MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont -- It was an evening of magic and music when "PINOCCHIO" came to life at the base auditorium.
Nearly 50 of Malmstrom's youngest thespians played to a full house Aug. 22, delighting the audience with a fresh rendition of the classic tale. Applause and laughter filled the darkened theater as the cast sang, danced, acted and clowned in a hilarious and inspired performance.
The show was written and directed by the Missoula Children's Theatre of Missoula, Montana, and was presented by the 341st Force Support Squadron's Youth Programs.
The story follows Pinocchio, a wooden puppet carved from an enchanted tree, in his quest to be a real boy. Along the way Pinocchio is swindled by Fox and Cat; kidnapped by the evil puppet master Stromboli; and lured to Pleasure Isle where he is turned into a donkey. Pinocchio's final misadventure--being swallowed by a whale--provides the lesson he needs to transform into a human child.
The performance was fun for the audience and a thrill for the performers.
"It was exciting and I felt really alive," said Victoria Rinehart, who played one of the Pleasure Isle Kids.
MCT's Blaire Smith and Rachel Bailey held auditions Aug. 18 at the auditorium and casted all the characters the same day. By the end of the week, after many hours of rehearsals, the troupe was ready for a live audience.
"Our shows are all original," said Bailey, tour actor and director. "They are written to be easy to learn in a week so that the kids are set up for success. We get a lot of time to do repetition with them so they get to run through it and run full-out so they know what they are doing and where it all goes in the story."
The songs are catchy and the story follows an easily understandable plot, making it easy for child actors to master the plays quickly, Bailey said.
"The kids can feel they take ownership of the play and it's their play, and they really know their parts," she said.
Smith, also a tour actor and director, led the cast onstage by playing the roles of Mrs. Geppetto and the evil puppet master Stromboli.
"Our show is very interactive with the audience," she said. "We ask the audience questions and (cast members) run through the audience. We want it to be an interactive experience for everyone."
Bailey and Smith are just as dynamic when presenting their craft off the stage.
Throughout the week, the MCT duo offered 45-minute workshops on acting, improvisation, storytelling, makeup, costume and set design to expand children's opportunities and allow them to explore other aspects of theater. These seminars were also open to children who were not participating in "PINOCCHIO."
"Working with the actors from MCT is always a great experience for the children and the staff," said Stevie Brown, 341st FSS Youth Activities Center recreation specialist.
Alex Miranda, who played Jiminy Cricket, described the week as "the funniest time" of his life.
"Blaire and Rachel were the funniest people I have ever met," Miranda said.
Smith said the Malmstrom cast's enthusiasm and energy made rehearsals fun for both herself and Bailey.
"We both love to laugh," she said. "With this particular group of kids, we were all making jokes all week and putting our own spin on the show during rehearsals and just having a lot of fun with it."
"We got to be silly, which we really like," Bailey said with a grin.
"A focused silly," Smith quickly added.