To be or not to be — in Great Falls this weekend, the answer is definitely to be. Shakespeare in the Parks returns to the University of Providence campus for two free evenings of live outdoor theater.
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The Great Falls Theatre Company and the Great Falls Public Library Foundation are co-sponsoring the event for the second year, working together to make sure the performances remain free and accessible to all residents.
"The Great Falls Theater Company is proud to be a co-sponsor of the Shakespeare in the Park event, along with the Great Falls Public Library Foundation. So, we help contribute financially to make sure that we can get two nights of fabulous entertainment," said Amber Henning Griffith, Board President of the Great Falls Theatre Company.
For Griffith and her organization, along with the Great Falls Public Library Foundation, the mission is straightforward.
"Knowing that we're providing a free theatrical event for the community is absolutely everything that we want to accomplish," she said.
For board member and longtime volunteer Nikolas Asmussen, the event carries a deeper personal meaning. With a background in theater, Asmussen says Shakespeare in the Parks is about more than one weekend — it is about showing the next generation that the arts are alive and within reach, even in Montana.
"I'm glad to be able to have my kids get to experience Shakespeare, live on the stage, and to see that, you know, this is something that is valuable and that art is still alive and that there can even be a pathway to going out and performing these great shows all around the state, even here in Montana," Asmussen said.
Shakespeare in the Parks takes place Aug. 7 and 8 at the University of Providence campus at 1301 20th St. S. in Great Falls. "Much Ado About Nothing" will play Friday, while "The Merchant of Venice" will play Saturday. The pre-show begins at 5:30 p.m. both evenings. Admission is free and open to the public.
