The Missoula Colony 15

July 17-25, 2010
Montana Theatre, PARTV Center
The University of Montana

THE MISSOULA COLONY:
A Gathering of Artists in Support of the Writer's Craft

The Mission of The Missoula Colony is to foster great writing for the next generation of theatre and film in an atmosphere of generosity, creative fervor, breathtaking beauty, and laughter.

Founded fifteen years ago by Michael Murphy, Marsha Norman, and Montana Rep Artistic Director Greg Johnson, the Missoula Colony is a place and an Idea. The Colony convenes at The University of Montana in Missoula, where five gorgeous Rocky Mountain valleys and three stunning rivers converge. Missoula is a place blessed with incredible natural beauty—a place where writers from all over the world, with varying degrees of expertise, gather to celebrate the art and craft of writing for the stage and screen.

For the past fifteen years, new and emerging writers have worked alongside experienced, professional writers whose work has earned Pulitzer Prizes and Emmy and Tony Awards. This mix has proven to be an excellent model for the creative process. The professionals see their works read in a supporting atmosphere, away from the bright lights and cynical eye of the big cities. They leave refreshed and renewed because of their time in the mountains, walking amid the splendor of the landscape, floating the rivers, or talking into the wee hours of the morning with fellow writers. Newer writers have the opportunity, in an informal relaxed setting, to benefit from the knowledge of more experienced writers in an atmosphere of mutual support and generosity.

Our idea is to support writers and writing. We do this by encouraging collaboration, creation, risk-taking, and having fun. It is this combination of ingredients that makes the Missoula Colony special.

Montana Rep is delighted to announce the fifteenth annual Missoula Colony: A Gathering of Artists in Support of the Writer's Craft! Playwrights returning to the Colony this summer include Roger Hedden (Bodies, Rest and Motion and Hi-Life); James McLure (Laundry and Bourbon); and Ron Fitzgerald (Cyclone and Weeds).

Staged Readings:
Actors from Missoula, New York, and Los Angeles will help bring this year's new works to life, and visiting directors will oversee the readings.

To learn more about Colony 15, please contact Salina Chatlain, assistant to the Rep's artistic director, at (406) 243-6809 or by e-mail.