Montana Shakespeare in the Schools, an outreach program of Montana State University’s College of Arts and Architecture and a branch of Montana Shakespeare in the Parks, is bringing its production of “Richard III” to 50 schools across Montana and Wyoming this fall. The tour, which runs from October to December, includes visits to many rural schools that do not have theater programs. The program, now in its 33rd year, is among the oldest Shakespeare companies in the United States.
Dustin Valenta, a Chicago-based actor who plays Richard, described the experience: “It feels like a gift as opposed to seeing this fancy Shakespeare production at a fancy theater and sitting quietly, not understanding it. You see it feet away from you and can interact with it, ask questions afterward, have those actors in your classroom speaking to you and apply it directly to your life. If I had that as a kid, I think the way I thought about Shakespeare would be much different.”
The group will perform at Belgrade High School and Gallatin High School on October 29 and 30.
Each event begins with an 80-minute performance of “Richard III,” which tells the story of Richard’s rise to the English throne through manipulation and violence. Riley O’Toole, associate art director who joined the program as an actor in 2016, explained the relevance for students: “A lot of students in high school look into the mirror and to some degree think — I certainly did say to myself — ‘I feel deformed, unfinish’d, sent before my time into this breathing world scarce half made up’ like Richard. We talk to them about the importance of cultivating a healthy self-image and how much more challenging that is these days.”
After the performance, students participate in Q&A sessions with the actors and join workshops that align with Common Core standards in English language arts and literacy. These workshops cover topics such as history, media influence, acting, and stage combat.
At Bainville Public School in northeast Montana, students took part in a civics workshop where they debated leadership qualities compared to Richard’s character and discussed how Shakespeare’s portrayal was shaped by those in power. English teacher Sarah Morales said, “As long as this program exists, I imagine we will be inviting them back every year.”
Morales used the program’s teacher toolkit to introduce her students to “Richard III,” connecting its themes of ambition and identity to an upcoming unit on “Macbeth.”
The program also reached youth at the Pine Hills Youth Correctional Facility in Miles City. Valenta shared his personal story about recovering from a car accident that left him with scoliosis, drawing parallels with Richard’s struggle with identity. He said, “They had some physical and mental challenges that made them a target of bullying, and I think being able to see representation of someone with a physical difference that was reckoning with it in a way that wasn’t necessarily effective but was able to ascend to a place of significant authority was a really powerful thing.”
For schools with theater programs, the workshops offer opportunities for students to develop their own productions. Ahlora Victoria, a Chicago-based actor who plays four characters in “Richard III,” assisted Billings West High School students with their roles in “Hamlet.” Victoria shared her own experiences with the students: “I was meant to believe that I was just a lot. I thought I was going to be cast in certain roles for the rest of my life until I got to college because I’m a very dramatic person. In my workshops, I really try to validate students’ opinions and their thoughts and their choices. I’m like, ‘I know you can do it, and I need you to believe that you can do it.’”
Thirty-six schools remain on the tour schedule. A ticketed performance to raise funds for Shakespeare in the Schools is planned for November 1 at Montana State University’s Blackbox Theater.
Valenta reflected on the experience: “You’re seeing something that will never be repeated and know that you were just part of a unique moment in history. That’s magic to me.”
