Utah Shakespearean Festival 2009

This year at the festival has been the best year yet. The first day (October 8) my group and I attended the Randall L. Jone's Theater's production of The Woman in Black. First off: it was quite possibly the most brilliant performance of any show I have ever seen. It was also probably the most horrifying show I have ever seen...

The show starts of in a theater were the aged and withered Mr. Kipps begins reading a manuscript he wrote explaining in detail of the harrowing events he had as a youth involving the mysterious woman in black. Hoping that reciting his story to an audience will end his nightmares he hires an actor who strongly believes it would be best to perform the story rather than read it (which will bore the audience).

The actor than portrays the young Mr. Kipps and Mr. Kipps portrays the other people of the English village of Crythin Gifford. Mr. Kipps travels to this village to settle the estate of the late Mrs. Drablow. Upon arrival to her funeral he notices a sickly-looking woman wearing black. When mentioning this to his escort, Mr. Keckwick, his response is silence.

As Mr. Kipps heads to Mrs. Drablow's estate he dicovers some documents and learns of the mysterious history of the house and the family that formerly resided in it. And some secrets are never to be revealed...

The performance of this show was astounding. The actors were all very into character that had I seen them out of character I would think them to be two different people. The show had a lot of special lighting and sound effects and it all played out to be one of the most terrifying experienced of my life. This show is a must-see. If it ever is performing in a theater near you, GO AND SEE IT!

Later, the same day, I was privileged to attend the play Tuesdays with Morrie. This performance had the same two main actors from The Woman in Black. I couldn't even recognize them for they had donned completely different characters.

Tuesdays with Morrie is a beautiful, poignant, play about life. It was very witty and I'm pretty sure there wasn't a dry eye in the house.

The play opens with a college student, Mitch Albom, who then introduces his favorite professor, Morrie Schwartz. The two were great friends and they had classes on Tuesdays. After college ends, Mitch promises to keep in touch with Morrie. Twenty years later and Mitch hasn't seen or heard from Morrie since.

In the meantime Morrie is diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's Disease, which is fatal.

Mitch, who had dreamed of being a pianist, becomes a Detroit sports columnist after his dream didn't pan out. Upon seeing Morrie on Nightline, Mitch meats with Morrie who pleads with Mitch to visit with him every Tuesday.

Mitch visits asking countless life questions each visit and their former friendship rekindles as Mitch learns some very important life lessons.

The acting was, of course, BRILLIANT! And the lighting was also very well done

On the second day of the festival (October 9), my team and I rehearsed for our competition performance of our ensemble scene, from Henry VI, part III, act 5, scene 5. We did very well and our team even took second place for that scene.

In the end the team I was participating in won first for our duo scene, second place for our ensemble scene, and first place overall.

The Utah Shakespearean Festival is a must for thespians. It is so educational, you see brilliant shows, and it is quite possibly the most fun you will ever have in three days.

Cedar City's Shakespearean Festival

In exactly five days, 16 hours, 48 minutes and 25 seconds of the time that I am typing this I will be leaving to the Tony Award winning Southern Utah Shakespearean Festival in Cedar City. As you can probably already tell... I AM SO EXCITED!!!! For all of you movie buffs out there who know nothing of Broadway or the Tonys: Tony Award = A-FLIPPIN-MAZING!

Anywho, this will be my third year attending the festival at which I will attend two theatrical performances (Tuesdays With Morrie and The Woman in Black) both I am stoked for. The performances at the festival are always top-notch.

I leave on October 8th, and after I return I shall have a great blog post about the whole thing!