Local Kids Perform in “The Jungle Book”

By LAURA ROBISON

The Progress

The Missoula Children’s Theatre rolled into town last week ready to audition kids from local schools to perform in a production of the Rudyard Kipling-inspired play: The Jungle Book.

Kids showed up on Monday, Feb. 27, to get in on the fun with their friends and audition for parts in the musical. And when they were selected to play a part, rehearsals began right away.
Mowgli, Baloo and the whole gang of characters rehearsed every day after school, and again after dinner, to be able to put on two shows on Saturday, March 4.

Sponsored by the Moapa Valley Performing Arts Council (MVPAC), Missoula Children’s Theatre brings two directors to town, all the costumes and the backdrops for the scenes.

The directors this year were Emily Mohler and Marshall Bailey. Both of them came with extensive backgrounds of performing and acting.

Young Mowgli was played by Ruth Solomon, who said, “This is my first time trying out for a play. It was fun and I know all my lines.”

Kelsie Wagasky was cast as older Mowgli. “This has been hard work and I have the most lines, except for Baloo,” she said. “This is my 2nd time doing this, so I knew what to expect, and it was cool to play Mowgli.”

Baloo the Bear was played byone of the tour directors, Marshall Bailey. He was on double duty as Baloo also narrated for the audience.

The Jungle Book is a set of adventure stories, some of which are about a man-cub named Mowgli. He is raised by wolves (Brielle Williams as Akela with wolf pack and cubs played by Demetrius Halland, Brynlee Tippetts, Gunnar Ward, Elsie Marshall, Cameron Woodrow, Sarah Holyoak, Jase Williams and Kaylie Drainey). He is trained by a bear, then kidnapped by monkeys (Corbin Larson, Luke Kowitz, James Holyoak and Blake Jensen; rescued by a panther Bagheera (Mckayla Western); and a snake Kaa (Jade Houston, Emma Huwe, Nikko Rubio and Elvis Silva); and kills and skins a tiger named Shere Khan (Sophie Gottschalk).

Adventures ensue along the way with Tabaqui the hyena (Grant Muhlestein); Buck the deer (Kazlin Kowitz); Darzee the bird (Sarah Muhlestein); Hathi the elephant (Juno Hardy); Nagaina the cobra (Emily Western); Nag the wicked black cobra (Josiah Huwe); and Rikki-Tikki-Tavi the mongoose (Macie Jensen).

Rounding out the cast was Rebekah Jensen playing the piano, and student assistant directors Bella Hendricks and Sawyer Miller.

Directors Mohler and Bailey said they love to travel and the work is rewarding. “We are always surprised that the kids learn their parts in less than a week, and do amazing!” said Bailey.

At the end of each performance there were cheers, whistles and standing ovations.

Lori Houston, who had 2 grandchildren in the play, said, “This was a fun family night of entertainment! It gets the kids out of their comfort zone, learning how to work together and take direction.”

Houston admitted that it had been a long week for Jade and Elvis. “But they did great!” she said.
“I thought that it was a great event!” said MVPAC President Charlie Cooper. “It is so amazing that the kids are able to try out on Monday, learn their parts, songs, and lines, and be ready to do two shows on Saturday. They did great!”