Utah Shakespeare Festival Announces A New Name and a New Logo

Utah's Tony Award-winning Shakespeare festival recently made an exciting announcement to kick off the Festival's 50th Anniversary Celebration. The organization formerly known as the Utah Shakespearean Festival is now the Utah Shakespeare Festival. The Festival's name change is accompanied by a new logo.

"We feel that the new name more clearly reflects our history and aligns succinctly with our organizational mission," said R. Scott Phillips, Festival executive director. "It is still very much the vision of the company to present great literary work representing the master dramatists from around the globe. But the works of Shakespeare are and always will be our cornerstone."

Festival Art Director Philip W. Hermansen designed the new logo, which went through several incarnations before the final version was selected by Festival employees and members of the Festival's board of governors.

"I am certainly in favor of the subtle changes to our Utah Shakespeare logo," said Festival Founder Fred C. Adams. "It will be easier to read on posters and billboards, yet it will continue to be the recognized as the brand of the Festival."

The new logo contains a fresh version of the recognizable Festival flags that crowned the former logo. The flags in the new logo are longer and the bases of the flags are set inside cupolas more closely representing the flags that fly over the Festival's Adams Shakespearean Theatre.

"We knew from the beginning that we wanted to keep the flags in the new logo," said Hermansen. "The flags have become a bit of an icon for the Festival, and they are representative of a festive and colorful atmosphere."

The new logo is also more legible and it has a more contemporary feel.

"We had three main goals in mind during the process of creating this new logo," said Bruce C. Lee, Festival communications and publications director. "We wanted our new logo to be cleaner, more modern, and more legible. I think we accomplished those goals."

"With a legacy of nearly 50 years, The Utah Shakespeare Festival has grown to become one of America's great regional theatre companies," said Phillips. "As we embark upon an exciting 50th year celebration we have a clear eye toward the future. I think this is reflected in these changes."