Utah Shakespeare Festival Honored with Common Good Award
By Katie Neves, guest writer
Last Tuesday, the Utah Shakespeare Festival was honored with Envision Utah’s Common Good Award, which recognized the Festival’s exceptional contributions to Utah’s communities, growth, and future. According to Envision Utah, the award celebrates “the people and organizations who are doing great things for Utah’s future.” The ceremony, held on December 17th at the Grand America Hotel in Salt Lake City, also honored Friends of the Children and the Stella H. Oaks Foundation.
Founded in 1997, Envision Utah has worked to unite community, government, and local business leaders in creating a better future for the state. According to their mission statement, they work to build “communities that are beautiful, prosperous, healthy, and neighborly for current and future residents.” Previous recipients of their Common Good Award include The Utah Women & Leadership Project, Latinos in Action, and former Governor Gary Herbert.
“We are so grateful to be honored by this award from Envision Utah,” said Executive Managing Director Michael Bahr. “This award celebrates the work that the Festival continues to do, which aligns with our mission—cultivating connections between artists and local, regional, and national communities, with a commitment to artistic and educational excellence.”
The Utah Shakespeare Festival has a long history of community and education outreach, a legacy that goes back to its founding. In the early days, Festival Founder Fred Adams made a priority of education and touring—including the Costume Cavalcade program, and various other workshops and tours. The Festival’s commitment to community outreach and education has evolved from its early days into a diverse range of programs that continue to have a profound impact on Utah residents—and students in particular.
Among these programs was the Every Brilliant Thing tour, which aimed to perform the play for free in every Utah public high school. With its 220 performances, the EBT tour reached nearly 54,000 students and community members. Another program is the annual Shakespeare Competition, which brings in thousands of students across five different states to come together for ajudicated performamces and learn stagecraft, fostering creativity and confidence. The Festival also has a significant community impact through its juvenile justice work, where actors from the company visit the local youth detention center to teach empathy and literacy through the works of Shakespeare.
Looking ahead, the upcoming Shakespeare in the Schools tour will be bringing Henry IV to high school students across the state. “It’s a coming of age story about Prince Hal, who has to choose between his responsibilities or reveling with irresponsible peers,” said Bahr. “He’s faced with tough choices that everyone can relate to. I think it will resonate strongly with our adolescent audiences. It’s another example of a classic story with great impact.”
These programs represent just one portion of the Festival’s larger commitment to enriching Utah’s cultural landscape. The impact of the Festival extends beyond its educational initiatives and into the productions that are staged each season. In 2024, the Festival’s lineup featured seven thought-provoking and powerful plays, including Silent Sky, The Mountaintop, and The Winter’s Tale. These productions, like the Festival’s outreach programs, aimed to spark important conversations and connect communities to timeless themes.
At the December 17th awards ceremony, the Festival was recognized for its community impact, and the dedication of all those who work so hard to produce all the Festival’s programs. Attending the event were members of the Festival’s production team—the behind-the-scenes artists and technicians who bring the Festival’s productions to life. “We wanted to celebrate members of the Festival that rarely attend these types of events,” said Bahr. “It was wonderful to have them at this special event, and to be recognized for their contribution in creating this work.”
The recognition from Envision Utah highlights not just the Festival’s commitment to theatrical arts, but also its important role in Utah’s cultural future. As the Festival continues to bring powerful stories to life, it remains a vital force behind the state’s artistic and educational development. With its extensive programming and productions, the Utah Shakespeare Festival proves that the arts are not just a source of entertainment—but a pathway for growth, community, and positive change.
