Children in Butler County should start practicing singing and reading lines, because The Missoula Children’s Theatre is coming to town and looking for 50 children for its production.

Auditions will be Nov. 28 at the Ritz Theater in downtown Greenville at 3:30 p.m.

Nancy Idland, director of the Greenville Area Arts Council, said children do not have to come with a prepared lyric or poem.

“It’s a very improv audition, very causal,” Idland said. “They will actually audition them in groups so no one is uncomfortable, and of course outgoing smiles and friendly faces and enthusiasm is gets the part.

Not every person who auditions will get a part, but the group hopes to select 50 young people for acting positions a well as behind the scene-type jobs like stage managing, costume managing and lighting.

“This is a professional children’s theater group that travels the world bringing the shows into communities like ours,” Idland said. “They come in your our community, audition our young people and coach them and train them and direct them in to doing a show.”

The theme of the show this year is a western take on the “Wizard of Oz.” Rehearsals will be every day of the week at 4 p.m. for two hours with Monday the 28th being the first day.

“They do that in one week a and put the show on for our town,” Idland said. “It’s a unique and cool opportunity for the students of Greenville. It’s a 15 to 30 minute audition and they’ll let us know who has the roles and immediately start rehearing.”

There will be two performances at the Ritz on Dec. 3, one at 3 p.m. and one at 7 p.m.

“It’s a great opportunity to learn about the theater and what goes into putting on a show,” Idland said. “What’s really exciting about this particular group is that they are going to offer workshops throughout the week by going into schools with different workshops, on mime, make up, improv skills.”

The group will take anyone aged from kindergarten to a senior in high school. However, Idland wanted to stress to parents that because it is required that his or her child will have to come to every rehearsal for a whole week, she urges that the kindergartners be mature or six years old at least.

“It’s just a fabulous way for children to gain confidence, make new friends and learn more about the theater experience and to display their talents,” Idland said. “So many things about that are just wonderful for kids, and it’s just a great way for kids to become self confident on stage and so many kids in Greenville that can benefit form this.”