Montana Shakespeare in the Parks, one of the oldest touring Shakespeare companies in the United States, will launch its 46th season in June with performances of Shakespeare’s “Othello” and “Love’s Labour’s Lost.”
The company will travel nearly 7,000 miles during the season, running from June 13 through Sept. 4, performing in 61 communities in five states, including Montana, North Dakota, Wyoming, Idaho and Washington. All performances are offered free to the audience in local parks and public spaces, making them accessible to all.
Kevin Asselin, executive artistic director, will direct “Othello” while Steve Cardamone, professor of acting at the University of Minnesota Guthrie Theatre Actor Training Program, will direct “Love’s Labour’s Lost.” The 10 professional actors that will tour with the company were chosen from a highly competitive pool of applicants at auditions in Bozeman, Chicago, Minneapolis and Houston.
This season marks the first time the summer tour has presented “Othello.” Audiences will find relevance in the themes of jealousy and mistrust.
“The thing about Iago is that he feels like you and I do,” Asselin said. “If you were passed over for a job because they said you were too old, you’d feel upset too. The difference is that Iago takes his jealousy and responds in extremely cruel ways.”
“Love’s Labour’s Lost” will bring a balance of comedy and romance to the season.
“I think the play is hysterically funny,” Cardamone said. “Shakespeare’s not taking himself too seriously here.”
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.
This year’s major sponsors include: The National Endowment for the Arts: Artworks, The Gilhousen Family Foundation, The Gianforte Family Foundation, Pheasant Farms, Spectec: Thunderbird International Corporation, Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway Foundation, Montana Arts Council, Barnard Construction, H&R Block, D.A. Davidson and Company, KBZK, ERA Landmark, Yellowstone Public Radio, Sibanye-Stillwater and the Spanish Peaks Community Foundation.
For more information on the plays and an up to date tour schedule, visit MSIP’s website at shakespeareintheparks.org. The full tour schedule is listed below.
2018 Tour Schedule
June 13, Bozeman, Othello, 8 p.m., MSU Grove
June 14, Bozeman, Othello, 8 p.m., MSU Grove
June 15, Bozeman, Othello, 8 p.m., MSU Grove
June 16, Bozeman, Othello, 8 p.m., MSU Grove
June 20, Bozeman, Love’s Labour’s Lost, 8 p.m., MSU Grove
June 21, Bozeman, Love’s Labour’s Lost, 8 p.m., MSU Grove
June 22, Bozeman, Love’s Labour’s Lost, 8 p.m., MSU Grove
June 23, Bozeman, Love’s Labour’s Lost, 8 p.m., MSU Grove
June 25, Hobson/Utica, Othello, 6:30 p.m., Utica Clubhouse Lawn
June 26, Lewistown, Love’s Labour’s Lost, 6:30 p.m., Pine Meadows Golf Course
June 27, Conrad, Love’s Labour’s Lost, 6:30 p.m., Conrad City Park
June 28, Malta, Othello, 6:30 p.m., Court House Lawn
June 29, Sidney, Othello, 6:30 p.m., Veterans Memorial Park Pavilion
June 30, Wolf Point, Othello, 6:30 p.m., Faith Home Park
July 1, Ekalaka, Love’s Labour’s Lost, 6:30 p.m., Dahl Memorial Nursing Home
July 2, Colstrip, Love’s Labour’s Lost, 6:30 p.m., Rye Park Pavilion
July 3, Miles City, Love’s Labour’s Lost, 6:30 p.m., Water Plant Park
July 5, Beach, North Dakota, Othello, 6:30 p.m., Beach Swimming Pool Park
July 6, Glendive, Love’s Labour’s Lost, 7 p.m., Makoshika Park Hiatt Amphitheater
July 7, Forsyth, Othello, 6 p.m., Rosebud County Courthouse Lawn
July 8, Birney, Love’s Labour’s Lost, 6 p.m., Poker Jim Butte
July 9, Hardin, Love’s Labour’s Lost, 6 p.m., South Park
July 10, Columbus, Othello, 6:30 p.m., Heritage Park
July 11, Absarokee, Love’s Labour’s Lost, 6:30 p.m., Fishtail Family Park
July 12, Red Lodge, Love’s Labour’s Lost, 6:30 p.m., Lions Park
July 13, Gardiner, Othello, 6 p.m., Arch Park
July 14, Silver Gate/Cooke City, Othello, 6:30 p.m., Silver Gate Park
July 15, Big Timber, Love’s Labour’s Lost, 6:30 p.m., Lions Club Park
July 16, Powell, Wyoming, Love’s Labour’s Lost, 6:30 p.m., Washington Park
July 17, Cody, Wyoming, Othello, 6:30 p.m., Canal Park
July 18, Worland, Wyoming, Love’s Labour’s Lost, 6 p.m., Sanders Park
July 19, Roundup, Love’s Labour’s Lost, 6 p.m., City Park
July 20, Townsend, Othello, 6 p.m., Heritage Park
July 21, Driggs, Idaho, Othello, 6:30 p.m., Driggs City Plaza
July 22, West Yellowstone, Love’s Labour’s Lost, 6 p.m., West Yellowstone School Football Field
July 24, Thayne, Wyoming, Love’s Labour’s Lost, 6:30 p.m., Community Center Lawn
July 25, Pocatello, Idaho, Othello, 6:30 p.m., ISU Quad
July 26, Pocatello, Idaho, Love’s Labour’s Lost, 6:30 p.m., ISU Quad
July 27, Whitehall, Love’s Labour’s Lost, 6 p.m., Whitehall City Park
July 28, Billings, Love’s Labour’s Lost, 6 p.m., Veterans Park
July 29, Billings, Othello, 6 p.m., Veterans Park
July 30, Chico Hot Springs, Love’s Labour’s Lost, 6 p.m., Chico Main Lawn
July 31, Big Sky, Love’s Labour’s Lost, 5:30 p.m., Town Center Park
Aug. 1, Cut Bank, Othello, 6 p.m., Cut Bank City Park
Aug. 2, Fort Benton, Love’s Labour’s Lost, 6 p.m., Fort Benton City Park
Aug. 3, Sweet Pea Festival, Othello, 3:45 p.m., Lindley Park
Aug. 5, Sweet Pea Festival, Love’s Labour’s Lost, 5 p.m., Lindley Park
Aug. 6, Helena, Othello, 6 p.m., Pioneer Park
Aug. 7, Helena, Love’s Labour’s Lost, 6 p.m., Pioneer Park
Aug. 8, Choteau, Othello, 6 p.m., Skyline Lodge
Aug. 9, Great Falls, Othello, 6 p.m., Gibson Park
Aug. 10, Great Falls, Love’s Labour’s Lost, 6 p.m., Gibson Park
Aug. 11, Deer Lodge, Love’s Labour’s Lost, 6 p.m., Old Prison Grounds
Aug. 12, Anaconda, Love’s Labour’s Lost, 6 p.m., Washoe Park Pavilion
Aug. 13, Salmon, Idaho, Othello, 6 p.m., Sacajawea Center Amphitheater
Aug. 14, Hamilton, Othello, 6 p.m., Sapphire Lutheran Homes
Aug. 15, Superior, Othello, 6 p.m., Mineral County Fairgrounds
Aug. 16, Plains, Love’s Labour’s Lost, 6 p.m., Sanders County Fairgrounds
Aug. 17, Trout Creek, Love’s Labour’s Lost, 6 p.m., Trout Creek Park
Aug. 18, Liberty Lake, Washington, Love’s Labour’s Lost, 5 p.m., Pavilion Park
Aug. 19, Sandpoint, Idaho, Othello, 6 p.m., Bonner County Fairgrounds
Aug. 20, Libby, Othello, 6 p.m., Libby Elementary Amphitheater
Aug. 21, Eureka, Othello 6 p.m., Historical Village
Aug. 22, Kalispell, Love’s Labour’s Lost, 6 p.m., Woodland Park
Aug. 23, Seeley Lake, Othello, 6 p.m., Double Arrow Lodge Grounds
Aug. 25, Charlo, Love’s Labour’s Lost, 6 p.m., Palmer Park
Aug. 26, St. Ignatius, Othello, 6 p.m., Good Old Days Park
Aug. 27, Missoula, Othello, 6 p.m., UM Oval
Aug. 28, Missoula, Love’s Labour’s Lost, 6 p.m., UM Oval
Aug. 29, Dillon, Othello, 6 p.m., UM Western Legacy Plaza
Aug. 30, Boulder, Othello, 6 p.m., Jefferson County Fair
Aug. 31, Philipsburg, Love’s Labour’s Lost, 6 p.m., Winninghoff Park
Sept. 1, Livingston, Othello, 6 p.m., Shane Lalani Center for the Arts Parking Lot
Sept. 2, Bozeman, Love’s Labour’s Lost, 6 p.m., MSU Family/Grad Housing
Sept. 3, Belgrade, Love’s Labour’s Lost, 3:30 p.m., Lewis & Clark Park
Sept. 4, Manhattan, Othello, 6 p.m., Altenbrand Park