Montana Shakespeare in the Parks will perform Shakespeare’s “The Taming of the Shrew” and the classic “Cyrano de Bergerac” by Edmond Rostand during its upcoming 2015 summer tour throughout Montana, northern Wyoming, eastern Idaho, western North Dakota and eastern Washington.
In its 43rd season, the company has added two days to the tour and performances in Spokane, Wash. and Sandpoint, Idaho, to make it the largest tour in its history. The company features 10 professional actors selected from national auditions who tour without technical assistance to bring live theatre to mostly rural communities. This summer, 47 percent of the communities reached by the troupe have populations of 2,000 or fewer.
“We are excited to extend our reach to Spokane and Sandpoint as we maintain the tradition of bringing free Shakespeare to audiences across Montana and its surrounding states,” said Kevin Asselin, artistic director of Montana Shakespeare in the Parks. “We are thankful to all of our tour coordinators who help us share the gift of Shakespeare with their communities.”
Asselin will direct “The Taming of the Shrew” with a regional Wild West take on the play. Chicago-based guest director Si Osborne will direct “Cyrano de Bergerac,” which the company hasn’t performed since 1992.
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.
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. The company is also supported by the National Endowment for the Arts: Art Works, which this year increased its support.
Other major sponsors include the Gilhousen Family Foundation, the Gianforte Family Foundation, Pheasant Farms, Subaru of America, Montana Arts Council, ADOUR Good Food and Catering, Barnard Construction, NorthWestern Energy, D.A. Davidson and Company, Elise Donohue, Double D Ranch, KBZK and the MSU Alumni Foundation.
For more information on the plays and a complete tour schedule, visit the company’s website: www.shakespeareintheparks.org
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