| Place a Classified | Subscribe today | July 10, 2009 |
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Shakespeare in Pocatello
POCATELLO - Laughter burst from the ballroom at Idaho State University's Pond Student Union building Thursday as the traveling thespian group Montana Shakespeare in the Park performed "The Merry Wives of Windsor" by William Shakespeare.
"Good evening Pocatello, and welcome to Montana Shakespeare in the Park," said Company Manager Michael Patrick Kane sarcastically after the performance had to be moved inside due to the weather. Montana Shakespeare in the Park is an organization from Montana State University that travels through Montana, Wyoming, Idaho and North Dakota performing at schools in the fall and in parks during the summer. The traveling group performs all but three days during the summer in more than 50 cities throughout the four states. It offers free performances and runs on donations.
This was the second time the group had visited Pocatello in its 35 years, and it appeared to be a hit with the audience of about 350 people. Cathleen Tarp, associate professor of Spanish at Idaho State University, had the loudest laugh of them all.
"It was fabulous," she said. "They were great actors." "The Merry Wives of Windsor," a comedic plot of the misfortune of Sir John Falstaff, is one of two plays the group is performing this summer. The other is "Heartbreak House" by George Bernard Shaw. Each town decides which performance it would like to see, said Tonya Andrews, who is on her first tour with Montana Shakespeare in the Park.
While the group of ten actors enjoy performing comedies, which are the company's long-time artistic director Joel Jahnke's specialty, they also perform tragedies. The actors travel during the day, set up the stage when they arrive at their destination, perform, take down the stage and finally crash in a hotel or in locals' homes before starting the process again the next day.
"It's nice because you learn to work through being tired," said Andrews. "It's amazing when you get through that second wind - or that tenth wind." Even though the fast pace is one of the most difficult parts for Andrews, she believes it's valuable because the group is able to meet so many different communities.
Actors said another challenge is performing outside, which offers many unforeseen obstacles, such as dogs or birds coming on stage. However, this also has a positive side. "As an actor, I think your focus grows because you have to stay connected to who you're acting with," said Andrews.
Andrews first saw a performance by Montana Shakespeare in the Park when she moved to Livingston, Mont., where she worked at Firehouse 5 Theater as an actor, acting teacher and director. She traveled to Chicago to audition for the Bozeman-based acting company because she saw how important it was to the people in Montana and its surrounding states, and she wanted to be a part of it.
"I had students who waited all year for them to come," Andrews said. By Maggie Anderson
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