For Shakespeare’s birth(and death)day, April 23, MAT celebrated the Bard of Avon in a creative way… but first a little background. Dr. Valerie Guyant and Dr. Grant Olson were having a little conversation about Shakespeare, and began wondering – what sort of lives would Shakespeare’s characters have outside of the events of the scripts they were created in? Then the question became – what if Hamlet could have a chat with Romeo?
So that is the basis for this year’s Shakespeare Project:
MAT provided teams with character descriptions of one of Shakespeare’s well-known characters for each of the actors and scripts for each of the plays that the characters appeared.
Teams developed scenarios in which these characters could possibly encounter each other and filmed the scenes.
Watch all of the videos on our
YouTube Channel!
youth workshops
Youth Activities Director, Angela Pratt, has designed a program specifically for youth to expand their knowledge and skills in theatre.
Workshops meet on Mondays and Wednesdays 4pm-6pm at the Creative Leisure Building
May Topic
Intro to Classical Theatre, Shakespeare, and Stage Fighting
These workshops are open to youth in grades 6-12.
Cost is $50/monthly session of 8 workshops.
There is a $15 discount for each additional child in the family and scholarships are available.
For more details about the youth projects, please visit our Youth Programs page.
March 13, 2021
Greetings MAT Family and Friends!
This has been a very difficult year for live art – but MAT is waiting in the wings to get back on stage. We have managed to create a few events in the last year to keep things going, including: A birthday party for Shakespeare with performers around the globe performing excerpts from all 38 of the plays attributed to the Bard of Stratford. We were also able to safely conduct our Children’s Theatre Camps and Youth Production of The Wizard of OZ over the summer. We worked with KNMC to host a few livestream music events (right from the taverna on Kalokairi). We even managed to produce and livestream our annual 24-hour play festival.
In February, under the direction of Angela Pratt, MAT launched a new after school theatre training program for middle-school and high-school aged students. We have worked with the Hill-County Health Department to create a safe environment while we teach some essential theatre skills to our younger members.
Looking to the future, MAT is planning another fun online event for Shakespeare’s Birthday on the 23rd of April. Sticking with the most famous playwright in the English language, MAT is planning on producing its first full-length production of a play by Shakespeare in over seven years. This June we intend on creating a live outdoor production of the hilarious comedy, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, where the community can safely see some live theatre under the Big Sky of Northern Montana.
We are also still planning on moving forward with our Children’s Theatre Camps and Youth Production this summer following all appropriate protocols to ensure the safety of our students and Interns. We are still working out how we can revive Ticked-off and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory with as many of the original cast members as possible. Additionally, we are tentatively planning on opening Mamma Mia! this September with as many of the original cast as possible – but we are pretty sure some roles will have to be filled. We are so deeply thankful for all of the support, and the generous donations that you have given us to keep us going. MAT sees some light at the end of the tunnel, so we ask you all to remain vigilant and soon we will be able to see you all again.
Thank you
Grant Olson
Artistic Director
Montana Actors’ Theatre
Lyrics by Angela Murri Performed by cast members of MAT’s production of Mamma Mia coming soon!
2019-2020 Season
Producers and Funders
reviews
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If you have not planned to see One Man, Two Guvnors at the MAT in Havre, you will miss out on one of the most enjoyable and funniest evening. The show kept all of us in the audience laughing so hard. Grant Olsen was outstanding as were all the other actors. The music brought me back to the 1960s and the group, Steeds, was great. Audience participation just added so much to the fun. Great job, MAT!!! 
Virginia Braithwaite
January 31, 2020 -
All who were involved with band geeks were phenomenal! Great job! 
Angela L Murri
August 5, 2016 - Always amazing !!! Never a disappointment, so much fun!!
Tara Zuelke
January 5, 2018 - Sister Act was GREAT! We laughed so hard. Thanks for a great evening!!
Peggy Giblin
March 10, 2018 - This show could play in any small town or major city! Absolutely phenomenal!! Great job to the directors, orchestra and all the cast members and of course my Deloris, you are Amazing! <3
LaVonne Ellis
March 18, 2018 - Was a great show! Thank you for giving my son Brandon Matte the opportunity to be a part of such a wonderful program. 😊
Aly Brekhus
August 7, 2017 - I have said it before and I will say it again...we live in a small community but we have such big talent. "Jesus Christ Superstar" put on by the MAT in Havre will rivial anything you would see in a big city. The sets, the costumes and the amazing talents. Bravo MAT players!
Bettie Iovinetti Barber
March 19, 2017 - Love,love, love! Such talent in our community. Thank you cast,crew and orchestra for this awesome show.
Pamela Long
March 24, 2018 - The play The Wind in the Willows was very enjoyable! I am sure I will go back for another play!
Barb Crump
May 22, 2017 - All of the productions I have been to were excelent. The Havre area is loaded with some very talented people.
Cliff Plum
March 11, 2019