By David Vitrano
L’Observateur

RESERVE – St. John Theatre is closing out the summer in traditional fashion as area youth, under the direction of the Missoula Children’s Theatre, will be presenting two shows today.
This summer’s show is “The Tortoise Versus the Hare,” a beefed up and modernized version of the popular children’s tale. The updated production features songs and laughs sprinkled liberally throughout the performance.
About 38 children, ranging from those who have completed kindergarten to those in high school, are taking part in this year’s program.
“The large majority is from St. John,” said St. John Theatre Managing Director Cary Berthelot, who added that a few of the participants hail from St. James and Jefferson parishes.
For several years now, Missoula Children’s Theatre has brought its one-week workshop to the Reserve theater. The group comes with scripts, costumes and much experience as the traveling troupe typically performs the same production for several months before retiring the show and moving on.
“There are a variety of shows they do,” said Berthelot.
Last year, the troupe visited St. Joan of Arc School in LaPlace, where it put on a version of “The Wizard of Oz.”
All that experience is necessary as the workshop is somewhat of a whirlwind affair. Berthelot said the first thing the troupe does is get all the participants onstage, where they are asked to say their names with a variety of inflections or accents, sing songs and perhaps read a few lines.
“By the end of the first two-hour session, they’ve cast the show,” said Berthelot.
Over the next four days, the budding thespians learn the show and a little bit about live theater in the process. Missoula also held three workshops during the week focused on behind-the-scenes aspects of live theater, such as makeup.
Today’s shows star Isabella Hawley as Curly Hare and Joshua Eilers as Coach Shelly Bowlback, and although the ending of the story may come as no surprise, the twists and turns along the way are well worth the $3 admission.
Show times today are 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available at the box office starting one hour before showtime.
St. JohnTheatre is located at 115 W. Fourth St. in Reserve.