Area kids journey through Gulliver’s Travels

HARTINGTON — It’s a bird, it’s a plane! No, it’s a…Gulliver? The Missoula Children’s Theatre tour came to town for their summer tour on Monday, June 4, to hold auditions for “Gulliver’s Travels” and a performance of the play on Friday, June 8. 

Except this presentation of “Gulliver’s Travels” is a little, as some might say, “out of this world.” With a hint of sci-fi and a pinch of space, “Gulliver’s Travels” turns into a world full of robots and aliens and maybe a giant or two for his first time in space. 

It’s also a first for Trynity Zach. Not necessarily in space, but definitely as a performer for Missoula Children’s Theatre. 

Zach will be splitting the lead role of “Gulliv-her,” as director Tierra Porter likes to say, with Seanna Pinkelman. Zach’s siblings Alyk and Malyla also have parts in the play. 

Because of her freshness to theatre, Zach said she wasn’t expecting to get a lead role. 

“I’m excited and I’m nervous,” she said. “Gulliver is the main part of the story and I’m nervous because I have to remember a lot of lines.”

The Missoula Children’s Theatre travels to all 50 states and 17 foreign countries presenting performances such as Gulliver’s Travels. Joanna Shapiro and Tierra Porter led this presentation of the play. Shapiro has been on the road for one year.  

“We are always working around the clock whether its here or in Japan or Guam,” Shapiro said. “We are working with these kids in any facets and any way we can.”

Despite only having a few practices, Shapiro was pleased with how successful the performance was. 

“I think they did an incredible job considering that these guys auditioned on Monday and in just five short days learned all of the songs, lines and dances.”

Zach also felt the performance was successful and she was excited she did not let her stage fright get the best of her. 

“I felt nervous but then I just went with it because I just pretended that no one was there,” she said. “I was pretending that we were just practicing.”

Shapiro feels that this program and other theatre programs are very important because it teaches many life skills necessary to maturing for these young children. 

“It does a lot for their enthusiasm and it helps shape them as young adults,” Shapiro said. “After this, they know that if they can put on a play in five days, then what else can they do?”