MAT Renaissance Faire set in Beaver Creek Park

The Montana Actors' Theater Renaissance Faire in Beaver Creek Park is a widely anticipated summertime event and is right around the corner, June 7-9 at eagles Campground.

The director of this year's Renaissance Fair play is Michael Stevenson. The play is called "The Imaginary Invalid," an update by Havre playwright Martin Holt of the Moliere classic.

"This is my third year with the MAT Renaissance Faire," Stevenson said. "The first year I was the porter in the Scottish play ("Macbeth). Last year, I made all the costumes for "Twelfth Night." This year I am directing "The Imaginary Invalid." This activity is one of the reasons I moved home to Havre after retirement."

Stevenson elaborated on the extensiveness of the play and the age of the story.

"This year, we are doing things a little different," he said. "Invalid" is a French play written by Moliere, perhaps considered the French Shakespeare. Moliere would have been writing and acting during a period called the Interregnum in England, which encompassed the execution of Charles I and the establishment of Cromwell and the Commonwealth."

"During this period all theaters in England were closed. They reopened in 1660 with the crowning of Charles II," he added. "This period is called the Restoration and the new plays resembled the plays of Moliere more than the style of Shakespeare."

Stevenson went on to explain the main characters and their backstory.

"'Invalid' is a fast-paced romp through the turmoil of a massive hypochondriac," he said. "It is built on what are called stock characters. The hypochondriac. His scheming wife. Her oily accomplice. The irascible maid. The young couple in love."

Executive Director Jay Pyette added to the story.

"In the outrageously funny masterpiece, "The Imaginary Invalid," the hypochondriac Argan wants his daughter to marry a doctor so he can save on his medical bills. But she's in love with someone else. Soon the whole household joins in her madcap scheme to save true love and give Argan's doctors a dose of their own medicine."

At the Ren Faire, there will be various food vendors, craft vendors and period games like archery, jousting, and much more.

"The Ren itself is going to be much like last year only bigger. I'm not sure how many vendors we have but it's significantly more than last year. There will be other entertainment going on during the day on Saturday, such a scenes clowning and things like that," Pyette said, "They'll also be games for participants to play."

Pyette just wants "people to have a good time."

The show will be performed on June 7 and 8 at 6 p.m. and June 9 at 2 p.m. and is free of charge to enjoy due to donations from the sponsors, Bear Paw Mountain Outfitters, Gary & Leo's Fresh Foods and Charlie's Heating and Air.

The vendors and activities start at 4:30 p.m. Friday, June 7, 2 p.m. Saturday, June 8 and at noon Sunday, June 9.

A post on the MAT website said vendors and activity hosts are invited to set up "stalls" (tables and booths) to sell items or host activities, preferably with a Medieval, Renaissance, or Elizabethan aesthetic.

"Vendors are encouraged to dress in period costumes and decorate their stalls with these themes in mind," the post says. 'We will have some fabric available for vendors who are interested in dressing up their stalls."

Vendors and activity hosts must fill out a form, with a link on the MAT website at https://mtactors.com/shows-events or directly at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfj8XOIXjqzU6uLycDg8j_s35vDod7o6yKFnT7SZZlGbprk_w/viewform .