Five days, one production: Missoula Children’s Theatre does a musical in a week

• Rehearsal

Kayla Gaar, tour/actor director with Missoula Children’s Theatre, front, works with the cast of “Rumpelstiltskin” Tuesday afternoon. (John M. Steiner / The Sun)
• Kayla Gaar

Kayla Gaar tour/actor director, Missoula Children’s Theatre

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A group of 34 area students will perform a musical version of “Rumpelstiltskin” Saturday after only five days of preparation.

It wouldn’t be possible without two tour/actor directors, Kevin Fredrick and Kayla Gaar, two staff members from the Missoula Children’s Theatre.

Fredrick and Gar were among nearly 100 college students selected by MCT to spend the summer traveling and putting on one show a week. Both are seniors at Texas A&M.

Before the duo set off teaching theater, they underwent a two-week boot camp with 12 hours a day devoted to the course, Fredrick said.

Once in one of their seven towns, Fredrick and Gaar have about 20 hours in five days to teach a show in different parts.

“If the job weren’t fun, it would be torture,” Fredrick said.

He teaches half the show while Gaar teaches the other half. The day before, everything comes together in a run-through performance.

“You’ll see the ‘a-ha” moment on their faces when they go ‘Ah this is where that goes,’” Fredrick said.

For him the hardest moment is when they have to leave for the next city after putting a production on in a week.

“All you’re left with are the memories I guess,” he said.

But seeing the faces of children after a week of hard work pays off is worth it, Fredrick said.

“It’s an incredibly goofy show and the kids absolutely love it,” he said.

Gaar said she is impressed with the organization as a whole and is proud to be putting on shows this summer.

“I love the mission statement that they work with children and want to bring the arts to children,” she said.

Gaar said they were taught repetitive tools to help teach the children. The fact that children have fewer reservations also helps, she said. This summer, children involved are ages 6 to 13.

“It’s long hours and you do get tired but you have to push through for them,” she said.

It’s rewarding in the end for Gaar to know that her and Fredrick’s work may have inspired young minds.

“This program is about showing them they can do anything if they put their minds to it,” Gaar said.

The plot is from the fairy tale. A woman has to spin straw into gold for a king, but can’t do it without the help of an elflike creature.

After three days she is required to give up something very near and dear to her to the elf unless she can guess his name.

“Rumpelstiltskin,” presented by the Arts Center, is at 3 and 5:30 p.m. Saturday in the Jamestown High School auditorium. Admission is $5 for adults and children are free.

Sun reporter Ben Rodgers can be reached at 701-952-8455 or by email at brodgers@jamestownsun.com

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