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 Keli
Macintosh
and
Pat
Kelsey,
two
Old
Town
Playhouse
volunteers,
met
working
on
Brigadoon
in
1990.
Both
were
frustrated
that
there
was
little
theatrical
opportunity
inside
or
outside
of
the
school
system
for
kids.
Keli
was
galvanized
and
moved
into
action.
Macintosh
began
meeting
later
that
year
with
Phil
Murphy,
then
Theatre
Director
at
NMC
and
Jim-Bob
and
Lucy
Stephenson,
formerly
of
Interlochen
Arts
Center's
Summer
Camp.
The
group
of
four
founded
TCCT
In
the
fall
of
1991.
The
Stevensons
managed
the
first
class
activities
with
a
year-long
program,
which
resulted
in
the
first
public
performances
by
the
new
theatre
and
its
first
class
of
kids.
Macintosh
had
a
tireless
commitment
to
the
growth
and
stability
of
the
burgeoning
theatre
group
and
worked
diligently
over
the
years
to
form
an
organization
that
could
address
the
needs
of
a
growing
community.
From
several
venues
and
with
help
from
lots
of
volunteers
and
organizations
like
NMC
and
the
Opera
House,
they
continued
to
keep
their
fledgling
program
alive.
After
some
initial
work
at
NMC,
the
group
began
using
the
Opera
House.
The
Stephensons
left
the
organization
after
the
first
year.
In
addition
to
the
Stephensons
and
Mackintosh,
Don
Kuehlhorn,
and
Michael
Kay
were
early
instructors
for
TCCT.
Macintosh
and
Murphy
knew
that
to
survive
they
had
to
grow
into
a
more
self-sustaining
operation.
But
to
do
so,
they
needed
to
be
a
part
of
a
larger
non-profit
organization.
In
the
first
spring
of
operations
Macintosh
and
Murphy
approached
the
Old
Town
Playhouse
and
a
new
collaboration
for
both
organizations
began.
A
more
extensive
board
was
formed
and
Keli
became
the
first
official
manager,
albeit
still
unpaid.
The
first
major
production
after
that
initial
year
of
classes
and
performances
was
Peter
and
the
Wolf,
directed
by
Judy
Harrison
and
done
in
cooperation
with
the
Encore
Society,
beginning
a
series
of
additional
productions
with
the
Encore
Society
including
Tubby
the
Tuba
and
The
Night
Before
Christmas.
By
now,
long-time
OTP
volunteer
June
Neal
had
become
involved
with
the
group,
and
along
with
her
friend
Barbara
"Boots"
Guile
(Steppenwolf
Theatre;
Michigan
Ensemble
Theatre)
and
Maggie
Lally
(Adelphi
University,
Michigan
Ensemble
Theatre)
developed
summer
programs,
the
first
at
Unity
Church.
Anne
Marie
Oomen
(Interlochen
Arts
Academy)
also
came
to
work
with
the
group.
The
next
summer
Missoula
Children's
Theatre
brought
their
first
program
to
TCCT.
TCCT
Grows
Up
In
1997,
Macintosh
left
the
area
and
the
management
of
TCCT
was
taken
over
by
June
Neal
as
the
part-time
manager
who
invariably
worked
full-time.
The
OTP
organization,
which
up
till
that
time
had
been
reluctant
to
devote
extended
resources
to
TCCT,
recognized
that
the
children's
theatre
division
of
OTP
was
growing
up.
With
a
deftly
orchestrated
plan,
Neal's
position
as
part-time
manager
was
solidified
and
paid,
sharing
some
work
with
the
Playhouse
paid
staff.
From
there
things
started
to
take
off.
Having
June
in
place
allowed
TCCT
to
add
a
regular
schedule
of
classes,
fall,
spring
and
summer
main
stage
productions
along
with
the
Missoula
Children’s
Theatre
(a
visiting
one-week
summer
program).
Before
long
TCCT
began
to
build
a
name
and
reputation
as
a
quality,
well
run
operation
for
kids.
Within
just
six
years
it
became
apparent
that
the
demand
for
children’s
Theatre
was
exceeding
all
expectations.
A
full
time
director/educator
was
needed
to
take
TCCT
to
the
next
level.
Enter
Luis
Araquistain,
a
soft
spoken,
but
enthusiastic
young
man
with
an
extensive
background
in
Theatre
education.
Curiously,
Luis
was
a
“walk-in”
who
had
just
moved
to
the
area
and
stopped
by
to
look
into
teaching
opportunities
with
TCCT.
Under
his
guidance
TCCT
has
expanded
its
curriculum
to
include
singing,
dance
and
music
instruction.
He
has
added
additional
out-reach
programs
with
area
schools,
created
opportunities
for
students
with
special
needs,
bilingual
programs
for
the
Latino
Community
and
increased
the
number
of
classes
offered
during
the
year.
TCCT is a subsidiary of Old
Town Playhouse
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2004
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