For most of the past 30 years, Methow Arts has brought Missoula Children’s Theatre (MCT) to the Methow Valley to provide a theatre arts experience for students. MCT’s mission is the development of life skills in children through participation in the performing arts.

Jack & the Beanstalk, the Wizard of Oz, The Tortoise & the Hare, Blackbeard the Pirate, and so many other well-loved musicals have been performed in innovative and dynamic new ways featuring Methow Valley students on stage.

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Although COVID mitigation strategies will prevent Missoula Children’s Theatre from facilitating the traditional musical theater production this November, the MCT staff will run a series of theatre-focused workshops in its place. Offered the week of November 8th, theatre workshops will include Acting 101, Improv, Creative Dramatics, Mime, and others listed below. Workshops are intended to foster a love of theatre arts, to instill confidence, inspire teamwork, nurture creativity, and provide a lot of fun.

The workshops are open to 1st-6th grade students enrolled in the Methow Valley School District, including the REACH program. Students will be in groups of either 1st-2nd grade, or 3rd-6th grade. An email will be sent out to all enrolled students. Workshop space is limited and is reserved for students who have a strong interest in theatre arts. No experience is necessary, but an interest in performance skills is required.

Methow Arts is able to offer these workshops with Missoula Children’s Theatre free of charge, thanks to funding assistance from the Public School Funding Alliance, Winthrop Kiwanis, the Chewuch Inn and other business and individual sponsors. (Thank you!)

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MISSOULA CHILDRENS THEATRE STAFF

The theatre workshops will be taught by two MCT staff: Morgan McCane and Bridget Thesing.

Morgan McCane was born and raised in Libertyville, Illinois. Morgan recently graduated with her BFA in music theatre from Illinois Wesleyan University (class of 2020!). Her recent credits include Meg in A Wrinkle In Time with the Georgia Ensemble Theatre, Lula Buffington/Almeta/Bus Passenger in Violet, Abi Ahmed in Fault Lines at Illinois Wesleyan, and the Genie in Aladdin with the Missoula Children’s Theatre! She is an avid lover of puzzles, plants, and all things Disney.

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Bridget Thesing is from Berea, KY and attended the University of Louisville, where she studied both theatre arts and women and gender studies. Favorite past credits include: Molly Aster in Peter and the Starcatcher, Nina in The Seagull, and Snoopy in You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown. In her free time, Bridget loves to practice yoga, travel, read, and spend time with her sister’s puppy.

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WORKSHOPS

CREATIVE DRAMATICS: This workshop allows young students to use their imagination to transform a story into a play, learning the importance of focus, the development of character, and the use of pantomime.

BEHIND THE SCENES:Most people don’t get to see what happens before the curtain rises. This workshop explains how the process of role-play helps to increase communication skills and teaches constructive group dynamics.

IMPROV:Participation and teamwork are emphasized as the students learn to act without a script. This workshop can be geared to all skill levels of students from beginners to more experienced performers.

MIME: People communicate with each other in many ways. Much of that communication is done without ever needing to speak. See how isolations, illusions, key gestures, and body language are all used to tell a story.

ACTING 101: The basic tools of an actor’s trade – observation, memorization, concentration, and imagination are presented and explored in an entertaining manner.  The students participate in a variety of fun exercises, learning to apply the actor’s tools to both performing and everyday life.

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These workshops are open to 1st-6th grade students enrolled in the Methow Valley School District, including the REACH program. Workshop space is limited and is reserved for students who have a strong interest in theatre arts. No experience is necessary, but an interest in performance skills is required. Email Ashley@MethowArtsAlliance.org for registration link.

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DATES: Mon-Fri (except Thu), Nov 8-12, 2021. TIME: 1-3pm. LOCATION: Methow Valley Elementary School. MORE INFO: Ashley@MethowArtsAlliance.org, 509.997.4004