Missoula Children's Theatre (MCT)
2026-2027 MCT Co-Chairs: Noreli Dominguez Acosta and Kim Herzig
We have the amazing opportunity to bring back Missoula Children's Theatre this year with The Tortoise and the Hare. Our student actors and actresses will be cast and prepare an entire theater production—all in one week from December 7-12, 2026—with the help of two touring directors from MCT.
For Grades K-5.
Volunteers needed:
We are looking for 2 full-time volunteers to help the program for the entire week, from Monday, December 7 through Saturday, December 12, during rehearsal and show times. Full-time volunteers receive one guaranteed spot in the theater program.
Volunteers must complete and receive approval for a Level 3 BSD “Athletics & Activities” background check before they can begin working with students at school. Anyone whose background check has not been completed and approved will not be permitted to participate in the program.
Please contact mct@medinapta.org if you are interested.
Jump to: Info Night | Registration | General Information | Schedule of Events | Policies | About MCT
2026-2027 Production
The Tortoise and the Hare
The Missoula Children’s Theatre’s twist on Aesop’s classic is a hare-raising, ab-shell-lute whirlwind of fun! Taylor Tortoise and Curly Hare’s competitive antics are getting out of control, and all the other animals in their little town outside of Cape Canaveral, Florida, get roped into the shenanigans. When a group of astronauts comes through town, Curly Hare comes up with their kookiest stunt ever—to be the first animals on the moon! Well, talking animals, anyway. Taylor Tortoise and Curly Hare race to build a rocket and beat the other to space, but will their rivalry drive away their friends in the process? Who will make it to the moon first? And once they get to the moon…then what? The Tortoise and the Hare learn that maybe winning ISN’T everything; they can accomplish so much more by working together!
Info Night
We will host an Info Night in October (details to be determined). The club co-chairs will share information about MCT and answer any questions.
Please join us!
Registration
Registration Opens: November 3, 2026 at 8:30 AM. Before registration opens, the link will show an error!
How to register?
Please purchase or renew your PTA annual membership for 2026-2027 before registration day. Otherwise, you cannot find the registration form on November 3. To purchase membership and gain access to the form, please visit your PTA account.
Complete the form and payment. Your registration is confirmed only after payment is received.
IMPORTANT: To register, you must agree to all Missoula Children’s Theatre policies on the registration form. Read the policies now.
If you need financial assistance to pay the MCT registration fee, please choose the "pay by check" option when checking out, so your registration will not be delayed. Then, contact our counselor Ms. Geck (gecke@bsd405.org) to initiate the process.
General Information
Who: All Medina Elementary-enrolled students whose parents are Medina PTA members are welcome to participate (K-5). This year, MCT is open to kindergarten students if they can attend all rehearsals without disruption or additional assistance from volunteers.
Where: Medina Elementary School
Dates: Monday, December 7, 2026 through Saturday, December 12, 2026
When: Weekdays after school until 7:00 pm and all day/evening on Saturday. See the Schedule of Events below. Participants must commit to all times they are scheduled. Exact times will be announced after roles are cast on Monday, December 7.
Cost: TBD
Fees include the Missoula Children's Theatre residency fee, touring directors' housing, A/V, piano accompaniment, room reservations, allergy-free snacks*, and general operating expenses.
*Due to the long rehearsal times directly after school, allergy-free snacks will be provided to the cast. We will ask for your permission to give snacks to your child in the registration form.
Schedule of Events
Audition
Monday: Auditions for kindergarten through 5th grade.
All children will need to stay for the duration of the audition time. Once your child is cast, you will receive a detailed rehearsal schedule based on your child's role.
Rehearsal
Please commit to the following rehearsal times. Actual rehearsal times will depend on your child's role.
Monday: Some roles may begin rehearsal directly following auditions until 7:00 pm.
Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 2:45 pm to 7:00 pm.
Wednesday: 12:45 pm to 5:00 pm.
Performances
Saturday: 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm. Cast arrives at 1:00 pm.
Policies
Updated: September 16, 2026
FEES: For a student to participate in any after-school club, there cannot be an outstanding balance on the family's PTA account. Tuition and all outstanding fees must be paid in full by December 1, 2026. If you do not pay all fees by this deadline, your child will be withdrawn from MCT and a 5% tuition processing fee will be added to your account.
ELIGIBILITY: Our afterschool clubs, including Missoula Children's Theatre, are ONLY for CURRENTLY ENROLLED Medina Elementary students with ACTIVE Medina PTA membership. You must be enrolled at Medina Elementary at the time of attending the club and have a valid Medina PTA family or individual membership for the 2026-2027 school year. If your child is not currently enrolled at Medina Elementary OR you do not purchase PTA membership by December 1, 2026, your child will be withdrawn from Missoula Children's Theatre immediately with no refund.
PROCESSING FEE: Any student registration for an afterschool club that you cancel will incur a 5% processing fee. This includes cancelling a duplicate registration, such as when parents sign up the same child twice for the same club, or cancelling one registration to sign up for a different Medina PTA club on the same day. The 5% fee applies to all transaction types: credit card, cash, or check.
REFUND: A 5% tuition processing fee will be charged on all refunds before the start of the program. After the program begins, there will be no refunds for any reason.
BEHAVIOR: Intentional violent behavior directed at another individual during the club, including another student, teacher, MCT director, parent, or volunteer, and resulting in physical harm is grounds for immediate removal from that club without refund. Medina PTA retains the discretion to remove this student from all other enrolled afterschool clubs/programs and prevent this student from registering for future afterschool programs in the same school year.
Parents and students are expected to behave respectfully with each other and the coaches/instructors:
- If the club chair determines that a student’s behavior is disruptive during the program/club, or the student is consistently disrespectful, a warning will be issued to the student and parent. After the warning, a second offense will result in removal of the student from the club with no refund, unless the club chair decides to issue a second warning. The chair may also require the parent to provide full-time adult supervision of the student for the duration of the club. The adult supervisor must be a PTA member and have a BSD background check. A third offense will result in removal of the student from the club program with no refund.
- If the club chair determines that a parent’s behavior is disruptive or consistently disrespectful, a warning will be issued to the parent. After the warning, a second offense will result in removal of that parent’s child from afterschool clubs with no refund.
- At the discretion of Medina PTA, any withdrawal due to disruptive or disrespectful behavior may also affect the family’s ability to register for future afterschool programs.
COMMITMENT: You agree to commit to the audition, rehearsal, and performance schedule you are given. Your child may be scheduled any time after school from Monday, 12/7/2026 to Friday, 12/11/2026 until 7:00 pm and all day/evening on Saturday, 12/12/2026. You will receive your schedule on Monday, 12/7/2026 after your child is cast in a role.
ABSENCES: You understand that you cannot have any planned absences or tardies. However, if an illness or other emergency prevents your child from attending, please email mct@medinapta.org as soon as possible.
Due to the short nature of the program, any unexcused absences may result in removal of your child from the program with no refund.
PUNCTUAL PICK UP: You agree to pick up your child promptly according to the audition, rehearsal, and performance schedule you are given. If you wish to permit your child to sign themselves out from MCT and walk or bike home, you must complete the Medina PTA Permission Slip for Self-Checkout of Afterschool Clubs found on our website and return it to our MCT Co-Chairs.
RECORDING: You understand that the two Saturday performances may be recorded, and you consent to your children being recorded. You also consent for the recordings to be shared with family and friends of MCT participants for viewing.
About MCT
The Missoula Children’s Theatre (MCT), the nation’s largest touring children’s theatre, has been touring extensively for nearly 50 years from Montana to Japan and will visit nearly 1,100 communities this year with up to 44 teams of Tour Actor/Directors.
A tour team arrives in Medina with a set, lights, costumes, props, and make-up—everything it takes to put on a play except the cast. That's where our talented young students come in.
All MCT shows are original adaptations of classic children’s stories and fairy tales—a twist on the classic stories that you know and love. Past MCT productions at Medina include Red Riding Hood (2025), Hercules! (2024), The Jungle Book (2023), Hansel and Gretel (2022), Peter and Wendy (2019), and Secret Garden (2018).
Learn more about MCT on their website.
Questions? Email mct@medinapta.org
