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Dramatic Revelations and Timeless Tales: Inside the Utah Shakespeare Festival

At the heart of Cedar City, Utah, the Utah Shakespeare Festival offers a riveting theatre journey through classic tales and complex characters. From the psychological intrigue of Macbeth to the comedic twists in The Importance of Being Earnest, this festival invites audiences to experience the timeless stories that have shaped literature. Explore the thrilling lineup including Antony and Cleopatra, As You Like It, A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder, and the heartwarming Steel Magnolias. Discover the powerful performances and creative brilliance that make this festival a cultural highlight.

May 10, 2025

1. Macbeth

Haunted by the witches’ prophecies and spurred by his wife’s ambitions (as well as his own taste for power), Macbeth dares to tempt fate. But in this, one of the world’s first psychological thrillers, he slowly finds that his murderous machinations are doomed to bitter and tragic failure.

Jun 16 - Sep 4, 2025

Utah Shakespeare Festival

Cedar City, UT · Engelstad Shakespeare Theatre

2. Antony and Cleopatra

A man of great vision, dedication, and purpose, Marc Antony is still no match for the passionate and irresistible Queen of the Nile. With his vision clouded and his purpose blunted, will this great military hero face catastrophic defeat? Reason battles emotion in this epic and seldom-produced portrayal of love, leaving us wondering until the very end: Which will win, or will all be lost?

Jun 17 - Sep 5, 2025

Utah Shakespeare Festival

Cedar City, UT · Engelstad Shakespeare Theatre

3. As You Like It

Rosalind has a problem. Disguised as a boy, she goes to Arden to find her father. But her disguise has also fooled her beloved Orlando, who now asks the “boy” to help him woo the woman of his dreams––none other than Rosalind herself! What’s a girl (or boy) to do? Find out in this rollicking frolic of confused courtship and beautiful poetry.

Jun 18 - Sep 6, 2025

Utah Shakespeare Festival

Cedar City, UT · Engelstad Shakespeare Theatre

4. A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder

Low-born Monty Navarro discovers that he is eighth in line for an earldom in the grandiose D’Ysquith family and he supposes the likelihood of outliving his relatives is little to none. So he decides on something a bit more macabre: can he dispose of his unsuspecting predecessors without being caught in order to become the ninth Earl of Highhurst? And what about romance along the way since murder isn’t the only thing on Monty’s mind…

Jun 19 - Oct 3, 2025

Utah Shakespeare Festival

Cedar City, UT · Southern Utah University

5. The Importance of Being Earnest

Take a mother eager to marry her daughter to a “suitable” match, a prim governess with a very romantic streak, and two earnest young “gentlemen” looking for fun. Add some of the best loved lines in English literature, a little confusion, and a great deal of laughter and you have this comic classic many critics have called “the funniest play ever written.”

Jun 20 - Oct 4, 2025

Utah Shakespeare Festival

Cedar City, UT · Southern Utah University

6. Steel Magnolis

The women of Chinquapin, Louisiana, gather each week in wise-cracking Truvy Jones’s popular beauty salon where she does the hair of such locals as the rich curmudgeon Ouiser, the eccentric millionaire Miss Clairee, and the socialite M’Lynn whose daughter Shelby is about to get married. As these women make their way over life’s many ups and downs together, they find comfort, love, friendship–and a fair amount of verbal ribbing–in one another’s company.

Jun 21 - Oct 4, 2025

Utah Shakespeare Festival

Cedar City, UT · Southern Utah University

Conclusion

The Utah Shakespeare Festival continues to captivate audiences with its exceptional performances and dedication to classic literature. Whether you're drawn to the psychological depths of Macbeth or the comedic brilliance of The Importance of Being Earnest, the festival offers something for everyone. It's a celebration of storytelling at its finest, inviting you to explore timeless tales that resonate with profound human truths. As you leave the festival, you'll carry with you the echoes of unforgettable characters and stories that remind us of the power and beauty of theater.

2025 Artelize••