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Area children will bring the Brothers Grimm fairytale, “Hansel and Gretel” to life on the Palace Theatre stage after six days of auditions and rehearsals.
Acting coaches Tyler Olson and Liz McRae lead this year’s production for Missoula Children’s Theatre.
“It’s one of (Missoula’s) funnier plays,” Olson said.
During Monday’s auditions for 43 roles, Olson and McRae offered advice to the budding thespians through exercises to bolster observation, concentration, memorization and imagination skills.
By noon the cast began rehearsing for Saturday’s two performances.
Missoula’s version of “Hansel and Gretel” centers around modern-day characters Hank and Gretchen, portrayed locally by Oliver Mead and Emersyn Remme.
Hank and Gretchen spent their summer with Aunt Wally (played by Missoula’s McRae) instead of attending a summer camp. As an activity and a way to pass the time, Aunt Wally gives them the book, “Hansel and Gretel” to read.
They fall asleep, waking inside the storybook and in the middle of the forest where they meet Granny (played by Sarah Prohl) and the Wicked Wildwood Witch (McKinley Paquette).
“The witch has a secret that participants will learn over the course of rehearsals this week,” McRae said.
Also in the forest are the Wallybirds, who dash about picking up the bread crumbs as markers by Hank and Gretchen. The Rascals also dart around the trees as Hank and Gretchen try to make sense of their new surroundings.
“The Wallybirds really steal the show,” McRae said.
Also helping to bring Hank and Gretchen back home are the new and old campers from Camp Wildwood along with the Cooks, who help the witch collect children for dinner.
Student directors are Ashlyn Johnson and Britton McKenzie.
The play, written by Jim Caron and Michael McGill, also includes singing for the hour-long production.
The theater camp is sponsored by Blue Mound Area Theatre, the Green Earth Players and Luverne Community Education.
Saturday’s performances are at 3 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. in the Palace Theatre, Luverne. Tickets are $5.