By Frankie Beer MSU NEWS SERVICE
BOZEMAN — 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.
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, Virginia, 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.
Now a part of MSIP, Johnson treasures moments, such as a child from Laurel coming up to him in awe of his performance or a group in Great Falls giving him a big wave each year as he comes on stage.
“I remember having that exact experience seeing myself on stage for the first time and being like, ‘Whoa, we can also do that?’ It does mean a lot to me: that feeling of ‘There’s somebody who looks like me doing this thing,’” Johnson said. “That’s what MSIP is all about. Anybody can connect with these stories.”
The enthusiastic community audiences are always a highlight of MSIP’s productions, Asselin said. He still remembers one audience member’s reaction to the troupe’s 2003 production of the English playwright’s romantic comedy “As You Like It,” which follows heroine Rosalind as she retreats from court life to the forest of Arden. There, she discovers what happens when the court encroaches on the forest’s native inhabitants.
Asselin was helping construct the set in the southeastern Montana town of Birney when a “full-on cowboy” approached him with the “Complete Works of William Shakespeare” under his arm. The man and his family had attended performances for years, and “As You Like It” was his favorite play. Suddenly, he began to recite Duke Senior’s monologue from the show, describing hardworking folks who are fueled by nature and live off the land. Asselin said it was overwhelming to see how much MSIP meant to its audience.
“Communities see these performers as family,” he said.
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.
“It’s a universal language, and it’s timeless,” said Cateora, who joined MSIP in 2018 as an MSU student in the College of Arts and Architecture. “If you open your mind for 90 minutes, you can have fun with Shakespeare.”
Leading up to performances, Cateora will participate in MSIP’s six-week production period in May, which she deems “the most wonderful time of the year.” When she is not working for the program, she is a costumer in California along with other MSIP members.
Asselin said MSIP’s sense of camaraderie within the cast and crew is part of what motivates the actors as they move from town to town together throughout the summer to present a total of 79 performances.
“There’s nothing like it,” he said. “Where’s the adventure leading us tomorrow?”
To view MSIP’s tour schedule, visit the program’s website.
