In 1962, two great Utah establishments began their now-illustrious careers: BYU Broadcasting was granted a license to operate on television, and the Utah Shakespeare Festival presented its first annual season in Cedar City. This year, the two join forces for a one-time special live performance.
At 8 p.m. Monday, Aug. 29, the Utah Shakespeare Festival and BYUtv will combine their talents to bring Shakespeare’s most popular comedy to life. A story of young lovers, bumbling stage performers, and fairy royalty, "A Midsummer Night’s Dream" is a complex commentary on Renaissance society that still has echoes in the contemporary world.
The play will be performed at the festival’s signature venue, the Adams Shakespearean Theatre, which remains today one of the most authenticreplicas of the Globe Theatre in London.
The 2011 festival season has special significance because it marks both the 50th anniversary of the festival and the return of founder and former executive director Fred C. Adams to the role of director for this production of "A Midsummer Night’s Dream."
To celebrate this and other remarkable facets of this renowned festival, guest producer Jessica Mockett will present a pre-show, behind-the-scenes journey on behalf of BYUtv. On this half-hour journey, viewers will learn about what it takes to plan and execute every detail of a production, including set, costumes, rehearsals, and more.
BYUtv will also feature Mockett’s short intermission piece about the history and future prospects of the Utah Shakespeare Festival.
BYUtv director/producer Steve Lowe will lead the production team, complete with nine cameras, more than two dozen microphones, and portable satellite uplink. In the case of inclement weather, the play will be rescheduled for Sept. 1.
For more information, contact Keith Willes at 801.422.7476.
Writer: Kaitlyn Tolman
