Missoula Children's Theater returns -- Casting call scheduled for April 3 for production of Aladdin

The world of magic returns to Mountain Home next month as Mountain Home Arts Council sponsors the Missoula Children's Theatre production of "Aladdin."

A casting call for children interested in being part of the musical begins at 3:45 p.m. April 3 at Mountain Home High School's Lloyd Schiller Gymnasium.

The week-long residency culminates with two performances by the end April 8. Curtain call is 3 and 5:30 p.m.

Students from kindergarten through 12th grade are invited to audition for the play. No advance preparation is necessary, "but a smile never hurts," organizers said.

"All students should be ready to have a good time," they added.

The production will include approximately 50 to 60 children. However, arts council representatives emphasized there is no guarantee that everyone who auditions will be cast in the play.

Among the roles to be cast are Aladdin and his mother, Princess Dory and her father, the Sultan, along with his adviser, the Grand Vizier. Other characters featured in the play include a stubborn donkey, a spunky goat, wise-cracking palm trees, fleet footed camels and a pack of lost penguins.

The theatre company will also cast assistant directors to aid in rehearsals throughout the week and to take on essential backstage responsibilities.

Students wanting to audition are asked to arrive by 3:30 p.m. and plan to stay for the entire two-hour session. Those who are cast will pay a nominal $20 registration fee for the week-long residency with scholarships available for eligible individuals.

Theater representatives will distribute a detailed rehearsal schedule at the end of the audition. The first rehearsal begins approximately 30 minutes after the audition with some cast members needing to stay for that initial practice.

The theater company will hold additional rehearsals from 3:45 to 8 p.m. each day at the high school. Although not all cast members are needed at every session, those auditioning must have a clear schedule for the entire week and be able to attend all rehearsals required for their role, officials said.

Cast members scheduled to attend the full rehearsal each evening are encouraged to bring a sack lunch, snack or dinner since there will not be time to have a dinner break.

The Missoula Children's Theatre touring productions come complete with costumes, scenery, props and makeup. A non-profit organization based in Missoula, Mont., the theatre group will cast more than 65,000 students during this year's tour.

The event is sponsored by the Mountain Home Arts Council with support from the City of Mountain Home, the Mountain Home community, the Idaho Commission on the Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Gladys E. Langroise Advised Fund in the Idaho Community Foundation and Johnson Brothers Hospitality.

For more information about the Mountain Home Arts council or this event, visit the group's Facebook page or its site at www.mharts.org or call the arts council at 587-3706.