Valemount Elementary performs

The story of the Princess and the Pea, originally written by Hans Christian Anderson, will be performed by about 60 Valemount Elementary School students this Saturday at the town’s high school theatre in conjunction with the Missoula Children’s Theatre International Tour.

The theatre company, which has been touring across the US, Canada and some international destinations for over 15 years, visits schools and auditions about 100 students who then spend a week learning the play so they can perform it on the weekend.

The company provides everything, including makeup, costumes and props, to pull off a professional theatrical production, except for the local pianist who will come in from McBride to take part in the show.

Lyn Yetter, event spokesperson, said the show is a great way to not only bring the community together but to give the children an opportunity to be part of a full-scale play.

“The kids absolutely love the show because they get to have costumes, makeup... the acting and the stage presence that they bring out in the kids is just phenomenal,” she said, adding that she was surprised by the “calibre that comes out of the kids in five days.”

She attributes the success and enjoyment of the performance to the actors/directors that come from the theatre company. “These people are extremely well-trained and extremely well-organized and thorough and know exactly, ‘This practice you’re going to learn this,’ and so at the end it all comes together,” she said.

According to Jonna Michelson, tour marketing director for Missoula Children’s Theatre, the week gives children a unique opportunity to work together and generate life skills they’ll use forever.

“Through the vehicle of theatre, children will develop life skills so that’s really the reason why we continue to do that,” she said, adding that it’s a unique opportunity for children of all ages to come together and work as a team on one project.

Michelson said the actor/directors, who are generally arts theatre graduates, work with the children to ensure success at the end of the week which helps to build self esteem within the children. 

As the children have not encountered the members from the theatre company before, it gives them a “clean slate” to start fresh and take part in the production without any of their previous troubles known, she said.

While the performance is based on the fairy-tale of the Princess and the Pea, it has been adapted by the company specifically for these productions. “It’s not the Princess and the Pea as you know it,” Yetter said. “They’ve adapted it so it has twists and turns and peace loving leprechauns.”

To have the company come to the school costs US $2,500, which was originally put forward by the school and the Parent Advisory Committee, but with the success of last year’s show and with the sale of $5 tickets at the door, the performance will now pay for itself to come back next year.