Shakespeare in the Parks to perform ‘Othello’ and ‘Love’s Labour’s Lost’ in its 46th season

From MSU News Service
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 13th through Sept. 4th, 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.
Othello will run Wednesday through Saturday, June 13th–16th at 8pm each evening in the MSU Grove. The following Wed. through Sat., June 20th–23rd, Love’s Labour’s Lost will show at 8pm each evening in the MSU Grove.
Future Montana Shakespeare in the Parks area performances include: Othello in Gardiner’s Arch Park on July 13th at 6pm; Othello in Townsend’s Heritage Park on July 20th at 6pm; Love’s Labour’s Lost at the West Yellowstone School Football Field on July 22nd at 6pm; Love’s Labour’s Lost on the main lawn at Chico Hot Springs on July 30th at 6pm, then again the following evening, July 31st, in Big Sky’s Town Center Park at 5:30pm; in Lindley Park during the Sweet Pea Festival – Othello on Aug. 3rd at 3:45pm and Love’s Labour’s Lost on Aug. 5th at 5pm; Othello in Livingston’s Shane Lalani Center’s parking lot on Sept. 1st at 6pm; Love’s Labour’s Lost at MSU Family/Grad Housing on Sept. 2nd at 6pm, then again in Belgrade’s Lewis & Clark Park on Sept. 3rd at 3:30pm; and Othello closing out the summer tour in Altenbrand Park, Manhattan, on Sept. 4th at 6pm.
For more information on the plays and a complete tour schedule, visit www.shakespeareintheparks.org.