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CALUMET -- With only a week of preparation, 60 kids from the Copper Country took the stage at the Calumet Theatre Friday night for their first performance of 'Robinson Crusoe'.

From the script to the stage, these kids have had less than 16 hours over 4 days to learn an entire play.

They’re participating in the Missoula Children's Theatre program, which sends a team of two directors across the country, putting together the whirlwind production in a different city each week.

"Kids don't know what they can't do so they say 'Okay, I can do that.'  'You’ve got to learn this by tomorrow.'  'Okay, I can do that.'  That's what's so refreshing," said play narrator and director, Kristen Conrad.

One-hundred-eleven local kids came out for auditions on Monday; only 57 were cast.

Thirteen-year-old Audrey Knuuttila has tried out for Missoula the past four years and this time she snagged the lead.

"It’s been pretty hard to learn the lines.  Today was our first scriptless day, but it's going pretty well," said Knuuttila.

The cast includes children as young as 5 and as old as 18.  Despite the long hours, the directors say all of the kids have shown good energy and focus.

"It's a lot of fun and hard practice, but every hour we get a break, and if we're here for four hours, we get to have a half hour to eat," said Corey Chute, who plays Marty the Turtle.

The second and final performance of 'Robinson Crusoe' is at Saturday at 1 p.m.