The University of Montana's Montana Repertory Theatre Presents Fall Educational Outreach Tour

The University of Montana's Montana Repertory Theatre proudly presents its Fall Educational Outreach Tour of Bronte to the Future. Written by playwright Laramie Dean, this funny and engaging comedy features Emily and Charlotte Bronte and their most beloved characters including Jane Eyre and Edward Rochester, and Catherine and Heathcliff as they travel forward in time to the future. Bronte? to the Future! is a mashup that places the Bronte?s' beloved Jane and Rochester and Catherine and Heathcliff in the world of today-and possibly tomorrow-while retaining all the romance and Gothic splendor of the original stories.

Told in under 50 minutes, this engaging and relevant new comedy is played out by two actresses, and the theatrical appearance of their many suitors, as they struggle with all the same issues teens have today: relationships, authority figures, and peer pressure. Having watched the play, audience members can compare and contrast the original novels with the play and discuss both the Gothic novel and the Romantic genre.

Playwright Laramie Dean is a Montana native, born and raised on a ranch in northeastern Montana. Laramie earned his BFA in acting at the University of Montana before moving across the country to work on his Ph.D. in playwriting at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. Laramie is currently enjoying his dream job as the Drama Director at Hellgate High School. Director John Kenneth DeBoer is an Associate Professor of Theatre at the University of Montana in Missoula, where he heads the Performance and Practice curriculum.

This presentation follows in the Montana Rep's Educational Outreach Tour tradition of bringing staged selections of the works of acclaimed historical writers to Montana communities. Established in 1977, Montana Repertory Theatre has become one of the most respected professional touring companies in the country today. The Montana Repertory Theatre has operated under the artistic direction of Greg Johnson for the past twenty-six years.

Tickets for Bronte to the Future are available at the UMArts Box Office, 243-4581 or by going to umt.edu/theatredance.