Friends of Montana Shakespeare in the Parks

Friends of Montana Shakespeare in the Parks promotes and supports the programs of Montana Shakespeare in the Parks (MSIP), which is an educational outreach program of Montana State University. Support is provided through fundraising and serves the population of residents in the 63-town touring area on the five-state summer tour, and K-12 students in Montana and Wyoming served by Shakespeare in the Schools and Montana Shakes!.Friends of Montana Shakespeare in the Parks also supported MSIP through two direct mail campaigns, a giving day campaign, two in-person benefit events, and by securing several program grants.Summer Tour: The 12-week summer parks tour brought free professional performances of The Three Musketeers & Measure for Measure to residents in 63 communities, consisting of 21,011 audience members across five states (MT, ND, WY, ID, and WA).Shakespeare in the Schools: Brought an 80-minute adaptation of As You Like It to 51 middle and high schools, consisting of 9,040 students and 835 adults across MT and WY. During day-long residencies the cast of 8 actors/educators follow the performance with a series of professionally developed workshops that provide students with an in-depth exploration of theatrical elements.Montana Shakes!: Modeled after Shakespeare in the Schools, but adapted for elementary students, this program engages young audiences with Shakespeare at a time when they are most receptive to learning. The tour brought an adaptation of Shakespeares Hamlet, Hamlet Sandwich, to 61 schools consisting of 10,543 students and 839 adults in MT and WY, followed by interactive theatrical workshops.Friends of Montana Shakespeare in the Parks supports the only professional theatre touring program in the region that produces Shakespeares plays, the only company that offers its performances free to the public, ensuring accessibility to all, and the only company in America reaching as extensively into rural areas. Montana and its surrounding states are largely rural and underserved. Through all the programs, Friends of Montana Shakespeare in the Parks helps to support a community and region-wide need for high-quality theatrical programs and educational outreach not met by other theatre companies. By providing professional, classical productions free or at a reasonable cost, and by bringing performances to communities and schools across a five-state region, Montana Shakespeare in the Parks helps to break down obstacles that may keep those who would like to from experiencing professional theatre. Eighty percent of communities reached by Montana Shakespeare in the Parks have populations of 10,000 or fewer. Sixty-seven percent have populations of 5,000 or fewer. Without support from Friends of Montana Shakespeare in the Parks, MSIP, Montana Shakes!, and Shakespeare in the Schools would not have the opportunity to bring professional, theatrical experiences to these communities.