As most of you have heard by now, effective March 1, I am retiring from an organization which I have loved for forty years.

Because of the generosity of spirit, loyalty, and love of literature that you have all demonstrated by your participation with the Utah Shakespeare Festival, it has been an honor for me to be able to serve in the positions I have held over the past four decades. I hope I have helped you feel about Shakespeare and theatre the way that I do: they are both life affirming and life changing. I hope that through our interactions, we at the Festival have been able to affect your lives in these positive and meaningful ways.

I plan to remain in the area and look forward to seeing many of you in and around Cedar City as you visit the Festival this season. I hope you'll take this opportunity to truly support the efforts of this Tony Award-winning theatre company and give your full attention and support to the exciting new leadership as they look to build the program over the next forty years.

Conversations between us as humans are important, and I believe theatre helps elevate those conversations. Now more than ever, we need to sit in the same room to celebrate great story-telling and the ideas, thoughts, and beliefs that connect us.

With sincere thanks and a fond farewell,

R. Scott Phillips