Shakespeare

LAYTON — When William Shakespeare wrote “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” he couldn’t have known how the play would benefit the self-esteem of elementary school students 400 years later.

Students at Whitesides Elementary School portrayed kings, queens, fairies and nymphs Wednesday during their unique adaptation of the classic Shakespeare play.

"THE TRAGEDY OF ARTHUR." By Arthur Phillips. Random. $26.

Arthur Phillips' new novel is more triumph than tragedy, a clever, funny literary deceit that skewers everything in its path -- scholars, Shakespeare lovers, anti-Stratfordians, family dynamics, the publishing world, bookish pretensions, even the author. It also slyly tackles some pointed questions about what we consider art and why, and if a rose by any other name would indeed smell as sweet. Yes. That's the sort of wonderful novel this is: It dredges up every familiar line that ever lodged itself in your consciousness.

LAYTON -- Only five elementary schools are chosen each year to participate at the Shakespeare Festival, held annually in Cedar City. Whitesides Elementary, in Layton, has been chosen to participate at the event in July, and students will present their version of the Shakespearean comedy "Twelfth Night."