Dear MRT Patrons and Supporters,
I’ve been the Artistic Director of Montana Repertory Theatre for two and a half years now. It’s hard to believe that much time has passed, and that a third of my tenure here has been under the shadow of COVID. In that time, we’ve made some changes and some hard decisions. And we’ve made some amazing & transformative theatre. Now, at the close of the most challenging year the arts have seen (at least in my lifetime), it seemed a good time to reflect.
Honoring Traditions
We’re holding tight to things about the Rep that have made an impact on the people we serve. Our Educational OutReach show reaches thousands in classrooms, libraries and community centers across the state. When I was a kid growing up in rural Tennessee, my first experience with theatre was with a similar professional touring company and it changed my life. It gave me a vocation, maybe even a calling. It made me see how theatre can be transforming. We’ll continue to bring that same experience to students in Montana, choosing plays that entertain, but that might also have an impact on their lives.
Similarly, we’ll continue to bring as much of what we do to as many places in the state as we can. And the centerpiece of that mission will be a fully produced state tour of a mainstage show, like the recently completed War of the Worlds tour and the upcoming tour of Re-Entry. We have an obligation, not only to the folks here in Missoula, but to folks across the state.
Championing Artists
Early in my tenure here, we made the decision to always put our artists first. Making theatre is hard, and it couldn’t happen without the actors, designers, technicians, playwrights and more that take stories from the page to our stages. We promise to honor their hard work and dedication by paying every artist who works for us and providing safe spaces for them to work.
Our mission is to tell stories by, for and about ALL Montanans. So we’ve also committed to increasing representation on our stages and in the stories we tell. We’ve commissioned more BIPOC writers and hired more BIPOC artists in the past two years than in the decade prior. We’ve chosen to put a special focus on making space for stories by and about Indigenous artists and will soon be announcing a major commission to begin that focus.
Hard Decisions
In my first year on the job, we faced a dilemma. The National Tour, a beloved institution for the rep for nearly 25 years and an opportunity to take a play from the classic American canon to theatres across the country, was in trouble. For years, costs had been outpacing revenues and the Rep was having to travel further and pack more shows into a week just to break even. Then, with no warning, our booking agent quit, citing the impossibility of making money on a national tour of a straight play in today’s market. We had no choice but to re-evaluate and re-focus – to take our incredible depth of touring expertise and commit it to the folks right here in Montana, something we did to great success with the tour and statewide Montana Public Radio broadcast of War of the Worlds.
Then, nine months ago, COVID hit and we quickly shuttered production. Since then, we’ve worked tirelessly to deliver live theatre in safe new ways, and we continue to pay our artists and staff despite the loss of revenue from ticket sales. Zombie Thoughts, our Educational OutReach play, was our first go at virtual, interactive theatre, and it’s been circulating to teachers and parents throughout Montana since September, reaching over 5000 students and counting. The Fog, a Plays on Tap production, took place outside in front of a socially distanced audience on the fire tower at Fort Missoula, weaving a tale of the beginnings of the Forest Service with what it means to let go of the things we love.
And we’ll keep on innovating – stay tuned here for announcements of two exciting projects in the Spring.
Best wishes,
Michael Legg
Artistic Director
