Utah Shakespeare Festival

What Utah Shakespeare Festival does

Utah Shakespeare Festival is a nonprofit professional theatre organization founded in 1961 and operated as 'The Professional Theatre at Southern Utah University' in Cedar City, Utah. It produces an annual repertory season of approximately nine to ten Shakespearean and classical productions, performed across three campus-based venues — the outdoor Engelstad Shakespeare Theatre, the indoor Randall L. Jones Theatre, and the intimate Eileen and Allen Anes Studio Theatre — with the George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Music Center added for the 2027 season. Programming spans traditional Shakespeare (Hamlet, Twelfth Night, Troilus and Cressida, Henry V), contemporary works (Something Rotten!, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, The Book Club Play), and the Words Cubed new play development series.

The company generates revenue across four core streams: ticket sales (ranging $20–$96 depending on venue and seat tier), charitable donations through a dedicated giving program, education programs (Shakespeare Competition registration at $200 base plus $75 per category, youth camps, adult courses, and school-based workshops), and ancillary experiences such as backstage tours and venue rentals. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via a secure online ticketing platform (secure.bard.org), phone sales (800-PLAYTIX), a physical box office, subscription packages, and group sales. The festival's customer base spans individual theatregoers, K–12 and homeschool groups participating in the UHSAA-sanctioned Shakespeare Competition, regional audiences from Utah and surrounding states, and cultural tourists drawn through partnerships with the Utah Office of Tourism and the Cedar City Brian Head Tourism Bureau.

Underlying technology is conventional live theatrical production — stage lighting, sound systems, sets, costumes, and scenic design for repertory theatre — supported by a PCI-DSS-compliant online ticketing system with Algolia-powered site search. Strategic relationships include a continuous founding-era partnership with Southern Utah University, UHSAA sanctioning of the student competition, funding from the George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation, and state tourism co-marketing. Headcount is reported in the 251–500 range, with the organization approaching its 65th anniversary season in 2026.

Name

Utah Shakespeare Festival

Legal name

Utah Shakespeare Festival

Website

https://bard.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1961

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Utah Shakespeare Festival is a nonprofit professional theatre in Cedar City, Utah, that produces an annual repertory season of Shakespearean and classical productions across three campus venues, serving general audiences, students, and cultural tourists in partnership with Southern Utah University.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts / Live Theatre

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111), Performing Arts Companies (7111), Other Performing Arts Companies (711190)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Regional & Repertory Theatre Companies (MPAGABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Classical & Contemporary Theatre (Plays/Drama) (MPAGABAH), Performing Arts Centers & Presenters (Programming/Booking) (MPAGABAM)

Keywords

• Live theatrical productions
• Shakespeare festival performances
• Performing arts education
• Repertory theatre season
• Classical theatre presentations

Headquarters

HQ city

Cedar City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from individual performance tickets, subscriptions, and group sales for theatrical productions across multiple venues (Engelstad Shakespeare Theatre, Randall L. Jones Theatre, Anes Studio Theatre). Prices range from $20-$96 depending on venue and seat tier.
2. Donations and Giving: Charitable contributions through the Give section of the website, supporting the festival's nonprofit operations and educational mission.
3. Education Programs: Revenue from Shakespeare Competition registration fees ($200 base + $75 per category), youth camps, adult courses, and educational workshops.
4. Venue Rentals and Experiences: Revenue from backstage tours ($10), seminars, and other ancillary experiences offered to visitors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Utah Shakespeare Festival produces and presents professional live theatrical productions, primarily Shakespearean and classical plays, performed seasonally (July–October) across three company-owned venues in Cedar City, Utah. Complementing the productions are education programs (Shakespeare Competition, youth camps, adult courses, school workshops), ancillary festival activities (Backstage Tours, Play Seminars, Greenshow, Curtain Call Luncheons), a new-play development series (Words Cubed), and accessibility services such as open captioning and audio description.

Product overview

Utah Shakespeare Festival is a professional theatre festival operating as a single, unified offering centered around live theatrical productions. The Festival presents multiple seasonal production series across three venues: the outdoor Engelstad Shakespeare Theatre, the indoor Randall L. Jones Theatre, and the Eileen and Allen Anes Studio Theatre. The product portfolio includes annual season productions (Shakespearean classics like Hamlet and Twelfth Night, alongside contemporary works like Something Rotten! and Mary Shelley's Frankenstein), education programs (Shakespeare Competition, Shakespearience, Youth Camps), festival activities (Backstage Tours, Play Seminars, Greenshow), Words Cubed new play development series, and an online ticketing platform. The Festival also provides accessibility services including open captioning and audio descriptions. The 2026 season marks the 65th Anniversary with 10 productions, while the 2027 season announces 9 productions including The Crucible, Henry V, and the zombie-comedy William Shakespeare's Land of the Dead.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Shakespeare Competition: Annual competition for students in acting, dance, music, and tech categories focused on Shakespearean text and performance.
• Bard.org

Products and services

• Live Theatre Productions (Shakespearean & Classical Repertory) Professional Shakespearean and classical theatrical productions performed across the festival's three venues, sold via individual tickets ($20–$96), season subscriptions, and group sales. Targeted at general theatre audiences, cultural tourists, and group visitors during the July–October season.
• Education Programs (Shakespeare Competition, Youth Camps, Adult Courses, Shakespearience, PlayTeam Workshops, Shakespeare in the Schools Tour) Educational offerings for K–12 students, teachers, and lifelong learners including the annual multi-category Shakespeare Competition, Shakespearience, Youth Camps, Adult Courses, PlayTeam Workshops, and Shakespeare in the Schools Tour. Shakespeare Competition registration is $200 base plus $75 per category, with fees waived for Utah public and charter schools via the POPS grant.
• Words Cubed (New Play Development Series) New play development series presenting contemporary adult-oriented works, including a submission process for playwrights. Sits alongside the main repertory season as an additional ticketed offering.
• Festival Activities & Experiences (Backstage Tours, Play Seminars, Greenshow, Curtain Call Luncheons, Play Orientations, Repertory Magic, Production Seminars, REACH, Festival Quest, Junior Bard) Ancillary festival experiences including guided Backstage Tours ($10 per person), play seminars, the free pre-show Greenshow, Curtain Call Luncheons, Play Orientations, Repertory Magic, Production Seminars, REACH, Festival Quest, and Junior Bard. Sold individually or as part of the festival visit experience.
• Online Ticketing Platform (secure.bard.org) Self-service online ticketing platform (secure.bard.org) supporting seat selection, account management, and accessibility accommodation requests for all festival performances.
• Accessibility Services (Open Captioning & Audio Description)

Quantifiable outcome

• Annual Shakespeare Competition attracts hundreds of student participants from across the western United States
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Utah High School Activities Association (UHSAA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026UHSAA sanctions the annual Shakespeare Competition, allowing participating schools to earn academic credit and activity recognition.
• George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles FoundationmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Major sponsor of the festival. The foundation has funded the new George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Music Center at SUU, where the 2027 production 'All The Devils Are Here' will be performed.
• Cedar City RAP TaxminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Municipal sponsor funded through restaurant, amusement, and hotel taxes supporting local arts and tourism.
• Utah Life Elevated / Utah Office of TourismminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026State tourism initiative promoting Utah destinations including Cedar City and the Utah Shakespeare Festival as a cultural attraction.
• Cedar City Brian Head Tourism BureauminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Local tourism bureau promoting the Cedar City/Brian Head region, co-marketing the festival as a visitor destination.
• Cedar City Festival Hall (Heritage Center Theatre)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026105 N. 100 E. Cedar City - additional venue used for Shakespeare Competition events and performances.
• Southern Utah UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1962The festival is 'The Professional Theatre at Southern Utah University.' SUU provides venue facilities, administrative support, student workers, and serves as co-host for the annual Shakespeare Competition. The partnership has been continuous since the festival's founding.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Idaho Shakespeare Festival: Boise-based Idaho Shakespeare Festival produces professional Shakespeare and contemporary theatre in an outdoor amphitheatre and indoor venue during a summer season. It is closely comparable to USF in regional Western U.S. location, repertory outdoor programming, and Shakespeare-as-core-identity positioning.
• Colorado Shakespeare Festival: Founded in 1958 on the University of Colorado Boulder campus, the Colorado Shakespeare Festival operates as a repertory theatre under a university-affiliated model nearly identical to Utah Shakespeare Festival's relationship with Southern Utah University, producing a full summer season of Shakespeare and related works.
• American Players Theatre: Located in Spring Green, Wisconsin, American Players Theatre produces Shakespeare and classical works in repertory across outdoor and indoor venues. It mirrors Utah Shakespeare Festival's repertory model, classical focus, multi-venue infrastructure, and rural Wisconsin setting analogous to Cedar City.
• Oregon Shakespeare Festival: Founded in 1935 in Ashland, Oregon, Oregon Shakespeare Festival is the largest and longest-running Shakespeare festival in the United States, operating multiple indoor/outdoor venues with professional repertory productions. It is the most directly comparable peer to Utah Shakespeare Festival in mission, scale, and academic-affiliation history.
• Tennessee Shakespeare Company: Memphis-based Tennessee Shakespeare Company is a professional Shakespeare repertory company producing classical works alongside educational outreach programs. It mirrors USF in its commitment to classical Shakespeare repertoire and emphasis on educational mission in the southeastern U.S.
• Alabama Shakespeare Festival: Based in Montgomery, Alabama, the Alabama Shakespeare Festival produces a full season of Shakespearean and contemporary works in a state-funded repertory model. Comparable to USF in producing both classical Shakespeare and modern works with educational programming across a multi-venue campus.
• Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival: Located in Garrison, New York, Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival operates an outdoor tent venue producing Shakespeare and classical works in repertory. Comparable to USF in seasonal outdoor repertory format and dedication to Shakespearean core repertoire.

Broad incumbents

• San Diego Repertory Theatre at the Lyceum Theatre Space: San Diego Rep operates a year-round regional theatre producing contemporary and classical works with educational programming; comparable to USF's repertory production and educational mission though it is urban-based and operates continuous rather than seasonal programming.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/utahshakespeare1
• Facebookfacebook.com/utahshakespeare
• Instagraminstagram.com/utahshakespeare
• Pinterestpinterest.com/utahshakes
• Xx.com/UtahShakespeare
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/utah-shakespearean-festival

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Utah Shakespeare Festival