Montana Rep presents fruit of ‘Adam and Eve’ labors

Legendary writer Samuel Clemens, aka Mark Twain, once said, “The human race has one really effective weapon, and that is laughter.”
Poking fun at the foolishness of both men and women is what The Montana Repertory Theatre’s production of Mark Twain’s Diaries of Adam and Eve attempts to do.
The famous production detailing what Twain thought Adam and Eve really experienced in the Garden of Eden will play for the theater’s educational outreach state tour, kicking off at UM’s Masquer Theatre Sept. 5.
The outreach program brings professionally produced plays to rural towns across Montana in order to spark the interest of high school kids who may not even know they want to act.
From Sidney to Troy, students will experience the parody of creation as told by Mark Twain and adopted by Missoula Colony playwright Ron Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald, a writer for the latest season of Weeds, the Showtime comedy about a sexy mom trafficking pot, is an in-resident award-winning playwright.

Legendary writer Samuel Clemens, aka Mark Twain, once said, “The human race has one really effective weapon, and that is laughter.”
Poking fun at the foolishness of both men and women is what The Montana Repertory Theatre’s production of Mark Twain’s Diaries of Adam and Eve attempts to do.
The famous production detailing what Twain thought Adam and Eve really experienced in the Garden of Eden will play for the theater’s educational outreach state tour, kicking off at UM’s Masquer Theatre Sept. 5.
The outreach program brings professionally produced plays to rural towns across Montana in order to spark the interest of high school kids who may not even know they want to act.
From Sidney to Troy, students will experience the parody of creation as told by Mark Twain and adopted by Missoula Colony playwright Ron Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald, a writer for the latest season of Weeds, the Showtime comedy about a sexy mom trafficking pot, is an in-resident award-winning playwright.
In under an hour, the play fits within one standard class period.
According to Artistic Director’s assistant Salina Chatlain, the program’s most recent plays were serious, and there were many requests for a comedy this time around.
“Kids respond to comedy so much more, and this is a very funny play,” Chatlain said. “And Fitzgerald has such a fabulous goofball sense of humor. I’m really excited about the production.”
Take an excerpt from the play right after Eve has presumably brought evil to an innocent world by eating the evil apple.
Adam: “I told you something bad would happen, but did you listen? Noooo!”
Eve: “I listened to you, I just ignored what you said.”
Adam: “And now death has come into the world. I hope you’re happy.”
Chatlain said although the play is ultimately about the creation story, the work is very light hearted, tongue-in-cheek, and does not insert any sort of opinion about religion.
“That was a concern for many going into schools and preaching any sort of belief, but this really is not a religious play as more of a light-hearted story,” she said.
Chatlain has a degree in acting from UM and also played Eve in the 2002 production.
“It boils down to the difference between Adam and Eve, males and females,” Chatlain said.
The Montana Repertory Theatre was created in 1968 and provides professional acting and production opportunities throughout Montana.
Eight actors and six crew members make up the company that brings theatre to parts of Montana and surrounding areas. 
According to Chatlain, the educational outreach has been around for almost a decade.
kelsey.bernius@umontana.edu