"Charlotte's Web" production will feature several child actors from Blaine County

The Montana Actors' Theatre (MAT) is a Havre-based community theatre group. Over the group's history many actors from Blaine County have taken parts in both plays and musicals. The upcoming production of "Charlotte's Web" is a stage play based on E.B. White's famous children's book of the same name. Director Oriah Williams described the play as "a very family friendly show."

Williams wrote, "We have in all 17 kids in our show ranging from the ages of 7-15." Six of those seventeen parts for children are played by Blaine County youth. There is also one adult actress, Michelene Edwards, who happens also to be the mom of one of the child actors. The young actors from Blaine County include: Mara Edwards, 4th grade; Dentin DePriest, 5th grade; Asher Brinkman, 5th grade; Liam Edwards, 8th grade; Shay Hauer, 8th grade and Allyssa Schoen 9th grade.

In 2000 "Charlotte's Web" was listed as the best-selling children's paperback of all time

A trade publication gave "Charlotte's Web" the best-selling title nearly 20 years ago. Though 50+ years old, the book is still very popular with children and parents. The story line follows a runt pig, Wilbur, who is saved from slaughter by a farmer's daughter. When the farmer later decides the pig should go to market, Charlotte, a spider in the barn, begins a campaign to save Wilbur by weaving messages into the webs she spins. At least two movies, based on the book, were also produced as was a video game.

Oriah Williams is the director for MAT's production of "Charlotte's Web"

Williams is no stranger to MAT or theater. She attended KidsMAT summer camps as a youngster, was a MAT summer intern, performed in several MAT shows and directed a few of MAT's youth productions. She's also been in several MAT productions that involved child performers, including "Annie," "Fiddler on the Roof," "Snow Child" and several others.

Asked about directing a show with so many children in it, she wrote, "Working with children can be hard sometimes because of long rehearsal hours, short attention spans and working around other predetermined conflicts such as school events." Williams added, "...the kids in my cast were picked because they have a great work ethic and love being in theatre."

"Charlotte's Web" opens on Friday, May 4. To meet that opening night practices began March 27. Rehearsals are held Monday through Friday evenings, 6:30-8:30 pm on the MSU-Northern campus. As the opening night gets closer, rehearsals may stretch to 9 pm. Director Williams said, "When directing a show with children I try and not let rehearsals run as late as regular productions. That's for both the kids' and parents' sake."

Kids, and a mom, share thoughts about being actors

The six young actors from Blaine County range from a fourth grader to a ninth grader. Their experience as actors is also varied. Though most all the kids were in school plays or performed in one or more performances with Missoula Children's Theatre, for three of the six this was their first time acting in a regular MAT production. The two eighth graders acted in several MAT shows and had major roles in last year's "To Kill a Mockingbird."

Asked about the challenges of acting, getting to rehearsals, learning lines and being physically ready to act in six evening performances and two matinees over a two week period, the most common response was "being able to balance everything I have to take care of." Homework was usually one of the first challenges mentioned, but the middle schoolers, for the most part, were able to complete homework at school. The ninth grader said, "I don't have a study hall so often I still have to do homework when I get home from rehearsals. One actor added, "I play a lot of characters and have several different lines I had to memorize."

And with every week night at rehearsals for several weeks, there are some other sacrifices.

See Page B3: Charlotte's Web

The two eighth graders said they can't participate in spring sports because play rehearsals compete with sport practices. The youngest first time actor said she couldn't attend LEAP (an ecumenical youth group that meets after school) because of a conflict with travel time to rehearsals. A couple of young actors said it was difficult to get ready for bed after getting home from play practice "because we are often psyched up and excited."

Despite the challenges, there are definite rewards the kids enjoy from acting. One recurring theme was "getting to meet and know new people." The MAT actors, children and adult, tend to come from around the area so there are always new people to meet and get to know. For an eighth grader in his fifth MAT production he liked to see "how the entire production comes together when we perform for an audience." Asked, "Are you aware of the audience's reactions?" he said, with a smile, "Oh yeah." The ninth grader, performing in her first MAT show, said she liked "pretending to be someone different, seeing the world through new eyes."

Michelene Edwards is both an actor and mother of one of the young actors and an art teacher in Harlem schools. Mom's in her second or third MAT show and her daughter, Mara, is the youngest of the local actors and doing her first show. Edwards said, "I have to make sure Mara gets sufficient rest. She still has to perform in school and do homework. We try to get the homework done before we drive to Havre for practice. Getting ready for bed is one of her biggest challenges because she's excited from doing practice and being with her new friends."

"Charlottes' Web" opens on Friday evening, May 4

To be ready for opening night and the ensuing performances over two weeks takes a lot of work. Director Oriah Williams wrote, "There are many components that go into a production that the audience doesn't see." She mentioned Jay Pyette's college class that built the set, the individuals and businesses that sponsor each production, the tech crews that program the lights and sound and the stage manager who gathers costumes and props. She added, "I am so thankful to everyone who has helped put this show up and make it as magical as possible." Find ticket information at: mtactors.com/tickets/.