BY HEATHER MADSEN
To quote the bard himself, “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players,” and from now until October you can view Shakespeare’s work on-stage at the Shakespeare Festival! This renowned festival was established in 1962, and has since gone on to win the Tony Award and bring thousands of people to Southern Utah University’s campus to enjoy some of the greatest plays known to man. New and repeat attendees alike are all invited back this year with some incredible shows and an extensive theater experience on the docket.
Starting off with a few of the namesake’s plays, the festival is featuring productions of King Lear, All’s Well That Ends Well, and the Tempest. There will also be contemporary shows such as Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleetstreet, Clue, The Sound of Music, Trouble in Mind, and Thurgood. Each play will be performed in one of the three theaters on campus, which were each built to accommodate a different type of production. Engelstad Shakespeare Theatre in particular is an open-air theater and mimics Elizabethan structure, so you can enjoy Shakespeare just like they did in the 16th century.
In between and around the theaters there are many other activities, including the Greenshow, a free pre-show performance; play and production seminars; play orientations; Words Cubed, which is a play writing workshop; and the Repertory Magic show where the stage crews switch all of the sets, costumes, lights, and sound from the matinee to evening shows. Aside from all of the shows there are also gift shops, concession stands, and Ellen’s Sweet Shoppe where you can buy refreshments and souvenirs.
There’s so many reasons to love the Shakespeare festival, so if you’ve never been, now’s your chance! Don’t miss out on this renowned experience of art, performance, and celebration of creativity.
To learn more or to reserve tickets for the festival, visit www.bard.org.
