Hello! We have created something new for 2020. Every month we will be sharing our Festival Faves! Faves can be anything from books to websites to movies to recipes, or anything that we are currently into. So, check them out each month. It’s just another way to connect with our community.
1. Traci Ledford director of last summer’s Crimes of the Heart and future director of this fall’s The Crucible offers this tasty recipe.
“Homemade soups can go a long way during isolation and quarantine. Here is one of my own recipes that can easily be adapted to your own tastes and preferences. If you’re a vegetarian, just omit the meat and switch to your favorite vegetable broth.
Chicken Cilantro Lime Soup
1 (32 oz) to 1 ½ cartons of chicken stock or broth [best to buy two and have one on reserve]
1 (10 oz) can of Ro-tel chopped tomatoes and green chilies [substitute 1 (14 oz) can of diced petite tomatoes if you prefer non-spicy soups or mix and match the two]
1 medium-sized white onion, diced
2-3 yellow summer squash, sliced
2-3 boneless chicken breasts [boneless chicken thighs are good too]
1 bunch of cilantro; leaves only, discard stems—simply add your preferred amount
[If you dislike cilantro, then just leave it out and rename your soup.]
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt
¼ teaspoon of black pepper
2 large or 3 small limes
Optional items to add to according to your preferred taste:
½ cup of rice
1 can of corn, drained
1 can of black beans, drained
Place all items, except the limes, in a stew pot, soup pot, or Dutch oven. Cover and bring to a boil on medium heat. Reduce heat once the soup boils, keeping the soup at a simmer. When the chicken is cooked through (30-45 minutes simmering), remove each breast and shred or dice before returning to the soup. If the chicken stock/broth cooks off, add more as needed to desired consistency.
Just before serving: halve the limes. Squeeze and stir in the juice of each lime to your preferred taste. I go for more rather than less here.
Optional toppings:
shredded cheese
sour cream
crushed tortilla chips
sliced avocado
fresh cilantro leaves
more lime juice
Enjoy with your favorite tortilla chips and a side of queso or guacamole! It will taste even better the second day.”
2. Here is a fave from Board member and director of our upcoming summer production of Into the Woods, Mark Baer. “For parents with students age 7-12 or so, I have a great suggestion. We were gifted a Highlights Which Way USA subscription and my 7yo Samantha is loving it.
Grade school is more rigorous than ever these days. She is so far ahead of where I was at her age in math and reading. But geography and social studies are still just on the periphery of her awareness. These magazines allow us to take an imaginary trip to places all over our country.
You get a map of the country at the beginning and then each month you get two new issues, one for every state. The premise is that your child is on a team that is completing challenges related to each state’s unique landmarks and attributes. Your child has to complete puzzles and challenges to help their team – each one earns points toward the team victory. The competition is imaginary – you don’t have to login or anything – but my daughter sure doesn’t know that!
In a moment when many parents have suddenly been signed up for homeschooling, this is a unique educational resource that doesn’t feel like “school” and doesn’t involve additional screen time. It’s been very fun for the two of us. The other day we finished several puzzles about Florida and then Samantha set up her stuffed animals in a pretend classroom in front of the map and taught them all about the Fountain of Youth!”
https://www.highlights.com/store/puzzle-book-clubs/which-way-usa
3. Our executive Artistic Director, Jason Richards says “For this quarantine edition of FF my recommendation is the Pulitzer Prize list for fiction. For years, I have been working on reading the entire list of winners. There are 92 winners (and counting), I have read 66 so far! I’m currently working on number 67; The Orphan Master’s Son by Adam Johnson. (Update: The Orphan Master’s Son is brilliant, and devastating, and haunting, and exhilarating, and endlessly fascinating. I can’t put it down.) You may enjoy reading this list of great works of fictions as well. Some of my favorite winners are (in no particular order):
1. Lamb in His Bosom – Caroline Miller
2. The Town – Conrad Richter (This is the third book in the series that includes, The Trees and The Fields. All three are great.)
3. The Travels with Jamie McPheeters – Robert Lewis Taylor
4. Angle of Repose – Wallace Stegner
5. The Executioner’s Song – Norman Mailer
6. Interpreter of Maladies – Jhumpa Lahiri
7. Empire Falls – Richard Russo
8. The Known World – Edward P. Jones
9. The Goldfinch – Donna Tartt
10. The Underground Railroad – Colson Whitehead
Here is the Pulitzer Prize link
https://www.pulitzer.org/prize-winners-by-category/219
However, there are several book lists to choose from if the Pulitzer Prize list doesn’t strike your fancy. Here are a few links
1. The 50 Coolest Books Ever
https://www.listchallenges.com/the-50-coolest-books-ever
2. The National Book Award
https://www.nationalbook.org/national-book-awards/years/
3. 100 Best Books from the 19th Century
https://www.listchallenges.com/100-best-books-from-the-19th-century
4. Modern Library’s 100 Best Novels
http://www.modernlibrary.com/top-100/100-best-novels/
Happy reading!”
4. Amy Hayes, director of our upcoming summer production of Picasso at the Lapin Agile recommends these favorites.
-New favorite drink: cucumber Perrier
-Favorite pastime: listening to Classic novels on Audible while doing nostalgic jigsaw puzzles
-Favorite online exercise: Yoga with Adrienne (YouTube)
-Favorite meditation app: Calm
-Favorite streaming radio app: Classic FM (UK)
-Favorite podcast: The Daily (NYTimes)
-Favorite tea: Lady Grey (with either a little honey or a little milk; not both)
-Favorite non-dairy milk: Flax milk
-Favorite new ritual: eating dinner at the table every night with the candles lit and the music on
5. Actor (The Marvelous Wonderettes, Fools, The Somewhat True Tale of Robinhood, The Gift of the Magi) and Costume Designer (Charlotte’s Web, The Gift of the Magi) Madison Fairbanks says, “I love to read but the recent shutdowns have made it pretty hard to get out to a library or bookstore. This is where Scribd comes in handy. Scribd is an online book/document/written word library that I find to be incredibly user friendly. I enjoy it because there are truly hundreds of thousands of titles to choose from in a wide variety of genres and formats. Need a book recommendation? Scribd users have made tons of easily accessible lists to guide you in the right direction. Like to multitask? Try an audiobook! Sheet music is available if you’ve been thinking about learning a song and auditioning for a certain local theatre's musical! Scribd also has an app so you can read on your phone or tablet. My favorite thing is that I’m constantly discovering new scripts and monologues for work as well as play (pun intended). There is a subscription fee, but you can get a free trial month when you sign up!”
https://www.scribd.com/subscribe-now?utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=adwords_brand&utm_campaign=Google_Search_Alpha_Brand_US&utm_term=scribd%20free%20trial&utm_device=c&gclid=EAIaIQobChMItrSJ8OK56AIVzP_jBx3XIAMqEAAYASAAEgI1zPD_BwE
6. Stage Manager (The Diary of Anne Frank, A Christmas Carol: A live Radio Play, The Crucible, The Gift of the Magi) Emily Carey says, “Since quarantine has, inevitably, taken over everyone's lives, I've found one of my favorite things to do to pass the time is find Virtual Museum Tours! In uncertain circumstances many people, like myself, have been turning to art to get us through. I think now is a more valuable time than ever to take the chance to learn more history and consume as much art as possible. It's incredible how many iconic museums are available to the public!
I went through the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose, CA (https://winchestermysteryhouse.com/video-tour/#), The Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam (https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/van-gogh-museum), and the Anne Frank house in Amsterdam (of course!) (https://www.annefrank.org/en/anne-frank/secret-annex/landing/) to name a few! There are many more out there. All it takes is a Google search!”
7. Morgan Fanning one of our upcoming 2020 summer interns shared her Festival Fave. "I've decided to take advantage of my free time during quarantine by watching some Netflix! Sherlock, from the BBC, is a great way to pass the time. It's a mystery series following the adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson in modern day London. There are a lot of things about this show that I really love. The way the audience is able to see into Sherlock's mind when he is solving a crime is so cool, the catchy music enhances the show by setting the mood, and there are always moments of humor amidst the otherwise series content. I also like that as a viewer I am trying to solve the crime with them. If you're looking for something to watch, I would recommend checking out Sherlock!"
8. Here is a Fave from one of our incoming 2020 interns, Lauren Lash, “One of my favorite things I've rediscovered during quarantine is Trivia Crack. This is a mobile trivia game that allows me to test my knowledge on things like art, science, etc. I like this particular game because it allows me to stay connected with my friends while learning new things and refreshing old things I already knew.
9. Upcoming 2020 summer intern Sarah Weyrich says “Currently my two ‘Quarantine Faves’ are redecorating my room back at home and painting!
Redecorating Room in Utah: School is online for the semester and my room was still decorated from high school so when I packed up my apartment at school I decided to use some of my decor to revamp my room!
Painting: Painting has always been a sort of relaxing activity for me. I haven’t been able to do it as much since being busy with school, but now I have more time and love getting back to it.
1. Traci Ledford director of last summer’s Crimes of the Heart and future director of this fall’s The Crucible offers this tasty recipe.
“Homemade soups can go a long way during isolation and quarantine. Here is one of my own recipes that can easily be adapted to your own tastes and preferences. If you’re a vegetarian, just omit the meat and switch to your favorite vegetable broth.
Chicken Cilantro Lime Soup
1 (32 oz) to 1 ½ cartons of chicken stock or broth [best to buy two and have one on reserve]
1 (10 oz) can of Ro-tel chopped tomatoes and green chilies [substitute 1 (14 oz) can of diced petite tomatoes if you prefer non-spicy soups or mix and match the two]
1 medium-sized white onion, diced
2-3 yellow summer squash, sliced
2-3 boneless chicken breasts [boneless chicken thighs are good too]
1 bunch of cilantro; leaves only, discard stems—simply add your preferred amount
[If you dislike cilantro, then just leave it out and rename your soup.]
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt
¼ teaspoon of black pepper
2 large or 3 small limes
Optional items to add to according to your preferred taste:
½ cup of rice
1 can of corn, drained
1 can of black beans, drained
Place all items, except the limes, in a stew pot, soup pot, or Dutch oven. Cover and bring to a boil on medium heat. Reduce heat once the soup boils, keeping the soup at a simmer. When the chicken is cooked through (30-45 minutes simmering), remove each breast and shred or dice before returning to the soup. If the chicken stock/broth cooks off, add more as needed to desired consistency.
Just before serving: halve the limes. Squeeze and stir in the juice of each lime to your preferred taste. I go for more rather than less here.
Optional toppings:
shredded cheese
sour cream
crushed tortilla chips
sliced avocado
fresh cilantro leaves
more lime juice
Enjoy with your favorite tortilla chips and a side of queso or guacamole! It will taste even better the second day.”
2. Here is a fave from Board member and director of our upcoming summer production of Into the Woods, Mark Baer. “For parents with students age 7-12 or so, I have a great suggestion. We were gifted a Highlights Which Way USA subscription and my 7yo Samantha is loving it.
Grade school is more rigorous than ever these days. She is so far ahead of where I was at her age in math and reading. But geography and social studies are still just on the periphery of her awareness. These magazines allow us to take an imaginary trip to places all over our country.
You get a map of the country at the beginning and then each month you get two new issues, one for every state. The premise is that your child is on a team that is completing challenges related to each state’s unique landmarks and attributes. Your child has to complete puzzles and challenges to help their team – each one earns points toward the team victory. The competition is imaginary – you don’t have to login or anything – but my daughter sure doesn’t know that!
In a moment when many parents have suddenly been signed up for homeschooling, this is a unique educational resource that doesn’t feel like “school” and doesn’t involve additional screen time. It’s been very fun for the two of us. The other day we finished several puzzles about Florida and then Samantha set up her stuffed animals in a pretend classroom in front of the map and taught them all about the Fountain of Youth!”
https://www.highlights.com/store/puzzle-book-clubs/which-way-usa
3. Our executive Artistic Director, Jason Richards says “For this quarantine edition of FF my recommendation is the Pulitzer Prize list for fiction. For years, I have been working on reading the entire list of winners. There are 92 winners (and counting), I have read 66 so far! I’m currently working on number 67; The Orphan Master’s Son by Adam Johnson. (Update: The Orphan Master’s Son is brilliant, and devastating, and haunting, and exhilarating, and endlessly fascinating. I can’t put it down.) You may enjoy reading this list of great works of fictions as well. Some of my favorite winners are (in no particular order):
1. Lamb in His Bosom – Caroline Miller
2. The Town – Conrad Richter (This is the third book in the series that includes, The Trees and The Fields. All three are great.)
3. The Travels with Jamie McPheeters – Robert Lewis Taylor
4. Angle of Repose – Wallace Stegner
5. The Executioner’s Song – Norman Mailer
6. Interpreter of Maladies – Jhumpa Lahiri
7. Empire Falls – Richard Russo
8. The Known World – Edward P. Jones
9. The Goldfinch – Donna Tartt
10. The Underground Railroad – Colson Whitehead
Here is the Pulitzer Prize link
https://www.pulitzer.org/prize-winners-by-category/219
However, there are several book lists to choose from if the Pulitzer Prize list doesn’t strike your fancy. Here are a few links
1. The 50 Coolest Books Ever
https://www.listchallenges.com/the-50-coolest-books-ever
2. The National Book Award
https://www.nationalbook.org/national-book-awards/years/
3. 100 Best Books from the 19th Century
https://www.listchallenges.com/100-best-books-from-the-19th-century
4. Modern Library’s 100 Best Novels
http://www.modernlibrary.com/top-100/100-best-novels/
Happy reading!”
4. Amy Hayes, director of our upcoming summer production of Picasso at the Lapin Agile recommends these favorites.
-New favorite drink: cucumber Perrier
-Favorite pastime: listening to Classic novels on Audible while doing nostalgic jigsaw puzzles
-Favorite online exercise: Yoga with Adrienne (YouTube)
-Favorite meditation app: Calm
-Favorite streaming radio app: Classic FM (UK)
-Favorite podcast: The Daily (NYTimes)
-Favorite tea: Lady Grey (with either a little honey or a little milk; not both)
-Favorite non-dairy milk: Flax milk
-Favorite new ritual: eating dinner at the table every night with the candles lit and the music on
5. Actor (The Marvelous Wonderettes, Fools, The Somewhat True Tale of Robinhood, The Gift of the Magi) and Costume Designer (Charlotte’s Web, The Gift of the Magi) Madison Fairbanks says, “I love to read but the recent shutdowns have made it pretty hard to get out to a library or bookstore. This is where Scribd comes in handy. Scribd is an online book/document/written word library that I find to be incredibly user friendly. I enjoy it because there are truly hundreds of thousands of titles to choose from in a wide variety of genres and formats. Need a book recommendation? Scribd users have made tons of easily accessible lists to guide you in the right direction. Like to multitask? Try an audiobook! Sheet music is available if you’ve been thinking about learning a song and auditioning for a certain local theatre's musical! Scribd also has an app so you can read on your phone or tablet. My favorite thing is that I’m constantly discovering new scripts and monologues for work as well as play (pun intended). There is a subscription fee, but you can get a free trial month when you sign up!”
https://www.scribd.com/subscribe-now?utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=adwords_brand&utm_campaign=Google_Search_Alpha_Brand_US&utm_term=scribd%20free%20trial&utm_device=c&gclid=EAIaIQobChMItrSJ8OK56AIVzP_jBx3XIAMqEAAYASAAEgI1zPD_BwE
6. Stage Manager (The Diary of Anne Frank, A Christmas Carol: A live Radio Play, The Crucible, The Gift of the Magi) Emily Carey says, “Since quarantine has, inevitably, taken over everyone's lives, I've found one of my favorite things to do to pass the time is find Virtual Museum Tours! In uncertain circumstances many people, like myself, have been turning to art to get us through. I think now is a more valuable time than ever to take the chance to learn more history and consume as much art as possible. It's incredible how many iconic museums are available to the public!
I went through the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose, CA (https://winchestermysteryhouse.com/video-tour/#), The Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam (https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/van-gogh-museum), and the Anne Frank house in Amsterdam (of course!) (https://www.annefrank.org/en/anne-frank/secret-annex/landing/) to name a few! There are many more out there. All it takes is a Google search!”
7. Morgan Fanning one of our upcoming 2020 summer interns shared her Festival Fave. "I've decided to take advantage of my free time during quarantine by watching some Netflix! Sherlock, from the BBC, is a great way to pass the time. It's a mystery series following the adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson in modern day London. There are a lot of things about this show that I really love. The way the audience is able to see into Sherlock's mind when he is solving a crime is so cool, the catchy music enhances the show by setting the mood, and there are always moments of humor amidst the otherwise series content. I also like that as a viewer I am trying to solve the crime with them. If you're looking for something to watch, I would recommend checking out Sherlock!"
8. Here is a Fave from one of our incoming 2020 interns, Lauren Lash, “One of my favorite things I've rediscovered during quarantine is Trivia Crack. This is a mobile trivia game that allows me to test my knowledge on things like art, science, etc. I like this particular game because it allows me to stay connected with my friends while learning new things and refreshing old things I already knew.
9. Upcoming 2020 summer intern Sarah Weyrich says “Currently my two ‘Quarantine Faves’ are redecorating my room back at home and painting!
Redecorating Room in Utah: School is online for the semester and my room was still decorated from high school so when I packed up my apartment at school I decided to use some of my decor to revamp my room!
Painting: Painting has always been a sort of relaxing activity for me. I haven’t been able to do it as much since being busy with school, but now I have more time and love getting back to it.
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