Area to be treated to weekend of arts

Lovers of the performing and visual arts will have two opportunities for entertainment in Grant this weekend, The Missoula Children’s Theater production, “Red Riding Hood,” and the opening of Meadowlark Gallery which will feature youth art from Perkins County Schools during the month of March.
Red Riding Hood
Join Red Riding Hood and her friends on a forest adventure Saturday, when the Missoula Children’s Theatre and over 50 local students present an original musical adaptation of this classic tale.
The local cast features Gracie Hulinsky as Red Riding Hood; and Anica Bush, Maylynn Walker and Kylee Golden as her three Girl Friends.  Paisley Mayer is Little Loveable Wolf while Susan Lee, Brooklyn Lampmann, Porter Jo Goff, Rylie Buller and Paisley Holmstedt are featured as the Hood Family.  Also featured are The Three Little Pigs played by Alyssa Laber, Bella Gengenbach and Seylah Miller; Cyler Mechen as The Woodsman; Jaxsen Battershaw as The Locksmith; Luke Minster as Ranger Rooney; and Jamie Harger as The Girl Who Cries Wolf.  To complete the ensemble, Rally Ketteler, Riggin Ketteler, Lila Hill, Nikita Prosser, Emmalyn Bishop, Jonathon Bruns, Jordyn Tjaden and Natalie Johnson will appear as the Forest Shadows; Andrew Gonzales, Abby Gengenbach, Reagan Homstedt, Jayven Goff, Corali Seger, Tinley Harger, Kourtlynn Case, Lilah Larson and Karlee Konzak as the Wolfgang; and Ailyn Cunningham, Viola Hill, Tuf Harger, Caidyn Lampmann, Jace Battershaw, Riker Tatum, Asher Hutcheson, Cheyenne Prosser, Abby Dodson and Andrew Bruns as the Rascally Raccoons.  Bristol Fraizer, Olivia Gengenbach and Carmi Regier have served as assistant directors throughout the week.
Red Riding Hood will be presented at 2 and 4:30 p.m. at the Perkins County Elementary School gym. Tickets are available at the door.
The Missoula Children’s Theatre residency in Perkins County is presented locally Perkins County Youth Arts Program with support from Perkins County Community Foundation Fund, Perkins County Schools Foundation, and Perkins County Lions Club.
For more information, call Jessica Allen 970-420-6054.
Gallery
Downtown Grant’s Meadowlark Gallery opens the 2022 season on Friday, March 4, featuring the work of Perkins County High School students under the direction of 7-12 art instructor, Tristan Stephenson.
As in years past, the March show commemorates Youth Art Month, with high school students’ work on display the first two weeks, and elementary student projects the last half of the month.
Eighty-six students are currently enrolled in third quarter art classes led by Stephenson, in his third year of teaching art at Perkins County Schools. Classes start with Art 1, an introductory class that focuses on basic art themes.
Classes continue with Art 2, 3 and 4, allowing the student more independence as they progress through the program. Also offered is a computer art class which includes photography.
“Art and art classes have been a huge part of my life for as long as I can remember,” said senior Kayla Reichenberg. “Offered art classes have
help me better
express my
creativity and has allowed me to work on many different types of media. I would definitely recommend art as a class to take!”
The students are given the responsibility of choosing what is displayed at the annual show at Meadowlark. “I ask the students to look back over their time in art class over the school year and select what they think is their best,” Stephenson said. “That work is the one that is brought to the gallery.”
In addition to Grant’s gallery, students have displayed at Ogallala’s Petrified Wood Gallery, the annual AllArea High School Art Exhibit and the ESU 16 Senior Exhibition, as well as the Phillips County Art Show in Holyoke.
“I am feeling more and more confident each year teaching, and that helps with student progress,” Stephenson said. “I feel as though I am slowly learning how to help more and more students improve each year.”
The website Artsonia is used to house each art student’s complete portfolio from seventh grade until they graduate. “It is a joy to see progress there,” Stephenson said.