Utah Shakespeare Festival

Utah's Touring Shrew Heads to Schools

The Utah Shakespeare Festival in Cedar City is hitting the road.

The Utah Shakespeare Festival will take its Shakespeare-in-the-Schools touring production of The Taming of the Shrew to more than 25,000 students in three western states. The tour will spend 13 weeks on the road visiting schools, community centers, and correctional facilities across Utah, Nevada, and Arizona with more than 65 performances for 150 schools.

In its 20th year, this educational outreach program features a 75-minute version of Shakespeare's outrageous comedy, including complete costumes, sets, and theatrical lighting. Also included is a 15-minute post-show discussion with the actors with optional workshops in stage combat, performing Shakespeare's text, and developing character through improvisation.

The Taming of the Shrew takes on a gypsy carnival twist in this fast-paced, slapstick comedy. The story ignites the fire for a classic battle-of-the-sexes challenge between two stubborn and shrewish individuals. “Schools and communities are going to love this highly energetic production,” Education Director Michael Bahr said in a festival press release. “It is accessible, relevant, and dynamic, a perfect vehicle for introducing audiences to this compelling story.”

Professionals from all over the country comprise the 10-person touring troupe, serving as both the acting company and the support crew with seven actors, a company manager, a stage manager, and a technical director.

The Utah Shakespeare Festival's production of The Taming of the Shrew is part of Shakespeare in American Communities: Shakespeare for a New Generation, sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts in cooperation with Arts Midwest. The Taming of the Shrew is funded in part by the Utah State Office of Education, UBS Bank, Mountain America Credit Union, and Mountain West Small Business Finance.

For a complete tour schedule, click here.

February 10, 2014

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