This week our Speaker Guest was Michael Don Bahr, Education Director of the Utah Shakespearean Festival. An educator at heart – many years teaching – he shared with us not only information on the Festival and the plays but on the educational opportunities which surround the Utah Shakespearean Festival.
For instance, did you know that for each actor there are 7 support people? And this year there are 65 actors! The actors perform in repertory 2 to 3 plays each season. This year Festival will offer 6 plays through the summer and 3 in the fall. The summer productions are: Much Ado about Nothing, The Merchant of Venice, Macbeth, Pride and Prejudice, Great Expectations – a New Musical, and Alfred Hitchcock’s The 39 Steps.
The Utah Shakespearean Festival came from the dream of Fred Adams in 1961. Today the operating budget is $6.2M, with 2 theaters and a dream of a 3rd. What made this Festival outstanding form the beginning was that Fred initiated performance “pre-talks” to take away “Shakes Fear.” Today the calendar is overflowing not only with performances but with seminars including Prop Seminars, Backstage tours, Play orientations, Actor seminars, and Literary seminars which draw up to 200+ people each and every seminar. All at no cost. This season the USF volunteer corps has a roster of 350 people!
Michael, Education Director for 10 years, is very proud of the educational opportunities of numerous classes for student groups and Camp Theater experiences for young people. USF and Tuachan participate in educational exchange and all the student opportunities draw students nationwide.
The Theater schedule is packed full and rotates such that tourists in the area can see 2 or 3 plays in a short visit. Be sure to visit their web site: http://www.bard.org/. It is an AMAZING place. You can buy tickets, see video clips AND there are study guides on just about any play you can think of! Check it out!
On a personal note, this was a most amazing happening for me. Last year I contacted USF for a program and it just never quite happened. This year I phoned was informed it would work out well to send someone to speak to us and I was asked to call a few days ahead to verify which person would be coming to speak. When I made the follow up call I was told Michael would be our presenter. I thought at the time, I know this person but could not place where. Upon arriving at the Abbey Inn Michael and I looked at each other and both knew our paths had crossed but neither of us could place where even after chatting quite a while. Suddenly at the end of the program, I realized this was the family that purchased by parents home when my Mother was no longer able to live in it. And I was flabbergasted to find that the Bahr family has one of my family’s heirlooms. It is a VERY small world.
Mark will be back next week and our speaker will be Darrell Eaves on the subject of Internet Marketing. You won’t want to miss it.
Past President Marla – pitch hitting for President Mark.
For instance, did you know that for each actor there are 7 support people? And this year there are 65 actors! The actors perform in repertory 2 to 3 plays each season. This year Festival will offer 6 plays through the summer and 3 in the fall. The summer productions are: Much Ado about Nothing, The Merchant of Venice, Macbeth, Pride and Prejudice, Great Expectations – a New Musical, and Alfred Hitchcock’s The 39 Steps.
The Utah Shakespearean Festival came from the dream of Fred Adams in 1961. Today the operating budget is $6.2M, with 2 theaters and a dream of a 3rd. What made this Festival outstanding form the beginning was that Fred initiated performance “pre-talks” to take away “Shakes Fear.” Today the calendar is overflowing not only with performances but with seminars including Prop Seminars, Backstage tours, Play orientations, Actor seminars, and Literary seminars which draw up to 200+ people each and every seminar. All at no cost. This season the USF volunteer corps has a roster of 350 people!
Michael, Education Director for 10 years, is very proud of the educational opportunities of numerous classes for student groups and Camp Theater experiences for young people. USF and Tuachan participate in educational exchange and all the student opportunities draw students nationwide.
The Theater schedule is packed full and rotates such that tourists in the area can see 2 or 3 plays in a short visit. Be sure to visit their web site: http://www.bard.org/. It is an AMAZING place. You can buy tickets, see video clips AND there are study guides on just about any play you can think of! Check it out!
On a personal note, this was a most amazing happening for me. Last year I contacted USF for a program and it just never quite happened. This year I phoned was informed it would work out well to send someone to speak to us and I was asked to call a few days ahead to verify which person would be coming to speak. When I made the follow up call I was told Michael would be our presenter. I thought at the time, I know this person but could not place where. Upon arriving at the Abbey Inn Michael and I looked at each other and both knew our paths had crossed but neither of us could place where even after chatting quite a while. Suddenly at the end of the program, I realized this was the family that purchased by parents home when my Mother was no longer able to live in it. And I was flabbergasted to find that the Bahr family has one of my family’s heirlooms. It is a VERY small world.
Mark will be back next week and our speaker will be Darrell Eaves on the subject of Internet Marketing. You won’t want to miss it.
Past President Marla – pitch hitting for President Mark.
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