Utah Shakespeare Festival Announces Administration Changes

The Utah Shakespeare Festival has announced changes in its administration.

Executive Producer Steps Down

After serving for five years, Executive Producer Frank Mack has announced that he will be leaving the festival to pursue new opportunities. In a press release, Mack said, “I love everything about the Festival. The past five years have been incredible. The Festival is an extraordinary organization, and it has been a privilege to serve in this role.” Mack oversaw the troublesome year of 2020 when the season was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but he also led the efforts for the highly successful 2021 season and reopening. During his five year term, the Festival's budget grew from $6.5 million in 2018 to nearly $9.5 million in 2022. The Festival had four consecutive years of operating surpluses from 2018 through 2021. Contributed income increased by 188 percent from 2017 to 2021. All these factors contributed to the Festival being able to restore its reserves and improve equipment and facilities. The Festival and Southern Utah University are making plans to announce an interim executive producer and will follow that with a nationwide search to fill the position.

The Festival has also announced that Marlo Ihler is the new Publications Manager. She replaces Bruce Lee who held the job for 31 years. Ihler has been working part time for the Festival for 16 years as a part of the Communications and Marketing team. Ihler has been a long time patron of the Festival, attending performances since she was nine years old. The first Shakespearean play she recalls seeing was the Merry Wives of Windsor. Her favorite plays of the Bard are Henry the V, Hamlet and Much Ado About Nothing. Ihler is an alumna of Southern Utah University, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Music with an emphasis on voice. She also earned her Masters of Fine Arts in Arts Administration as part of the inaugural class at SUU. Ihler has also been a part of the performing company of the Festival.

Final Weekend

Final performances of the 2022 season will be this Saturday. You can see the complete schedule for this final weekend at Bard.org.