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Montana Shakespeare in the Parks Coming to Townsend

Author: Rachael Brug, Chamber of Commerce Rachael Brug: MT43 News Vice President and Copy Editor

Montana Shakespeare in the Parks Coming to Townsend

Rachael Brug

Chamber of Commerce

Montana Shakespeare in the Parks (MSIP) is celebrating its 54th season with free, professional performances of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing and The Merchant of Venice across the region.

The season opens in Bozeman with Much Ado About Nothing, June 10–13, and The Merchant of Venice, June 17–20, with performances held at 8 p.m. in the MSU Duck Pond Grove. Pre-show entertainment begins at 7 p.m., and audiences are encouraged to arrive early, bring a picnic, and enjoy an evening outdoors.

After the Bozeman run, MSIP’s company of 11 actors will head out on a 12-week tour, bringing theatre to 64 communities across five states—Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, North Dakota, and Washington—serving more than 20,000 audience members annually.

Townsend’s local MSIP performance of The Merchant of Venice is scheduled for Sunday, September 6, at 5 p.m. in Heritage Park. All ages are welcome, and the event is free and open to the public.

This year’s productions offer two very different Shakespeare experiences. Much Ado About Nothing is a lively comedy that explores love, reputation, and how quickly misunderstandings can spread—while also showing how honesty and resilience can restore trust. Director Johamy Morales notes that the play “insists on laughter, music, and communal celebration,” ending “not in division, but in dance.”

The Merchant of Venice takes on deeper questions of justice, mercy, prejudice, and belonging. As romance and courtroom drama unfold, the story examines the cost of exclusion and the power of mercy. Director Kevin Asselin calls it “one of the most complete plays in Shakespeare’s canon,” highlighting both the young characters’ journeys and the human questions faced by Shylock, Antonio, and Portia.

Many MSIP stops also include pre-show performances by local artists through the organization’s Share Our Stage program. Please contact the Townsend Chamber if your organization would like to be a part of the pre-show! townsend43chamber@gmail.com

Community support helps bring MSIP to Townsend. If you would like to donate toward the cost of bringing the performance here, please mail a check made out to Townsend Area Chamber of Commerce to P.O. Box 947, Townsend, MT 59644, or drop off a check at Reading Leaves Bookstore.

For more information and the full tour schedule, visit ShakespeareInTheParks.org.

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PhotoCredit: MSIP
Image 1 Caption: Merchant of Venice