A Shakespeare Quick Trip

I realize it has been several weeks now since I wrote about Justin's most recent hospital adventures. He seems to have stabilized to at least what he was before, and he has returned work. They've been long days for him, but as he says, "I'm doing my best." He certainly is. His best is pretty amazing right now. I'm so proud of him to keep getting up every day and doing what he does in spite of how crummy he feels.

Before he went back to work we made a quick overnighter to Cedar City last week to see a play at the Utah Shakespeare Festival. My family began attending the Festival when I was twelve and I've been coming nearly every year since then. Not only did I grow up at the Festival, but so did the kids. We saw Twelfth Night this year. There is a lot to commend it, but other things we didn't care for. The way music was incorporated was so wonderful -- several songs sung by Feste and a lot of original music written for scene changes and action emphasis. There were three musicians on stage at all times, up in a balcony on the set. I thought Viola and Olivia were especially terrific in their roles. The pacing of the dialogue, however, was too fast to enjoy and often seemed like the actors were just reciting lines as fast as they could. The other major distraction for me was the costuming. It looked like the Festival costume box had been raided at the last minute because there seemed to be no continuity in style, era, or country. Feste looked like he'd wandered in from the Caribbean. Sebastian's friend looked like something out of the twentieth century with his trenchcoat-like jacket. Olivia's costume looked like the designer couldn't decide on the Elizabethan period or the twentieth century. Some of it looked a little Slavic, while others looked Italian or American. Aside from that, however, we had a great time. Justin was able to come for the last half of the play.

Fred Adams, Festival founder, gives a pre-show talk.

It's the second-to-last year for this wonderful old theater. I saw A Midsummer's Night Dream here, my very first Shakespeare play.

The Green Show Tree in the Adams Theater courtyard. So many fond memories of the Village Idiot, tart sellers singing their wares, Martin Tyner the Falconer, and Punch & Judy shows

They finally brought back my favorite dance: The Egg Dance!!! Those are real eggs.

I wanted to get lots of photos of this theater before it is torn down at the end of next season.  Shakespeare with a background chorus of crickets and a twinkling umbrella of stars is pure magic.

Post play dinner at Denny's. 

Going to the Festival was a bucket list item for Owen before he leaves on his mission. I was amazed we could squeeze it in, but we managed to.