Four decades of Shakespeare in the Parks

by Felicia Hamilton

The smell of green grass drifts to my nose as I place our blanket on the ground, still moist from recent rainfall. Families and friends chat and laugh and the rustle of the breeze in the trees make for a relaxing background to our picnic. As we eat, I wave to friends and acquaintances who share our excitement for the upcoming show. As showtime draws closer, everybody glances to the stage more frequently. Finally, an actor strides to the center of the stage to begin the performance. The bustle of the audience dissipates as he extends his arms in greeting and readies himself to introduce one of the most famous plays of all time, Romeo and Juliet. I nudge my friend in excitement–I’ve been waiting for this play all week.

This is Montana Shakespeare in the Parks (MSIP), one of the state’s most anticipated summer events. The premier each season is in Bozeman and spreads to other towns across the state. This year the company has lived up to the expectations of passionate performances and audience engagement with their productions of As You Like It and Romeo and Juliet.

An uproarious comedy, As You Like It will have you laughing the entire time. You’ll hear familiar phrases like, “All the world’s a stage,” in their original context. Everybody knows the story of Romeo and Juliet and has seen some adaptation of it, but this is the original, complete with audience interaction. Don’t be surprised if a character suddenly delivers lines behind or directly to you.

Shakespeare in the Parks performs in Montana and the neighboring states of Idaho, North Dakota, Washington, and Wyoming. The purpose of this MSU outreach program is to make “quality, live theatrical productions of Shakespeare and other classics accessible to communities… with an emphasis on underserved, rural areas who would not otherwise have this opportunity.”  In other words, MSIP offers country folk the privilege of quality live theater. The performances are professionally produced by a small permanent staff supplemented by seasonal employees of the College of Arts & Architecture.

The program has seen immense growth over its 42 years. Founded in 1973 by Dr. Bruce Jacobsen, Shakespeare in the Parks has performed over 2,250 times and was awarded the Montana Governor’s Award for the Arts—the highest honor for an arts organization in the state. The troupe has also been featured in the New York Times and on an NBC Nightly News special feature. Another interesting number: $700,000. That is the current annual budget for the program, nearly 50 times larger than the first annual budget, and donations are always accepted.

But the parks are not the only place these thespians perform. The program Shakespeare in the Schools and Montana Shakes offer productions of Shakespeare plays with workshops in schools. These events introduce and increase appreciation for Shakespeare’s works in a way that is understandable and engaging to children. Shakespeare in the Schools tends to focus on engaging middle and high-school students while Montana Shakes focuses on appealing to elementary-school children.

I have always preferred Shakespeare’s comedies, and As You Like It typifies how true comedy can transcend time and place. MSIP set this year’s play in turn-of-the-century Butte; it’s the story of young love, confused identities, and family relations – with a generous helping of the Bard’s signature puns, jokes, and innuendos. The performers fully embrace their characters and in the process imbue them with life. The day that I went to see As You Like It was a perfect day as the threat of rain did not come to fruition. But be aware, this is outdoor theater and the weather will affect your experience.

This became very clear during my endeavor to see the second production, Romeo and Juliet . We did get to see a portion of the play—up to the famous balcony scene (“Wherefore art thou, Romeo…”). But the roiling mass of unfriendliness that were the clouds overhead, lived up to their threats and the rain came down. There were many who had every intention of sticking it out and seeing the entire play from beneath umbrellas or tarps, but swordfight scenes are dangerous on wet stages so the performance was cancelled early. Those willing to stick it out – myself included – would have stayed despite the rain, because Shakespeare in the Parks is worth it. These performances make the old language accessible to today’s audiences through meticulous  reflection of the director and actors on the meaning of every line. The classic stories become not only tangible; they become engaging because of their universality and are not to be missed.

This year’s productions of As You Like It and Romeo and Juliet are scheduled to be in Bozeman again during the Sweet Pea Festival on August 1 and 3. To see the group’s entire tour schedule, check out shakespeareintheparks.org/schedule. php.