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Show EVENING CONCERTS: The Hot Club of Cowtown opens the SUU Summer Evening Concert Series season Sunday at 7 p.m. in the Randall L. Jones Theatre. It's free and open to the public. For more info, SEE PAGE 7. Wesley (left) as Crab and Michael Fitzpatrick as Launce in the Utah Shakespearean Festival's 2001 production of 'The Two Gentlemen of Verona.' Utah Shakespearean Festival ·h its 40 T he Utah Shakespearean Festival plan to kick off its 40th Anniversary ea on with a day of special events and an official opening ojght ceremony on June 25. Activities for thi historic event will begin Monday at noon when members of the original 1962 performing company meet for a reunion lunch hosted by Festival Founder and Executive Producer Fred C. Adams at Southern Utah UQiversity's Hunter Conference Center. "At this time we have over a dozen of our ori~al company members returning for this anniversary celebration," said Adams. ~Many of these people haven't seen each other in years. I imagine that this will be an emotional and joyous gathering of friends." Other events scheduled will include the unveiling of the new Juliet statue by Utah artist A. Clayton Robbins .at I :30 p.m. in front of the Randall L. Jones Theatre. Dorcas Woo<hyard, daughter of AEiam.s and the model for this life-size bronze, will also be on hand for the unveiling. This will be foUowed by the preview performance of Eugene O'Neill's Ah, Wi/dernes~! at 2 p.m., also in the RandaU Theatre . Following a 6 p.m. media reception, Adams will conduct a play orientation at 7 p .m. in the Auditorium Theatre . These informaJ and i.nfonnative mini-lectures prior to each night's performance are very popular with testival audiences. "These free orientations are a great way for audiences to learn about the play they are about to see, • said Donna Law, Festival marketing and public relations director. "Not only do Fred's talks make the plays more accessible, they are also very entertaining.• The Greenshow will also take place at 7 p .m. on the outdoor stages surrounding the Adams Shakespearean Theatre. This free performance of song and dance takes place each Monday through Saturday evening. A variety of pre-curtain activities will entertain the evening's guests in the Adams hakespearean Theatre at .7 :50 p.m. pecial gue ts will include first lady Jacquelyn S. Leavitt, who was a Festival company member in 1972, and former first lady Norma Matheson. The audience will al o be introduced to the ori,ginal 1962 cast members. FoUowing the introduction, the entir~ 2001 company of 370 members will enter the theatre and officially open the season by singing "Ode for the Fortieth Anniversary," an original choral piece written by Festival compo er Christine Frezza. • At 8 p.m., Shakespeare's The Tempest will be performed. "This is a historic time for all of us at the Festival ," said R. Scott Phillips, Festival managing director. "People may say that 40 years is a long time to be doing anything, but this has been such a labor of love for- so many people that the years seem to have flown by. Really, we feel like we're just getting staned! ~ \' . |