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Watauga Arts Council Presents Local Talent in Missoula Children’s Theatre’s The Secret Garden June 30

June 26, 2012. Join Mary Lennox, Colin Craven, Archibald Craven, the Bugs that Rock and a host of others in a musical wonderland this Saturday, June 30 when the Missoula Children’s Theatre and more than 50 local students present an original musical adaptation of The Secret Garden June 30 at 3 p.m. and 6 p.m.

The Watauga Arts Council is no stranger to the Missoula productions—in years past, area children have starred in productions of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Beauty Lou and the Country Beast, Robin Hood, Hansel and Gretel, The Jungle Book and more. MCT is the nation’s largest touring children’s theatre, has been touring extensively for over 40 years from Montana to Japan, and they will visit over 65,000 children in 1,200 communities in all 50 states and 17 countries this year.

A Tour Actor/Director team arrived in Watauga County on Monday with the set, lights, costumes, props, and make-up. During five days of intensive rehearsal, participating children have learned their lines, staging, songs and dances. The production has been designed with suitable parts for various age, skill, and experience levels. A few students have been cast as assistant directors, and have focused on technically oriented tasks such as mounting the set, working lights and sound equipment, and assisting with teaching the show to the cast. One of the two Actor/Directors from Missoula will play a supporting role in the production.

Playing the title character, Mary Lennox, is local student Priscilla Hoke. Lily Young-Fritchie as Martha Sowerbury, Sammy Osmond as Dickon Sowerbury, Bethany Shepherd as Susan Sowerbury and Andrew Shepherd as Colin Craven Lexi Cranor as Archibald Craven, Madeline Barinowski as Ayah/Bilge Rat/Captain, Cindy Teboe as Mrs. Matlock, Emma Carder as Doctor Craven, Noah DuVarney as Ben Weatherstaff, Sylvia Wood as Robin Redbreast. The Bugs that Rock are made up of Aidan Berounsky, Brooks Hastings, Cami Hastings, Madison Kaenzig, Tyler Osmond, Izzy Rogers, Bailey Shuford, Makenzie Thompson. Marley Berounsky, Nicole Fanatico and Emma Young-Fritchie.

Morgan Kaenzig, Alice Knight, Hannah Marlett, Jennifer Page, Grace Shuler and Isabelle Trew will play the Canadian Geese. Appearing as the More Folk are Thomas Cotton, Hudson DuVarney, Griffin Hayward, Garrett Jordan, Payne Knight, Henry Peterson, Amber Teboe, Kelsey Watts and Margaret Rose Blankenship-Brown, Mary Clare Blankenship-Brown, Julia Handley, Sirena Roe, Sophie Trew, Kailei Watts and Jillian Yates will play the Fireflies. Enchancia Harmon, Olivia Jordan, Malia Larson, Alice Oden, Clara Oden, Carter Peterson, Ava Schmidinger, Isaiah Watson and Annie Yawn will perform the roles of the Secret Garden. Kinden Cranor has served as Assistant Director throughout the week.

The Secret Garden will be presented at 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Saturday, June 30 at the Watauga High School Auditorium. Tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for children under 12 and are available at the door.

The Missoula Children’s Theatre residency in Watauga County is presented locally by Watauga County Arts Council with support from the friends of Tom Lanno, Holiday Inn Express of Boone and Jimmie Owen. For more information, call Watauga Arts Council at 828-264-1789.

The Watauga County Arts Council (WCAC) is a non-profit local arts agency founded in 1981 whose continuing mission is “to sponsor and encourage the cultural arts in Watauga County.” There are a variety of ongoing programs, services, and collaborations in place to help achieve that goal and to foster the pursuit, production and promotion of art indigenous to the community as well. As a Designated County Partner of the North Carolina Arts Council, the WCAC sub-grants state monies for local arts-related projects and organizations.

For information regarding the programs and services of the WCAC, or if you are interested in contributing to WCAC, please call 828-264-1789, or e-mail wcac@watauga-arts.org.