Shakespeare In The Parks Announces Tour

Seventy-nine performances. Sixty-five rural communities. Fifty-three years on the road.

In a way, it feels like coming home, said Kevin Asselin, executive artistic director of Montana Shakespeare in the Parks.

MSIP, a part of Montana State University’s College of Arts and Architecture, will perform William Shakespeare’s plays “Henry V” and “As You Like It” for its annual summer tour across five states. The shows, which are free and open to the public, kick off June 11 at MSU’s Duck Pond along South 11th Avenue.

Performances will include “As You Like It,” in Wolf Point on June 27, and “Henry V” in Malta on June 26 and Sidney on June 28.

The program provides performances for rural communities and grade schools that might not otherwise have access to free theater of MSIP’s quality and scope. It is one of the largest and oldest Shakespeare companies in the United States, Asselin said.

“Giving young people the opportunity to experience these shows is the cornerstone of what we do and is the reason we’re still around after five decades,” he said.

MSIP considered nearly 400 actors across the country for its summer cast of 11, five of whom are returning performers. Avery Johnson, a 23-year-old from Arlington, Va., is one such MSIP alumnus and plays Henry in “Henry V” and Corin in “As You Like It.”

Johnson said “Henry V” explores themes of justice, duty and mercy through the historical tale of England’s King Henry. The character grapples with running a country torn apart by civil wars and eventually leads England to victory against France in the Battle of Agincourt.

Besides having an excuse to “nerd out” about medieval history, Johnson said he is eager to bring communities together to connect with art. Growing up, Shakespeare felt inaccessible to him, he said. On middle school field trips to see Shakespeare’s plays, Johnson noticed that not only was everyone in the audience white but so were the actors. He said that as a Black performer, it wasn’t until college that he realized he could relate to Shakespearean roles with gravitas and complexity.

This year’s performance of “As You Like It,” starring Emily Hawkins and directed by Eva Breneman, features an updated wardrobe ranging from Rococo-era gowns to clothing reminiscent of the early Rolling Stones.

Production elements are essential in bringing the shows to life and can help audience members identify characters’ relationships without knowledge of Elizabethan-era language, said Angela Cateora, costume shop manager, stitcher and MSU alumna.