THE GREENSHOW at Utah Shakespeare Festival Runs Mondays thru Sept 1

The Greenshow at the Utah Shakespeare Festival offers free family entertainment each Monday to Saturday at 7 p.m. until September 1. Each summer evening on the green surrounding the Adams Theatre, this pre-show entertainment features spirited song and dance. Add Elizabethan sweets, and you'll have a fun-filled frolic to prepare you for the main stage performance that follows.

Completely revamped for the 2012 season, The Greenshow has returned to its more traditional roots. “We wanted to refocus The Greenshow by adding more improvisation and getting the actors back in the crowd again,” says Director Julianne Crofts-Palma.

Crofts-Palma first started her career on The Greenshow stage when she was a student at Southern Utah University. She says she is excited to be directing The Greenshow this year and invites audiences to come, “whether it is just for the music, just for the dance, or just for the sheep being catapulted into the audience. You’re going to want to come back. You’re going to want to see more.”

According to Payden Adams, The Greenshow performer, “The Greenshow has been given a new life under the direction of Julianne. It’s a more engaging and interactive based performance that audiences are going crazy for.” Adams explained that the introduction of outlandish and wacky stock characters into the show has created a new dimension of audience-based engagement. “You don't want to miss this band of roaming gypsies as they sing, dance and do everything in their power not to get caught by the local constable. The shows are fun for all ages,” said Adams.

The three shows revolve around a group of Romani actors that have stumbled onto a Festival, and they want to join in on the festivities. The performers sing, dance, juggle, tell jokes, and play instruments, while trying not to be caught by the constable. In order to fool the constable they disguise themselves in Scottish and Irish costumes and hilarity ensues.

“The shows are fun and full of life. Audience members should be invigorated by the drums from the Scottish night and the beauty of the Irish songs on the next night,” said Crofts-Palma.

Tickets are on sale for the Festival’s 51st season, which will run until October. The eight-play season includes Shakespeare’s The Merry Wives of Windsor, Titus Andronicus and Hamlet. The season will also include Alain Boubill and Claude-Michel Schönberg’s epic musical Les Misérables, Friedrich Schiller’s Mary Stuart, Moliére’s Scapin, Christopher Sergel’s adaptation of Harper Lee’s, To Kill a Mockingbird, and Marie Jones’ Stones in His Pockets. For more information and tickets visit www.bard.org or call 1-800-PLAYTIX.