Missoula Children's Theater's "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" this weekend

DAYTON - "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" has come to The Liberty Theater with creatures, forest animals, a queen, and diminutive miners. The familiar red truck from the Missoula Children's Theatre arrived in town on July 27.

This year, the talented duo who will produce the show are friends who met at Central Michigan University. They graduated in 2024, where Ashley Chalela, 23, earned a BFA in acting/directing, and Willem Jewell, 23, a BAA in theatre and interpretation with a minor in broadcasting cinematic arts. Both joined the MCT Red Truck Tour to work with kids, offering a theatre arts experience in communities that may have limited or no access to similar programs.

Tour staff learn the successful MCT curriculum in a training that Chalela described as "a lot all at once."

"The kids make it worthwhile. Seeing them be proud of their work," said Chalela.

Her favorite day of the week-long residency is Thursday, as it marks the first run-through of the performance. It is the day she and the cast first see all their work come together.

Jewell was excited to join MCT's tour and work with kids. He said he knew the program would be rewarding for the kids, but was surprised to find how rewarding the experience has been for him.

This is week seven of their ten-week tour, and the directors have settled well into their roles as mentors. On Monday morning, they auditioned and cast over 40 youthful actors, then spent two hours rehearsing as a single group. The rest of the week, the rehearsals are divided into two sessions a day, with each director working with two groups. Tuesday, Chalela worked with Black Forest Creatures, and after snack, she worked with the Dwarfs. Jewel worked first with Forest Animals and then with the lead actors in the roles of Queen, Snow White, the Mirror, and the Henchman. The cast will have eight hours of rehearsals before the curtain rises on Friday.

Chalela and Jewell said this production's cast has more experience than their earlier groups. The kids are learning their lines and choreography quickly and are ahead in their rehearsal schedule.

Performances are Friday, August 1, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, August 2, at 3 p.m. at the Liberty Theater. Tickets are only $5 and can be purchased online at libertytheater.org and at the box office on Tuesday and Friday from 2 to 5 p.m. Seats are assigned, and ticket sales end an hour before the performance. The show is an hour long, and there are opportunities for photos after the performance.