Utah Theatre Joins Forces with Mary D. Fisher for Exciting Collaboration

The Sedona International Film Festival (SIFF) has announced the creation of the Sedona Professional Theatre Company in collaboration with the Utah Shakespeare Festival. This initiative was unveiled on October 29 and will feature Actors’ Equity Association repertory performers presenting live theatrical shows at the Mary D. Fisher Theatre.

Kicking off the partnership, Lisa Wolpe’s one-woman show “Shakespeare and the Alchemy of Gender” will take the stage on November 22 and 23, highlighting the connection between Shakespeare’s works and Wolpe’s Jewish heritage. Following this premiere, the company plans to showcase a variety of productions, including “What the Constitution Means to Me” in January and “Love Letters” in February, with more scheduled through June 2025.

Patrick Schweiss, SIFF Executive Director, expressed optimism about the new theatre company, anticipating the announcement of four additional shows for its inaugural season early next year. This collaboration was facilitated by actor Michael Doherty, whose performance of “Every Brilliant Thing” at SIFF in April 2023 helped establish connections with talent from the Utah Shakespeare Festival.

In August, Schweiss and members of his team, including his daughter Christina, visited the festival’s administration and actors. The discussions led to a curated list of performances tailored to SIFF’s requirements. “While this is all happening this summer, we installed our new short-throw projector in the Mary D. Fisher,” Schweiss noted, enhancing the venue’s capabilities to project scenes and backdrops for a more immersive theatrical experience.

Upgrades will also be made to the theatre’s lighting system to better accommodate live performances, addressing previous challenges with the existing setup. Funding for the live theatre program has been bolstered by generous donations, including $31,000 from Renee and Doug Leuthold and $19,000 from Chuck Marr and Susan Valletta. Schweiss aims to raise $100,000 to establish a sustainable fund for live theatre at SIFF.

“We’re thrilled to bring these shows to Sedona,” Schweiss stated. He emphasized the festival’s commitment to providing a conducive environment for performers, including support for housing, transportation, and per diem. The schedule allows actors to rehearse during the day and explore Sedona before their performances.

In addition to the theatre initiative, SIFF received recognition as one of the 25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World by MovieMaker magazine on October 22. This accolade coincides with a significant increase in film submissions for the upcoming 2025 festival, with approximately 1,500 films under review, compared to the typical 1,200. Only around 160 films will be featured in February.