Red Riding Hood presented in Grant

The Missoula Children’s Theater, the largest touring children’s theater in America, brought the production of “Red Riding Hood” to Grant last weekend to an enthusiastic audience at the Perkins County Elementary School.
With a scheduled residency, the Missoula production team arrives with everything needed to produce a play—costumes, sets, lights, makeup— except a cast.
Tryouts are held on Mondays, with 50-60 local youth chosen to participate in the production, which is presented the following Saturday. Practices are held each day of the week in preparation for the final weekend’s public presentation.
 The plays, intended to educate and inspire youth, are typically adaptations of fairy tales with a twist.
Coordinating the project in Grant for the first time was Jessica Allen, newly-installed president of the Perkins County Youth Arts Council.
“It was very successful!” Allen said. “The kids had a great time. They worked hard and learned so much for having such a short time to prepare for their performance.”
“They put in some late nights but they were committed and it showed.”
Allen heard great things from the community, including Elementary Principal Nancy Sorenson who said, “the kids did great and it was a really cute play!”
Last year’s play was cancelled due to Covid, but the council plans to continue to have more performances in the future.
“The youth arts council is looking forward to bringing more opportunities to kids in Perkins County centered around helping them foster their innate gifts and talents in the arts,” Allen said. “I think the kids really enjoyed the week and loved getting to do something outside of their normal routine.” she added. “It gave kids an opportunity they wouldn’t otherwise have.