On the recordJune 29, 2011
today I wish to pay tribute to the Utah Shakespeare Festival, the Nation's premier regional theater and one of our State's crown jewels, on the occasion of its 50th anniversary. Great things often evolve from small or modest beginnings. That was certainly the case in 1961 when Fred C. Adams and his late wife, Barbara, founded the event in Cedar City with lofty goals, a bargain- basement budget of $1,000, and 21 volunteers. They envisioned what few others could see--that the 150,000 tourists who flocked to the area each summer might also be gathered for a theater festival. Today, the Utah Shakespeare Festival is the proud recipient of a Tony Award for being the ``outstanding regional theatre in America.'' It operates year-round, boasts a $6.6 million budget, employs 26 Equity actors and has another 300 community volunteers. Its repertoire has also expanded. Yes, Shakespeare is still the main attraction, but the festival also stages plays from three centuries of playwrights from all across Europe and the United States. Not bad for a festival that is 250 miles from Salt Lake City, the State's largest metropolitan area. Geography, though, can hardly be the sole consideration for theatre aficionados who wish to attend the festival. It is simply too good and too glorious to miss, for mileage's sake.…
