Submitted Photo The Missoula Children’s Theater will be coming to Minot to put together a showing of “Gulliver’s Travels” with local actors.

Mouse River Players Theater will be playing host to the traveling theater group Missoula Children’s Theater come June 10. The group will be coming to Minot to work with local children interested in performing in a revised version of a chosen play. Auditions will begin at 10 a.m. on June 10.

The Missoula Children’s Theater is a traveling theater that works to offer a chance to develop life skills for children through participation in the performing arts. They travel to different places to give children a chance to take part in a week of performing to put on a show.

“In my experience with Missoula Children’s Theater, children come out of the week more confident with themselves, much better at public speaking and have grown a love of being on stage and acting,” said Heather Speer from Mouse River Players.

Missoula Children’s Theater began in 1998, working to bring the arts to all 50 states, five Canadian provinces and 16 countries.

According to Missoula Children’s Theater’s site, they “envision helping our country’s children grow into confident, successful citizens using the positive results of our programs. It is our dream to share everything we have learned about developing life skills in children with the world–in Japan, Australia, Africa, Ireland, and other countries. Kids are kids, no matter where they grow up. Children in China, children in small towns, and children with special needs all have something in common: a desire for opportunities to express themselves, learn and have fun doing it. That’s where MCT comes in.”

Mouse River Players asked the theater group to come to offer their training to the children in Minot and the surrounding areas. They are excited to offer this week of fun and learning in hopes of growing a love of theater in children.

Missoula Children’s Theater has been to Minot before, usually at Minot Air Force Base, but haven’t been here in a few years, according to Speer.

“I feel the public will enjoy that Mouse River Players Theatre is bringing in more acting options for children,” Speer said. “Hopefully they will love the creative twist and seeing all the children coming together and putting on a wonderful show.”

The chosen play for the Minot show is “Gulliver’s Travels.” The revised version takes a sci-fi theme and follows Gulliver as he finds himself being transported from world to world after his ship is wrecked and his trusty computer, JCN, is fritzing out. As he goes, he finds himself fighting aliens, arrogant Horse Leaders of the foolish Yahoos, larger than-life royalty and robots – all who need just as much help from Gulliver as Gulliver needs from them.

The Missoula Children’s Theater auditions are open to all children entering grades one through eight in the fall. There are openings for 50 to 60 roles for children plus four stage managers.

“This week long event is an amazing opportunity that will teach children so many wonderful things,” said Speer.

The cost to participate during the week is $25 for one kid with a $15 added charge for additional family members.

The two showings of “Gulliver’s Travels” will take place on June 14 at 7 p.m. and June 15 at 2 p.m. Each show is free to attend with a free-will donation available.

Alongside this, Mouse River Players will be offering three workshops for children on acting, improv and drama quest for no additional cost. They will be available to the first 60 participants to sign-up.

For more information, people can visit mousriverplayers.com or call Heather Speer for with questions at (406) 850-5291.