Kirsten Vose was a little scared about her first big audition. The fourth-grader lined up with about 60 other students at Mountain Avenue School in La Crescenta as two directors for Missoula Children's Theatre walked up and down the line, bending closer as the children made faces on cue, repeated lines, sang, and lost their nervousness.

"One of my favorite things was when we were talking mad. I made a face and I started to yell," said Kirsten, who was trying out Monday for a part in "TheLittle Mermaid," put on by the largest touring children's theater in the country.

As the school cafeteria/auditorium filled with lines shouted in mock anger and strains of "Row, Row, Row Your Boat," the two directors moved the kindergarteners through sixth-graders around and gave them the parts they will play at 3 and 7 p.m. Saturday at Roosevelt Middle School after a week of rehearsals. The touring company was invited to the school by Mountain Avenue PTA.

William Vose went to the auditions with his sister, wanting to direct.

But once he got there, he decided he'd try acting. Directing could come later. After his role as a Sea Scout.

Missoula Children's Theatre, which has toured for more than 30 years from its Montana base to Japan, and has 32 teams of traveling directors, is about more than just the acting.

"It isn't really to teach theater," said Diandra Clevenger, who has come to La Crescenta with her co-director and husband, Brandon Johnson.

"It's to teach socialization, to teach confidence, to teach projection of the voice and cooperation between their peers."

Working intensely for a week and ending with the production is key, Clevenger said "They see the benefit," she said. "Their family and friends see the production and they get a huge sense of pride. We've seen a huge difference in some kids."

"Frequently we get kids who are scared. They don't even want to tell us their names," Clevenger said. That wasn't the case at Mountain Avenue.

"All the kids are really enthused." Students signed up in advance, filling the production, a rare occurrence on Missoula's first time in a community, Clevenger said.

"I think it's a great opportunity for these kids. It's pretty intense," said Joy Wycliffe, whose son and daughter are in the play. "At the end they get this finished product and they get to see the evolution of it."

Wycliffe and his wife, Rebecca Wilkinson, are hosting the directors for the week they're in town.

"For our kids its a great boost to their self esteem," he said. "They get to stretch themselves a little bit."

Duncan Wycliffe, a sports-oriented fifth-grader, ended up with two solos as the King. "I spoke really loud, I guess," he said of the audition.

He's trying to decide whether "excited" or "nervous" will win on game day. "I didn't think I would like it this much, but it is really tough," he said.

Kirsten Vose got over her initial nervousness at the audition and won a part as a Sea Scout. In addition to portraying soldiers and scouts, she's a puppeteer (hers is a pink fish).

"We also do background changes. We change the sea to the land. And we get to be in a dragon," she said. "I'm its stomach."