Montana Shakespeare in the Parks will be presenting a special free performance for elementary school children at Montana State University’s Black Box Theater on February 19th. The 16th year of the event will feature an original, interactive play based on Shakespeare’s “Comedy of Errors.” The play, titled “Goofs, Gaffes, Flubs and Fumbles,” will last approximately 40 minutes and will be followed by a Q&A session.
The performance aims to provide a fun learning experience for children in kindergarten through sixth grade. According to Kevin Asselin, the director of Montana Shakespeare in the Parks, the play will explore themes of friendship, identity, belonging, and feeling isolated or different. Asselin emphasized that the play teaches students that it is okay to be different.
The special performance will take place at 1 p.m. at the theater on the MSU campus. While the event is free, reservations are required and can be made online. In addition to the performance at Montana State University, Montana Shakespeare in the Parks has plans to travel to 65 elementary schools in Montana and Wyoming this semester to perform interactive plays. The organization will also conduct workshops at schools, which can be tailored to different age groups.
The current season of Montana Shakespeare in the Parks opened on January 19th and will run through April 12th. The organization offers half-cost workshops to schools and organizations, with the remaining cost being covered by donors and grants.
The event promises to be a delightful and educational experience for children, offering a unique opportunity to engage with the works of Shakespeare in a fun and interactive way.
