Darrell Greer
Northern News Services

Rankin Inlet (Sep 07/05) - Theatre lovers in Rankin Inlet will be able to skip down the Yellow Brick Road towards adventure, enchantment and the sheer magic of a place called Oz this coming weekend.

The Missoula Children's Theatre has returned to the community for its fifth-straight year.

This year, the troupe will use more than 50 local students from kindergarten to Grade 12 to stage a rendition of the classic children's tale, The Wizard of Oz.

Since first coming to Rankin in 2001, the Missoula Children's Theatre has done local productions of Sleeping Beauty, The Wiz of the West, Rumpelstiltskin and The Frog Prince.

The Montana-based troupe will be bringing two new tour directors this year for the production of The Wizard of Oz.

The group also brings its own scenery, costumes, props and makeup

Simon (Alaittuq) Ford school teacher Julie Millen says the students are excited over Missoula's return.

She says competition promises to be high for such prominent roles as Dorothy, Toto, the Lion, Tin Man, Scarecrow and the Wicked Witch of the West, as well as the enchanted flowers and others. "It's really been a nice progression over the years because we're seeing kids who started out in minor parts trying for the major roles this time around," says Millen.

Progress from bees

"We've seen kids progress from little bees to being a flower in last year's play, and now they're trying for even bigger roles this year."

The students have been auditioning and rehearsing all week, and will present their main public performance at the school gymnasium this Friday, Sept. 9.

Millen says as wonderful an experience as being part of the show is, there are other, less obvious, benefits to the kids who participate.

"Being involved with the production gives our kids a great introduction to the theatre and performing arts, but it also increases their self-esteem and confidence, as well as teaching them the importance of teamwork and co-operation.

"It's impressive to see what they accomplish from the time they begin rehearsals to the final main production."