Community theater offers child-produced treasure

Young, bright smiles are encouraged at the Children's Theatre production "Treasure Island."

The production will take place at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the Mitchell Area Community Theatre. Tickets cost $5 and can be bought in advance or at the door.

Children produce the entire play from filling the role of directors to actors to behind-the-stage roles, said Megan Reimnitz, managing director of the Mitchell Area Community Theatre. She is the only adult who helps with the play, and her role is to answer questions for the children.

Education is the goal behind the children's production.

"It's a lot more focused on how to put on a play than doing the play correctly or the right way," Reimnitz said. "We're open to mistakes so we can learn how we can make this a great play."

Children's Theatre began at the community theater in Mitchell in 2002 with the first production of "Dr. Doolittle." The production was well received in the community, Reimnitz said, so the theater continued to have child-produced plays.

This year's production process began May 31 with auditions, followed by daily practices from 1 to 3:30 p.m. The cast and crew are made up of children in grades one through eight with high school students acting as the directors.

Reimnitz said her favorite part of the children's theater is seeing the smiles on the children's faces after their first production.

"I would say this play is one of the most fun I've seen children have," Reimnitz said. "Every year the children have a blast, but the smiles I see coming out of that door are amazing every single day and how excited they are to come in and just have rehearsal."

She encourages community members to attend the production this weekend.

"It's super important to come and support all the children," Reimnitz said, "and how hard they worked these past few weeks."

Potential breakout box: The show takes place at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the Mitchell Area Community Theatre. The tickets are $5 each and can be picked up in advance or at the door.