It's showtime!

ST. IGNATIUS — Students of all ages and grade levels, 50 in all, took to the brand-new stage in Mission’s spiffy multi-purpose room last Friday to give teachers, students and community members a special presentation of “The Princess and the Pea.”

Put on in conjunction with the Missoula Children’s Theatre, the actors, from grades kindergarten to 12th, blew away the crowd after a performance just three days after auditions.

“They ended up doing it in just three days, which is amazing,” MCT actor John-Thomas Appling said after the first show. “We’ve never done a show in three days before. It’s unique to do in just three days; I’m always amazed that they can even do it in five days.”

It wasn’t just that the kids put the play on so quickly; it was how well they performed in just three days time. Despite a snow day on Monday that shortened the amount of time between auditions, practices and the real, live show, the children were ready to go.

Appling, one of the two MCT actors onsite for the week, performed in the play as Chief, in part to help the kids at tricky parts, but he was hardly needed. Lines were recited with the precision of seasoned veterans as the youngsters shined on the stage.

“A big part of it is that Missoula Children’s Theatre is such a quality program,” co-presenter Paula Schock said. “The program welcomes children of all abilities, regardless of any physical disabilities or special needs. MCT gives them all a unique opportunity to shine.”

Some of the children were indeed seasoned veterans. Marvin Cook, a junior at Mission High, has performed in almost every play since he entered School District No. 28, but when he didn’t perform one year, he had a pretty good excuse.

“I’ve only missed one play since kindergarten,” Cook said. “I missed it because I was in Hawaii.”

For many others, this wasn’t their first time out either. Leila Marsh and Sophia Tolbert, both fifth graders who played the Princess and the Pea, respectively, have four years of experience under their belts.

“It was our first time having parts together,” they said.

But for all it was the first time on a real stage. After a remodel to Mission schools this past summer and early fall, which included a multipurpose room complete with a stage, students finally got a chance to perform from on high after using the gym floor in previous years.

“This is an opportunity for the kids to sing, to act and dance in those adorable costumes,” Schock said. “This is making a memory of their school experience that they really hang on to.”

The outpouring of children auditioning is indicative of how important a part of the school year this is for the kids, Schock said. Of approximately 500 children enrolled in the St. Ignatius school district, 79 auditioned for a role in the play. Schock thanked all the community sponsors that helped with the cost of bringing in MCT, and the Tolberts, who hosted Appling and Allison Muennich during their weeklong visit to Mission.

Such an interest from the kids greatly impressed first year superintendent Bob Lewandowski.

“We had the same thing at the school I worked at in Wyoming,” he said. “It’s always been a great experience for the kids; I wish we could do it more.”

Muennich acted as stage director behind the scenes with other students who worked as stage crew, changing scenes and pulling curtains during the hour-long performance. Also involved was eighth grader Lindsay Johnson, who has played piano since the age of six.

“I’ve done the music for the plays since fourth grade,” she said. “The cues were kind of confusing but it was fun.”

Appling said the play has a “message of sharing and treating each other well,” and mixed comedy and seriousness in the performance. Audience members learned to say “pretty peas” and “thank you” when helped with something, the golden rule and how to work through differences. Still, comedy remained the focal point.

“Who won the 1954 World Series?” Prince Aaron Johansen asked one of the princesses vying for his attention in the play.

“Indians or Giants? Indians or Giants?” the other cast members chanted.

“The Dallas Cowboys?” the confused princess responded.

Appling said the theater company visits schools all over the world, helping put on performances of different plays since its inception in 1970.

“Approximately 65,000 students will participate with an audience size of 750,000 people total this year alone,” Appling said.

While Schock wishes such a performance could be done more than once each school year, the opportunity to perform at all is still very exciting for everyone.

“It’s always just been a fabulous experience,” she said. “The kids just have so much fun: they love the costumes, love the makeup, love being silly and love being on stage.”