Have You Been To The Utah Shakespeare Festival? Say Goodbye To The Adams Theater!

The Utah Shakespeare Festival says a fond farewell to the historic Adams Shakespearean Theatre at the end of this summer. Next season, 2016, will usher in a whole new audience experience at the Festival with the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Center of the Arts and the Engelstad Shakespeare Theatre. However, before the lights dim forever in the Adams Theatre, the Festival has planned celebrative activities throughout the season. Patrons can come and experience all the magic the Adams has to offer as well as say goodbye.

“For over forty years this wonderful ‘wooden O’ has provided the blank page for us to tell a thousand dreams,” said Festival Founder Fred C. Adams. “She has sat through snow storms, wild winds and pelting rains, waiting patiently for world class directors and designers to bring her to life each spring with creative ideas and just the right amount of magic. She now serves as the inspiration for a new and exciting youngster to pick up the torch and carry the Festival to new and brighter heights.”

The complete list of activities is below. More information is available at our website, www.bard.org.

Exhibits

Adams Farewell Art Exhibit in the Randall L. Jones Lobby

This exhibit celebrates the architecture, spirit, and history of the Adams Memorial Shakespeare Theatre, the symbol of the Utah Shakespeare Festival since 1977. Over ninety artists from the western United States and as far away as Beijing, China, submitted work, presenting the Adams Theatre in oils, watercolors, quilts, sculpture, and drawings. Most pieces are on sale, with proceeds going to the artist and the Utah Shakespeare Festival.

Video Tribute to the Adams Theatre

A video tribute has been commissioned to highlight the memories and history of the Adams Shakespearean Theatre. The video can be seen in the Auditorium Theatre lobby and online.

The Greenshow

The Festival will once again have three different Greenshow’s this year; Irish Night, English Night, and Italian Night. English Night will conclude with a touching song about the Adams Shakespearean Theatre and the stories we have shared inside the Wooden O. The Greenshow is free and begins at 7:10p from Monday to Saturday on The Greenshow stage.

Special Adams Theatre Backstage Tour

The Backstage Tour will focus more on the Adams Theatre and the technology that is used to create the magic onstage. Call for tickets or visit bard.org

Reunion Weekend: August 13-15

All past employees of the Utah Shakespeare Festival are invited for a special reunion weekend to celebrate the closing of the Adams Theatre. There will also be a reception in the Adams Courtyard on August 15 after the evening shows. For more information visit bard.org/news.

Photo Opportunities around the Adams Theatre

Around the Adams Theatre will be designated photo opportunities so audience members can document and share their last time at the theatre. Please share these photos on our Instagram page @utahshakespeare or on Facebook, facebook.com/utahshakespeare.

September 3, 4 and 5: Closing Night Celebrations

On the closing nights of The Taming of the Shrew, King Lear and Henry IV Part Two there will be a special commemoration highlighting the many memories and shows that have been produced in the Adams Theatre.

Tickets are on sale for the Festival’s 54th season, which runs from June 25 to October 31, 2015. The eight-play season includes Shakespeare’s King Lear, The Taming of the Shrew, Henry IV Part Two and The Two Gentlemen of Verona.  The season will also include Peter Shaffer’s Amadeus, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s South Pacific, Charley’s Aunt by Brandon Thomas and Steven Dietz’s adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula. For more information and tickets visit www.bard.org or call 1-800-PLAYTIX.