Montana Shakespeare in the Parks: 52nd Season Opens, Hamlet Visits Whitehall September 8th

Montana Shakespeare in the Parks kicked off their 52nd summer tour on June 12th in Bozeman, Montana, with free performances of Shakespeare’s Hamlet on June 12-15 and The Winter’s Tale on June 19-22. Following the local performances, the company will hit the road for a 12-week tour across five states, bringing free performances to 65 communities across the Rocky Mountain West. Montana Shakespeare in the Parks will present Hamlet at the Main Street Green next to the Star Theatre at 5 PM on Sunday, September 8th.

Both productions have elements of comedy and tragedy (and, in the case of Winter’s Tale, a healthy dose of magic!) People of all ages are welcome to attend and enjoy the performances.

Hamlet tells the story of the young prince of Denmark who returns home following the sudden death of his father. In the most famous ghost story ever told, Hamlet grapples with the weight of his responsibility to avenge his father’s death, to out-maneuver his traitorous uncle, and “to be, or not to be.” With some of Shakespeare’s most memorable lines and iconic characters, audiences won’t want to miss this tale of love and loss, duty vs. desire, and performance's power.

“I do believe that all of Shakespeare’s plays are timeless, but Hamlet has a point of view that everybody can identify with. I think we are all individually a version of Hamlet and can relate to the character on some level,” says Kevin Asselin, MSIP Executive Artistic Director and director of Hamlet.

As for The Winter’s Tale, this play spans sixteen years, during which a jealous king accuses his wife of infidelity and exiles his newborn daughter to Bohemia, where she is raised by shepherds and, ultimately, falls in love with the Bohemian king’s son. Audiences will relish this story of love, loss, and forgiveness.

“The play is one of Shakespeare’s last, and as such is blessed with a writer who understood how to manipulate the form to achieve new heights of storytelling,” shares Eva Breneman, Director of The Winter’s Tale.

The company will perform in Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, North Dakota, and Washington, serving the largest number of communities to date. Most events will feature pre-show performances by local artists. Audiences are encouraged to bring a picnic to enjoy an evening together under the Big Sky among friends and neighbors.

Ushering Shakespeare’s immortal stories of life, love, and tragedy into a modern era, MSIP is dedicated to preserving the cultural traditions of theatre and literature through live, professional performances that are free for all people, for all time.

For more information and the full tour schedule, visit ShakespeareInTheParks.org or call 406-994-3310.