TALES OF HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN

The Missoula Children's Theatre International Tour Project is the largest touring children's theatre program in the U.S. The concept is based on a week-long residency during which a team of two staff Tour Actor/Directors develop and produce a full-scale musical with 50-60 local children as cast members. Auditions, intensive rehearsals, workshops and finished performances for the public are all part of the residency. The plays are updated versions of classic fairy tales and children's stories. Each production comes complete with professionally designed scenery, costumes, props and makeup, as well as sound and lighting equipment. This season MCT will send out 27 teams to put on approximately 900 residencies, which include over 55,000 young performers in all 50 states, Canada, Europe, South America and Asia.

After the success of The Wizard of Oz and seeing the young talent that was on stage, The Opera House Players are very pleased to host a Missoula Children’s Theatre Residency Week. They cast 55 students, age 6 through 18. They will cast three assistant directors. Auditions were held on Monday, July 25th at 10:00 a.m. and the first rehearsal was held that same afternoon from 12:30-2:30. This is the approximate schedule that will be followed all week, with a final dress rehearsal on Saturday, July 30th in the morning and two performances on Saturday afternoon & evening.

The MCT will also offer three workshops for anyone in the community that would be interested. Topics of these workshops and sign up sheets are at the Opera House and available during rehearsal times (10am-Noon, and 12:30pm-2:30pm). Please, mark your calendars for this exciting opportunity to see area youth, once again on the stage of the Opera House.