Missoula Children’s Theatre Swings Into Milbank

Over 50 students will perform in the Missoula Children’s Theatre production of The Jungle Book.

The original musical adaption of Rudyard Kipling’ s The Jungle Book, will come to life on the MHS theater stage Friday, November 20, with two shows at 1:15 and 7 p.m.

The local cast of The Jungle Book includes Jayden Johnson as Mowgli (the man-cub), as well as Mimi Webb as Bagheera (the panther), and Tracy Pillatzki as Akela (the leader of the pack). Connor Bender, Jaxson Wildung, Nathan Pillatzki, Ian Liebe, Caylie Ryan, Cayden Monberg, Abby Pillatzki, Aubrey Fraasch, Ivy Lewno, Bella Gressens, Cameron Popowski, and Alex Pekelder make up the entire wolfpack.

Mother Wolf will be played by Peyten Wiese while William Karels is Father Wolf. Akela will be played by Tracy Pillatzki. Wolfy is Veronica Fonder, while the wolf pups are played by James Batchelor, Nicholas Fonder, and Jasmine Tietjen.

Clarissa Fonder will be featured as Shere Khan and Landon Brown will play his sidekick Tabaqui (the jackal). Nag and Nagaina (the cobras) are Charlezton Ward and Jessica Pillatzki. Darzee (the bird) will be played by Autumn Fox. Calvin Weinberg will be featured as Hathi (the master elephant) and Elsie Seffrood will perform the role of Rikki-Tikki-Tavi (the mongoose).

Other featured performers include Emma DeBoer, Tori Hooth, Maci Priebe, Tenley Wildung, Shelby Lee, Kaitlin Schmitt, Lilly Trapp, Amy Nelson, Kalyee Parsley, Leah Mogard, McKenna Osowski, and Kayla Bury as Kaa (the rock-python) and Lydia Street as Buck (a buck.)

Monkeyin’ around throughout the entire show are the Monkey-People, played by Devin Pekelder, Fisher Ruhr, Kira Stephen, Preston Laskowske, Keaton Johnson, Andrew Karels, Hunter Reede, Nicole Korstjens, Aiden Kelly, Jeter Scoular, Max Scoular, Lilly Pekelder, Jenna Korstjens, Kennedy Sayler.

Alex Hilbrands, Josie Adolph, Hummina Lozano, Elijah Fraasch, and Caden Eisenschenk will serve as assistant directors. Rebekah Tuchscherer will accompany the production on the piano.

The Missoula Children’s Theatre residency in Milbank is sponsored by the Whetstone Valley Arts Council with support from Grant County Christian Service Council. For more information, please contact Amy at 605-230-0477 or LeAnn at 605-949-0617.