Montana Shakespeare in the Parks

Bozeman, Montana

From its beginnings in 1973 as an amateur company, Montana Shakespeare in the Parks has become nationally recognized for its extensive touring to remote areas. The company offers productions of Shakespeare and other classics at a reasonable cost to communities in Montana, northern Wyoming, and eastern Idaho, with an emphasis on underserved rural areas that would not otherwise have the opportunity to attend live theater. All performances are free and available to everyone in these communities. These tours run for 10 weeks and serve 30,000 people every summer. The company's education outreach program, Montana Shakespeare in the Schools, has presented 623 performances to more than 160,000 students since 1993. In the last three years, the program has expanded the number of schools it reaches from 29 to 48. Designed to enhance the educational experience for high-school students by taking Shakespeare out of the textbook and to life onstage, the program includes a 75-minute version of the play, with a cast of seven professional actors, a rotating repertory of workshops, and post-show discussions.

With support from Shakespeare for a New Generation, Montana Shakespeare in the Parks will tour its production of Romeo and Juliet as part of the Montana Shakespeare in the Schools program. The tour program will travel to schools in Montana, northern Wyoming, and eastern Idaho; the majority of these schools are located in rural, underserved communities, including five of Montana's Native American reservations. This program will include a performance of Romeo and Juliet presented in each school's available facility; up to four workshops (stage combat, improvisation, verse, and real life relevance); and a study guide prepared by Drama Education Specialist Bobbi McKean from the University of Arizona. Either the company's artistic director or community relations director will visit five of the schools on the tour in order to evaluate the program and the audiences' response. These visits will be used to cultivate existing partnerships and establish new ones.

Visit them at: www.montana.edu/shakespeare