Even lovers of high art relax a little in the summer – often enjoying plays and symphonies outdoors at festivals.
Here’s a look at two of Utah’s most popular summer events — the Utah Shakespeare Festival in Cedar City and the Utah Symphony’s Deer Valley Music Festival in Park City — and what other arts groups are doing on their summer “break” Summary of things.
Utah Shakespeare Festival
Every summer, Cedar City hosts the beloved William Shakespeare Festival, filled with theater lovers. This year’s festival will be held from June 17 to October 5. bard website Get ticket information. This year’s repertoire includes:
“Henry VIII” • (June 17-September 5) This Shakespearean history play, which has not been performed at USF in nearly 30 years, tells the story of a king who considers rebelling against the church and divorcing his first wife.
“Winter’s Tale” • (June 18-September 6) In Shakespeare’s romantic drama, bad things ensue when Leontes accuses his wife, Miriam, of being unfaithful to his closest friend.
“The Taming of the Shrew” • (June 19-September 7) Shakespeare’s comedy about the ferocious Katharina and the furious Petruchio is one of his most famous works, adapted from Kiss Me Kate and I Hate Your Ten Things” and other works.
“Much Ado About Nothing” • (June 21-October 5) More romantic comedies from Shakespeare, lovers Heroes Hero and Claudio plan to get married—if only they can get their feuding friends Beatrice and Benedick to come to the conclusion The inevitable conclusion was that they too were destined to get married.
“39 Steps” • (June 22-October 5) Playwright Patrick Barlow adapts this classic mystery novel from John Buchan’s novel and Alfred Hitchcock’s film.
“Silent Sky”• (July 12-October 5) Lauren Gunderson’s drama tells the true story of Henrietta Leavitt, the 19th-century scientist and astronomer who changed us A way of looking at the universe.
“Mountaintop” • (July 13-October 5) Katori Hall’s play fictionalizes the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as he prepared a speech and conversed with a hotel maid at the Lorraine Hotel in Memphis.
“A Midsummer Night’s Dream” • (July 30-August 3) Short plays of Shakespeare’s fantasy romantic comedies, part of the festival’s artist exchange program with London’s Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.
Deer Valley Music Festival
The Utah Symphony celebrates its 20th anniversary with its annual summer performances at the Snow Park Outdoor Amphitheater, 2250 Deer Valley Drive South, Park City. Tickets and passes, as well as information about the festival’s more intimate chamber music concerts, visit deervalleymusicfestival.org.
Friday, July 5 • “Patriotic Pop” is a series celebrating America and American composers. Evan Roider conducts the Utah Symphony Orchestra with vocalist Lisa Howard.
Saturday, July 6 • “Christmas in July,” complete with Christmas music. Connor Gray Covington conducts, and William Hagen plays violin solo.
Thursday, July 11 • “The Music of Whitney Houston,” featuring Broadway performer Rashidra Scott singing Houston’s hits and Brent Havens conducting.
Friday, July 12 • “The Groundbreaking Music of Joni Mitchell, Carole King and Carly Simon,” celebrating the singer-songwriters of the ’70s. Ted Sperling conducts; Morgan James, Kapathia Jenkins and Sheena Steele serve as vocals.
Friday, July 19 • The Rascals, the iconic ’60s band known for songs like “Beautiful Morning” and “How Can I Be Sure,” perform with the Utah Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Martin Herman.
Saturday, July 20 • “Disney Concert: Once Upon a Time” includes songs from Disney movies, with the symphony conducted by Jerry Hou.
Friday, July 26 • Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture is the highlight of the program, along with two other works by the composer: his Piano Concerto No. 1 (with pianist Aristo Aristo) and the Swan Lake Suite. Steven Jarvey conducts the symphony.
Saturday, July 27 • Funk legends Tower of Power perform with the Utah Symphony Orchestra conducted by Steven Jarvi.
Friday, August 2 • The Boogie Wonder Band performs disco classics with the Utah Symphony conducted by Martin Herman.
Saturday 3 August • Singer and actor Leslie Odom Jr., best known for his Tony Award-winning performance as Aaron Burr in the original “Hamilton,” joins the Utah Symphony Orchestra with Enrico Lopez-Yañez conductor) to perform together.
Thursday, August 8 • “The Music of John Williams,” features the composer’s film scores, with David Newman conducting the Utah Symphony Orchestra.
Friday, August 9 • Multi-instrumentalist Cody Fry performs with the Utah Symphony Orchestra (conducted by Enrico Lopez-Yañez).
More performing arts
Ballet West• The company, one of America’s leading ballet companies, prepares for the summer with a major event: its sixth annual Dance Festival. This year’s theme is “Voices of Asia”, with world premieres of works by choreographers Fang Zhongjing and Quan Caili, as well as Chen Feier’s “Amber Waves” and Liang Dehua’s “Season”. Ross Wagner Center for the Performing Arts, 138 W. 300 South, Salt Lake City. Tickets can be purchased at BalletWest.org.
Eccles Broadway • The touring jukebox musical “Girl From the North Country,” featuring 20 songs by Bob Dylan, will run June 11-16. Then, from July 31 to September 1, Lin-Manuel Miranda’s “Hamilton” will return for an extended run. Eccles Theatre, 131 South Main Street, Salt Lake City. Tickets can be purchased at saltlakecity.broadway.com.
Hale Center Theater • Utah’s long-standing popular community theater organization presents programs year-round on its two stages. Center Stage’s country musical May We All will run until June 5, followed by a new musical based on The Nutty Professor, The Weird One, from July 1 to August 17. A special performance of Friday: The Musical (Part 1). ’s U.S. premiere. Joel Tribute, and The Addams Family, a musical tribute to Elton John and Billy Joel, from August 19 to November 16. Tickets can be purchased at hct.org.
Moab Music Festival• The annual concert series and related events are held at various locations in Moab and adjacent Red Rocks – a unique combination of music and nature. It will be held from August 28th to September 14th.
Salt Lake Agency • SLAC is once again using the summer to study the hallmarks of life in Utah. This year’s show, “Close Encounters in the Hive,” tells the story of two aliens who are sent to Earth to see if it’s worth saving, and of course, they land in Salt Lake City. The play, written by Olivia Custodio, David Knoell and Penelope Caywood, runs from June 26 to August 18. Tickets can be purchased at SaltLakeActingCompany.org.
Utah Opera and Musical Theater Festival • This year’s long-running summer slate includes productions of Cats, Little Shop of Horrors, Guys and Dolls, and All’s Well. The festival runs July 5-August 3 at the Alan Eccles Theater and Utah Theater in Logan. Visit utahfestival.org for information and tickets.
