It Doesn't Matter If You're Small

SWAN VALLEY – Swan Valley students shared many valuable life lessons as they followed Gulliver's travels through space, March 10. Nearly the entire student body was involved in the Missoula Children's Theatre production of Gulliver's Travels that filled the Swan Valley School gym with applause and laughter.

In the opening scene Gulliver, played by Rilyn Richardson and Connor Matthew, crashed in space finding only the Invisible Force, played by tour director Christopher Martin, to guide him.

While under the control of Maniacal Scientist of Lapunta, played by Lilian Boyd, Gulliver is transported from world to world meeting various creatures and learning about conflict on their planets. In his quest to return to Earth, Gulliver is able to help the various aliens, giants, robots, horses and Yahoos realize that whether they are large or small, educated or not, or searching for a purpose they each have something that "makes them shine." If they use that they can help others and live a more fulfilling life.

MCT was started 45 years ago. It has tours in all 50 states and 17 countries. They started working with Swan Valley students Monday for the Friday performance. Their goal is to develop life skills through the performing arts working with more than 65,000 students each year.

The project was sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts, Montana Arts Council, the Swan Valley Parent Teachers Association and the Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation.