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MISSOULA GIVES + THE REP


It’s that time of year again – when we come together to celebrate and support our favorite non-profits throughout the Missoula and Ravalli communities. This 26-hour celebration is none other than Missoula Gives, and we couldn’t be more excited to participate in their annual fundraiser again this year.

While we miss the days of live performance in hotel rooms, cars and bars, the Rep has been hard at work on new projects, from dialing in to audio plays with Plays on Call, to our upcoming app, Go Play! We're also looking ahead to the 2022 premiere of ReEntry — a docudrama-inspired play that explores the lives of Marines, both as civilians and while on active duty.

None of this comes easy in the absence of live shows and ticket sales, so your support means more than ever. Please consider a donation to the Rep, and your other favorite local arts organizations, during Missoula Gives on May 6-7.

WHAT'S NEW
GO PLAY!
You’ve heard of Plays on Tap, and now we’re mixing things up even more with plays on (you guessed it) an app! This exciting new project has been described as a mix between geocaching, Pokémon Go and a podcast, and will allow users to download an app on their phone and explore specific spots around town to unlock original short plays. These location-specific experiences will include media in a variety of forms, including audio, animation, text and video, all created in a collaboration with the School of Media and Visual Arts at the University of Montana.
THE STUDENT MINDS BEHIND IT ALL

Creating an app is no walk in the park, which is why we’re so grateful to have the School of Media and Visual Arts working alongside the Rep on Go Play! Michael Cassens, an assistant professor with a knack for “anything that can be gamified,” is mentoring two of his students on the project. Claire Spain and Miya Fordah, both media arts majors, will be hard at work designing and prototyping the app and the “play” experience, as we work our own magic amongst playwrights and performers at the Rep. The final product is set to hit the Apple Store and Google Play in May, so stay tuned!
Go Play! creators Claire Spain and Miya Fordah
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THE MONTANA REP & UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA PARTNERSHIP

This week, we’re highlighting our relationship with the University of Montana and the College of the Arts and Media. Did you know that it’s pretty rare for a professional theatre to be embedded on a University campus? In fact, there are only a couple of dozen major theatres in the entire country that have that kind of relationship, and we’re proud to be one of them.

What this means for theatre & dance students at UM:

-      They get to work side-by-side with the professionals we hire – learning directly from playwrights, actors, designers and more who are established in the industry.

-      Our rehearsal processes are completely open, so even students who aren’t part of our shows can come in, watch how a professional theatre operates and interact with all our guest artists.

-      Just in the last three years, we’ve offered opportunities to nearly 100 current and former UM Theatre and Dance Students.

And The Rep doesn’t just benefit theatre and dance students. We’ve actively collaborated with departments across campus, including the UM Vets Office, the Curry Health Center, the Payne Native American Center, the Indian Law Clinic, the Department of Counseling, the School of Social Work and Montana PBS.

And, as you’ve read above, we’re on our second exciting collaboration with the School of Media Arts. Keep an eye on the Rep Roundup for more features on the students and campus partners we’ll be working with in the future.