CEDAR CITY, Utah — The Utah Shakespeare Festival has canceled its 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Last month, the Festival announced a revised season for 2020, but added that the festival would be canceled if necessary.
"This is a direct result of the devastating impacts of COVID-19 on performing arts,” said Frank Mack, executive producer, in a news release. “When we announced our revised season, we indicated that we would cancel our season if we had to, and sadly it has come to that.”
The decision to cancel the festival came after its producers explored other options that included socially-distant seating, monitoring the health of its staff and scaling back scenery and costuming.
"We did everything in our power to keep the Festival open this summer. We know this news is difficult for the many individuals and small businesses in Cedar City who add so much to the Festival experience. They are our most important partners and we look forward to next summer when the streets, restaurants, shops and hotels of Cedar City are full of theatre-goers once again," said Southern Utah University president Scott L. Wyatt in the news release.