Sapphire Lutheran Homes is hosting Montana Shakespeare in the Parks again this summer. Happily, Hamilton is a double feature city, meaning Hamilton will get to see both MSIP performances in a two-night event!
Dominic Farrenkopf, Director of Community Life at Sapphire Lutheran Homes, would like to extend an invitation to everyone in the community to attend. “We will have two fantastic performances in Hamilton this year. Our “regulars” at MSIP will not be disappointed and the newcomers will certainly be impressed!” Farrenkopf said. MSIP will perform “Twelfth Night” and “King Lear” this year. These performances are free and open to the public.
On Tuesday, July 26, at 6 p.m. “Twelfth Night” will be presented. “Twelfth Night,” written by William Shakespeare around 1601-1602, is a romantic comedy penned as a Twelfth Night’s entertainment as the Christmas season closed. The play centers around two twins, Sebastian and Viola, who have been separated due to a shipwreck. Viola dresses in disguise as Cesario and falls in love with the Duke Orsino. The Duke, however, is in love with Countess Olivia. When Countess Olivia meets Viola, she falls in love with her believing she is a man. With style, humor, and wit, Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” is fraught with disguises, love triangles, feigned insanity, revenge, marriage, and more revenge.
“King Lear” will be presented on Wednesday, July 27 at 6 p.m. King Lear is a tragedywritten by William Shakespeare and based on the mythological Leir of Britain. King Lear has three daughters, to whom he relinquishes both his land and power. He loses all his wealth and is stricken with insanity as well as falling victim to several political schemes. The tragedy follows the elderly king’s desire to retire from the responsibilities of the throne and his plan to divide his kingdom between his daughters with the offer to give the largest share to the daughter who loves him the most. In turn, his two eldest daughters earnestly profess their love. When his youngest daughter Cordelia takes her turn, she answers that she loves the king according to her bond and will save half her love for her future husband. Furious, King Lear disinherits Cordelia and gives her share to her sisters. Forged letters, plots against the state, threats of war, murder, poison and the characters vying for power fill Shakespeare’s “King Lear” to the brim.
“Bring a lawn chair or blanket, picnic basket and your friends and join us on our large lawn,” says Farrenkopf. “All are welcome!”
For more information, visit: shakespeareintheparks.org. Sapphire Lutheran Homes is located at 501 N. 10th Street in Hamilton and can be reached at 406-363-2800 or sapphirelutheran.org.