2024 Utah Shakespeare Festival

“I’d rather see Shakespeare in Cedar City than in Stratford, England. My experiences have been better there. This is a professional theatre rated among the top three Shakespeare festivals in North America.”     – Dr. S Michael Wilcox

Michael has seen all of the plays offered each summer for over 20 years. No matter how busy he is, he finds time to experience Cedar City’s Shakespeare Festival. Everyone, even if you question your love of Shakespeare, will absolutely love this festival. It has 4 Shakespeare plays and 2 other comedies, or Broadway-type plays. Michael helps all of us understand each of Shakespeare’s plays by explaining the story and the characters before we go to each Shakespeare play. Knowing the story will make Shakespeare more enjoyable for everyone. Each day you will enjoy 2 wonderful plays.

Look at the fantastic line-up of plays for 2024

THE ENGELSTAD SHAKESPEARE THEATRE

HENRY VIII
Following the story of a ruthless race to power and the desire for a male heir, this history play presents a monarch facing a series of struggles and crises. King Henry VIII is wrestling with his legacy of not having a male heir, and this flows directly from his concern that God is punishing the king for having married his brother’s widow, Katherine. He listens too closely to his duplicitous adviser, Cardinal Wolsey, who may have his own interest at heart, while the honorable Duke Buckingham is convicted of treason. Through a series of events, Henry––and the kingdom––are in a historic crisis that will forever change the direction of the empire.
A WINTER’S TALE
King Leontes’s jealousy and rage sparks the action in this beloved Shakespearean romance. Driven by nothing but his own unfounded suspicions, Leontes falsely accuses his wife Hermione of infidelity with his closest friend and dire consequences follow. Focusing on themes of betrayal, loss, and forgiveness, this play winds toward love and redemption to make it one of the Bard’s most beautiful and satisfying plays.
THE TAMING OF THE SHREW
The bold, spirited, and headstrong Katherina is deemed unworthy of marriage while suitors pursue her younger sister Bianca. Their father refuses to let his younger daughter marry until an appropriate match is made for the elder, which Petruchio accepts as a challenge. However, Katherina will not be tamed so easily. Their dastardly deeds and heated battles hurl this comedy toward its end. And in Petruchio’s journey to make Katherina a compliant and obedient bride, they both learn more about what being an equal partner really means.

THE RANDALL L. JONES THEATRE

MUCH ADO  ABOUT NOTHING
Meet Beatrice and Benedick, two people who are the perfect romantic match. So, of course, they hate each other. Their battle of words and wits presents Shakespeare’s best verbal battles-of-the-sexes sparring while everyone around them conspire to join these two in romance. Meanwhile, Beatrice’s cousin Hero is happily in love with Claudio, so of course, a plot by the malcontent Don Juan causes trouble for the pair. How will the mishaps, mistakes, and misunderstandings resolve for love to be discovered and endure?
THE 39 STEPS
This humorous play follows an innocent man accused of a crime who must clear his name. Richard Hannay finds himself entwined with Annabella Schmidt, a spy. The next day, he wakes to find her dead. The farce careens from place to place and muddle to mess. Not only is the story a fast-paced “whodunit” comedy with only four actors––balancing suspense, nonstop comedy, and a little splash of romance––it is a highly stylized theatrical romp that leaves you laughing and amazed.

ANES STUDIO THEATRE

THE MOUNTAINTOP
Taking place on the last night of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.,’s life, The Mountaintop transports audience members to the Lorraine Motel where King confronts his mortality and legacy. As he prepares his speech for the following day, King orders a cup of coffee, and the woman who arrives brings more than just that. Although fictional, this witty, magical, and poetic play propels the audience to better understand the human behind one of America’s best known leaders.

Our BEST Seating!

Before tickets are open to the public to purchase, it is offered to those that contribute money or time to the Shakespeare Festival. Then they allow Fun For Less to purchase our group tickets before they open to the public. This makes it possible for us to get great seating for our group.