MISSOULA CHILDREN’S THEATRE

THE EMPEROR’S NEW CLOTHES

Missoula Children’s Theatre will cast up to 50 local students in grades K-12 when it teams up with LCC Presents for a production of “The Emperor’s New Clothes” at the Lakewood Cultural Center January 24-29. The show is rehearsed after school throughout the week with two performances on Saturday afternoon, January 29. No advance preparation or experience is required; participants can simply register for the residency week. The directors will get to know the participants, assign roles and designate several assistant directors on the first day.

In this original musical adaptation of the Hans Christian Andersen classic story, “dress for success” is good advice that the Emperor takes whole-heartedly, wanting to impress new friends. But where to stop? When the clothes (and other people’s opinions) become more important than the people of the kingdom, trouble brews. To help their beloved Emperor find the way back to his heart, his true friends create an elaborate “birthday suit” for the Emperor to wear for his birthday parade celebration. The Emperor quickly and humbly learns that sometimes less is more!

Registration is open for this week of creative fun and discovery. Participants must be able to commit to the full week although every cast member may not be called for every rehearsal. The cost is $75, and scholarship support is available for qualifying households. Performance tickets are $10. Learn more and register at Lakewood.org/MCT or call 303-987-7845.

ELI BREAKS A LEG

Fourth grade student Eli Isaacson, a participant in Lakewood’s theater camps since age 6, was prompted by his teacher to write about something he had achieved. We were thrilled when his mother, Lana, shared the article and poem Eli wrote about his Missoula Children’s Theatre experience. “I think theater teaches children so many valuable skills and especially can combat one of the greatest fears many adults have — public speaking,” Lana said. Read about Eli’s experience below.

“On February 3, 2020, I went to the Lakewood Cultural Center in Lakewood, Colorado. I felt super nervous. I was going to audition to be in "Robinson Crusoe," and was against about 60 kids. Everyone that auditioned would get a part. Turns out, I did better than I thought. I got to be in the “Frowny Face Crew.” I had three full days and one half one to practice. We sang songs and we moved to a certain choreography. I was the last one in the lines that we walked out on, but I led one of the lines off stage. I got to take a mini tour backstage and became more familiar with acting. When Saturday finally rolled around, I had memorized my lines pretty well. I had one performance at about 1:00 and at 3:00. It was really fun and after the plays were over I got to see my grandma and got flowers. That was one of my first plays, so that was pretty big for me. Overall, I had lots of fun.”

THE STAGE

BY ELI ISAACSON, AGE 9 You go up, on to a place of chances, a place of luck, a place of bravery and fear, a chance to change your soul, shall you do good? Shall you do bad? Will you change? You could change what you look like, how other people view you, so go up, shine, be yourself, on to the place of wonders.