MAT dinner theater spoof hitting Havre

The local acting troupe is wrapping up its tour of dinner theaters this weekend in Havre.

Montana Actors' Theatre is performing "Almost Austen or Basically Bronte: A Farce in Two Acts" this Friday and Saturday at Havre Eagles Club.

This show was written by Martin Holt, a 20-year MAT veteran. Pyette said Holt is a well-known part of MAT and a favorite to all audiences. He also adapted last year's dinner theater production of "Charlie's Aunt" from the original public domain script.

"He's written several shows for us over the past few years and is great at it," MAT Executive Director Jay Pyette said. " ... The show is a spoof of the novels written by the Bronte sisters and Jane Austen. But you certainly don't need to know anything about any of them to enjoy the show. It's ridiculous fun."

The tour has become a regular favorite for MAT fans.

"We've been touring our dinner theater for years and look to expand our tour next year to include more communities," Pyette said.

The MAT dinner theater tradition started when the acting company produced "ART" along wth a dinner in Havre and Chinook in 2006 and 2007.

It became more of an annual touring tradition starting with the production of "Black Comedy" at Beaver Creek Golf Course in 2017.

After "Black Comedy," the troupe produced "Rugburns" in Chinook and Havre in 2018. In 2019, the tour expanded to include Lewistown and Shelby as well with "The 39 Steps."

During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021, the dinner theater did not have a tour.

However, in 2022, it returned to Chinook, Havre, Lewistown and Shelby with "Charlie's Aunt."

"Next year we will again return to these communities but will also add some more," Pyette said. "We've developed such great relationships with groups in all these other communities and they treat us so well."

The tour of "Almost Austen or Basically Bronte" opened in Chinook about a month ago and also ran in both Lewistown and Shelby.  

This weekend, the doors for the show open at 6 p.m. at Eagles Club. Dinner begins at 6:30 p.m. with the show to follow.

Tickets are $35 each or $65 per couple and are available at mtactors.com or at the door and also can be purchased at Bear Paw Meats and The Computer Center.