St George Utah Blog

The Utah Shakespeare Festival has been a summer tradition in Southern Utah since 1961. What began as a two week event to entertain tourists has now become a regionally recognized and award-winning theater festival that spans over 4 months and brings in over 130,000 attendees each year. Since this is only a short drive away for St. George residents, it’s worth discovering the joy the event has to offer.

What to Expect from Shakespeare

The outdoor theater used for the festival is modeled after the Globe Theater where Shakespeare first performed his plays. The festival has a budget of over $7 million dollars and provides plenty of entertainment for the whole family.

This year, the Utah Shakespeare Festival will run June 25th through October 31st in conjunction with Southern Utah University. This years plays are:

• King Lear
• The Taming of the Shrew
• Henery IV Part Two
• Amadeus
• Charley’s Aunt
• South Pacific
• Dracula
• The Two Gentlemen of Verona

As you may notice, while Shakespeare is the pillar and inspiration for the Festival, other contemporary plays are performed as well.

An Interactive Theater Experience

The organizers of the Utah Shakespeare festival hopes that participants will join in the fun as well as watch the plays. One of the first programs offered is the Playmakers Summer Shakespeare from June 15-27. This is a youth program that provides hands-on theater experience taught by professional actors and production staff. Students learn scenes and songs and how to perform from the Festival performers themselves.

Throughout the summer other classes, workshops, and "Shakesperiences" are provided so that patrons can learn more about the theater and performance. These classes include stage combat, improvisation, and Shakespeare Text. You can also sign up for a backstage tour and a discussion with a member of the production. Check out the website for more details.

If you or members of your family are interested in theater, Shakespeare, performance and more, take them to visit the Utah Shakespeare Festival in Cedar City this summer.