In six seasons with Utah Shakespeare Festival (USF) I learned a good deal of what I know about Shakespeare and acting in general. In a very real sense, the USF was my first professional work.

The Adams Memorial Theatre is a wonderful replica of Shakespeare’s open air Globe Theatre, and informs the actor tremendously as to how the text should be approached. I tended to play roles with lots of soliloquies, and it was evident from the beginning that I had to speak directly to the audience. Anything else would have been a lie.

I remember playing the title role in Howard Jensen’s excellent production of Richard III. At the top of the show Howard placed me behind a large banner, which I then tore down leaving me face to face with 900 people in full daylight. My action was to enlist them; to convince them that I had a more effective way of dealing with life than they did. To persuade them that evil works. As the show went on the sun went down and the audience slowly disappeared into the darkness, robbing Richard of his only confidante. In the final nightmare speech it is clear he is speaking only to himself. The audience no longer exists. He is alone.