2016 Clarion

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Photo by Kyra Ames

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DEAR FRIENDS

MON OF

HAKESPEARE IN THE TA N A S PA R

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he best part of my summer is when I make it out to visit our actors and meet local supporters on tour. It gives me a chance to

There are many people who make MSIP happen,

connect with the remarkable tour coordinators who work to ensure that our audiences have the best possible experience and allows me an opportunity to reconnect with our actors to see how the shows have grown. I love hearing their stories of bringing Shakespeare to your town. The stories are always warm and inspiring and stay with the actors on their journey throughout our region. When the summer is over, the stories live on, continuing to inspire other future Shakespeare in the Parks actors to join this adventure once they’ve returned home.

but nothing would happen without our tour

Recently I was able to reminisce with a couple of close friends who I toured with in 2003 and 2005.

The three of us were working with a group of college theatre students and found ourselves telling story after story from our experiences of touring together. As we were trying to catch our breath from uncontrollable laughter, wiping away tears of joy, one of the students responded to say how much fun it was to hear these engaging stories, and how inspired they were to experience similar adventures.

I know for certain that many other stories from countless MSIP alumni are shared every day across the country, and beyond. These experiences are generated from the opportunity of bringing Shakespeare to your communities, where our company is warmly embraced by all of your neighbors and families.

You, our loyal supporters, help to shape these stories and inspire the enthusiasm for this unique cultural opportunity. It is because of you that we can all walk away with experiences that move others to join our adventure.

coordinators and other local champions.

It goes without saying that none of this would be possible without the help of some uniquely loyal people: our tour coordinators. Every community has a volunteer, or a group of volunteers who partner with us to bring the tour to your town. They work tirelessly to raise funds, publicize and promote the shows, secure performance venues, and put all safety measures in place, among many other responsibilities that make it possible for us to travel to your community. There are many people who make MSIP happen, but nothing would happen without these local champions who sustain the mission of bringing live professional theatre to your town. Some of these coordinators have partnered with us for well over 30 years and others are just joining us for the first time this season.

Join me as we dedicate our 2016 season to all of these amazing tour coordinators. Please take a moment to find your local coordinator on Clarion page 7 and express your appreciation of their efforts. We truly wouldn’t be here today without their dedication.

Thank you all for your continued support, and for helping to bring our stories to life!

Sincerely,

Kevin Asselin EXECUTIVE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, Montana Shakespeare in the Parks

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THE 2016 SUMMER

MONTANA SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARKS

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Montana Shakespeare in the Parks

presents the 2016 Summer tour

Presents the 2016 Summer Tour

E of y d e r r m o o r s C I A D H R R The

“We came into the world like brother and brother, And now let’s go hand and hand, not one before another.”

Act V, Scene II

“ S h i n e ou t, fai r s u n, t i l l I h av e b oug h t a g l as s ,

That I m ay see my sha dow as I pass.”

Act I , scen e I I

Free... every summer

Free... Every Summer J O I N T H E C O N V E R S AT I O N #m s ip 2 0 1 6

Montana Shakespeare in the Parks is a theatrical outreach program of Montana State University-Bozeman.

The Company’s mission is to engage and enrich both rural and underserved communities with professional productions of Shakespeare and other classics and, through educational outreach, to inspire creative expression and appreciation of the arts in young audiences.

The Clarion is published annually. MSIP - P.O. Box 174120, Bozeman, MT 59717

I E W V R E I N T

W I T H

Kevin Asselin RICHARD III Photo by Reid Loessberg, Orange Photographie

This is the first time that MSIP has ever produced Richard III. Why hasn’t it been done before?

It’s kind of a hard play to pare down to less than two hours. All of our plays have to be performed within a two-hour framework because of daylight.

And the play has an abundance of characters — many character types that can be difficult to fill with only ten actors. Coupled with that, the play calls for children: the princes. In order to fill those very necessary characters we have to find actors and actresses that can play convincing children as well as some of the other adult characters.

Thankfully, it seems every year the number of actors who audition gets greater and greater, so we saw a lot of talented actors this year that in particular fit these two tracks. The actress playing Lady Anne is also playing the Prince of York. The other prince of York is playing Rivers and Norfolk.

We’re finding actors that are multi-faceted and have a skillset that allows them to convincingly play both younger and more mature characters.

What else makes now a good time to produce this play?

If you compare the power of persuasion in Richard III with the political landscape of 2016, an election

I’ve always been interested in the play. The year, it presents a good language is dynamic because of Richard’s ability to opportunity to dive into the manipulate people through the power of language.

Oftentimes, a lot of people will talk about the major politically aggressive themes themes in the play, one being the influence of that are being represented language. If you compare the power of persuasion

by Richard III and on your in Richard III with the political landscape of 2016, an election year, it presents a good opportunity to TV set. dive into the politically aggressive themes that are being represented by Richard III and on your TV set.

We’re being inundated with political theatre right now in our country. I see a lot of parallels between Richard III and what is happening in an election year. Richard is probably one of the greatest Shakespearean improvisers. Richard is a phenomenal actor, and his ability to manipulate for his own personal gain in his pursuit of power is thrilling — it’s so relevant.

The role of Richard is one of those juicy characters that people love to hate. He’s quick-witted and someone that charms people almost against their will. This summer, newcomer Sam Pearson will play Richard. What did he bring to his audition that made the choice clear for you?

He brought a couple of things into the audition room. He brought an incredibly unique individual take on the character that I had not yet seen. Sam played against the stereotype. A lot of actors fall into a trap when playing a role like Richard. We know him as tyrannical and distorted, both physically and mentally, and it’s too easy for actors to fall into a trap and just play him as evil. Sam brought in a sense of self and a sense of struggle that the character is faced with. We hear it in the first monologue of the play, about him not being part of that world and having to struggle because of his deformity. Sam was able to access a level of truth grounded in the idea that Richard is faced with an obstacle of overcoming his insecurities in pursuit of power.

The other thing — for an actor to come into a callback where I give them direction and to see how willing and able they are to take direction, apply it and grow from it — Sam did great at that. He’s incredibly open and has a great wealth of talent and skill and was able to turn the character’s course based off of my direction.

What kind of look are you going for with the production? What feeling are you hoping the audience gets when they see the set and the costumes?

This is the play that follows the War of the Roses in England, so Claudia [Boddy] and Tom [Watson] and I are setting the play in a medieval world, but our approach is to not make it stereotypical; we’re going to build our concept on a highly distressed medieval world. Tom’s set design: there’s a fair amount of decay, rusted steel, this idea that there’s been a shift in power after the War of the Roses but no one has had any time to clean anything up. There’s an immediate need to crown Edward, Richard's brother, who dies and paves the way for Richard to be King. Claudia is challenged to tell the story while designing costumes for a multitude of characters. Some actors are playing three or four characters. She is going to try to visually highlight for the audience the idea of these two families: the Yorks and the Lancasters. We’re trying to highlight the differences between the families while placing ourselves into a nontraditional medieval world.

Rehearsals for the show begin in May, but you’ve been thinking about this play a lot longer than that. What factors go into your choosing a title?

I’m establishing a system where one year we produce two Shakespeare plays and the next year we produce one Shakespeare and another classic play (non-Shakespeare). It’s been a few years since we produced a history. I’ve directed two of Shakespeare’s comedies in the past two years, and I was interested in bringing a darker play to life for our audiences and finding relevancy with the story. Most importantly, I have to make sure that we’re offering our audience a balanced season. We haven’t produced The Comedy of Errors since 2002, and because of how lighthearted, how clownish it is in contrast to Richard III, it makes for a good contrast. My goal is to always balance the plays so that in communities like Utica and Lewistown, Forsyth and Miles City, Birney and Sheridan — these communities can see both shows to have the full experience.

Letter from Dean Shields

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t is a distinct pleasure for me to welcome you to this, the 44th season of Shakespeare in the Parks. For nearly a half century, this outstanding program

has brought the wisdom, insight, and genius of “The Bard” to literally thousands of men and women, boys and girls, throughout Montana and the five state region.

The College of Arts & Architecture at Montana State University is the home base of Shakespeare in the Parks. It is our premier arts outreach program, and I am proud to welcome you to another fabulous season. Enjoy!

WILLIAM SHIELDS Dean of the School of Arts and Architecture

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What decisions need to be made between that and first rehearsal?

Well, the first is Concept: What’s inspiring about the play to me? What story do I want to tell? How do I want to tell it, and what kind of concept does that vision fit? Should it be set in 2016 Seattle or in our own take on a medieval world that’s kind of ambiguous? Then I share that concept with our designers. Through conversation with the designers, my interpretation or concept may change based on their excitement or ideas. Those meetings are a merging of ideas which then propels me into the casting process. We travel to Chicago, Minneapolis, and a variety of universities, seeing upwards of 400 actors where the goal is to not only find ten actors who are highly skilled and able to take on Shakespeare’s language and concepts, but more importantly, have a personality skillset that will make them strong ambassadors for the program as they engage all the communities we serve. The design process gets more and more active and concepts become clearer. Relationships and characters become clearer, and then in the rehearsal room everything comes to life. You could do a year’s worth of work, but all of that has the potential to go away during rehearsal, because then you have the whole dynamic of artists that come together to explore the play and influence the course of the story. That’s my favorite part of the process.

You’re about halfway into your third year leading the company. What are you learning about our audiences, and about directing here as opposed to directing for another company?

Having worked for the company since 2002, I’ve known that our communities are unique compared to other audiences I’ve worked with across the country. They’re connected to Shakespeare’s language in a way that other audiences aren’t. There’s more engagement, there’s more focus on listening and picking up the details. I’ve become more aware of this because of my current position. I’ve learned how meaningful that is for the communities. It’s easy for an actor in the company to jump from one town to the next. Here in the office, we learn about each community in a different way through the responses we get back from the comment sheets and from going out on the road and meeting people. Sometimes I watch the audience more than I watch the play because I love to see how families and neighbors experience it. That’s one of the things that I’ve learned over the last two and a half years — how important these stories are for our communities. A lot of other communities I’ve worked for have more access in a way that we just don’t out here, so our level of appreciation is greater, because the experience isn’t just about theater but also about bringing families and neighbors together. Every year that I get to be in this position, it becomes clear to me that this is community-owned and driven. I’m really lucky to be serving that kind of mission.

Are there any towns you haven’t visited yet that you’d love to visit? Are there any towns you’d like to revisit this summer?

Oh, man I’d like to revisit every town! I’ve always been interested in visiting Seeley Lake. I drove through it a couple of years ago — the highway from Kalispell on 83. I had never driven that corridor as an actor, and I was just amazed at how beautiful it was. That highway in particular was really unique. So it’s a town I’d love to visit, one that I’ve never visited. The actors often have one of their few days off there, and they always come back and talk about how much fun they had on their day off. They get access to golf carts and jet skis, and the way they are embraced by the community for those two days seems kind of dreamy to me.

BECOME AN MSIP INSIDER — JOIN THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR’S CIRCLE!

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his membership level offers “insider” benefits in return for your sustaining support. By committing to a minimum donation of $1,000 a year,

you will receive news updates before they go public as well as exclusive invitations to meet MSIP Executive Artistic Director Kevin Asselin, members of the acting companies, designers and the crews “behind the scenes.” You will also be recognized on our website and in a special section of the MSIP summer program. The more you give, the more exclusive insider benefits you receive!

THERE ARE MANY WAYS TO GIVE CASH, CHECK, CREDIT CARD • It is so easy to set up a monthly payment program.

EMPLOYER MATCHING GIFT PROGRAMS • Find out if your company participates.

PLANNED GIFTS • Make a gift that provides tax benefits and even life income.

For more information on joining The Artistic Director’s Circle and details on the many ways to give, please contact Senior Development Director Moira Keshishian at 406.994.3272 or moira.keshishian@msuaf.org or visit the MSUAF Planned Giving MSUAF website at: montanastate.giftlegacy.com

T H E

D I R E C T O R S

Chris Duval The Comedy of Errors Tell us a little about yourself. Where did you grow up?

I was born and raised in southern California, in the Los Angeles area. I went to college and grad school all in Southern California, and found myself fortunate enough right after grad school to go to Ashland, Oregon, to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF) for a season. I expected to be there for a year or two but ended up staying for ten as an actor and have returned for many seasons as a fight director. Now I live in Salt Lake City and teach at the University of Utah in the Acting Training Program. My wife Suzie, my daughter Megan and I have been here now for three years.

How did you hear about Montana Shakespeare in the Parks?

MSIP has been on my radar, a theatre that I’ve known about for years and years — many years at the OSF. One of my friends and colleagues there, John Pribyl, had done a season there early on in his career. Several other actors had done multiple seasons. It was a theatre I had heard of often and had heard praised highly, and I just happened to be working on a project with Amanda French [frequent wig designer for MSIP], and she was mentioning that perhaps MSIP might be looking for a director for the upcoming season. She wrote Kevin and gave him my name. That very afternoon I wrote to Kevin saying I had known about the work and had heard what an extraordinary experience it is for the actors to go on the tour and to bring Shakespeare to different and various communities. I had gone on some similar tours with OSF — we took Shakespeare and workshops to communities throughout the western states, and I was really inspired by that experience as an actor. The more I talked to Kevin and learned about everything, the more I’ve fallen in love with what the company is, and I really am looking forward to working with him.

You’re directing The Comedy of Errors this summer. What are you most excited about with that?

play really dives into that in an interesting way. The 1950’s setting helps us illuminate some of the social forces that were at play.

You are currently a professor at the University of Utah – what do you find most fulfilling about that?

I really love both sides: acting and teaching. And I still work regionally. I’m lucky enough to travel quite a bit and do some other things as well, but I also really love working with students and helping develop their unique artistry and talents. I find that working with students is really satisfying because it helps me become a better artist myself in many ways. Their work and the specificity they’re striving for and achieving is something I really find inspiring and pushes me to practice what I preach on a deeper level than I did when I was not teaching as much. So I find my teaching practice and my professional practice really complement each other and I’m grateful that University of Utah values both. It’s beautifully symbiotic. It really helps me as an artist to be a teacher and as a teacher to be an artist.

You’re also the author of Stage Combat Arts — between you and Kevin, can we start a stage combat mini conservatory this summer?

Yeah, absolutely! I know Kevin is also a really experienced fight director. We’re really looking forward to collaborating with each other on that. I’m looking to shake up some of my ideas on physical work and to partner with him using some of his expertise. We had a great audition trip to Chicago and I think we’re kindred spirits in our approach to physicality.

What are you most looking forward to in terms of your time in Montana? Will you be able to bring your family with you?

When he mentioned the play was Comedy, I was thrilled. I had a chance at OSF to act in one of their long running plays for nine months, and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to redive into it. I just love the play and I love comedies. But what I also really love and find really important about Comedy is how human the story is. There’s so much in this story about identity — to lose one’s identity and to ultimately regain it... what happens when a father thinks he’s lost both his sons and a wife and what happens when someone is completely mistaken for someone else, and how those mistaken identities resolve themselves? I think it’s so moving and relatable and human. At the same time, I’m deeply fascinated and intrigued and in love with the deep comedy that The Comedy of Errors presents and how that humor is even more resonant, enlivened, and illuminated by the deep humanity that is really present in the play. I'm really excited to dive into this particular this play, one that I lived with for a year, and one that I’m fascinated by, from the human standpoint to the farcical and comedic elements that are part of the story. The arc that makes for me is going to be so much fun to build.

We’re huge nature and outdoorsy people, my family and I. I guest taught in Missoula and have seen pictures of the scenery, but I haven’t been to Montana besides that. As much as I’m looking forward to the work and the collaboration, I’m totally looking forward to being in Montana and to being that close to such a scenically-gorgeous-as-you-can-get-location. There’s something about that — something that draws me towards nature and the wild, and mountains and trees and open fresh air. So I have to say, I’m really looking forward to being in that community. My wife and daughter are planning on visiting pretty close to the opening of the show. I’m just so eager to get out there and get started.

The production is being set in 1950’s New York. What are you hoping to draw from that?

We were looking for a seaside community, someplace where the sea is very much a part of every day life, and we were looking for a world like New York City where someone could easily get lost and ultimately, re-found in — a world that draws so many to itself. New York is such a mecca and center for the country in so many ways. I also really felt compelled by the attraction and the sort of 1950’s romanticism of New York a la Guys and Dolls, but at the same time, I was interested in the romanticized version of the underside — the gangster, the prostitute element — the seedier underside of 1950’s NYC. I think also the 1950s, after the war — the rates of unemployment were all low and there was an increase in spending and in young families, but there was also a tension with women in the household. There was a push for women to be at home and yet there was also lots of social energy about that not being satisfactory, and so that relationship between men and women really resonated with me in terms of some of the relationships happening in the play and how that is made manifest.

I see it really as a time in which there’s great transition out of one set of social circumstances into a new time of new social awareness for men and women. The

Ben Barker Comedy of Errors: Dromio of Syracuse Richard III: Earl Rivers, Norfolk, Prince of York

Nate Cheeseman Comedy of Errors: Antipholus of Ephesus Richard III: Clarence, Richmond, Mayor

Michael Gonring Comedy of Errors: Angelo Richard III: Buckingham

...To lose one’s identity and ultimately regain it? ...I think that’s so moving and relatable and human.

McKenna Kelly-Eiding Comedy of Errors: Emilia, Courtesan Richard III: Duchess of York, Murderer

Sasha Kostyrko Comedy of Errors: Luciana Richard III: Queen Elizabeth

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Maeve Moynihan Comedy of Errors: Adriana Richard III: Lady Anne, Young Prince York

Nick Narcisi Comedy of Errors: Antipholus of Syracuse Richard III: Stanley, Brakenbury

Riley O'Toole Comedy of Errors: Dromio of Ephesus Richard III: Lord Hastings, Tyrrel

Erik Pearson Comedy of Errors: Egeon, Doctor Pinch Richard III: King Edward, Catesby

Samuel Pearson Comedy of Errors: Duke of Ephesus, Balthazar Richard III: Richard

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by Gretchen E. Minton, Ph.D.

Richard III, Charismatic Villain “The road to power is paved with hypocrisy, and casualties. Never regret.”

In portraying Richard III as a villain, Shakespeare was not at all original — such a view had been taken by historiographers before — but his portrait of this villain as a consummate actor who seduces everyone around him, including the audience, is both original and brilliantly theatrical.

Richard, despite his evil and his deformity, or perhaps because of these things, is impossible to stop looking at. After saying he cannot prove a lover, he seduces Anne; after swearing allegiance to his brother Clarence, he has him brutally killed; after pretending to be at prayer and unconcerned with worldly gain, he ruthlessly seizes the throne. Step by step, we watch and follow him as he commits these atrocities, fascinated by how he is able to overcome every obstacle. His bald-faced lies and his ability to play factions against one another become works of art.

FRANK UNDERWOOD “HOUSE OF CARDS”

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he Battle of Tewkesbury in 1471 was the culmination of nearly two decades of dynastic struggle between the Yorks and the Lancasters, two branches of the royal family

vying for the English throne. This bloody civil war, the War of the Roses, took place a century before Shakespeare’s birth and was a popular topic for historians, so it was perhaps not unexpected that when Shakespeare first wrote plays, they were set during this period. Richard III is actually the fourth play in a tetralogy, concluding the story that he had already been telling in Henry VI, Parts 1, 2, and 3. This culminating play shows the temporary success of the York line after the battle of Tewkesbury, under the reigns of Edward IV and Richard III.

Costume renderings for Richard III

by Claudia Boddy.

When Shakespeare wrote history plays, he was invariably concerned with politics. Richard III in particular focuses on how those who gain political control must also control the telling of history itself. It is not enough to sit on the throne: in order to secure his power, Richard attempts to wipe out all of his opponents, killing not just physical people, but circulating stories about bastardy and treason in order to manipulate public perception. But while such tactics allow him temporary power, he runs up against the problem that controlling history is ultimately impossible. He is able to engineer the deaths of his nephews in the Tower of London, but he cannot suppress their memory. These princes live on in people’s imaginations, Scenic design thereby growing increasingly powerful. for Richard III

by Tom Watson.

At the end of Henry VI, Part 3, Richard (who is the Duke of Gloucester) trains his sights on those who are between him and the throne: his brothers, Edward IV and Clarence, and his two nephews who are heirs to the throne. Richard considers his deformed body with disgust, vowing that “since the heavens have shaped my body so, / Let hell make crooked my mind to answer it.”

Richard unapologetically embraces evil, cutting himself off from family loyalty and proudly declaring, “I am myself alone.” This is the Richard who famously takes the stage at the opening of Richard III with his “Now is the winter of our discontent…” soliloquy. When he says that he is “determined to prove a villain,” it is ambiguous whether he means that this is his fate, or that he is intent on this course of action. Regardless, he enacts villainy with unbridled enthusiasm.

By the end of the play, Richard cannot even control his own individual memories. He is at last haunted by the ghosts of those he has killed, powerless to keep conscience at bay: “My conscience hath a thousand several tongues, / And every tongue brings in a several tale, / And every tale condemns me for a villain.” His psychological breakdown gives us another opportunity to look inside Richard, and even to gloat at his weakness. No longer the remorseless schemer, he is now the pathetic outcast who realizes that no one loves him. Even at this point, though, we cannot stop looking at him—the temptation to watch his demise and cheer at his downfall is simply too great.

Shakespeare’s larger-than-life villain, that “lump of foul deformity,” is responsible for our enduring fascination with the historical figure as well. By giving us unprecedented access to the psychology of a villain, Shakespeare created an insatiable appetite to dissect this English king. When his body was discovered under a carpark in Leicester in 2012, the world turned to gaze once again at the crooked spine of Richard Plantagenet.

Yet no such physical evidence can explain the problem that Shakespeare raised in this history play: why is evil so seductive, and why are we so gullible when it locks its gaze with ours?

Shakespeare does not typically begin a play with the protagonist, but in this case Richard establishes not only how central he is to the drama, but how his words are the controlling force of the entire play. Although he had always been a powerful soldier throughout the War of the Roses, in Richard III it is not until the final battle that he takes arms again. Instead, his success throughout this play is dependent upon his ability to lie, cheat, and hire others to commit murders for him. Each crime he perpetrates is more outlandish than the last, but as he embodies the notion of vice, he delights in how easy it is for him to fool the gullible folks around him. He manipulates the responses of his family members and of the crowds, engineering his own rise to power with cold-blooded efficiency.

“Here we wander in illusions”: The Comedy of Errors “Our helpful ship was splitted in the midst; So that in this unjust divorce of us, Fortune had left to both of us alike What to delight in, what to sorrow for.”

ACT 1, SCENE I

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hus Egeon describes the shipwreck that tore his family apart. Images of drowning, floods, and tears

surprisingly saturate Comedy of Errors, which many consider Shakespeare’s most light-hearted drama — a short play written early in his career (c. 1594) and abounding with farcical elements.

Shakespeare lived on an island, so it is not surprising that his imagination was captured by the sea. Yet the sea he thought of was usually not the Atlantic, but the Mediterranean — the central geographical feature that dominated the classical and late antique worlds. Stories abound about seafarers who suffer terrible trials upon that sea, from Odysseus to Aeneas to St. Paul. Yet in Shakespeare such shipwrecks are invariably the means by which families are torn apart; even though Comedy of Errors is his first “shipwreck play,” Shakespeare would return to this idea throughout his career, in plays such as Twelfth Night, Pericles, and The Tempest. By beginning with the account of a shipwreck that has taken place 25 years ago, Comedy of Errors establishes a romance motif and sets the stage for the inevitable union of that which had so long ago been torn asunder.

Shakespeare was himself the father of twins, Hamnet and Costume design for Judith, who were about nine years old when Comedy of Errors was The Comedy of Errors written. Diverging from his source (the Roman playwright Plautus),

by Denise Massman.

Shakespeare adds an extra set of twins in order to redouble the exploration of what it means for the family, and the self, to be fractured. The twins spend their lives feeling that they are incomplete; thus Antipholus of Syracuse is driven to find his brother, because he feels that he’s a unique water drop in the ocean looking for another. It is of course inevitable that they will find one another, but in the process of leading us toward the reunion of the twins and their family, the play dwells upon what it means to be estranged. The “errors” alluded to in the title do not just refer to mistakes, such as the ubiquitous mistaken identities, but also to the notion of wandering (from the Latin word errare). The play’s exploration of wandering emphasizes the mishaps involved in straying from where one rightfully belongs. Adriana, Antipholus of Ephesus’ wife, worries the he is unfaithful, begging, “do not tear away thyself from me,” because she fears that the bond of matrimony has been ripped apart. Unwilling to find any natural explanation for her husband’s behavior, Adriana comes to the conclusion that he must be mad; if only one could exorcize the demon, all would be made whole again. He would no longer be estranged from himself, nor from her.

in light of theories that marriage, friendship, and twinship make two people into one being. In some ways serious or troubling considerations seem out of step with Comedy of Errors, a festive drama dependent upon farcical elements, deriving humor from slapstick antics and wordplay.

Yet Shakespeare was fond of exploring the dark elements of his comedies, and even here he establishes an ominous tone at the beginning: Egeon is sentenced to death and has only a few hours to be redeemed from his sentence. The metaphorical axe hangs over his head the entire play, and the frenetic pace of the action reminds us that this is in some sense a race against time. Ephesus itself also seems infused with malignant forces, such as witchcraft and demonic possession, while the characters show themselves capable of an alarming degree of violence against one another.

However, these dark forces in Comedy of Errors are never allowed to pose a real threat, because the entire world of Ephesus is like a dream. When Antipholus of Syracuse says “here we wander in illusions,” he puts his finger upon the ethereal nature of this place.

As a result, nothing seems real, including the potential for pain. The blows fall off the Dromios’ backs as if they were cartoon characters, everyone is forgiven, no one is unfaithful, nothing actually hurts.

Thus even though this family was separated for 25 years, the pain of that lost time is irrelevant (in stark contrast to the trauma of such loss depicted much later in Winter’s Tale). Instead, Shakespeare lets us fully escape into the world of imagination; the theatrical narrative is the magic that makes everything whole again, uniting twins, families, and fractured selves. Along the way, doubling becomes the pathway to pleasure: twins rush on and off the stage, plots mirror one another, and rhyming couplets neatly remind us that language, like life, can sometimes have a surprisingly comforting harmony.

Scenic design for The Comedy of Errors by Courtney Smith.

Such doubts about identity extend into self-examination. Unable to account for what has happened since their arrival in Ephesus, Dromio of Syracuse poses the philosophical question “Am I myself?” Such a question may raise crucial issues about the nature of selfhood, especially

Dr. Minton is the Dramaturg for Montana Shakespeare in the Parks and is a Professor of English at Montana State University

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ESPE K A H

ARE IN THE SCHOO

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“I really like this experience because I get more out of it than just reading the play.

With it right there and having a chance to speak to the actors is just amazing.”

SHAKESPEARE IN SCHOOLS STUDENT, BUFFALO HIGH SCHOOL, BUFFALO, WY Miles Duffey, Joanna Harmon, and Rebecca Hurd in the 2015 SIS production of The Merchant of Venice.

Adam Thatcher and Miles Duffey in the 2015 SIS production of The Merchant of Venice.

Chris Peltier in the 2015 SIS production of The Merchant of Venice.

All 2015 SIS photos

by Kyra Ames.

Joanna Harmon, Brett Garrett, and Luke Massengill in the 2015 SIS production of The Merchant of Venice.

MONTANA SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARKS

Education Programming

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or over two decades, MSIP has made the timeless work of William Shakespeare available and accessible to young people throughout Montana, many of whom have no other exposure to professional arts experiences.

Between our two educational tours, Shakespeare in the Schools and Montana Shakes!, we reach nearly 20,000 students every school year with professional productions and interactive workshops that are aligned with Montana Common Core Standards. Students are introduced to Shakespeare during a theatrically educational day, the impact of which is felt far beyond classroom walls.

For more information about MSIP’s education programming, or to bring Shakespeare in the Schools or Montana Shakes! to your community, contact: MSIP Director of Production & Education April Jackson april.jackson1@montana.edu 406.994.3310

HAMLET

Fall 2016 Montana Shakespeare in the Schools

I

n the fall of 2016, Shakespeare in the Schools’ 24th tour will bring the enduring and tragic classic story of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark to nearly 50 middle and high schools for the first time. Director

Hamlet director Bill Brown

Bill Brown describes the relevance this play still holds for teen audiences, saying that “[Hamlet] and his young friends are trying to define themselves in a dangerous world they did not create” and that the story isn’t “a play about a kid who can’t make up his mind.

Rather, it’s a play about a young man who is constantly in revision.” With a cast of eight professional actors from around the country, and complemented by four thematicallyrelevant workshops designed in consultation with Dr. Bobbi McKean (University of Arizona), MSIP’s 80-minute Hamlet will explore conflicts between young and old, stability and change, and the difficult decisions we all must make in the face of tremendous loss.

Ty Fanning returns to Shakespeare in the Schools to play Hamlet. He last appeared as Bottom in 2014’s SIS production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

“Shakespeare is sometimes so inaccessible to young kids and your actors made it understandable. They wanted more.”

TEACHER, GREYBULL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, GREYBULL, WY

Students enjoying some fresh air with 2016's Montana Shakes! actors Miles Duffey, Stephanie Chavara, and Brett Garrett following the performance at Reed Point Elementary.

Montana Shakes!

T

he newest addition to MSIP’s touring programs, Montana Shakes! is entering its 9th year of introducing Shakespeare in an exciting, engaging way to K-6 students at a time when

they are most receptive to learning. Accompanying workshops address literacy and arts Common Core Standards and are designed to deepen and reinforce students’ understanding of Shakespeare’s story, which is brought to life by our three professional actor-teachers. Join us in the spring of 2017 as we bring Shakespeare alive for a new generation!

To reserve a date for your school, contact April Jackson at april.jackson1@montana.edu

Stephanie Chavara as Mary Sweetgrace (as Titania) in All the West's a Stage for the 2016 Montana Shakes! tour.

Brett Garrett and Miles Duffey rehearsing a scene from All the West's a Stage for the 2016 Montana Shakes! tour.

“You know something? This is my favorite thing that happens all year.”

MONTANA SHAKES! STUDENT PARTICIPANT, HECK/QUAW ELEMENTARY, BELGRADE

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SPECIAL EVENTS

The Elise Event NOVEMBER 12

Jane Chu Visits Montana

L

ocal Montana artists and arts organizations were honored by a visit from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Chairwoman, Jane Chu, on March 29. Hosted by the Montana Arts Council, Chairman Chu talked

about her own very personal connection to the arts as well as some new initiatives that the NEA is rolling out. Later she visited with the attendees, and Kevin Asselin and Susan Miller were able to speak to her about Shakespeare and its connection with MSIP’s audiences.

Chairman Chu’s visit was in celebration of the NEA’s 50th Anniversary.

Elise (Liesi) Phares and her daughter, Lucy.

Sam Phares

F

ounded by stalwart supporter of the arts, Elise Donohue, and maintained by her children, Sam and Elise Phares, The Elise Event is their gift to the students of Montana and Wyoming.

This year on November 12, join us in the Black Box Theater for an exclusive 80-minute performance of the Shakespeare in the Schools production of Hamlet, followed by a fun Q&A with the actors and designers, and a delicious catered reception.

All proceeds go to support the continuation of bringing live, professional Shakespeare to students who may have no other opportunity to see it. For tickets, call 406.994.3303 or visit www.cactusrecords.net/tickets/.

Elise Event guests mingle with the artists in a post show reception.

Shakespeare in the Schools is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts: Shakespeare in American Communities.

My Fair Lady

All My Fair Lady photos by Bruce Joder.

John Hosking as Pickering, Sarah Stevens as Eliza, and Harry Bouvy as Higgins celebrate the rain in Spain.

(Left to Right) Hannah Meeks, Natalie Pierce, Sarah Stevens, Frank Simpson, Samantha Lord, and Reggie Mead.

Coco Douma does not help Robert Frank (Alfred Doolittle) get to church on time.

I

n February of 2016, Montana Shakespeare in the Parks and Intermountain Opera Bozeman teamed up for the second year in a row

to present Lerner and Loewe’s beloved musical, My Fair Lady. The show featured out-of-town leads alongside talented locals and had the audience humming in their seats. Directed by Kevin Asselin and held in the Black Box Theater, the production sold out all eleven of its regular performances. Thanks so much to the local community for your support on this project!

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T O U R C O O R D I N AT O R S 6 1 0 2

HOBSON-UTICA

RED LODGE

Pat Fredrickson & Linda Deegan Hobson-Utica Fine Arts Council

Sue Logan Carbon County Arts Guild

Laurel Shakespeare in the Parks

LEWISTOWN

SILVER-GATE/COOKE CITY

Karen Davidson Boulder Arts Council

Linda Tullis Lewistown Art Center CONRAD

Tim Toeset Pondera Arts Council MALTA

Anna LaBrie The Shrew Crew WOLF POINT

Mike MacDonald Wolf Point Shakespeare in the Park BEACH, ND

Wade and Deb Walworth Cedar Liquors EKALAKA

Cindy Quade & Valerie O’Connell Sagebrush Service Club MILES CITY

Karla Lund American Association of University WomenMiles City Branch GLENDIVE

Bruce Russell Friends of Makoshika SIDNEY

Kim Simmonds MonDak Heritage Center FORSYTH

Susan Wolfe Forsyth Friends of Shakespeare BIRNEY

Kelsey Walton Bards of Birney SHERIDAN, WY

Richard Davis Tandem Productions CHICO HOT SPRINGS

Ching Ling Coleman & Colin Davis Chico Hot Springs ROUNDUP

Bill Milton Roundup Arts and Culture Committee ABSAROKEE

Shirley Schatz Absaroka Fine Arts

LIBERTY LAKE, WA

LAUREL BOULDER

Bobbi Dempsey Colter Pass, Cooke City, Silver Gate Community Council

CUT BANK

Juanita Meeks Cut Bank Area Chamber of Commerce

GARDINER

Maria Bisso Electric Peak Arts Council

FORT BENTON

Karyn Giles Shakespeare in the Parks Fort Benton

POWELL, WY

Steve Schrepferman Park County Arts Council

SWEET PEA

Matt Sloan Sweet Pea Festival

CODY, WY

Steve Schrepferman Park County Arts Council

HELENA

WORLAND, WY

Cheryl Reichelt Washakie Museum and Cultural Center BILLINGS

Melonie Trang Billings Parks, Recreation Public Lands Department HARDIN

Mary Lee Larison Helena Committee for Shakespeare in the Parks HAMILTON

Dominic Farrenkopf Sapphire Lutheran Homes SALMON, ID

Tammy Dahle Salmon Arts Council ANACONDA

Janie Morissette Community of Hardin

Mary Johnston Friends of the Hearst Free Library

BIG TIMBER

PHILIPSBURG

Kathleen Agnew Sweet Grass Arts Alliance

Cathy Smith Philipsburg Brewing Company

DILLON

Christina Peltier The University of Montana Western School of Outreach & Southwest Montana Arts Council THAYNE, WY

CHARLO

Caroline Myrhe Ninepipe Arts Group DEER LODGE

Sandy Pettey Powell County Museum and Arts Foundation

Eli Lainhart Star Valley Arts Council

SUPERIOR

DRIGGS, ID

Eileen Foster Downtown Driggs Community Association

Jim Goss Mineral County Performing Arts Council (MCPAC) PLAINS

POCATELLO, ID

Mark Neiwirth Pocatello Arts Council, ISU Cultural Events Committee

Glenda Wolverton Plains Woman’s Club

WEST YELLOWSTONE

Carrie Pope West Yellowstone Foundation

Liz Wormwood Trout Creek Community Improvement Association

TOWNSEND

SPOKANE, WA

TROUT CREEK

Larinda Spencer Townsend Area Chamber of Commerce

Don Largent Spokane Parks & Recreation - Riverfront Park

Laura Frank Friends of Pavillion Park SANDPOINT, ID

Christine Holbert Lost Horse Press LIBBY

Eileen Carney Rotary Club of Kootenai Valley EUREKA

Rita Collins Sunburst Community Service Foundation KALISPELL

Steve Larson Flathead Valley Community College Student Govt./Theater Dept.

SEELEY LAKE

Carol Evans Alpine Artisans, Inc./2 Valleys Stage GREAT FALLS

Kay Silk Arts Association of Montana Shakespeare in Great Falls 2016 MISOSULA

Adrianne Donald University of Montana, University Center WHITEHALL

Jan Thorne Whitehall Chamber of Commerce BUTTE

Bob Lazzari Butte Parks and Recreastion BIG SKY

Brian Hurlbut Arts Council of Big Sky LIVINGSTON

Kelley Dowdell The Shane Lalani Center for the Arts BOZEMAN

Amanda Tebay MSU Family and Graduate Housing BELGRADE

Susan Caldwell City of Belgrade MANHATTAN

Callie Hamilton Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce

OUR SPONSORS 2016 T

Pheasant Farms The

Gilhousen Family Foundation

Talk About Us!

2016 MSIP Advisory Board ROB FRIESTADT

CHUCK TOOLEY

DAVE LYMAN

JOANIE TOOLEY

DEBBIE LYMAN

DAVE HAAS

JEAN DAHLMAN

ART WITTICH

MSIP Board President, teacher, business owner, Helena

Community volunteer, Heron Community volunteer, Heron Retired Director, Literary Council, rancher, Forsyth

DICK KUNTZ Retired Assistant Superintendent of Public Schools, 6-12, Great Falls

Former mayor, business owner, Billings Former publisher of The New Republic, Billings MSU alum, Powell, WY Attorney, Senator, Bozeman

Staff KEVIN ASSELIN

Executive Artistic Director

APRIL JACKSON

Director of Production and Education

SUSAN MILLER Managing Director

MEGHAN MISSETT Production Assistant

BROOKE MONROE Business Manager

WE’RE ON SOCIAL MEDIA JOIN THE CONVERSATION #MSIP2016 TWITTER: www.twitter.com/MTShakespeare FLICKR: www.flickr.com/photos/ montanashakespeareintheparks/

INSTAGRAM: www.instagram.com/mtshakes FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/ montanashakespeareintheparks

Page 7

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S P R I N G

•

S U M M E R

2 0 1 6

LARION PO Box 174120 - 258

Black Box Theater

Bozeman MT 59717-4120

406.994.3901

Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 69 Bozeman, MT 59715

www.shakespeareintheparks.org

OUR SCHEDULE 2016 T

June 15 Bozeman

RIII

8:00pm MSU Grove

16 Bozeman

RIII

8:00pm MSU Grove

17 Bozeman

RIII

8:00pm MSU Grove

18 Bozeman

RIII

8:00pm MSU Grove

22 Bozeman

Comedy 8:00pm MSU Grove

23 Bozeman

Comedy 8:00pm MSU Grove

24 Bozeman

Comedy 8:00pm MSU Grove

25 Bozeman

Comedy 8:00pm MSU Grove

27 Hobson/Utica RIII 6:30pm Utica Women’s

Clubhouse Lawn 28 Lewistown

Comedy 6:30pm Pine Meadows Golf Course

29 Conrad

Comedy 6:30pm Conrad City Park

30 Malta

RIII

6:30pm Court House Lawn

RIII

6:30pm Faith Home Park

2 Beach, ND

RIII

6:30pm Beach Swimming Pool Park

3 Ekalaka

RIII

6:30pm Nursing Home Lawn

5 Miles City

Comedy 6:30pm Pumping Plant Park

6 Glendive Comedy 7:00pm Makoshika Park

Amphitheater 7 Sidney

RIII

6:00pm Veteran’s Memorial Pavilion

8 Forsyth RIII 6:00pm Rosebud County

Courthouse Lawn 9 Birney

RIII

10 Sheridan, WY

Comedy 6:30pm Kendrick Park Band Shell

6:30pm Poker Jim Butte

11 Chico Hot Springs Pray Comedy 6:00pm Chico Main Lawn 12 Roundup

Comedy 6:00pm High School Football Field

14 Charlo

Comedy 6:00pm Palmer Park

18 Powell, WY

Comedy 6:30pm Washington Park

15 Deer Lodge

RIII

19 Cody, WY

RIII

16 Superior

Comedy 6:00pm Mineral County Fairgrounds

6:30pm Canal Park

Comedy 6:00pm Roundup City Park

13 Absarokee

Comedy 6:30pm Fishtail Family Park

15 Red Lodge

RIII

6:30pm Lions Park

16 Silver Gate Cooke City

RIII

6:30pm Silver Gate Park

6:00pm Old Prison Grounds

20 Worland, WY

Comedy 6:00pm Sanders Park

17 Plains

RIII

21 Billings

RIII

18 Trout Creek

Comedy 6:00pm Trout Creek Park

22 Billings

Comedy 6:00pm Pioneer Park

19 Spokane, WA

RIII

23 Hardin

RIII

20 Liberty Lake, WA Comedy 5:00pm Pavillion Park

24 Big Timber

Comedy 6:30pm Lions Club Park

6:00pm Pioneer Park 6:00pm South Park

25 Dillon, MT

RIII

26 Thayne, WY

Comedy 6:30pm Community Center Lawn

6:30pm Jaycee Park

27 Driggs, ID Comedy 6:30pm Driggs City Center Plaza

(60 South Main)

21 Sandpoint, ID

6:00p

Sanders County Fairgrounds

5:30pm Lilac Meadow Riverfront Park

RIII

6:00pm Bonner County Fairgrounds

22 Libby

RIII

6:00pm Elementary Amphitheater

23 Eureka

Comedy 6:00pm Historical Village

24 Kalispell RIII 6:00pm Flathead Valley

Community College

28 Pocatello, ID

Comedy 6:30pm ISU Quad

26 Seeley Lake

RIII

6:00pm Double Arrow Lodge Grounds

29 Pocatello, ID

RIII

27 Great Falls

RIII

6:00pm University of GF Campus

28 Great Falls

Comedy 6:00pm University of GF Campus

6:30pm ISU Quad

30 West Yellowstone Comedy 6:00pm West Yellowstone School

Football Field

July 1 Wolf Point

17 Gardiner

31 Townsend

RIII

6:00pm Heritage Park

29 Missoula RIII 6:00pm The Oval at

University of Montana 30 Missoula Comedy 6:00pm The Oval at

University of Montana

August

31 Whitehall

RIII

1 Laurel

Comedy 6:00pm Laurel Practice Football Field

2 Boulder

RIII

3 Cut Bank

Comedy 6:00pm Cut Bank City Park

September

4 Fort Benton

RIII

1 Butte

6:30pm Fairgrounds 6:00pm Ft. Benton City Park

6:00pm 206 Yellowstone Rd

Comedy 6:00pm Original Mine Yard

5 Bozeman – Sweet Pea Festival

Comedy 4:00pm The Hollow at Lindley Park

2 Big Sky

Comedy 5:30pm Town Center Park

3 Livingston

Comedy 6:00pm Shane Center Parking Lot

7 Bozeman – Sweet Pea Festival

RIII 5:00pm The Hollow at Lindley Park

4 Bozeman RIII 3:30pm MSU Family

& Graduate Housing Lawn

8 Helena

Comedy 6:00pm Pioneer Park

5 Belgrade

Comedy 3:30pm Lewis & Clark Park

9 Helena

RIII

6 Manhattan

RIII

10 Hamilton

Comedy 6:00pm Sapphire Lutheran Homes

6:00pm Pioneer Park

11 Salmon, ID Comedy 6:00pm Sacajawea Center

Amphitheater 12 Anaconda

Comedy 6:00pm Washoe Park

13 Philipsburg

RIII

6:00pm Winninghoff Park

6:00pm Altenbrand Park Visit

www.shakespeareintheparks.org for the most up-to-date schedule and rain locations