Montana Repertory Theatre “Can’t Drink Salt Water” with UM School of Theatre & Dance at UM Montana Theatre

Doors @ 30 minutes before show time

With transformative support from The Roy Cockrum Foundation, and in partnership with UM School of Theatre and Dance, Montana Repertory Theatre presents the world premiere of Kendra Mylnechuk Potter’s Can’t Drink Salt Water. The opening night of this gripping new play will take place Saturday, February 14, 2026 in the Montana Theatre on the UM Campus (PARTV Building), with eight additional performances following, through February 22.

Juxtaposing a mother’s relentless search for her missing daughter with the journey of a young woman newly arrived at Bethel House, an evangelical shelter for victims of sex trafficking, this timely story weaves together Native identity, maternal grief, contemporary religious faith, humor, and a call to action. The production showcases professional Indigenous talent from across the country, including cast members Allison Hicks, Jennifer Rader, Serenity Mariana, and Bradley Lewis, costumes by Asa Benally, lighting design by Emma Deane, sound design by Rory Stitt, and mask design and creation by Cannupa Hanska Luger. As a co-production, it showcases UM student actors, designers, and crew alongside the professionals. The cast includes students Shadie Wallette, who previously performed in the 2023 staged reading, and Octavio Jimenez, who has toured the state over the past year with State of Mind, a collaboration between The Rep and the University of Montana Co-Lab for Civic Imagination. UM Students in the crew include Ronnie Avansino as the Props Designer, Rae Scott as the Assistant Stage Manager, and Aaron Prati as the Assistant Lighting Designer. The playwright, Kendra Mylnechuk Potter, is a University of Montana alum, and is based in Missoula.

“I am humbled to have the opportunity to collaborate with so many artists in this meaningful way. And for the work to get to live on this particular stage where I first worked over 20 years ago as a student, my “home stage” as it were, is a straight up dream,” Potter said. “The caliber of work – soup to nuts – from designers through performers, is just such a treat for our town to get to share in, and getting to mingle seasoned professionals at the top of their craft while highlighting the talent here in town with that of our UM student artists is a joy that brings this experience additional heart. My sincere hope is that we are able to provide a theatrical experience that feels like a useful contribution to the issues we seek to address: Missing and Murdered Indigenous People, community care, ecosystems, and seeing what (and who) has been here all along.”

“The School of Theatre and Dance is proud to partner with Montana Repertory Theatre to tell this vital story. We are so grateful to the Native artists, The Roy Cockrum Foundation, and to all involved for sharing their artistry, talents and resources with our students and we look forward to welcoming audiences to the Montana Theatre to see Can’t Drink Salt Water,” said Bernadette Sweeney, Director of UM School of Theatre and Dance.

 This project began in 2019 with the idea to commission an original work from an Indigenous artist, grounded in The Rep’s action-oriented Land Acknowledgement: “Montana Repertory Theatre acknowledges that we are in the aboriginal territories of the Salish and Kalispel people. We also acknowledge the privilege of gathering on this land to share stories. We pledge to always hold a place on our stages for the stories of this land and of its first peoples.” The original commission was supported by the Warren Miller Performing Arts Center in Big Sky, Montana, and this story was chosen by a nationwide team of Indigenous artists, including Lily Gladstone, DeLanna Studi, Madeline Sayet, and Andre Bouchard.

“The Warren Miller Performing Arts Center (WMPAC) is thrilled to see the next phase of Can’t Drink Salt Water coming to life in Missoula this spring. Any chance we can get to help support new, adventurous work like the piece that Kendra Mylnechuk Potter has created, we’re fully on board, especially when it comes to cultural realities that authentically embody lived experiences here in Montana,” said John Zirkle, Executive Director / Artistic Director at WMPAC.

This production is supported by a generous grant from The Roy Cockrum Foundation. Founded in 2014 by Roy Cockrum and Benita Hofstetter Koman with winnings from Mr. Cockrum’s Powerball lottery jackpot, the Foundation’s mission is to award grants to support world-class performing arts projects in not-for-profit professional theatres throughout America. Since 2014, 76 American theaters and performing arts organizations have received major grants from the Foundation. Inspiration for its mission derives from a Camus quote:“Without culture, and the relative freedom it implies, society, even when perfect, is but a jungle. This is why any authentic creation is a gift to the future.” ― Albert Camus, The Myth of Sisyphus and Other Essays.

This performance includes mature themes.

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