Touring theatre has changed my life. In 2022, I joined Missoula Children's Theatre for my first 5-month tour of Johnny Appleseed. MCT isn't like many touring theatres though. They don't just send actors on the road to perform for kids, they send multi disciplinarian theatre educators to direct up to 64 kids in an hour long musical every week. We arrive to a community, audition kids on Monday, and immediately begin rehearsing Monday through Friday. In just five days, the cast has learned all of their lines, songs, and movement, with costumes, a set, and accompaniment. It amazes me every week what the kids are capable of with dedication and a bit of help from me and my tour partner.

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Being on the road for months at a time is not for everyone, but I found that I truly flourished while traveling the country. My tour partner and I became fast friends. Although we worked 40+ hours a week directing the show, teaching theatre workshops, doing costume laundry, and doing an assortment of admin tasks, we still were able to carve out at least a couple hours a week to hike in some of the most beautiful locations in the world.

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So far I have done two 5-month tours and trained four new teams. Missoula Children's Theatre has taken me to Montana, Idaho, California, Nevada, New Mexico, Michigan, and Washington. I am home now, but my adventures with MCT are far from over.