As the Bard intended

By Lyndsie Kiebert
Reader Staff

Come one, come all — ’tis time again to enjoy Shakespearean entertainment as the Bard himself would have wanted: on the grass, under a summer sky, surrounded by fellow groundlings and good cheer. North Idaho will have its chance to do just that on Saturday, Aug. 21 as Lost Horse Press hosts Montana Shakespeare in the Parks’ performance of The Tragedie of Cymbeline.

The event marks the seventh time Lost Horse Press has brought Shakespeare to Sandpoint, this year in shady Lakeview Park. Publisher Christine Holbert said that while literary events may not be as initially popular as other community events like live music, “once [people] are in the audience listening to a literary reading or watching a play, [they] tend to appreciate the experience of words washing over them.” 

“Words are powerful,” she continued. “Shakespeare is amazing because his plays and poems have relevance even now, 400 years after he wrote them. And the response of our community and their willingness to volunteer their help to bring the actors to Sandpoint and to make them feel welcome — that’s what keeps me going. Plus, I myself love the plays so I am happy to be part of bringing them to our community.”

A scene from a past Montana Shakespeare in the Parks production. Courtesy photo.

This year’s event will kick off at 3 p.m. and feature a variety of pre-play entertainment, including music by students of the Music Conservatory of Sandpoint; a plein air painting event sponsored by POAC, including artists Connie Scherr, Daris Judd, Kate Weisberg, Sharon Yates, Devon Chapman and Susan Conway-Kean; as well as a performance by the Azul Fire Dancers & Friends — an American-style tribal belly dance troupe, which Holbert described as “lively, colorful and enthusiastic.” 

Attendees are encouraged to bring chairs, blankets and picnics.

“I love to organize the local activities,” Holbert said. “The tribal dance groups are the most fun, the students of the Sandpoint Music Conservatory are excited to show their talents, and this year we will have POAC-affiliated artists spending the afternoon at Lakeview Park doing plein air paintings of the actors as they set up the stage and practice before the show begins. Their paintings will be displayed in the park for the audience to view. 

“Every year is different, which makes each year fun as well as a delightful surprise to organize,” she continued.

The performance of Cymbeline will begin at 6 p.m. While the play is formally classified as a tragedy, modern critics often describe it as a romance or comedy. It follows the story of Innogen, daughter of King Cymbeline of Britain, as she enters a secret marriage resulting in her husband’s banishment. She runs away and ends up aiding the Roman army in its British invasion, finding long-lost siblings along the way.

Montana Shakespeare in the Parks is a nonprofit dedicated to bringing high-quality productions of Shakespearean works and other classics to rural communities at no cost to play-goers. 

“I love meeting the young actors of the troupe, getting to know them, where they’re from, why they love Shakespeare, why they love the grueling summer theater life,” Holbert said. “And I look forward each summer to seeing what play we will be enjoying that year. 

“I hope the audience appreciates the poetry and beauty of Shakespeare’s words and rhymes,” she said, “and the generosity of our community.”

For additional information about the event, contact Lost Horse Press at 208-255-4410 or email [email protected].