Shelley Takes Helm as Education Director
The Utah Shakespeare Festival is pleased to announce that Stewart Shelley has been appointed as education director following Katherine Norman’s departure last month. He has been with the Festival for two years in other education roles and is excited to take on the position as director.
Education is a fundamental part of the Festival’s mission. Executive Managing Director Michael Bahr believes Shelley will carry on the educational legacy that has distinguished the Festival for decades and provide a vision for its continued growth.
“Stewart has such a love for the work of educating students, patrons, teachers, and anyone interested in learning more about the world of theatre and Shakespeare,” says Bahr.
Artistic Director John DiAntonio emphasizes Shelley’s influence on the Festival’s success in building connections through education: “He has played an essential role in the Education Department over the last two years, creating a major impact on the Festival’s renowned Shakespeare Competition, our audience engagement work in the Seminar Grove, the recent Bard’s Birthday Bash, and much more.”
Shelley attended Brigham Young University, where he received a bachelor’s degree in Theatre Arts Education, and later earned a master’s degree in Education Administration from Grand Canyon University.
He spent 19 years as a high school theatre teacher. Stewart’s experience with the Festival runs deep, as he attended the Festival’s Shakespeare Competition as a teenager and later brought his own students to the competition as a teacher.
“The programming that Michael Bahr and Katherine Norman created as former education directors is really strong and rooted in the community,” says Shelley about the durability of the education program at the Festival.
DiAntonio adds, “Stewart, too, brings a wealth of experience and deep knowledge, especially of the Utah educational system. I cannot wait to see where he and the team take the Education Department in the years to come.”
Programs overseen by Shelley’s department throughout the year include the Shakespeare in the Schools tour, PlayTeam workshops, and Shakespeare Competition, among other things.
During the summer they manage the pre-show orientations and post-show play seminars in the Balcony Bards Seminar Grove. They are also responsible for Backstage Tours, Shakespearience, School Days, and summer camps and classes.
Speaking of which, now is the perfect time for anyone interested in participating in summer camps and classes to sign up! Shelley encourages students of all ages to dive in and learn more about the Bard.
“Playmakers Summer Day Camp is a perfect way for youth who are local to play on the stage,” says Shelley. Created for students ages five to seventeen, it’s perfect for those who have never been on a stage before to those who love to perform. It runs June 10-22, from 2-4 p.m. Monday to Friday. Students have the chance to build theatre skills through movement, voice, improv, and more, with a final Saturday performance for family and friends. Registration closes May 31.
Other youth camps include Junior Actor Training (for ages twelve to fourteen) on July 15-20 and Theatre Training (for ages fifteen to eighteen) on July 22-27, both of which are sleep-away camps where students get to work with professional Festival actors or production staff. Space in both is limited and registration closes July 5 and 12, respectively.
Teachers can also get in on fun summertime classes too. “Teaching Shakespeare” is specifically for English and Theatre educators and takes place July 15-18. “Tech for Teachers” is July 29-31 and is a great in-person professional development course for any educator or director, taught by Festival technicians and experts. Registration closes July 1 and 17, respectively.
For tuition costs or more information about these and other education offerings, please visit bard.org/about/education, call the Education Department at 435-865-8333, or email usfeducation@bard.org.
