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This is Chris Redgrave for Zions Bank Speaking on Business.
Depending on where you live, you may not understand the impact for rural communities when a world-class touring production like the Utah Shakespeare Festival reaches out... Each year, they perform in front of around 35,000 students in 120 schools in 40 venues across the state ... So, the reach is huge — the impact changes lives...
Utah Shakespeare in the Schools has served as far north as Sun Valley, Idaho, as far south as Tucson, Arizona and toured rural parts of Utah, Nevada and Arizona.... Michael Bahr, educational director of the Utah Shakespeare Festival, knows about the impact of this company, a company that searches for actors with wanderlust and a passion for teaching kids in smaller communities...
They also offer classes for students and teachers, and these reach 2,500 kids from across the Intermountain West..... They have an instant intern program where they bring in six kids to help with the production. You can imagine how much they love it!
Every year they rotate where the shows are performed so within three years, they're in every corner of the state — that means Eureka or Trout Creek, located in the middle of the desert between Ely and Delta...Some of these places also hold a community show that anyone in the community can enjoy ...
Sometimes they alter the production, like doing Romeo and Juliet in modern dress with modern music, but still using Shakespearean language..... Michael says these are universal themes that people can relate to, no matter the language...
Shakespeare in the Schools built a reputation, so they continue to return to places because of connections they've established... Many sponsors have been eager to join with them because they provide a high-quality product while encouraging young artists... This places a remarkable group of actors is exceptional ambassadors for the art of theatre...
These are 75 -minute plays with Shakespeare words intact, plays all studied within curriculum of the school so that includes anything from Taming of the Shrew to Macbeth, Midsummer Night's Dream to Romeo and Juliet.
For Zions Bank, I'm Chris Redgrave, speaking on business.
Utah Shakespeare Festival 351 W. Center St. Cedar City, UT 84720 435-586-8333 www.bard.org
