Shakespeare in the Parks is another COVID-19 casualty

It’s been a quieter and less entertaining summer around Mineral County this year. With a wide range of events being cancelled or postponed indefinitely due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, it’s hard not to feel a bit melancholy.

Normally folks would have gathered in Superior at the fairgrounds earlier in August to take in some tragedy, comedy, or history. But alas, Montana Shakespeare in the Parks regular summertime performance has been axed as well.

“Another milestone, or should I say headstone, in terms of Montana Shakespeare in the Parks has passed us by due to COVID,” lamented Jim Goss, the Treasurer of the Mineral County Performing Arts Council. The council has been responsible as the local sponsor for the Montana Shakespeare in the Parks tour stop for many years now.

“They have come to Superior continually for over 30 years,” Goss said.

The performance group also tours all around Montana and several neighboring states.

Superior resident Shelly Larson truly looks forward to each new play that comes to town. She shared, “It is such a shame that our Shakespeare in the park has been cancelled. It is a special time for the community to come together and experience the joy and exuberance displayed by the acting crew. I miss being together. I miss the laughter.”

An onslaught of annual events, shows, and concerts have felt the pain of COVID cancelling the past six months. It includes the Spring Gala that would have featured The Big Sky Mud flaps back in March. The council plans to reschedule them for another concert in the future. The annual Piatigorsky Foundation Concert, which is customarily in April or May had to go. As noted, the Montana Shakespeare in the Parks production of Cymbelline, was slated for Aug. 27 but all of the groups tour was withdrawn for 2020.

Looking ahead the Dee-Dee Darby-Duffin Quintet was scheduled for Oct. 7, but this too has been postponed. Concerts scheduled for the calendar year 2021 will be decided on a case by case basis. With all the cancellations it’s any wonder how the nonprofit group is handling the financial brunt.

“The artists themselves suffer the most when their bookings are cancelled,” Goss said. “We do send out an annual letter requesting donations from individuals and businesses, though, and given our “lost year” of concerts, we may not get that form of support this year.”

MCPAC was originally formed in 2007 in response the vintage Strand Theater in Superior being sold. There was much concern that the community would lose this avenue of theatrical entertainment once the building was purchased and potentially turned into a new business. In a grass roots effort to raise funds, MCPAC held a series of performances with local artists who stepped in to volunteer their gifts and talents.

“Though the theater was later taken off the market, the success of our efforts and positive response from the public resulted in us forming a 9-member board of directors, and obtaining a 501(c)(3) tax exempt status in 2008, and holding a formal performance series yearly, consisting of at least five concerts, running from September to August of each year,” Goss said.

Back in 2014, MCPAC also helped spearhead a County Centennial Celebration by partnering with the Mineral County Historical Society, the Mineral County Chamber of Commerce, and County Commissioners. This event featured music, historical reenactments, and food vendors.

The council’s current President is Raylene Clumpner, Vice President is Carol Billadeau, and Secretary is Patsy Foote. Other board members include Jean Alexander, Anita Bailey, Mary Jo Berry, Glenn Koepke, Cathy Kuhl and Denley Loge.

With just a handful of volunteers to orchestrate musical talents and performances for the county the show also can’t go on without an audience.

“We have about 50 people in our communities that come to our concerts no matter what,” Goss said. “I specifically recall a mid-winter concert a couple years ago where eight inches of snow was falling in Superior, and we still had a good audience.”

But now in this time of COVID concerns and restrictions audience numbers are a liability and a health risk when it comes to arranging a performance.

“Even Montana Shakespeare in the Parks, which is an outdoor event, realized the impossibility of ensuring the safety of their actors and audience members, so they cancelled their season,” Goss said.

With the cascade of cancellations from artists and performers unsure of safety and social gathering restrictions it creates a frustrating cycle.

“The feeling of helplessness as we enter “wait and see” mode for the next concert, only to have our efforts thwarted by the reality of the situation,” Goss said. “Many of the artists perform multiple shows in the state of Montana to help keep per concert travel costs to a minimum. Artists themselves may not want to tour, or presenters must cancel or postpone concerts, creating a domino effect.”

Having said all of that Goss ensured there is one glimmer of hope. MCPAC is currently working with a performer that has reinvented their show to be COVID compliant. Coordination efforts are underway and look promising. They are hoping to schedule this event for some time in early or mid-September.