For the fourth time, the Missoula Children’s Theatre made its way to 100 Mile House. This time for a performance of The Snow Queen, after only five days of rehearsal with local kids.
“It was great. It was amazing, it always is. It’s so impressive that the young people that host come and do this for us and the kids - it’s five days and they’ve got it and they’re done,” said Karen Smith, treasurer for the 100 Mile House Performing Arts Society.
About 60 kids from 100 Mile House and surrounding communities were in the play, and Smith said all performances were amazing. She applauded them for learning their lines so fast.
The play wasn’t chosen by the Performing Arts Society, but by the visiting theatre.
“We send in a request for when we would like to do it and then they pick a show and then the young people travelling come and present it.”
Smith said the two shows on Sept. 21 (one at 3:30 p.m. and another on at 5) had good-sized audiences and described them as a “good” crowd.
“I think this is the bigger audience than we’ve had in the past. We had more kids in it [the play] as well.”
Smith said the crowd gave some pretty good feedback and was actually stopped on the street and got a few comments from people saying how much they enjoyed it.”
It’s the fourth time the Performing Arts Society has brought the Missoula Children’s Theatre to 100 Mile House (however, not in 2017 due to the wildfires) and they usually like to have the performance in September, before auditions and rehearsal begin for the Performing Art Society’s own projects.
It’s also sort of a recruitment tool for young thespians, where the kids who were involved with The Snow Queen and prior Missoula Children’s Theatre productions in 100 Mile House can decide if theatre is something they want to pursue.
“It just gives them a little start and if they decide they want to do something else they can do it. We’ve got some people who were in Missoula and they are going to come audition for The Little Mermaid, so that’s great. It’s going to be really nice.”