The Utah Shakespearean Festival in Cedar City is an annual event that presents a repertory of works by William Shakespeare and other well known dramatists. As the winner of the Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre, the festival is recognized as one of the best theatrical events in North America. Each summer, the Utah Shakespearean Festival presents a total of six plays. The Shakespearean plays take place in the outdoor Adams Shakespearean Theatre, which is a replica of the well-known Globe Theatre in London. The modern, contemporary plays take place in the indoor Randall L Jones Theatre.
The Utah Shakespearean Festival was founded in 1961 by a man named Fred C. Adams. After performing Shakespearean Theatre in New York City, he decided that some of the 150,000 summer visitors to Utah’s national parks may enjoy a theatrical Utah event. He was correct. The Utah Shakespearean Festival attracts thousands of people each year. Today, the festival is more than just a theatrical event. It’s an entire interactive experience.
Prior to watching the play, you will be encouraged to join the Greenshow on the outdoor courtyard, where you will be entertained by Elizabethan dancers and musicians. Also, if you are not quite up on your iambic pentameter and Shakespearean lingo, an overview of the play you are about to see is presented. You can also indulge in the Royal Feaste, which is a hearty four-course meal eaten in the style of Renaissance noblemen.
The Utah Festival Opera is another popular Utah event for the culturally inclined. The company, which was founded in 1992 by operatic tenor and music professor Michael Ballam, is based in Logan, Utah. Every summer, the Utah Festival Opera performs four works in repertory at the Ellen Eccles Theatre on Main Street in Logan. This 1100-seat European-style theater was in 1923. Its attractive neo-classical design makes it a pleasant environment for viewing the performances of the Utah Festival Opera.
As long as you are in Logan for the opera, you might want to visit one of the Festivals of the American West that take place in Wellsville, Utah at the American West Heritage Center. The center runs various festivals throughout the year, which include horse-related events, tastes of food from the past, Native American heritage festivals and more. These festivals are some of the best children events in Utah. Kids will especially enjoy the Baby Animal Petting Days, where they can pet and snuggle with the cuddly little creatures. While this is considered among the children events in Utah, you don’t have to be ashamed to admit that you would also enjoy it.
