Eamon Graham and Kincaid Fiscus share the role of Christopher in the "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time."
The latest production of the Missoula Children’s Theatre’s Community Series, “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time,” offers a fast-paced, sensory-laden version of Mark Haddon’s highly acclaimed novel. Nearly a dozen actors stage this Tony and Olivier Award-winning play March 6-16 at the MCT Center for the Performing Arts.
Haddon’s highly acclaimed novel was referred to as “eye-opening, life-affirming and unmissable” by Time Magazine, and the stage version is even more visceral.
“The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” is directed by Sarah Walker Thornton, former executive artistic director of the Cloverdale Playhouse in Montgomery, Ala., and director of MCT’s recent comedic romp, “The Play That Goes Wrong.
“This beautiful and powerful stage adaptation puts the audience into the mind of someone with a sensory processing disorder, allowing us to see and experience the world through another person’s eyes, that being 15-year-old Christopher,” she says.
Christopher, a role shared by young actors Kincaid Fiscus and Eamon Graham, is on a mission to solve the murder of the neighbor’s dog. An ensemble of nine other actors portrays more than 30 characters who are critical in telling the story.
“Everyone knows at least one person on the spectrum and no two people are alike,” says Thornton. “Having two young actors playing the powerhouse role of Christopher in their own way and alternating performances helps demonstrate that if you’ve met one person on the spectrum, you’ve met only one person on the spectrum.”
She adds that Christopher’s journey “is full of challenges and surprises, often with very funny interactions, and important lessons. We get to go along with him and share in his unique view of the world.”
The production is rated R (Parental Guidance Strongly Cautioned for Audiences Under 17) with a plot involving murder, explicit language, an affair and violence. There’s a pervasive emphasis on special visual effects, strobe lights, and projections throughout the performance, so people with sensitivity to these elements and material may find the environment challenging. Consult the content advisory on MCT’s website before purchasing tickets.
“Curious Incident” is this season’s Zero Waste show, meaning MCT is using as many existing materials in its construction as possible.
Performances kick off March 6 with Premiere Night, featuring special offerings and pricing, and continue at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturdays and 2 and 6:30 p.m. Sundays, through March 16.
For more information, visit www.MCTinc.org, or call 406-728-7529, noon to 5 p.m. weekdays.