Making light of some of life’s most consequential events, Utah Shakespeare Co. is delivering a rendition of “Much Ado About Nothing” on Saturday at Montezuma-Cortez High School.
The comical performance is the latest in the theater company’s 28-year-long “Shakespeare-in-the-Schools” tour.
The cast and crew aim to reach schools and rural communities throughout the Intermountain West with a roster of eight professional actors sourced from a national search, according to a news release.
“The rural communities get less chances to be a part of something like this,” said Donn Jersey, director of development and communications for the Utah Shakespeare Festival.
The play is 75 minutes long, and will feature a “talk back” following the close of the curtains in which the audience can dissect character behaviors in an open forum.
The show delves into morals and societal values – among them love, marriage and military allusions.
Besides its engaging breakdown of otherwise dark topics, the experience serves as a learning opportunity for students interested in the performing arts.
“There’s just light bulb moments with young people,” Jersey said.
M-CHS drama students will get a flavor of professional acting tours, and will help the company to set up and take down the set.
And, the students will participate in a series of workshops with the company ahead of Saturday’s show to build their acting repertoires.
“It's a really great opportunity for our students and our faculty and everybody – especially our drama students – to see a professional group of actors come and perform Shakespeare,” said M-CHS Theatre Director Nicholaus Sandner.
The company has a way of adapting Shakespeare plays into “approachable” formats that are relatable for modern audiences.
For instance, a previous Romeo and Juliet production unfolded in a classroom setting, he said.
Sandner requests the company to land in Cortez each year on its education tour. Last year, the performance was virtual because of COVID-19.
The performance will begin at 7 p.m. in the M-CHS Ralph Vavak Auditorium.
Ticket prices are $10 for adults, $6 for students and seniors, and free for kids five and under.
The Utah Shakespeare Festival requests that audience members wear masks.
The play demonstrates that “love is wonderfully complicated, vulnerable, and at its essence, simple — once we throw our weapons and shields aside and allow people to be themselves,” according to a statement from Utah Shakespeare Education Director Michael Bahr.
The tour is funded by the Shakespeare for a New Generation program sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts, the Utah State Office of Education, Professional Outreach Programs in the Schools, Ally Bank and Southern Utah University.
kparkinson@the-journal.com
