Sumpter board supports return of Missoula Children’s Theatre

The Missoula Children’s Theatre, which was a staple in Sumpter Township years ago, is coming back to the Belleville area May 13-18 and planners hoped it could come back to Sumpter.
The show will be “The Pied Piper.”
After a long discussion during the work/study session of the township board on Jan. 22, Treasurer Ken Bednark added an item to the regular agenda, which cleared the way for Missoula to use the community center and to request the Parks and Recreation Commission to set a special meeting to consider helping with the funding of the project. The motion passed unanimously.
Belleville attorney Barbara Miller was present to reacquaint the township with Missoula. Missoula Children’s Theatre is located in Montana and she visited them last summer.
Miller said Missoula Children’s Theatre started in 1990 with two directors and a truck. Now there are 44 trucks that go all over the United States. It is sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts.
She said the truck and two directors arrive on Sunday night and on Monday children audition for roles. The community needs to spread the word about the upcoming auditions, which have roles for 60 to 70 children, ages five through grade 12.
Miller said the first year it came to Sumpter only a handful showed up for auditions. On the last session here, 130 showed up.
The roles are cast on Monday and rehearsals begin and run throughout the week, with a dress rehearsal on Friday and two performances on Saturday.
“It’s a wonderful thing for our children,” Miller said, adding it already has a history in Sumpter Township where Mary Herring ran it for eight years.
Miller first took the subject of Missoula to the Belleville Area Council for the Arts where she got overwhelming support. BACA paid the $500 fee to register.
Miller said the cost is $3,700 for the play and then there is housing for the two directors, printing of programs, printing of flyers and other expenses, which she estimates will come to about $5,500 total.
She went to the Parks and Recreation Commission to ask for a grant and, although members supported the program, they told her she had to come to the township board first.
“You can’t have a rich community without quality events — music, theater,” Miller said to board members. “You have to start cultural events. We’d like to start a more aggressive program.”
She said they would like to hold it in Sumpter’s gym. Miller said in the past the late Supervisor Marvin Banotai had risers built, but they proved just too noisy.
“Sumpter Township needs a performance center,” she continued, noting they tried to have it in the pavilion, but that wasn’t quite right because of needed costume changes and other problems.
Miller said a nice committee is forming with Sheena Barnes, Peggy Morgan, and Mary Herring willing to help. Herring doesn’t want to be chairperson because of all the work it entails.
Miller said the local Missoula Children’s Theatre stopped “because Mary wore out.”
“I hope we will have the support of the board,” Miller said.
Treasurer Bednark, who has been attending Parks and Recreation Commission meetings, said theater programs build compassion and teamwork and give exposure to public speaking, relieving the fear of speaking in front of people. It fosters creativity and nurtures a sense of place.
Clerk Esther Hurst said the Tuesday of the week in May needed is already booked by the Girl Scouts, but maybe something can be worked out there.
Miller said Missoula could do one day of rehearsals somewhere else, in another room or the pavilion. She said she got a positive response from Parks and Recreation, but they told her they can only authorize $500.
Township attorney Rob Young said Parks and Rec can only spend $500 without consent of the board. If Parks and Rec makes a recommendation to the board then the board could approve it.
Parks and Rec meets the third
Wednesday of every month.
“We’re kinda running out of time,” Miller said. “It’s January now and it’s a May event. Are you saying this board cannot authorize a contribution?”
Young said Parks and Rec comes to the township for permission to spend what was authorized by its board.
“They can recommend to the township board?” Miller asked.
“A procedural problem,” Young said.
Trustee Matthew Oddy asked if Parks and Rec could have an emergency meeting and Trustee Don Swinson said they could.
“I’m willing to reappear at their meeting,” Miller said.
Young said the next township meeting is Feb. 12.
Trustee Swinson said he would talk to Parks and Rec to see if leadership would set a special meeting.
“It’s up to them to make a decision,” Swinson said.
Miller wanted to lock up the dates for using the gym. And, Trustee Oddy wanted to know if they would waive the fee.
“Not tonight,” said Supervisor John Morgan for his only comments on the subject. “Next meeting.”
Maria Beaudrie asked if Miller had asked the City of Belleville or Van Buren Township for donations and Miller said they hadn’t because they were planning to have it in Sumpter so they started here.
Miller said the ticket prices would be low so everyone could afford to come, possibly $1 for children and $2 for adults. Maybe they could get some company to buy them all, she said, or a corporate sponsor.
Miller told of an entertainment expo set by Wayne County Community College in Taylor on March 2, where people could go and hear groups audition so they could be hired for local events.
“I’d like Sumpter Township to start music in the park on another night than Thursday and have it be a place people could get together. Sumpter could be known for this, as you richly deserve,” Miller said. (Music Lakeside is held on Thursdays at Horizon Park in Belleville every summer.)
Herring said the last Missoula was held at South Middle School. She said the gym is acoustically poor. It has been suggested they get bleachers for the audience so everyone can see, since there is no stage.