February 27, 2006

Hey, kids, let's put on a show

The Missoula Children's Theatre travelling group arrives in our nearby teeny tiny little town this afternoon with a van packed to the gills with costumes, props, and scripts, ready to cast the fractured fairy tale version of "Pinocchio". All three little hams are eager to participate (Davy, at five, is finally old enough), but we'll have to see who gets cast, especially depending on how many others show up.

It's a crash course in musical theater, with casting and some rehearsing beginning on the Monday and the performance on Saturday evening. It can be a long week with long evenings, especially for younger kids, and I honestly wouldn't even consider the activity if we weren't homeschooling -- with no school in the afternoons, and the chance to delay things in the morning, the theater project is much more enjoyable for everyone.

Laura made her children's theater debut in Missoula's version of "Hansel and Gretel" a few years several years ago, and the year after (Daniel's debut) in a production of "Snow White" by the more gentle, relaxed Story Man's Children Theatre, more like an English Christmas pantomime than the the manic Missoula all-hands-on-deck-all-week approach.

I should mention that it would never have crossed my mind as a child to do something like this; at Laura's age, I wouldn't (couldn't) ask strangers for the time. For my three, it doesn't cross their minds not participate. I have to thank Tom's family for the extrovert addition to the gene pool -- his sister in Toronto is an actor, singer, dancer, so at least the kids come by it honestly. Will keep you posted on how it goes this afternoon.

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