Richard Powers, in his 2019 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, The Overstory, says:

“You and the tree in your backyard come from a common ancestor. A billion and a half years ago, the two of you parted ways. But even now, after an immense journey in separate directions, that tree and you still share a quarter of your genes.”

With that quote as a starting point, Montana InSite Theatre (MIST) presents a performance called “Resounding Trees: Words and Notes on the Rise.” This show unfolds outside, in and amongst the trees, using literature, music, and plein air painting created to celebrate the connection between trees and humans. Performances are Friday evening, June 27 in Bozeman, and Saturday and Sunday, June 28 – 29 at Tippet Rise, near Fishtail, Montana. 

Humanity’s relationship with trees ranges from appreciation of their shade to wonder at their aesthetic glory, from the joy of a child’s earliest climbing structure to the cultivation of orchards, from unquestioned use of lumber for our dwellings to fear that there are no longer enough trees to draw excess carbon out of our atmosphere. Because we have lived so closely with and have been so dependent upon trees, from the first time our ancestors climbed them in order to escape predators, there has been no shortage of poems, artworks, songs, and plays dedicated to them. In “Resounding Trees,” MIST presents a selection of such works, encouraging our audiences to reflect upon and value their relationship to the arboreal world.

“Resounding Trees” is an immersive performance that encourages audiences to experience a variety of art forms in natural outdoor settings, using nature itself to help interpret the meaning of what they are hearing and seeing. In “Resounding Trees,” MIST has created an 80-minute production with seven ‘stations,’ with a different scene performed at each station. The work of the actors and artists blends with the trees, earth, and human structures around the audience, as the texts, music, and scenes from Anton Chekhov, James Merrill, William Shakespeare, Ovid, Indigenous storytellers, Richard Powers, and others empower imaginations and spark creative thoughts. 

A frequent contributor to MIST productions, Plein Air painter Aaron Schuerr will be set up and painting, and will also be delivering a piece by Anton Chekhov, along with actor Gabe Taurman.

Shandiin Kaline, a member of the Northern Cheyenne, and Gigi Pinwell, an Australian actress and Māori descendant, will represent their respective cultures’ view of trees and people through traditional stories and dance.

Inspired by The Overstory, Bozeman’s beloved composer/musician Erik Funk composed a piece for a double string quartet called “Trees Op 139.” As the string quartet musicians Carrie Krause (violin), Angela Ahn (violin), Julia Slovarp (cello), and Chi-chi Lin Bestmann (viola) perform Funk’s piece, Erik Pearson will deliver a monologue from The Overstory.

These are just a few examples of the variety and quality of the pieces included in this production; they are indicative of what the other performers will bring to the stage. Other artists include John Hosking, Jenna Ciralli, Mikey Gray, and Charlotte Mae
Ellison.

Montana InSite Theatre is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, founded in 2019, that uses theatre to explore current issues, including environmental degradation, climate change, and other crises that impact both local and global communities. MIST aims to stage productions in site-specific locations that in and of themselves provide context and meaning to the text and images.

MIST is known for creating their own shows—almost exclusively outdoor productions featuring multiple artists from various modalities delivering stories comprised of various classical texts, plein air painting, and indigenous dancing, all coalescing around a central theme. MIST has performed in spaces as diverse as Lindley Park, Tippet Rise, Story Mill Park, Tinworks, Hyalite Canyon trails, and Mountain Con mine yard in Butte.

The first performance of “Resounding Trees” will take place in Bozeman on Friday, June 27 at 6 pm, in the backyard amphitheater of Carrie Krause and Paul Lachapelle at 500 Black Bear Road. See the MIST webpage for attendance information: www.montanainsitetheatre.org.

Tippet Rise, near Fishtail, Montana, is hosting the next four performances of “Resounding Trees” on Saturday, June 28 and Sunday, June 29. Both days offer 11am and 12:30pm time slots. Registration is required for the Tippet Rise performances of MIST’s show, as they are often filled quickly; the direct link to register is https://tippetrise.org/tours/montana-insite-theatre-tours-new. (It’s fun to go to the Tippet Rise website in any case, simply to hear the bird calls that softly rejoice about life on the prairie.)

For more information about Montana InSite Theatre, or to register to attend a production of “Resounding Trees,” please visit www.montanainsitetheatre.org and select the ‘Current Productions’ page.