Byrd Elementary students were
on fast
track to fill roles in musical comedy
By Rick Chernitzer, Stars and Stripes
Missoula Children's Theatre
director Scott McGee listens as Tiffany Greenwood recites a line as part of her audition
for a role in MCT's production of "Wiz of the West." (For more photos of the students' preparations, click here.) |
NEGISHI
NAVY FAMILY HOUSING, Japan — "Me? Wear a pink dress? I don’t think
so!"
The line is
recited again and again. Down a row of girls, each reciting the line on cue. One mutters
the line sheepishly.
"Again.
Louder," she is told.
Once again.
And again.
Finally,
she gets it right.
It will
take 60 actors, singers and dancers to put on the musical comedy, "Wiz of the
West." The producers have only five days to prepare for it. None of the participants
have ever seen the music or the script.
They’re
also all in elementary school.
Byrd Elementary School
students attempt a dance step for the song "Westward Ho." |
It’s a
challenging task for the Missoula Children’s Theatre’s International Tour
Project and the would-be performers — students at Byrd Elementary School here.
The school
provides the accompanist, the lights and the stage. MCT brings along the costumes, sets,
script and musical arrangements.
According
to Craig Hart, one of thetwo touring actor/directors currently making their way across
Japan, MCT puts as many as 50,000 students in front of nearly 500,000 audience members
each year.
"A lot
of the towns that we go to don’t have access to theater or drama on a regular
basis," Hart, 25, said. "We are the only exposure that town may have for maybe a
year or more and we want to give them a good impression of what we do. We also want to
teach the kids responsibility and hard work."
Tiffany Greenwood belts
out a tune as part of her audition for a role in the Missoula Children's Theatre
production of "Wiz of the West." Also giving it a shot are Julia Licholai, left,
and Michelle Pinchart. |
"Wiz
of the West" is an adaptation of "The Wizard of Oz," set in the Wild West.
Hart and his partner, Scott McGee, rehearse lines and dance steps with the students daily
from 2:30 pm to 7 p.m. For children under 8, it’s for shorter periods of time. The
daily rehearsals steadily build into a dress rehearsal on Friday, and two shows for the
public on Saturday.
The
Missoula, Mont.-based nonprofit organization, under contract to the Department of Defense
Dependents Schools, writes all the musicals they perform. Like their other productions,
"each entity of the show has a moral lesson," the 32-year-old McGee said.
"The main thrust of ‘Wiz of the West’ is ‘don’t judge a book by
its cover.’"
Byrd Elementary School student
Jeremey Prather tries out for one of the roles in the Missoula Children's Theatre
production of "Wiz of the West" on Monday in the school gym. Watching him
perform are, left to right, Kevin Pinchart, Brian Walters and Rodney Johnson. |
MCT works
with children from 5 to 18. Hart said the biggest challenge he faces is "just trying
to keep their attention long enough and to make it fun for them."
McGee and
Hart use individual and group auditions to fill the roles. Every child is guaranteed a
role.
Hart and
McGee say the task always looks daunting at the onset. But McGee says this challenge
imparts the first of many "hidden" lessons he and his partner hope to pass on to
the kids.
"Some
of the things we teach them sort of sneak up on them," McGee said. "Things like
self-esteem, or a sense of accomplishment … we don’t tell them we’re
teaching that, but they learn it in the course of the program."
Byrd
principal Sara Porter worked with MCT a of years ago as principal of E.J. King School in
Sasebo, Japan.
Byrd cannot
afford a music or drama program, Porter said, so this takes the place of one. "When I
heard they were coming, I was so thrilled," Porter said. "For the kids, this is
a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."
Many of the
children working toward those Saturday performances see it the same way.
Director and actor Craig
Hart practices his role in the Missoula Children's Theatre production of "Wiz of the
West" along with, left to right, Kristin Yaremko, Kristle Protacio, and Katherine
Yaremko. In addition to directing the students in the musical comedy, Hart plays the role
of a greedy gold prospector. |
"This
is so cool," said Jeremy Prather, 11, cast for the role of "Mad Dog," one
of the bad guys. "It’s so exciting because I’ll be running around the whole
time."
Kristin
Yaremko, 8, was selected for the role of Mooch, the disappearing pooch. "I’ve
only been in a play once before," she said. "I’m really excited about it
because I’ll be there with everybody else on stage."
McGee and
Hart put together 42 productions a year, which means they’re constantly on the road.
"I love the traveling lifestyle," McGee said. "Our challenge comes from
outside the kids. We have to adapt to a new schedule every week, sometimes our sleep
schedule has to change drastically from one week to the next."
This
season, they’ve been at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, and Yokota Air Base, Japan, and
stop next at Misawa Air Base, Japan. Besides their tour of bases, the two have helped put
on shows at Japanese schools in Hokkaido and Kumomoto this season.
(For
more photos of the students' preparations, click here.)
The
students of Byrd Elementary at Negishi Navy Family Housing will perform "Wiz of the
West" on Saturday April 28 at 2 pm and 6 pm. Admission is free.
Steve
Liewer and Maria Joco contributed to this report.
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