How can I even begin to write about my experiences with MCT? It shaped my life’s trajectory the minute I walked into the United Methodist Church basement and auditioned for Just So Stories when I was about 15! Jim Caron and Maeta Kaplan were the grownups in the room. We were all singing ”Happy Birthday” over and over. As they walked by me, I overheard them say “nice voice!” and suddenly I was confident and encouraged, and knew I was in my element.
Once bitten by the theatre bug, I spent high school in many shows. The photo below is me backstage at the Wilma with some of my future lifelong friends. (Christy Bain Smith, Kathleen Paterson Morrison, & Koleen Kozeluh Hall…I’m wearing the hat!)
At one time I played the Wolf in Johnny Appleseed. When they wanted to take that production on tour, I was the one who got to help train the new tour team—two up and comers named Michael McGill and Don Kukla! Summers, I headed to MCT Performing Arts Camps. I was a camper (in year 3 of camp!), a counselor, and eventually, I became Assistant Camp Director. I went on to get my BFA in Theatre from the University of Montana. I did not even attend the University graduation because I was already cast to tour with MCT’s Wizard of Oz as the Scarecrow/Auntie Em!
In the years that followed, I also toured with Cinderella and Hansel and Gretel. I met my husband, Des, while working in Minnesota for another theatre company. That led me to New Zealand (where Des is from) where I promptly set about teaching children’s theatre classes, directing, and performing. One year I was involved with NINE productions! Life brought us BACK to Missoula and soon Des was working in the scene shop at MCT, and I was training tour actors, sewing costumes, performing, and finally ended up as props manager. One of my favorite MCT stories about being back at MCT was having the privilege to tour with Michael McGill doing a one-week stint in La Paz, Bolivia. My daughter, Nickela, was only about three months old. I was breast feeding her at the time and had to “pump and dump” while I was away. My hostess saw me heading to the bathroom one morning and asked if she could take my extra milk to an orphanage. The milk was too valuable to be thrown away. One thing led to another and I actually ended up going to the orphanage and nursing a few of the babies! It was an incredible experience.
And now my FIRST BABY, Nickela, has been touring with MCT! When she was younger, I took this picture next to a Little Red Truck with a caption of FUTURE TAD. My journey began with MCT and she is following in her mother’s footsteps…. whose journey all started with MCT! Thank you MCT for all you continue to mean to my family and many others all over the world!