Festival season a wholehearted artistic success.

PositionSOUTHERN AREA

Cedar City--The most recent season at the UTAH SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL, the last in the iconic Adams Shakespeare Theatre, was a wholehearted artistic success, according to Artistic Directors David Ivers and Brian Vaughn. The last spotlight was dimmed on October 31, after a Halloween production of Dracula--and now 2015 is one for the books.

"I am very pleased with the artistic excellence of the season," says Ivers. "The Festival continues to attract top talent in our field, and the strength of our programming, coupled with the immense beauty and welcoming spirit of our community, continues to keep us on the radar as one of the top destination theatres in the country."

The Festival this year put a lot of resources and effort to new technology in the theatre, bringing an enhanced experience to the plays. For instance, the Festival purchased new computerized moving lights and high-tech projection equipment to provide some amazing lighting effects in such shows as Amadeus and beautiful (and spooky) projections in Dracula. "We embarked into new territory in some of our production areas," says Ivers. "By allocating resources to these areas, we were able to attract top-notch artists and improve the quality of our final product."

However, the appeal of the Festival has long been the strength and quality of its actors, and 2015 was no exception. "It was one of the strongest acting companies we've had in a long time," says Vaughn.

Especially memorable for both Ivers and Vaughn was the Festival's production of the extraordinary Amadeus. "It was one of the most powerful productions we have had in some time," says Vaughn, "and it was aesthetically beautiful across the board."

Memorable for Executive Director R. Scott Phillips was The Taming of the Shrew. Phillips was assistant director on the show, while Fred. C. Adams, Festival founder, was the director. "The Taming of the Shrew was the most popular show with our audiences and also received universally positive reviews," says Phillips. "It was a joy to work on and was a fitting conclusion to the amazing life of the Adams Shakespeare Theatre."

Next season, the Festival will move...

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