Montana Shakespeare in the Parks: Summer on Stage
Montana Shakespeare in the Parks brings William Shakespeare’s “Richard III” and “The Comedy of Errors” to 61 communities across Montana, northern Wyoming, eastern Idaho, western North Dakota and eastern Washington this summer.
The company features 10 professional actors selected from national auditions who tour without technical assistance, delivering live theatre to mostly rural communities. This summer, 66 percent of the communities reached by the troupe have populations of 5,000 or fewer.
“We are very much looking forward to producing both plays this summer,” said Kevin Asselin, executive artistic director. “This will be the first time in MSIP’s 44-year history that we’ll bring ‘Richard III’ to our stage.
Asselin, who directs the drama, predicts it “will fit right into what is already an active political year, reminding us of how Shakespeare stays relevant even 400 years after his death.”
Chris Duval, a University of Utah professor with many credits at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, directs “The Comedy of Errors,” which the company has not performed since 2002.
All performances, with the exception of those at Bozeman’s Sweet Pea Festival, are free and open to the public. Audiences are encouraged to arrive early with chairs, blankets and picnics.
Asselin notes that this year’s season is “dedicated to all of our hard working and dedicated tour coordinators from across the region.”
Montana Shakespeare in the Parks is an outreach program of Montana State University’s College of Arts and Architecture. Grants, corporate sponsorships and hundreds of individual donors support the free performances.
For more information on the plays and a complete tour schedule, visit the company’s website: www.shakespeareintheparks.org.