Much ado about something

ST. ITGNATIUS — St. Ignatius and Charlo enjoyed a bit of the Bard this weekend as the Montana Shakespeare in the Parks theater company performed “The Two Gentlemen of Verona” and “The Tempest” this weekend.

It was wonderful, Nicole Crepeau, of Arlee, said.

“It’s a tradition to come to at least one of the performances,” she said. “This is our seventh summer and we absolutely love coming.”

Friday night’s performance of “The Two Gentlemen of Verona” in St. Ignatius brought many from Lake County, but people from Missoula as well.

“It’s so crowded at the Missoula performances,” Catherine Goodman, of Missoula, said. “Here, the venue is wonderful and you can actually hear what the actors are saying.”

The company performed at the St. Ignatius Amphitheater and at Palmer Park in Charlo. The company has a set that travels with the shows to bring the audience into the play.

“The Two Gentlemen of Verona” is a joy to do, Tonya Andrews who played Lucetta, a musician and an outlaw in the play, said. “It is one of Shakespeare’s earliest plays so the language is really simple and it’s hilarious.”

Crepeau agreed that the language was simpler than some Shakespeare plays but said “it takes a while to get into the language of the show.”

Andrews is participating in her fifth production with MSIP. She said this group is the best she’s worked with.

“Everyone gives 100 percent in every show and makes our group very cohesive. We’re like a family,” Andrews said.

For the St. Ignatius production, company manager Mark Kuntz said an anonymous donor paid for the entire cost of the production. Many other St. Ignatius businesses and private donors also helped bring the show to the town.

When a town or city engages MSIP to come, they choose the show, said Kuntz.

MSIP prepares two shows per summer season, a comedy and a more serious show. “The Two Gentlemen of Verona” was this season’s comedy and “The Tempest” was the more serious show, said Kuntz.

MSIP is in its 37th year, but the current economic crisis has affected their donors. However, Kuntz said they will “power through” this economic climate and will continue to bring Shakespeare to the residents of Montana.