OGDEN – “O powerful love, that in some respects makes a beast a man, in some other, a man a beast.” 

That line from The Merry Wives of Windsor may be over 400 years old, but Shakespeare still knows how to stir a crowd. This July 18–20, the Ogden Shakespeare Festival brings the timeless tale to life at the Ogden Amphitheater. Local theater enthusiast Jennifer Hughes co-founded OSF with Genine Steed in 2023, and together they’ve built a stage where classic stories shine.

During its first year, OSF only had enough funding to produce two events — in July 2024 they performed Shakespeare’s As You Like It at the Ogden City Amphitheater, followed by Love Bites last February, which consisted of an evening of food and Shakespearean love scenes. 

“It was really fun,” said Hughes, a professional actress who moved to Ogden in 2004 as a single mom with three children. In 2007, Hughes began overseeing St. Joseph’s Catholic High School’s theater program.

That role paved the path for OSF to eventually take root.

“I found out they had a high school Shakespeare competition that was part of the festival down south (Cedar City), and started taking my students that year, and have taken them ever since,” Hughes said. “Shakespeare pieces are a really big part of our programming and identity.”

Thanks to a $50,000 RAMP grant, $8,000 from Ogden City and several small donations, their $60,000 budget enabled OSF to expand its offerings this year:

• In June, OSF offered Arden Academy — two classical theater training sessions for youth ages 10 to 18. Skills included stage combat,  classical acting and renaissance dance. 

• July 18-20 — Three showings of Merry Wives of Windsor at the Ogden City Amphitheater.

• This October, OSF will host Shakesfear, spooking the audience with Hamlet’s Ghost and other eerie delights. 

• An “Ides of March” event at St. Joseph’s High School featuring  the play Julius Caesar.

For more details, visit their website.

Playing Dr. Caius

Andrew Barrett Watson coordinates outreach education for Onstage Ogden, an organization that aims to elevate and connect the local  community through the performing arts.

In his spare time, Watson auditions for Shakespearean roles with OSF. Last year he played Touchstone in As You Like It, and this year Watson brings Dr. Caius to life in Merry Wives of Windsor.

“I get to do a crazy french accent and just have a lot of fun with that,” Watson said. “I definitely am drawn to character roles and Dr. Caius is certainly one of those.”

With a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Montclair State University in New Jersey, Watson has long been prepared not only for acting but also to manage other work connected to theater productions — the latter consumed much of his career since graduating from college.  

“A lot of my training in vocal and breath work and body work kind of came back to me,” Watson said. “It was great being back on stage after 30 years.”

Is Shakespeare still relevant?

William Shakespeare lived from 1564 to 1616 in Stratford-Upon-Avon, so it seems fair to ask if youth and adults can still relate to his works today — archaic language and all.

“Very much so,” Watson said, describing Shakespeare’s words as “living poetry.” And Merry Wives of Windsor is “very much a reflection of today,” he added. 

“It has very strong women characters — they’re smart, they’re independent, they think for themselves — and they’re on top of everything that Falstaff is trying to do,” Watson said. “They make the men look like silly fools by being more clever by half.” 

What local and live provides

After relocating to Ogden, Hughes earned a Musical Theatre degree from Weber State University and a Masters degree in Theatre Arts from the University of Idaho. She also played Lady MacBeth in Weber State’s production of MacBeth. 

Hughes also became fast friends with Caril Jennings, who retired from her 17-year stint as marketing director for Weber’s Department of Performing Arts in 2013. 

“To me it’s like Greek theater,” Jennings said of Shakespearean acting. ”You should know both if you have any kind of love for theater at all because they are significant parts of our history. Some of his language is just gorgeous … that’s the best actor training you can get. If you can get your audience to hear Shakespeare like it’s their language, then you’ve accomplished a lot.”

Jennings delights in live, local theater and how it can shape a community. 

“We’re in the same room, we watch the same story … that is the essential part of democracy,” Jennings said. “You listen to someone telling a story, then decide who’s right, who’s the villain, what’s justice. A theater audience is a sacred place because our hearts and minds are attending on something else.”

Feature Image of a scene from the 2024 production of As You Like It. Photo by Kara Jensen.