Celebrating the Arts in the
Heart of Downtown Bozeman

The Laughs are Back at The Ellen Theatre

After a nearly sold-out run this past spring, The Foreigner is returning to The Ellen Theatre. Opening Friday, July 10, and running for three weekends, Montana TheatreWorks presents nine performances of this award-winning comedy by Larry Shue. Director Todd Hoberecht has reassembled the top-flight cast, led by local favorite Frank Simpson in the title role, ensuring lots of laughs.

The Foreigner is a side-splitting comedy which tells the story of an unlikely hero, Charlie Baker. While staying at a fishing lodge in rural Georgia, pathologically shy Baker is so overcome with fear at the thought of making conversation that he pretends he is from a foreign country, speaks no English, and doesn't understand anything being said to him. All is well until this "fly on the wall" hilariously overhears more than he should and things go uproariously awry. Along with Simpson, Brian Dugan is the demolitions expert Froggy Laseur, the loveable Betty is portrayed by Kari Doll and the Reverend David Lee is played by Tim Strober. Rounding out the cast is Peter Donaldson as Ellard Simms, Keith Conway as the comic villain Owen Musser and, new to this production, Kara Kuipers portrays Catherine.

Nearly 1,700 attended the Montana TheatreWorks production of The Foreigner in the spring and this encore presentation is sure to be a summer delight for all, the perfect comic romp that's fun for the whole family. According to Gary Bishop, MSU Marketing Professor, The Foreigner was, "...one of the funniest, most delightful plays you could hope to see. Split-second delivery of lines and a rollicking conclusion that left the audience roaring with laughter."

Show times for the summer are 8:00 PM for Friday and Saturday performances and a 3:00 PM curtain for the Sunday matinees.
The Ellen Theatre is located at 17 W. Main Street in Bozeman and the box office opens one hour prior to showtime. The final performance of The Foreigner will be July 26.

Upcoming Shows & Events

The ForeignerJuly 10 - July 26

This side-splitting comedy is back for a summer run. Be there as Charlie Baker, our reluctant foreigner, pretends not to know or understand any English only to overhear more than he should and things go uproariously awry.

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The Ellen Story

The Ellen Theatre, a marvelous tribute to those glorious playhouses of the early 1900s, will again illuminate its stage, celebrating the performing arts in the heart of downtown Bozeman. Once upon a timeless past, this lavishly decorated palace, designed by renowned architect Fred Willson, was a shining showcase for musical talents and vaudeville stars, including fan dancer Sally Rand and the legendary ventriloquist Edgar Bergen along with his wise-cracking wooden sidekick Charlie McCarthy. Originally opened in 1919, The Ellen hosted variety shows, movie premieres, school plays, weddings, symphony concerts and an opera featuring a live elephant. There's even a spot on a backstage wall where young acting hopeful Gary Cooper inscribed his name.

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