MAT hosts childrens workshop

Montana Actors Theatre is starting its annual work next week with the youngest members of the troupe.

"We're trying to involve all MAT members," member Grant Olson said Wednesday.

MAT's Summer Children's Theatre workshop, open for children from second- through eighth-grade, starts Thursday and Friday next week, running from 9 a.m. to noon in the Montana State University-Northern Little Theatre, MAT's theater of residence. It resumes July 15, culminating in a production of a play on July 20.

Olson said different members of MAT will help the children work on all aspects of theater, including characterization, line memorization, making costumes and set production.

Jay Pyette of MAT said he, Olson, Sam Stuart and Darcy Zook are the principal organizers of this year's workshop.

The workshop will focus on improvisational acting the first two days. The following week the children will work on creating a play out of their own ideas from the first week, Olson said.

MAT members will come into the workshop to conduct demonstrations and help teach the children techniques, he added.

The practices on July 15-20 could resume after a noon lunch break, Pyette said, depending on how much work is needed to prepare the play.

The time for the July 20 performance has not been set and will be determined once the schedules of the children and their families have been checked, Olson said.

MAT has held children's workshops the last two years. The acting group also has a Youth Group production put on by area high school students.

The workshop costs $20 for each child. Call Pyette at 265-8183 for more information.