Shakespeare in the Park to Present Hamlet September 8th

Montana Shakespeare in the Parks is in the midst of their 52nd season and will visit Whitehall to present Hamlet on September 8th at 5 PM at the Main Street Green, next to Whitehall's historic Star Theatre. The Star Theatre will be used as a backup location for the production if needed due to inclement weather.

Hamlet will also be presented in Butte at Stodden Park (inclement weather location -Mother Lode Theatre) on September 2nd at 5:30 PM and Boulder at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds (inclement weather location - the Loafing Barn) on September 4th at 5:30 PM.

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.

This year, The Winter's Tale will also be shown at various locations. This play spans sixteen years, during which a jealous king accuses his wife of infidelity and exiles his newborn daughter to Bohemia. There, 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.

Nearby locations showing The Winter's Tale include Pony on September 7th at 5 PM at Pony Park (inclement weather location - Pony School gym) and Twin Bridges on September 9th at 5:30 PM at the Riverside Park soccer field (inclement weather location - Twin Bridges School gym).

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

This summer, the company performs in 65 communities across five states, including Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, North Dakota, and Washington, serving the largest number of communities to date. 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.