Call for Artists: The Adams Theatre 2015 Farewell Art Exhibit

CEDAR CITY, UT - To celebrate and commemorate the final season in the historic Adams Shakespearean Theatre, the Utah Shakespeare Festival is sponsoring a juried exhibition of artistic depictions of this beloved and beautiful building.

The Festival is asking artists from all mediums to submit original artwork by April 1, 2015. The exhibition will be juried, and accepted artwork may be for sale or solely for exhibition. Artwork will be displayed in the Randall L. Jones Theatre lobby June 25 through October 31, 2015. Artists may also produce prints to be sold at the Randall Gifts and Gallery, if they desire.

Submitted artwork must have the Adams Theatre, in whole or in part, as the motif. All visual media will be accepted, including, but not limited to, oil paintings, watercolors, stained glass, photography, mosaics, bronze work, pastels, pencil or ink drawings, wood carvings, quilts, and ceramics.

“The Adams Theatre has some incredibly beautiful and unique architecture,” said Phil Hermansen, Festival art director and coordinator of the exhibit. “I hope artists from anywhere will visit and then submit their artistic interpretation of this beloved building.”

If you have questions or you’d like to submit a jpeg of your work, email Phil Hermansen at hermansen@bard.org

Tickets are on sale for the Festival’s 54th season, which will run from June 25 to October 31, 2015. The eight-play season includes Shakespeare’s King Lear, The Taming of the Shrew, Henry IV Part Two and The Two Gentlemen of Verona. The season will also include Peter Shaffer’s Amadeus, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s South Pacific, Charley’s Aunt by Brandon Thomas and Steven Dietz’s adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula. For more information and tickets visit www.bard.org or call 1-800-PLAYTIX.

Meet our New Production Manager

A New Production Manager for the Utah Shakespeare Festival

We are proud to announce Becky Merold as the new production manager for the Festival. Becky has worked at the Festival seasonally for twelve years as a stage manager and has worked on more than twenty plays throughout her tenure here.

“We are very excited to have Becky on board as our new production manager,” said Artistic Director Brian Vaughn. “Becky has already proved invaluable in the success of our stage management department, and I eagerly look forward to her leadership within production. Her organizational skills matched with her current knowledge of our repertory system make her immensely qualified for the position, and I know she will have a tremendous impact here at the Festival.”

Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Merold has spent most of her time in the Midwest where she received her BFA in stage management with a minor in business at the Conservatory Theatre at Webster College. Merold worked at the Milwaukee Repertory Theatre for ten years and just recently Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park as an Actors’ Equity Association-member stage manager.

“Becky Merold is the right person with experience both at other theaters and here at the Festival,” said Ben Hohman, props director. “She has an excitement about our organization and its future.  We are looking forward to working with her to move the Festival forward into the new Beverley Taylor Sorenson Center for the Arts which will lead to more exciting and dynamic productions, while being mindful of the Festival’s unique history and its commitment to classical theater.”

“I am continually inspired by the Festival’s commitment to high caliber theater,” stated Merold. “This would not be possible without our passionate and talented production staff. I am thrilled to lead them in creating a great 54th season. I am also excited to work more closely with Fred Adams, R. Scott Phillips, Brian Vaughn, and David Ivers and the entire Festival staff as we embark on the opening of the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Center for the Arts.”

Progress is being made on the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Center for the Arts

Where we last left off….

There was a giant hole in the ground for the basement of the new Engelstad Theatre.

Layout of the theatre’s footprint. This will be the guideline for the foundation pouring. The trap room has also been excavated.

Fred Adams on site during the first cement pouring. 

The next step was to outline and build the promenade walls that will outline the theatre. 

Cement pouring of promenade walls. 

 “Thou Wall, O Wall, O sweet and lovely Wall”

Promenade Randall View

After the promenade walls were set, the basement walls were next to go up. 

The basement walls can now be seen from the ground floor. 

Now the team is working on the office buildings and the new Eileen and Allen Anes Studio Theatre.

The Studio Theatre has been leveled and the north side walls are being put up. 

A lot has happened over the past few months and the Festival is thrilled to see our new home coming together. We will keep our audiences, donors, and fans updated as we build this dream together. To watch the construction in real time visit our website. Construction Progress

Bryan Sommer, Stage Manager for the Macbeth Tour

Bryan Sommer, a Salt Lake City native and SUU alum, is the stage manager for this year’s educational tour,  Macbeth. As stage manager, he will be the head wrangler for this production as they travel throughout 5 states, performing the show 89 times in spaces as large as a high-school gym and as small as living room. Here are his thoughts about this adventure.

 Have you ever been involved with this play before?

Yes, my first time working on Macbeth was as an Assistant Stage Manager while in school at Southern Utah University. This play is actually my first repeat of a Shakespearean play! Macbeth is one of my favorite Shakespeare plays; I’m looking forward to many more [Macbeths] in my future.

Have you ever toured before?

Does a Cruise Ship count?! No, I’ve never toured a show to several venues. But, I have taken a show and its venue to multiple locations aboard a ship!

What are you looking forward to the most?

Seeing the kids’ response to the play. One of my favorite aspects of stage managing is witnessing the audience’s reaction/response to the play before them. And, especially with a young audience, the impression theatre can have on young eyes is amazing. It can change their life. I know my first play, Sherlock Holmes and the West End Horror, changed mine.

What do you hope kids will take-away from your production?

What’s done is done. Our actions always have a consequence; let that be a good or bad consequence, a reaction nonetheless. In this case, Macbeth and his wife do whatever it takes to get what they want, and to retain it. This includes murder, which then leads to their guilt, insanity, and ultimately their defeat.

Any other thoughts?

I’m thrilled to be going on this tour. We have an amazing cast and an excellent production that, I know, the kids will enjoy very much.

Fred C. Adams Honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award

Two great men were honored recently at the twenty-fifth annual Shakespeare Theatre Association (STA) conference held earlier this January in San Francisco. To recognize and preserve the memory of Douglas N. Cook, who was a co-founder of the Shakespeare Theatre Association and the Festival’s producing artistic director emeritus, STA created the Douglas N. Cook Lifetime Achievement Award, which was graciously bestowed on Festival Founder Fred C. Adams.

According to STA Past President, Jeff Watkins of Atlanta Shakespeare Company, the award was given to Adams to acknowledge his twenty-five years of service and involvement with STA. “We really should express our gratitude, love, and admiration while Fred is still with us,” said Watkins. “The time to honor Fred is now. His contributions to the field cannot be overstated. Likewise his impact on STA, which is such a supportive atmosphere… so much knowledge, so much wisdom, so freely shared among great and small, and Fred, of course, would be the great.”

“To me, Fred is the living, beating heart of STA,” said STA Executive Director Patrick Flick.  “As a young member he was quick to make me feel welcome with a smile, a handshake, a joke or a kernel of wisdom.  Now, Fred is a trusted ally and friend, and holds the keys to the institutional memory of STA.  That is invaluable not only to me, but to every member of STA.”

“I was totally surprised,” said Adams. “I had no idea this Lifetime Achievement Award had even been created in memory of Doug, so I’m thrilled to be recognized with an award that has his name on it. I am so fond of STA and hope it continues to thrive in the years to come.”

“STA has over 150 members from around the world and continues to grow,” stated Flick.  “None of this would have been possible without that first meeting on a cold January day in 1991 when Fred Adams joined Doug Cook, Sidney Berger and a ‘happy few’ Shakespearean producers in Washington, DC to create this wonderful thing we now call STA."

The Shakespeare Theatre Association (STA) was established to provide a forum for the artistic, managerial, and educational leadership for theatres primarily involved with the production of the works of William Shakespeare; to discuss issues and methods of work, resources, and information; and to act as an advocate for Shakespearean productions and training.

Drew Shirley as Macbeth for the Tour production

Drew Shirley, who is playing Macbeth in our Tour production, has appeared here at the Festival for 4 seasons. Last year, he was in The Comedy of Errors, Twelfth Night, and Sherlock Holmes: the Final Adventure. He earned his BFA at Emporia State University and his MFA in acting at University of Illinois. While he has participated in a school tour for the Kingsman Shakespeare Company, this will be his first tour where they travel in a van and visit 5 states in 3 months.

We chatted with Drew, right after the first two performances: one at the Iron County Correctional Facility in front of ten young inmates and one for the Iron County schools with over 900 kids.

Tell us your thoughts about Shakespeare and this play.

First – in high school, I hated Shakespeare (like many kids). It wasn’t until I worked here in 2008 that I realized how incredible Shakespeare can be. When you see it done well, it can be life changing!

Our production of Macbeth is a high octane train ride to hell. It moves really fast. The first half is like a ghost story or a fable. The second half is the descent into insanity, war and hell.

And it’s not a morality play. Shakespeare often shows us the opposite side of the same coin; no one is all good or all evil. It makes it more interesting. The play is about making decisions and the consequences of those decisions. All of us make the “easy” decision – the little evils that we do. Macbeth makes the “easy” decision to kill the king. And then it all unravels.

What are your thoughts on touring?

I think it’s important for the kids. I figure there’s someone like me out there who hates Shakespeare. I have a shot to make him/her fall in love – it could be life changing.

With live theatre, there is something asked of the audience. It’s not like a movie. If they stay with us for the first ten minutes to get through the language, then they will be hooked and stay with us.

I also believe it’s important for adult actors to work with the kids in the workshops. We can show that acting isn’t just selfish but that we can help people. I’ll teach the Improv and Shakespeare Text workshops.

What about the different venues?

We have to be really careful with the fights because each school and venue will be different. They are stage fights, but it is contact fighting, so it can be scary if we don’t practice. And I have to worry about breathing when I’m “dead.” I’m always afraid I’ll cough.

I know we’ll have challenges on the road – flat tires, breakdowns, lighting or sound that doesn’t work. So we have to be totally in the moment and chose how to respond. We have a really good group of people with a good balance of skills and temperaments so I know we’ll be fine.

The Tour departed Cedar City on January 22 for Las Vegas. After two weeks there, they will hit the road, visiting five states with 65 performances . You can learn more about the tour at

http://www.bard.org/education/tour.html

Honk, Jr. Audition Workshops Available for Festival Playmakers Program

Cedar City, UT – Kids ages 6 to 17 are invited to attend a free audition workshop series on Monday, February 2 and Tuesday, February 3 hosted by the education department of the Utah Shakespeare Festival. The workshop will be in the Southern Utah University Music Building, room 209 from 4 to 6 p.m.

The goal of the audition workshop series is to introduce new and returning students to Playmakers and get them ready for the Honk, Jr. auditions, which are on Wednesday, February 4 starting at 3 p.m. Kids will play theatre games, get to know the Playmakers team, and learn the audition songs. If parents or students have questions, are nervous about auditioning or need a little more practice, this is a great way to get to know the Playmakers program. Attending the workshop is not required to audition for Playmakers.

If individuals are interested in attending the workshop or scheduling an audition time, please visit usfplaymakers.blogspot.com and click “Honk Jr. Auditions” tab at the top.

For the audition on February 4, performers should come prepared to sing one of the songs linked on the audition page. An accompanist will be provided. Callbacks will be Thursday, February 5 from 4 to 6 p.m. in the SUU Music Building, room 209.

Rehearsals for this Playmakers’ production will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. weekdays beginning February 9. Once a child is cast, the cost of participation in the production is $200. This covers the cost of royalties, costumes, set, etc. Scholarships are available in many cases. Honk, Jr. will be performed in the Auditorium Theatre from April 8 through April 13.

Check the website and Facebook page for more information.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/utahshakespeareplaymakers

Website: bard.org/education/classes/playmakers.html

Blog: http://usfplaymakers.blogspot.com

Honoring the Life and Legacy of Beverley Taylor Sorenson

CEDAR CITY, UT - The Utah Shakespeare Festival will honor the life and legacy of Beverley Taylor Sorenson at its inaugural Salt Lake City gala event on Saturday, February 7 in the Imperial Ballroom of the Grand America Hotel. Proceeds from the evening will support the Festival Forever Endowment.

Co-chairing the event are Colleen B. Paddock and Jeffrey R. Nelson, members of the Festival’s board of governors; and according to Paddock, they are delighted to host the first Salt Lake City-based gala at the beautiful Grand America. “It promises to be a magical evening benefiting the Utah Shakespeare Festival. A romantically divine atmosphere and a Valentine dinner will set the stage for everyone to enjoy.”

“I am grateful for the tireless efforts of our board to assist with this event. Their commitment and energy are reflective of their love for live theater and enthusiasm about this world-class organization,” added Nelson.

The evening’s program will feature Carole Mikita as the master of ceremonies, vocalist Erica Hanson, artistic director David Ivers, silent and live auctions, as well as a performance by the Festival’s Playmakers (part of the Festival’s educational arm). The evening’s highlight will be a special presentation to the Sorenson family.

During her long and celebrated life, Sorenson was a determined and effective advocate, strong in her belief that “all children receive the best possible education, an education that includes the arts.” In 2013, the Sorenson Family Foundation made a generous gift of $6 million toward Southern Utah University’s new center for the arts. This multi-million dollar arts center, now affectionately known as the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Center for the Arts, will blend educational facilities with visual arts, live theater and other artistic endeavors at the heart of the SUU campus.

The Beverley Taylor Sorenson Center for the Arts will dramatically magnify the cultural life of Cedar City and its surrounding region. It will also serve as home to the Southern Utah Museum of Art (SUMA), the new Engelstad Shakespeare Theatre, the Eileen and Allen Anes Studio Theatre, a rehearsal hall, offices and an artistic/production building for the Festival.

For more information or to purchase tickets, call 435-586-7880.

Marco Vega as Banquo in Macbeth on Tour

Marco Vega, who plays Banquo in the tour production of Macbeth, hails from Northern UT. He was born in Provo and grew up in American Fork. He’s a SUU alum and appeared at the Festival last summer in all three Shakespeare plays: Comedy of Errors, Henry IV, Part I and Measure for Measure. He’s appearing in his first Macbeth and traveling on his first tour. Here are his thoughts about the upcoming tour.   

What are you looking forward to the most?

I’m looking forward to performing this show to a wide range of people. Usually it’s one “type” of audience you perform for. Also, I look forward to all the shenanigans we as a cast will get into :) 

What are some challenges that you might run into while on the road?

Lack of sleep and quiet time. 

How do you make this story relevant for school age kids?

By doing it well. I think that Shakespeare is totally relevant today- it’s just hard to connect to because the language Shakespeare uses. I believe if we do it well, if we can reach them from behind our text they’ll see something they didn’t expect. 

What do you hope the audiences will take-away from your production?

I simply hope they walk away more open to live theater and to Shakespeare. 

If you could have any superpower, what would it be?

I would have the power to understand and speak any language.

Anything else?

We’ll perform this show 89 times. 4 months. 5 states. 10 people. 80 minutes of “Go” every time. Pray for us.

You can follow Marco and the rest of the Tour company at http://www.bard.org/education/tour.html and by following the Festival on Twitter @utahshakes and Facebook www.facebook.com/utahshakespeare

Quinn Mattfeld Talks about Macbeth

When you hear Quinn Mattfeld’s name, you might think of an incredibly gifted actor who has played many roles here at the Festival, including Blackstache in the 2012 production of Peter and the Starcatcher, Robert in last fall’s Boeing Boeing or Edward Ferrars in Sense and Sensibility last summer. And you’d be right. And Quinn is much more. He’s taught Shakespeare for 4 years at Pacific Conservatory Theatre’s PCPA and he’s directed there as well as here in the New American Playwright’s Project.

So it’s no surprise that he’s directing this year’s tour production of Macbeth. Quinn and the rest of the company arrived in Cedar City on December 28 (brrrr – temps in single digits and snow on the ground) and started rehearsals immediately in preparation for the tour, which begins on January 21. We recently talked with Quinn about his vision for Macbeth in this 75-minute production.

Tell us about your familiarity with Macbeth…

I’ve appeared in it twice. First, I was a senior in college – I played Macbeth. At the age of 21, I had no business playing Macbeth and it was probably the worst ever. Then in 2010, I played Malcolm here at the Festival.

For the last 4 years, I’ve taught Shakespeare at PCPA and used this play as a cornerstone. It’s such a fantastic play. So I know most of it by heart.

What’s your vision or concept for this production?

The backdrop is birch trees – stark, black and white. There are two islands that move. The backdrop is a curtain. It’s a forest in winter and a moral wilderness. People say this play is about ambition. But the word “ambition” is only used twice. I think it’s about the consequences of taking action – the before and after. It’s a moral wilderness. Everyone has something happen - actions create consequences. For example: Macduff goes to England because he wants to save Scotland. And his family dies as a result. He went with good intentions but his family died.

Macbeth and Lady Macbeth go all in to get what they want - they kill the king but at the cost of her sanity and for Macbeth - his soul. It’s like Into the Woods – I’m using Into the Woods as a way of understanding the before and after. Macbeth has a number of moments to make new decisions – he keeps getting the opportunity to go back, but he doesn’t.

How do you make this play relevant for the students?

I think the way to make it relevant is we do it well. I feel like I could understand the most complexity in my life when I was in high school. This play happens in a moral wilderness and there is no better place to understand that than high school. If we just are worthy of the story it will be relevant. Every single scene has something to watch.

There is plenty of spectacle: fight scenes and ghosts that come back. There’s a bunch of neat imagination engaging things that I think are spectacular and they work in a theatric way instead of a cinematic way.

Other thoughts?

It feels like a cycle. At the beginning of the show, Macbeth, who is the hero of the country, kills the traitor of the country. The end of the play, Macbeth has become the traitor and is killed by Macduff who has become the hero of the country.

The one thing I’m trying to highlight in the show is that it all turns on decisions. We don’t realize the consequences til after. Macbeth is able to look back. In his “tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow” speech the first thing he says about his wife “she should have died hereafter…” it’s the first time that he’s thinking in “should and would”. It’s like he’s apologizing to his wife for not telling her “no”, for not stepping back and saying “we’re not doing this”. It’s the everyday decisions that lead to consequences you can’t see til it happens.

Thanks Quinn!

The Tour will have a public performance in Cedar City on January 21 at 7:30pm. Tickets are only $5 and can be purchased by calling the ticket office at 800-PLAYTIX. The company then departs, traveling through five states until April. You can see the entire schedule at http://www.bard.org/education/tour.html