Play On! Podcast

A few months ago, we had the chance to speak with Melinda Pfundstein, director of “The Book of Will,” and Lauren Gunderson, the playwright of “The Book of Will.” We spoke about the legacy of Shakespeare, the unique challenges of adapting a real-life story to the stage, and the stories of incredible women, both in this play and in Shakespeare’s works.“The Book of Will” plays in the Engelstad Theatre through September 5. Get your tickets now at bard.org.

In this episode, we talk to Curt Tofteland, founder and producing director of Shakespeare Behind Bars, an organization which serves incarcerated adults and youth using exclusively the works of William Shakespeare, and TJ Penrod, a founding member of Off the Cuff Comedy Improvisation and a Juvenile Justice Program Facilitator here in Utah.A few resources to get you started:https://www.shakespearebehindbars.org/links/https://www.npr.org/2013/04/22/178411754/teaching-shakespeare-in-a-maximum-security-prisonhttps://www.folger.edu/shakespeare-unlimited/solitary-prisonhttps://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/712889.Shakespeare_Insidehttps://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/12643731http://www.cc.com/video-clips/agw4nc/the-colbert-report-the-word---bardhttps://www.marinshakespeare.org/shakespeare-in-prison/Subscribe on iTunes | Subscribe on Spotify | Subscribe on Google Play

In this episode, we talk to Tim Sailer and Stefanie Resnick, who recently finished a four-month run playing Macbeth and Lady Macbeth in our Shakespeare-in-the-Schools educational tour of Macbeth, about tour life, love, and the experience of playing this iconic Shakespearean couple.

In this episode, we talk to Dr. Travis Curtright and Mary Curtright, founders of Shakespeare In Performance at Ave Maria University in Florida, to discuss love, both in Shakespeare’s plays and the lives of those that perform his works, their production research process, and what they lovingly call “troupe life.” We also get a visit from Queen Elizabeth I herself—you’ll have to listen to find out what she has to say!

In this episode, we talk to Fred Adams, founder of the Utah Shakespeare Festival, and Sam White, founder of Shakespeare in Detroit and director of “Twelfth Night” in our upcoming 2019 season, about the joys, challenges, and similarities of starting Shakespeare companies in 1961 and 2013, what they're looking forward to in 2019, and what, exactly, ought to be done with the character Fabian in "Twelfth Night."

Artistic Director Brian Vaughn, Director of this season's regional premiere of Shakespeare in Love discusses how the Festival acquired the rights, his inspiration for the show, and his insights into creating the world of William Shakespeare.

Lighting Designer Kirk Bookman discusses his inspiration for his designs, including this season's productions of Guys and Dolls, Treasure Island, A Midsummer Night's Dream, and The Tavern

Elizabeth Marquis, Devery North, and Miriam Michaels, our Technician, Company Manager, and Stage Manager discuss the impact the Shakespeare-in-the-School's tour of A Midsummer Night's Dream has had on themselves and the students they visited.

Cast members Madison Kist and Stephanie Resnick from Shakespeare-in-the-Schools gave us an update on their tour experience as they approached the midpoint for the tour.

A conversation with the Utah Shakespeare Festival Education Director Michael Don Bahr about the importance of artistic partnerships and how those partnerships can strengthen the community.

Shakespeare-in-the-Schools cast members, Luke Sidney Johnson and Mara Lefler discuss their experiences in A Midsummer Night's Dream, and talk about their time as students at Southern Utah University.

Cast members for the Shakespeare-in-the-Schools tour of A Midsummer Night's Dream, Alexis Baigue, Brandon Burk, and Karen Thorla, discuss their experiences at the Festival and expectations for the upcoming tour.

Britannia Howe, director of the Shakespeare-in-the-Schools touring production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, discusses her vision for this year's tour.

John Plumpis and John Wascavage talk about their experiences during this season's production of The Cocoanuts.

Actors Jeff Cummings and Rex Young discuss their roles and experiences in this season's production of Julius Caesar.

J.R. Sullivan, director of this season's production of The Odd Couple, discusses his experience during the production process.

Jim Poulos and Tasso Feldmen discuss portraying two of the four Marx Brothers in this season's production of The Cocoanuts.

Paul Helm and John Wascavage discuss their experience performing in the new Eileen and Allen Anes Studio Theatre in this season's production of Murder for Two.

Brad Carroll, director of Murder for Two, discusses his experience directing this production in the new Eileen and Allen Anes Studio Theatre.

Director Joseph Hanreddy discusses his vision behind this season's production of Julius Caesar.