My name is Kristen Border Patton, and I am beyond thrilled to be joining the staff at
Missoula Children’s Theatre as the new Director of People and Culture.
As a native Missoulian, MCT has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. My MCT
career started in kindergarten with a small but dynamic role as a gingerbread cookie in a holiday
play. From there, I eagerly participated in productions throughout my childhood, and as an adult,
I’ve had the joy of watching my nieces and nephews perform their little hearts out on the MCT
stage.
One of my favorite MCT memories is a production of Alice in Wonderland. I was a little older by
then, and I can still remember sitting backstage in the dark, waiting for my cue. There was
something about that moment—the anticipation, the quiet, knowing the show was happening
just on the other side of the curtain—that felt like pure magic. It’s a memory that has stuck with
me all these years.
Of course, life and other career pursuits eventually pulled me away from the theater. I graduated
from the University of Montana with a BA in Political Science and found my way to the Poverello
Center, western Montana’s largest homeless shelter and soup kitchen. I loved the daily
challenges, the unpredictability, and most of all, the people who made the work worthwhile.
As the Director of Operations at the Pov, the work has been a true labor of love. Through literal
fires, floods, and a pandemic, we never had to close our doors. That accomplishment belongs to
the incredible people I had the privilege of working alongside—people with enormous hearts,
sharp minds, and an almost unbelievable amount of grit.
I am excited to bring what I’ve learned along the way to Missoula Children’s Theatre and to
return to a place that has brought so much joy to my own life. I’m especially excited to see how
the magic is made from beginning to end. To see a dream born, made real, and shared with
children who will go on to treasure the memory. To be part of the reason a child was inspired. It
is still a little surreal to me that this dream is coming true, and I can not wait to get involved and
do my part.