Hill Country Revue Variety Show delayed by one week

Montana Actors' Theatre Creative Director Grant Olson said the Hill Country Revue Variety Show has had to be delayed due to illness and weather.

Olson said they hate having to delay a performance, but due to illness-related absences last week, and terrible weather this week, they haven't had a chance to rehearse for the show as much as they need, and they need another week to ensure the quality of their performance.

The production, a variety show in the same vein as "Hee-Haw" and "Saturday Night Live," centers around a radio station in an alternate universe version of Havre which kept the name Bullhook Bottoms.

The show draws inspiration from local culture to develop characters and skits centered around the uniquely absurd situations people often find themselves in Havre Montana.

Olson said they drew a lot of inspiration from situations they've seen recounted in social media groups like Havre's Questions, Comments, & Concerns, and many of their characters are based on well-known community members, some of whom play fictionalized versions of themselves in the show.

He said the show has been developed largely through improvised rehearsals, putting characters they've developed into situations and playing out how they think they would react.

Because of this unique method of development, rehearsals are even more important than they would be in a show that has a script written out in advance, which is why they felt they needed more time to do these rehearsals free of complications caused by the weather, he said.

He said he knows that delays cause problems for audiences and actors alike, but when so many of their performers are also ranchers and farmers, they need time to deal with weather, and they want to be cognizant of their needs.

Despite the complications, Olson said, the show has already evolved a lot during the rehearsals they have been able to do, with many characters becoming more central to the show, creating more continuity between previously disconnected sketches.

"We brought in some characters that have since taken on a life of their own," he said. "... It's been really fun watching that develop."

As for the music acts, he said, the order that they are going to use is still up in the air.

Olson said ticket sales have been suspended for some time while they rescheduled, but should be available again on the website now.