Darrell Greer
Northern News Services

(Sep 12/01) - The show must go on.

That will be the battle cry of more than 50 students in Rankin Inlet later this month when the Missoula Children's Theatre visits the Arctic for the first time.

The Missoula theatre is the largest touring children's theatre in the United States.

Appearances for the travelling theatre are usually booked about 18 months in advance, but, because it's a chance to come to the Eastern Arctic's Kivalliq region, an exception was made and the theatre will have a team in Rankin on Sept. 17.

Julie Millen is a teacher at Maani Ulujuk middle school (MUI) in Rankin.

Millen says once the theatre's team comes to a community, an open group audition is held and 50 to 60 local students are cast in a theatrical presentation.

"In Rankin, students from all three schools will be auditioned for roles in a production of Sleeping Beauty, the plot of which the Missoula theatre promises will have a twist," says Millen.

"Those selected for a role in the play will practice for more than four hours a day from Tuesday, Sept. 18, to Friday, Sept. 21."

Once rehearsals have been completed, two performances of Sleeping Beauty will be presented on Saturday, Sept. 22.

The theatre team will also be doing a number of enrichment workshops at MUI during its stay.

The Missoula Children's Theatre has been touring extensively for more than 28 years, from Montana to Japan.

The theatre will visit more than 800 communities this year with 25 teams of tour actor-directors.

The tour team arrives in a community with a set, lights, costumes, props, make-up -- everything it takes to put on a play except the cast.

Millen says not only will local kids enjoy a unique experience with the arts, but the daily workshops they attend will also help them develop social and communication skills, and improve their self-discipline and self-esteem.

She says MUI and Leo Ussak elementary have been revisiting the tale of Sleeping Beauty in the classroom and encouraging the students to produce murals and pictures of the story.

"We would really like to see the community come out for the two performances and support the efforts of the kids. We will be announcing the performance times and ticket prices during the next few days."