Alicia Batterson of the Missoula Children’s Theatre in 2019 works with students at the Smoot Theatre in Parkersburg on the production of “The Pied Piper.” This year’s show is “The Secret Garden.” (File Photo)

PARKERSBURG – The Missoula Children’s Theatre next month will make its annual appearance at the Smoot Theatre in downtown Parkersburg where auditions will be held for “The Secret Garden.”

The touring theater group was created in 1970 in Missoula, Mont., and encourages youth in kindergarten through the 12th grades to participate in a theatrical production. The Children’s Theatre is recognized by its traveling red truck.

“It caught on and pretty soon it was just all over the state of Montana,” said Felice Jorgeson, artistic director at the Smoot and an organizer of the Children’s Theatre program.

This year’s show is “The Secret Garden,” the story of a spoiled little girl, Mary Lennox, who comes from a privileged life, but is sent to live with her uncle after her parents die of cholera. At his home, she discovers mysteries that eventually bring happiness to her and others.

Auditions will be held at 4:15 p.m. April 13 at the Smoot. Children should arrive by 4:15 and stay for two hours while older members of the cast will be asked to stay immediately following the audition, Jorgeson said.

Lakyn Campbell as Snow White lies sleeping while the seven dwarves try to awaken her in the 2018 Missoula Children’s Theatre production of “Snow White” at the Smoot Theatre. “The Secret Garden” will be presented on April 18 with two shows. Auditions will be held April 13. The dwarfs, from left, are: Ryace Boyer, Bob; Sophia D’Eramo, Dr. Specs; Ava Cottrill, Whiner; Caleb McClung, Grouch; Christian Marshall, Humpty; Alexander Marshall, Dumpty; and Emma Withrow, Tambourine. (File Photo)

Roles to be cast include Mary Lennox, Martha Sowerby, Dixon Sowerby, Susan Sowerby, Colin Craven, Archibald Craven, Ayah, Mrs. Medlock, Doctor Craven, Ben Weatherstaff, Robin Redbreast, the Bugs that Rock, the Canadian Geese, the Moor Folk, the Fireflies and the Secret Garden. Advance preparation is unnecessary.

The Children’s Theatre provides all the costumes, scenery and props, Jorgeson said.

“The only thing they don’t have are the kids,” Jorgeson said.

Children’s Theatre directors will hold rehearsals every day throughout the week, culminating on April 18 when two shows will be presented at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. Workshops also are held in schools that will expose more children to the theater, Jorgeson said.

“It’s a great time for kids to learn very quickly,” she said.

Caroline Clay, left, a tour director with Missoula Children’s Theatre, works with a group of local students at the Smoot Theatre in 2017 for “Peter and Wendy.” A week of rehearsals will go into this year’s show, “The Secret Garden,” on April 18. Auditions will be held on April 13. (File Photo)

Among the previous shows produced by the organization were “Beauty Lou and the Country Beast,” “Aladdin,” “The Pied Piper,” “Snow White,” “Cinderella,” “The Wizard of Oz,” “Peter and Wendy” and “Hercules” that was performed in 2025.

Besides learning about what goes into a production, children also learn about classic stories when otherwise they would not, Jorgeson said. That may be an overall symptom of living in the modern world where children are not exposed to the way things were once done, like only being able to read a digital clock, not a face with hour and minute hands, according to Jorgeson.

“I’m not sure they can read a clock on the wall,” she said. “These are things we need to think about.”

Tickets, which are $9, can be purchased at the Smoot website, and more information is available at 304 422-7529.