Shakespeare Performance A Winner Over Labor Day Weekend
Author: MT 43 News Staff Reporter
Shakespeare Performance a Winner Over Labor Day Weekend
MT 43 News Staff Reporter
It was an extraordinary evening at Heritage Park Saturday when Shakespeare in the Parks actors performed “The Winter’s Tale.” About 150 people lounged on deck chairs, ate pizza and Kentucky Fried Chicken and just enjoyed the exceptional acting by the group from MSU Bozeman.
The crowd included Broadwater High School students, small children eating ice cream and middle schoolers chomping on tacos in a bag. The parking lot showed cars from Bozeman, Jefferson County and Helena in what must have been one of the best-attended annual productions Townsend Area Chamber of Commerce has sponsored. Chamber Chairwoman Jenni Fellenz was pleased with the turnout: “Hats off to our secretary, Rachael Brug, who almost single-handedly put together the event. The amazing turnout was due to Rachael’s organization and advertising skills.”
Brug was pleased with the turnout as she had advertised in Three Forks, Manhattan and White Sulphur Springs. She said several supporters donated so the Chamber was able to buy the actors’ dinners at Hardway Farms food truck of Radersburg. The food truck, operated by Sam and Sheree Beauchamp, is a new addition to Shakespeare in the Parks in Townsend. Brug said she would especially like to thank Hannah Rauser who provided vegan and vegetarian meals to the actors who requested them
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Play attendee Daryl Blumhagen and his wife were amazed at how many people attended and that they knew only a few people in the crowd. They thought the play was excellent: “It was funny when it was supposed to be, and serious at the same time,” he said.
His only wish is that next year the Chamber would arrange to close off the Heritage Park block of Pine Street as the passing trucks and cars interrupted the ability to hear the actors, despite the upgrade of microphones near the stage.
Had the Blumhagens known there would be a food truck to service playgoers, they would have bought their lunch instead of bringing their own. Blumhagen suggested there be more publicity prior to next year’s production.
Fellenz suggested the large turnout was due to the Labor Day weekend production. “Townsend really doesn’t have any other event happening on Labor Day so this was perfect. Next year we hope we can have the production again on Labor Day weekend. We’ll have our new website up and going and will advertise on social media and in the paper so local folks will come out for an opportunity to see professional theater,” she commented.
Article Images
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PhotoCredit: Nancy Marks, MT43 News Photographer; Image 3: Photo by Shawn Raeke, Bozeman
Image 1 Caption: Families gathered for the performance with buckets of Kentucky Fried Chicken and pop for the kids.
Nancy Marks, MT43 News Photographer
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Image 2 Caption: A large crowd enjoyed the perfect weather and fine performance of "A Winter's Tale" production by Shakespeare in the Parks actors. The performance is one of the last of the season.
Nancy Marks, MT43 News Photographer
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Image 3 Caption: Queen Hermione, played by Emily Hawkins, and her fellow actors lead the way through the story of a "Winter's Tale."
Photo by Shawn Raeke, Bozeman
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Image 4 Caption: Good crowd for the event
Nancy Marks, MT43 News Photographer
