Westin Thibeault, an eighth grader at T.W. Kelly Dirigo Middle School in Dixfield, does some impromptu acting Thursday with actor/Director Dylan Merritt of the Missoula Children’s Theater at the school. Middle, high and elementary students will stage “Treasure Island” on Saturday at 1 p.m. at the high school in Dixfield. Marianne Hutchinson/Rumford Falls Times

DIXFIELD — After tryouts and acting lessons all week, students in Regional School Unit 56 will present “Treasure Island” at 1 p.m. Saturday at Dirigo High School.

Since Monday, students from Dirigo Elementary School in Peru and T.W. Kelly Dirigo Middle School and Dirigo High School, bo

Seventh grade students at T.W. Kelly Dirigo Middle School in Dixfield watch a mini-Greek tragedy performance Thursday featuring two actor/directors from the Missoula Children’s Theater and student actors. From left are Mackenzie Johnson, Alice Rodriguez, Makenzy Lincoln and Tucker Donahue. The week of tryouts and acting lessons will culminate in a presentation of “Treasure Island” at 1 p.m. Saturday at Dirigo High School in Dixfield. Marianne Hutchinson/Rumford Falls Times

th in Dixfield, have had the opportunity to try out for a part with the Missoula Children’s Theater, a traveling group that provides workshops and plays.

RSU 56 includes Dixfield, Peru, Canton and Carthage.

Two actor/directors from the theater company performed and led middle and elementary school students through a mini-Greek tragedy and a comedy Thursday at the middle school during the Spirit Week assembly. Several students were dressed for costume day.

Principal Jason Long dressed as a middle school student with a graphic T-shirt, baseball cap and shorts.

Theater Directors Stevee Wittlieb and Dylan Merrill led the plays.

Wittlieb said after the assembly that the theater company has 14 teams in various parts of the country and have international tours.

“So, (for) the kids, we break our rehearsals into two, two-hour sections every day. Some kids are there for up to four hours after they finish school, which is crazy, and some of them only two. They’re working really hard,” Wittlieb said.

Long said the idea to have the theater company directors guide the students in a musical performance came from Superintendent Pam Doyen after the district had no applicant for a drama club adviser this year.

Tickets for “Treasure Island” are $5 for adults, $1 for students and free for those 65 and older children under 4 years old.