Shakespeare in the Parks returns to Malta

On Monday, July 7, Shakespeare in the Park returns to Malta with a presentation of As You Like, Shakespeare's pastoral comedy of love and exile.

As You Like It follows heroine Rosalind as she flees persecution in her uncle's court, accompanied by her cousin, Celia, and Touchstone, the court jester, to find safety. Directed by Kevin Asselin, a Montana twist has been added to Shakespeare's work has been adapted to take place in Big Sky Country, circa 1917.

This year's presentation of the play is sponsored locally by the Little Rockies Arts Association.

In the past, The Little Rockies Art Council would bring in four shows per year to Phillips County. Unfortunately, the council is slowly dissolving, according to member Dee Shettel, because the group's numbers drop each year.

"This might be one of the last gigs we bring in. It depends on if I get a boost of ambition or not," she joked. "There are only two of us left."

Shettel said that the funding to bring shows to Phillips County has all but dried up and in order to bring shows back next year she would have to have sponsors help pay for the events.

Last year the show was The Recruiting Officer written by George Farquhar and three years ago the show got rained out. But rain won't be an issue this year, at least if Shettel's back-up plan can be put into action.

"In case of bad weather this year, hopefully we can use the school," she said. "That is my next order of business."

"We had a nice crowd last year," Shettel said. "I didn't count them, but I bet we had at least 80 people there. People brought their lunch and their chairs and their blankets and just really made a day of it. We were just tickled that so many people showed up. "

The show is free to the public, though sometimes, according to Shettel, there is confusion as to the price of admission. She said that the Shakespeare in the Park folks set out donation boxes and hand out membership forms. She said that though donations to the box are encouraged, they are not mandatory.

"It is a great thing to support," she said. "But admission is totally free."

"If somebody else wants to help bring them in next year, they can contact me and we can get the ball rolling," said Shettel.

Montana Shakespeare in the Parks is in the midst of its 42nd season providing free professional theater productions of the classics throughout Montana and four neighboring states. Montana Shakespeare is an outreach program of Montana State University's College of Arts and Architecture. Major sponsors include Subaru, Northwestern Energy, Adour Good Food and Stillwater Mining.

Spectators are encouraged to bring lawn chairs, snacks, jackets and then "sit back and enjoy the show."

"It will be a great evening for everyone," Shettel said.