After a hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Alleghany Highlands Arts Council is proud to announce the return of Missoula Children’s Theatre with their production of King Arthur’s Quest, June 12 – 17.
The Arts Council has hosted this week-long residency since 1995 for the youth of the Alleghany Highlands, which allows local children to work together to create and present a full-scale musical production of a classic tale.
MCT’s “little red truck” has become an icon for this Montana theatre company when it rolls into town full of costumes and sets. Two professional actor/directors teach songs, staging, lines, and choreography in morning and afternoon sessions each day.
There are major and minor roles to be filled during the low-pressure audition set promptly at 10:00 am on Monday, June 12, on the stage in the gymnasium at Boys Home, just west of the Covington city limits on Route 60. Rehearsals run from 10:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. each day during the week, with two performances on Saturday, June 17, at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
All young people in first through twelfth grades are encouraged to audition. There is never any cost to participate. Any child who has completed kindergarten is eligible. This includes recently graduated high school seniors. Families must commit to attending all rehearsals and performances.
Arts Council Executive Director Tammy Scruggs-Duncan is exceptionally proud of the program’s accomplishments over the last 28 years.
“Over the decades, I’ve seen hundreds of local kids discover the joy of theatrical performance while making new friends and gaining self-esteem,” Scruggs-Duncan commented. “I never get tired of watching them support each other in a common cause rather than compete against each other. It’s turned into a true legacy. We now have second generations following in their parent’s footsteps in this program.”
In 2010, one of the program’s alumni even returned as an actor/director herself when Rachel Kimberlin Cobbs came home to her community as an employee of MCT.
Mrs. Scruggs-Duncan also spoke of other partners in the residency. “The Alleghany Foundation underwrites the residency with additional funding from the Frances P. Rupert Memorial Scholarship Fund. This allows us to offer the experience to the kids free of charge,” she said. “We are very grateful to Boys Home for opening their beautiful, secure campus to all the children in our community. They are great partners and have even arranged for the cast to have free lunch breaks in their cafeteria. It’s been a long pandemic, but the special magic that happens through this program will mean even more as we return to this beloved tradition.”
The public can get more information by calling 540-962-ARTS (2787) or visiting the Arts Council’s Facebook
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