Croughton children to perform musical for community

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Joel Mease
  • 501st Combat Support Wing Public Affairs
RAF CROUGHTON, United Kingdom --  The Missoula Children's Theatre is hosting a free showing of King Arthur's Quest for the RAF Croughton Community at 3 p.m. Aug. 6 at the Community Center.

The show is performed by children in Croughton Youth and Teen Programs, after one week of instruction by two directors from the Missoula group, who has already done performances at RAF Alconbury and RAF Menwith Hill.

"We held auditions for the musical on Monday, cast the show the next day, and hold rehearsals the rest of the week," said Melissa Deutsch, MCT director. "They literally learn the show in just three days."

It can be a lot to take in for a young child to learn and perform an entire musical performance in the time frame, but Deutsch said kids are often surprised to find out what they can accomplish in a week.

"I tell them we have been doing this for a long time, and at the end of each week we always have a great show," she said. "They just have to believe in it."
Besides the opportunity to learn a musical, the children also earn the right to be called an actor, said Shawna Smith, MCT director.

"I always tell the kids because they are performing a full-staged musical with professional lights and props taught by a professional theatre group, they are now professional actors after their performance," Smith said.

The production though isn't just about acting it's about giving the children an opportunity to build on important life skills like public speaking and interacting with children in their peer group who are going through the same challenges.

"It always surprises me how fast children can develop," Deutsch said. "That is what is really rewarding for me, because at the end of the day you see their bright smiling faces knowing they accomplished something."

Saturday's performance will be the last Missoula show in the 501st Combat Support Wing until next year.