Missoula Children's Theatre

Farmer Girl tried out for Missoula Children's Theatre when they came to town the first Monday in January. If you are not familiar with this organization, they travel around the US, visiting towns across the nation, bringing the theatre to children every where. They hold auditions for K-12 on Monday afternoon of each week for a specific play. This year: Treasure Island. Farmer Girl has been in two previous performances: The Pied Piper and Peter Pan. She loved doing it each time. This time, she was chosen, out of 90 children, to be a villager. Not a large role and as she said, "the Villagers are their attempt to include a large number of children with a small bit." She said she loved her costume the best out of all the plays she has been in, but did not love her role as much as others.. It is an intensive week. After auditions, practice starts that evening and is every day from 330-8 PM until two performances on Saturday. The team of two directors then packs up everything in their Ford F-150 and travels to the next location to start anew on Monday afternoon. Below are some pictures of the final production. I hope you enjoy the end result of the hectic week we had participating in their version of Treasure Island. (they always change it up a bit to add more actors and a moral of sorts).  


The Villagers at the end of the play. Farmer Girl in the orange.



The Entire Cast



I am not really sure why she was laughing so hard.



One of our favorite Seagulls, Skip. He comes from a family of five whose oldest child started in Missoula about 12 years ago in the same play in the same role! He was a very enthusiastic seagull! :) 



Skip again with the parrot as well as his sister, Peanut, another seagull.





Jim Hawkins and his friends, the Ruffians. Jim is the older brother of Skip. Next to him is another good friend of my girls and then another as well. The boy second from the left was in Bolligrew with Farmer Girl as the Magpie.




The Pirates, two of which are homeschooled, and one who played soccer with Farmer Girl. Several of the students in the play have been in MCT before with Farmer Girl.




Mother Hawkins in the middle back played Jim's mother, but she is really his oldest sister. In previous plays she has played his wife, including Emma and other Missoula productions. They are both amazing performers. Also, in this picture are the Sisters (of Jim Hawkins). One of which is truly a sister (directly in front of Mother H) and then another friend and fellow homeschooler, Jo, back row last on the left. 



A close up of our friends at the end of the play. A bittersweet ending for Mother H as she got her start in Missoula as a seagull and will end her career in Missoula in the leading role.

It was a fun play to watch and perform. An interesting fact: Of the 50 performers, 18 were homeschoolers and our friends. Who ever said homeschoolers aren't socialized?? If you have the opportunity to participate in a Missoula production, check it out. It is a great way to introduce your child/children to drama.