The Plays
This year, we will present three different programs, Montana Short Cuts, our night of ten-minute plays, plus Charlotte, a full-length play by Rebecca Ryland, and Indy 1, 2, 3, a suite of short pieces. See below for more info and check the schedule for time and date of each performance.
Montana Short Cuts
Ten-minute plays on the theme "Altered State"
Beautiful Day - Rebecca Ryland
Before Act 5 - Steve Palmer
Bobby and Dale - Bruce Hall
Fanny the Fox - Chantal Marie
Pantomime - Barry Stambaugh
Sweet Dreams - Ross Peter Nelson
(Tango with Torment - Lily Hoelscher
Indy 1, 2, 3
Three one-acts in a single performance block
Invisible Web - Elucidance
An experimental dance theater production examining subjugation arising from cultural bias, and resilience.
The Rodeo Clown - Steve Palmer
A rodeo clown recounts some of his thoughts
and memories as he puts on makeup for a show.
the beepis show - Larry Bauer
Comedy and adventure videos from Larry's YouTube channel.
Charlotte
A full-length comedy by Rebecca Ryland
Senility, prejudice, sexual harassment and stolen diamonds: What's funnier than that?!
The Writers
Lily Hoelscher is is a fourth-year student at Carroll College pursuing her undergraduate degrees in Theatre and Spanish. Originally from Oregon, she acted in community theatre productions for several years before coming to Helena, where she continues to be active both onstage and behind the scenes. An aspiring writer and musician, she recently collaborated with a classmate and faculty advisor to create an interactive murder mystery.
Rebecca Ryland holds an MFA in Acting/Directing and is a member of the Dramatists Guild. She has performed in Equity theatre and directed professionally for the past 30 years. Her plays have been produced off-Broadway, at colleges & universities and at community theatres across the U.S. and Canada. She is the owner of Heartland Plays, Inc. and the founder of ETC.
Steven Palmer is an actor, playwright, and ceramic artist. He has a degree in Art and Theatre from MSU. His works have been produced in Montana and Washington, and he has appeared as an actor in productions by Grand Street Theatre and Helena Theatre Company.
Ross Peter Nelson has participated in every LCNPF since 2016. He has a creative writing MFA at the University of New Orleans and his work has appeared on three continents and won awards in Washington, Nevada, and Louisiana. In addition to his dramatic work, he has published two computer books and short fiction. He is an associate producer of the Last Chance New Play Fest and president of Raven's Feather Productions.
Barry Stambaugh moved to Helena in 2014 from Austin, Texas with his partner Vicki, who’s from Butte. Barry has acted in several Grandstreet plays, and in the Fest, including Ross Peter Nelson’s Colter’s Hell. Mittens is Barry’s 6th produced Short Cut. Big thanks and hugs to Vicki
Bruce Hall has written, composed and directed for Broadway, Off-Broadway, and regional theaters around the country, including Montana Rep. He was Artistic Director of The Virginia City Players and founded the Brewery Follies during the final golden years of
the Bovey Restoration. He wrote and directed several Murder Mystery musicals for the Bozeman-based Vigilante Theatre Company; with whom he also re-opened the Philipsburg Opera House in 1999. Bruce’s first acting gig ever was at Helena’s Brewery Theater.
Chantal Marie has written, directed and produced commercials, short films, a web series for children, and educational films. With filmmaker Victoria Rose Sampson she produced, wrote and directed a variety of projects. Her black-and- white, 35-mm short film, Kartenspieler, toured the festival circuit and aired on Public Television in San Diego and San Francisco. She has written and directed commercials and is a member of the Alliance of Women Directors.
Larry Bauer makes his home in East Helena, MT with an amazing dog, chickens and a corn snake. He brings numerous acting, directing, poetry, music, and technical-theatre credits to the table. When not involved in one or all of the above, you’ll find him in the mountains or on the water and he tries to capture these natural gifts in his art.