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Patrons of the Utah Shakespeare Festival doth protest about the lack of wine, and now their plea hath forced discussion at Southern Utah University.
Members of the school's board of trustees will decide Friday whether the festival can begin selling wine during intermission — 'tis something that hasn't been done before at the Cedar City event.
"Like any business, we want our patrons to have a wonderful experience when they are here," said SUU Vice President Marvin L. Dodge, speaking on behalf of festival organizers. The majority of patrons drive from Las Vegas or the Wasatch Front and for many years have requested alcohol service, he said. "For those groups, it's fairly standard to have an opportunity to purchase wine."
Before the school starts uncorking bottles, it must get approval from its governing board and the Cedar City Council. If approved, SUU would apply for special-event permits through the Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control.
The permit process is tricky for the performing-arts venue, said Dodge. The theater doesn't sell enough food to qualify for a restaurant liquor license. It would qualify for a license that allows for the sale of beer that is 4 percent alcohol by volume (3.2 percent by weight), but that doesn't allow for sales of wine, "which is the preferred beverage" at the festival, Dodge said.
The festival's only option is to apply for single-event permits. One permit allows for up to three days of alcohol service that SUU would use Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays during its summer season. The state allows groups to apply for up to 12 special-event permits per year. And while the special-event permits allow for the sale of beer, wine and spirits, Dodge said, "all we are choosing to sell is wine."
Getting the permit from the DABC takes at least 30 days, which means wine service wouldn't be available when the festival opens for previews Monday.
But it could be sold during the latter portion of the season, which continues through October.
To get the special-event permits, SUU would have to follow DABC guidelines for service, namely creating a special alcohol garden on the roof of the festival's new outdoor Engelstad Shakespeare Theatre. Only those who are 21 and older would be allowed in the area, and drinks would be purchased on site. Wine would not be sold at performances in the indoor Randall Jones Theatre.
It would not be the first time wine has been served on campus, Dodge said, noting that guests have had access to alcoholic beverages as part of opening receptions and other special events. But the campus has never sold it before, said Dodge, joking that "the strongest beverages we've sold are water and soda."