worked at the Festival before?
This is my first year as a company member, but I have visited the Festival many times as a patron from Las Vegas.  The Festival has always held a special place in my heart and it means a lot to me to actually be a part of it this year.

Where’s your home base?
I have lived in Nevada, primarily Las Vegas, for the last 10 years.  However, I moved to Los Angeles permanently just one week before I arrived in Cedar City.

What’s your education/training background?
I have a BA in Theatre from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and an MFA from the UNLV Professional Actor Training Program.  I’ve been involved with theatre since I was 6, and most recently served as Artistic Director for a theatre company and venue in Las Vegas for 2 and a half years.

What brought you to your field and what keeps you doing your craft?
I was influenced at a young age by my grandmother. She was a visual artist, competed in pageants, and an avid supporter of the arts.  I attended theatre productions with my mother and her growing up and was hooked from the very beginning. My grandmother encouraged and even coached me at times. She helped me get over stage fright and gave me confidence. Today I am passionate about the craft because I see the effect live theatre can have on an audience member that no other art form can. I love being a part of that.  Theatre can change and open people’s minds, give them experiences and emotions that they don’t get in their daily lives, make people laugh or cry or gasp aloud.  And we as performers not only get be a part of it, but we get to experience it right then and there.  It’s immediate. It’s exciting. It lives and breathes in a way a painting or a film cannot, because we are directly connected.  Every show could be some audience member’s first. There’s nothing like it in the world.

How will you spend your time off while here?
Mostly running and writing.  I am currently working on a one man show in conjunction with the Theatre Department at High Point University that we hope to workshop in the spring.  While we are very busy here at the festival, I see it as a perfect opportunity to get some writing done.  There aren’t many more exciting and inspiring places to me than Cedar City in the summer time.

What does the Festival Experience mean to you?
The Festival Experience is more than just seeing a play or even a season of plays.  The Festival Experience is an energy that surrounds this entire town all summer long (and into the Fall).  It’s the energy that only comes from being surrounded by like-minded enthusiasts and practitioners.  Many of our patrons may be coming from areas that do not have a strong theatre community.  For them, this can be a reminder of the power and longevity that theatre has.  And here, patrons and artists and technicians can directly interact.  We form a community.  It’s more than a performer/audience relationship.  We hold a weekly cabaret, there are educational programs and backstage tours.  We are all sharing a passion with one another, and that’s exciting.

If you could be a superhero, what would you want your superpowers to be?
My super power would be to not have to sleep.  Think of how much more we could accomplish!

If you had a time machine, where would you like to visit?
Goodness, I hope I don’t have to pick just one.  I would love to be around for the conception of all of the great establishments and organizations we know today.  I would make a sort of tour out of visiting the times when the great books were being written, or the U.S. was in it’s infancy stage, or the first time Shakespeare put on a play.  Even the beginning of the Utah Shakespeare Festival.  What an exciting time that must have been, to be a part of something so special, and to have no idea what it would eventually become.

Company Spotlight: Luke Johnson and Christine Casper

Luke Johnson, Actor/Guest Services/Company Management

Have you ever worked at the Festival before?
Yes, this will be my third year. I have worked in House Management and Ticket Office, and now as an actor and in Company Management.

Where’s your home base?
West Valley City, UT

What’s your education/training background?
I have one year left in my undergraduate training for a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre.

What brought you to your field and what keeps you doing your craft?
My older siblings dabbled in theatre and I saw all their shows growing up, so I always had a love for the theatre. Once I had the chance to perform myself, I took it; in concerts, plays, even playing pretend. Performing became an escape for me, from anxiety and insecurity; a safe vehicle for catharsis.

I love contributing to the creation of a new world with real characters and a compelling story.

An analogy: picture humanity as a pyramid. At the top of the pyramid, in the smallest portion, are the geniuses, inventors, and creators capable of original thought and pure inspiration.

At the bottom of the pyramid are the average Joes, the everyman, the common populace who inhabit and fill the world.

In the middle are the artists, storytellers, and performers. Their function is to transcend the top and bottom levels to bridge the gap, bringing the creative substance of the geniuses to the rest of the world.

That’s why I love what I do.

How will you spend your time off while here?
Sleeping. Haha! No, I love to spend time around all the beautiful nature that is so close to us. Hiking, biking, playing in the park, even just reading a book. Also, I love to spend time with the people I meet and the friends I make.

What does the Festival Experience mean to you?
The Festival Experience means artistic edification. It gives you the chance to see a good array of shows across the board, while inviting you to really become a part of Festival yourself. It means magic is real. It means dreams do come true. Mine did.

If it applies, do you have a favorite memory of working in the Adams Theatre?
The Adams Theatre holds an intrinsic magic and wonderment. My favorite memory is a repeated one: seeing that magic fill the audiences night after night.

If you could be a superhero, what would you want your superpowers to be?
As a kid, I wanted to be Sticker Man, a hero of my own creation who could make stickers out of thin air. You’d be surprised how many uses stickers have in crime fighting, let alone decorating.

If you had a time machine, where would you like to visit?
I’d love to visit Ancient Greece and Rome. The philosophy, art, and culture is absolutely fascinating to me.

Christine Casper, Ticket Office

Have you ever worked at the Festival before?
This is my first year working for the festival.

Where’s your home base?
Dallas, TX

What’s your education/training background?
I am in my last year at SUU where I will be receiving a degree in Theatre Arts with a minor in Shakespeare Studies.

What brought you to your field and what keeps you doing your craft?
Everything comes back to theatre for me. No matter how many other things I tried, theatre is the only thing that stuck. It’s a beautiful thing when you have the opportunity to do what you love every day. Theatre is unique in that it develops as quickly as the human experience does and is a way of learning from each other.

How will you spend your time off while here?
I take long walks and hike whenever I can. That coupled with my hobby of iPhone photography makes for some lovely Instagram posts.

What does the Festival Experience mean to you?
I adore my friends and I have many who are performing in the shows this year. Seeing them onstage gives me some of the greatest joy I have ever known. Though I would like to work as a professional actor as well, their success means the world to me. The Utah Shakespeare Festival is a family. Anyone who works here can feel a sense of comradery in one way or another. I felt it even before I started working this year.

If it applies, do you have a favorite memory of working in the Adams Theatre?
I have not worked in the Adams Theatre for the festival yet.

If you could be a superhero, what would you want your superpowers to be?
Telekinesis would allow me to manipulate things with my mind. This way I could get whoever makes the fudge to make me all the fudge I wanted. Reading minds is also a plus.

If you had a time machine, where would you like to visit?
I would want to be in the audience for Broadway’s first ever opening night of “A Chorus Line.”  Nothing like that show had ever been done before, and the experience  would be indescribably meaningful to me as a performer.