MAT Announces Project to Celebrate Shakespeare's Birthday

 

April 7, 2021



No foolin’! On April 1, the Montana Actors’ Theater (MAT) announced this year’s Shakespeare Project by putting out a call for theater makers. In honor of William Shakespeare’s birthday on Friday, April 23, MAT will be streaming videos created by theater makers who participate in the Shakespeare Project. The deadline for video submissions is April 20.

This project idea came to life while Dr. Valerie Guyant and Dr. Grant Olson were conversing about Shakespeare. The pair began wondering: What sort of lives would Shakespeare’s characters have lived outside of the events of the scripts in which they were created? From that curiosity, the question arose—what if Hamlet could have chatted with Romeo about family dysfunction or Miranda could have discussed with Juliet their fathers’ doubts about their chosen love interests?

MAT envisions that theater makers would form teams of three or four actors and, if desired, someone to manage the script and/or direct a scene that revolves around the meeting of well-known Shakespearean characters. According to MAT Artistic Director Grant Olson, MAT will assign characters, although Project organizers will be open to ideas and prompts.

From there, MAT will provide character descriptions and scripts for each of the plays in which the characters appeared. Theater maker teams will then develop a scenario in which these characters might possibly encounter each other, rehearsing that scenario to create a sort of ‘script’ with a duration of ten-fifteen minutes.

“We use the term script loosely, as teams may choose to develop a fully formed text or even a type of rehearsed improv,” Olson said.

Finally, the scenario will have to be recorded on video. For anyone who resides near Havre, MAT will schedule one-hour slots of video time prior to the April 20 deadline. This offer includes a multi camera setup for a single shot – no editing. Alternatively, teams can record and edit their own video and submit it to MAT before the deadline.

Project organizers also shared some answers to anticipated questions. First, the language does not have to be in verse, but it certainly can be. Second, because Shakespeare’s plays have been transported “from Japan to the Moon,” theater makers need not worry about the original setting or time period. However, if those constraints help make the scenario work, teams are encouraged to use them. Third, MAT will not be able to create costumes, sets, or props for any of the scripts, but they are willing to set up appointments for teams to examine and select from their available stock. Finally, teams are encouraged to use their imaginations.

“We wanted as few ‘rules’ as possible to help spur some creative developments,” Olson stated.

For more information or to sign up to participate, interested individuals are encouraged to contact Olson at grant@mtactors.com or by calling 406-945-0272.

On Shakespeare’s birthday, Friday, April 23, the video products of these creative developments will stream from the MAT website: mtactors.com.

 
 

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