Local Individuals Urged To Donate For Shakespeare In The Parks

Local organizers Vivian Schultz and Barbara Olson are excited that Montana Shakespeare in the Parks is bringing the famous play Hamlet to Wolf Point July 2.

The presentation will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the park located west of Faith Home on the 700 block of Johnson Street.

Although corporate sponsors support the Shakespeare in the Parks’ program as a whole, local donations are also required from participating sites.

“Locally, the Wolf Point community has to raise over $1,300,” Olson said.

She explains that Wolf Point businesses already support many worthwhile and deserving projects around town throughout the year. Schultz and Olson hope additional individuals have the desire to step up with any type of monetary donation in order to bring the presentation to our community.

“We feel it’s unfair to depend so much on local businesses with fewer businesses in town,” Olson said. “We really appreciate the support of businesses, but we understand the demands on their funds.”

The donations are used to guarantee that Shakespeare in the Parks can return next year because arrangements need to be made ahead of time.

In addition to those funds, local officials provide three meals for the troupe during their stay in Wolf Point.

Olson has been involved with organizing the event in Wolf Point since 2011. Schultz has helped for the past five years.

If anyone wishes to volunteer to assist with the effort, they should call Olson at 406-653-1143.

Hamlet tells the story of the young prince of Denmark who returns home following the sudden death of his father. 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 versus desire and the power of performance.

“We feel it’s important to bring live theatre here especially for young people to get some exposure that they usually don’t in smaller communities,” Olson said.

The Winter’s Tale will be presented on July 1 in Sidney and July 3 in Malta.