Area Residents Support Play Despite Move Inside
The show must go on. Despite rain and poor weather, area residents were treated to a performance from Montana Shakespeare in the Park on Tuesday, July 2. The difference was that the play was held in the Wolf Point High School auditorium instead of the normal park location.
Mikey Gray, an actress in her fourth year with the troupe, was pleased that the local audience could enjoy the performance of Hamlet.
“The goal is that we were avoiding other challenges,” Gray said when asked about the change of site.
The actors had a longer distance to carry their equipment, but they were happy to have the opportunity to perform.
“We felt the downpour a couple of times,” Gray said of hearing the storm from inside. “We’re so grateful for the school accommodating us. It’s a great place.”
Wolf Point was the group’s eighth stop on their tour. The actors performed Winter’s Tale in Sidney on July 1 and Malta on July 3. They also needed to perform inside during their show in Beach, N.D., on June 28 due to poor weather.
Gray said that Wolf Point is always one of her favorite places to perform.
She swam in the pool a different time and jogged on Rodeo Road during this visit.
“It’s a glorious experience to be in Wolf Point,” she said.
The performance of Hamlet was highlighted by the acting abilities of Riley O’Toole in the title role. This marks his 11th tour with Montana Shakespeare in the Park.
Wolf Point coordinators for the program are Vivian Schultz and Barbara Olson. Local financial contributors include Agland Co-op, Bill and Irene Rathert, Clayton Stevenson Memorial Chapel, Dr. Myriam Greene, Fleming Long Insurance Agency, Farm Bureau Financial Services, Fox Ford, Friends of the Roosevelt County Library, High Plains Motors, Nemont Telephone Cooperative, Opportunity Bank of Wolf Point, Sherman Motor Inn, Southside Jet Wash, Swap Shop and Wolf Point Community Organization.
This marks the 52nd year for the traveling theatre group. Shakespeare in the Park is an outreach program of Montana State University’s College of Arts and Architecture in Bozeman.
