OCR Text |
Show ultu For more Shakespearean Festival content and reviews, visit www.uvureview.com. A5 Culture Monday • July 20, 2009 New this week: All the world's a stage •MELSUNDQUIST Culture writer Living in Utah and not visiting the Utah Shakespearean Festival is comparable to living here and never seeing Zion or the Great Salt Lake. The caliber of theater produced there is not only rare for Utah, but for most states. The Festival, now in its 48th season, produces six full-length plays and two pre-show acts which open in the summer, followed by three plays in the fall. The three summer plays, generally all written by William Shakespeare, show nightly in rolling repertory in the outdoor Adams Theater. Three more "plays, generally two straight plays and one musical, are performed in the nearby Randall L. Jones theater. The Festival is a more formidable theatrical force than many Utahans realize. All of the actors are paid, and this year 22 of the 61 actors are members of the Actors' Equity Association. The directors, designers and crew often have made theater their livelihood. Jon M. Huntsman, Utah's current governor, considers the Festival to be a "must-attend experience." This is Tonyaward winning theater, and just because it's found in Utah doesn't mean it's subpar. Roderick Peeples, and actor in three of the plays this year, described the festival in comparison to other summer Shakespearean festivals a "marvelous organization. It's massive, really, compared to other places that I've worked before - a huge operation. ... Actually I haven't quite figured out how they manage to keep track of everything." The general camaraderie and commitment to each show, as well as the love CD Riverside; Anno Domini High Definition, July 14 from a seasoned audience, makes the Utah Shakespearean Festival a rare treat for the senses. Brooke White: High Hopes & Heartbreaks, July 21 Shakespearean Festival When: One show everday except Sundays and some Mondays now through Oct.17 Jordin $parks:Battlefield (5 Disc Set), July 21 W h e r e : 351 West Center Street C o s t : Tickets for the summer season are $23-$62 per play. At 10 a.m. the morning of each performance, sixty-six gallery bench seats go on sale for $16 (M-W) and $20(Th-S). Our Lady Peace: Burn Burn, July 21 mazon.com Karl Hugh/Utah Shakespearean Festival More Info: ft* 1-800-PLAYTIX VD Quinn Mattfeld (left) as Antipholus of Syracuse and Lisa Ferris as Adrlana in the Utah Shakespearean Festival's 2009 production of The Comedy of Errors. Watchmen, July 21 As You Like It As You Like It is characterized by its two main themes: the exploration of young love and the dichotomy between a trivial, fickle life at court and practical life in the country. The play is often found to be an overly complicated story, but this season's production, continuing with the overall theme of humility, presents each character's journey extremely well. The story revolves around Rosalind, who has recently been banished from Duke Frederick's court. Rosalind and her best friend Celia (Duke Frederick's daughter) escape to the forest, disguised as a man and a shepherd girl respectively. Rosalind is madly in love with Orlando, who has also recently been banished by his own brother, Oliver. They meet in the forest, but Rosalind is still disguised as a man. The story also features two other sets of young lovers and an usurped Duke and his Robin Hood-like band of merry men in the forest. Henry V This year, Henry V is the Festival's standout production. The story is portrayed with a rare honest humility. The themes of conflict, leadership, and warfare are explored thoroughly and with an uncluttered sense of purpose. Henry V is the story of the English king's invasion of France. Though the play was originally written for an audience that knew the story of King Henry V well, with the help of a well-written and passionate narrator (played by Corliss Preston) it is relatively easy for the audience to follow. This production of Henry V did particularly well in exploring the effect of warfare on the individual. Director J.R. Sulli- The actors relate heavily to their characters, specifically concerning their relationships. 'There's something about young love that's easily dismissible," said Quinn Mattfeld, who plays Orlando.* "But it's nice to see love at first sight valued. Because we have such a •cynical society ... that's so easily willing to dismiss the emotions of young people as hormones. ... This is real, it's what you're experiencing and it's valuable." mazon.com Coraiine, July 21 • The Comedy of Errors van spoke of its effect on King Henry (played excellently and selflessly by Festival favorite Brian Vaughn), especially during the end of the English siege on French border town Harfleur. *The passion of warfare can take a person over. You can become that thing that perhaps you don't want to be." The performances in this history are refreshingly unpretentious and ingenuous. Each character, no matter their rank, is so well portrayed that the audience forgets that King Henry is the star of the show until the third act. It plays like a true ensemble piece. If you make it to Cedar City this summer, Henry V should be your first priority. Set in a Londoner's idea of what the far away, exotic and mysterious Turkish town of Ephesus would be like, The Comedy of Errors is a slapstick tale of the hilarious reunion of two sets of twins, one set. playing slave to the other. One half of each set has been living together in a different town, separated in childhood by a shipwreck. The twins from Syracuse travel to Ephesus to find their brothers. After four acts, full of the antics of mistaken identity, a family is reunited. Director Kirk Boyd has shown a magnificent grasp of modern Shakespearean comedy. "If I have a gift as a director, it's that I like to create a fertile playground," Boyd said. "It's like a really fertile sandbox. So you know where the edges are, but in the middle of it, you can go crazy! You can do whatever you want, and fall down and not hurt yourself." By approaching the comedy this way, giving the actors no limitations within the parameters of the script, Boyd was able to create a truly hilarious environment that was, at the same time, relatable to modern audiences arid respectful to Shakespeare's original intentions. Fast& Furious, July 28 on.com Theatres The Ugiy Truth, July 24 Yahoo.com Summer Travel Tips: The Road Trip Orphan, July 24 ORAINE GHOLDSTON Culture writer Yahoo.com Ah, the summer road trip. The essence of youthful spontaneity, adventure and insanity all rolled into one. While there are some tips here that might be considered no-brainers, they're still rather important. And hopefully, with a few dozen road trips under my belt, I can offer some advice on things you may not have thought of. Here we go. Choose carefully with whom would travel. Mark Twain said it best: "There ain't no surer way to find out whether you like someone or hate 'em than to travel with 'em." Roommates you're already pretty well acquainted with are usually good choices, as are lifelong friends. Some people may surprise you by being total strangers in the beginning and ending up great friends by the end of your adventure. But remember, we're talking close quarters here - people's tensions are going to get hairy at some point. For God's sake, respect everyone in the vehicle. The best people to take with you are the folks you know will listen to you, take you seriously and band together if anything goes wrong. Great conversationalists with good taste in music who smile a lot are my favorite road trip people. absolutely sure of your Vehicle. Being stranded is no fun at all. Make sure the fluids have all been recently changed, the tires are in good shape, the alignment's good, the brakes are in good working order and all that fun stuff. It couldn't hurt to have a tune-up by a trusted mechanic before you head out. While you're out there, remember to keep checking your tire pressure and your fluids and don't forget to take some extra, oil and such with you. Use quality gas and try to keep the tank as close to full as possible. I like to fill up every time I stop, but that can eat into your time, so try to do that while everyone is doing the bathroom and snack rounds. Just in case something goes wrong, have a back-up plan. Have phone numbers of people who can help you if you're stuck on a highway out by Ship Rock. Be able to change a tire, or at least bring someone who can. Be mindful of road conditions - especially in unfamiliar territory. And please be a courteous driver. Don't tailgate or brandish weapons or race other vehicles. Especially do not drink and drive. Always, always have a designated driver. The more trouble you avoid, the more fun you'll have. G-Force, July 24 Yahoo.com Funny People, July 31 ioo.com See TRAVEL TIPS • A7 |