Actresses in the Astor Street Opry Company's performance of 'Charlotte's Web' go through warm-up exercises before rehearsing scene two of the play.

Ten children crowd the stage at the Astor Street Opry Company, script in hand. They come in from the left, exit downstage right or vice versa, listen for their cues, and they all have one thing in common: focus.

Twenty more children, ages 7 to 13, are sitting around tables normally occupied by the audience. They’re drawing pictures, or quietly studying their lines, lips moving in silence. Three weeks into rehearsals of an all-children-cast “Charlotte’s Web” production, it is clear that these actors take their roles seriously. Already, they have learned the basics of theater.

“You learn the rules of what you have to do backstage, and what you’re not supposed to do. You learn how you can be emotional or sad and how you can show that easily, without people actually having to try to guess,” said Jane Kissinger. The 10-year-old is a veteran actress, with several Missoula Children’s Theatre productions under her belt, but this is her most demanding role yet. As Goosey Goose, she has 28 lines to memorize. “Sometimes when you’re practicing, you do it better than when you’re on stage, because there are a lot of people out there,” she said.

Opal Whitaker, age 12, knows what Jane is talking about. “I have a really big part. It’s the part I wanted,” she said. While everyone who signed up to participate got to act in the play, the actors had to audition for their roles. Opal will be Fern Arable, the little girl who wants to save Wilbur the pig from certain death. “I’m learning that it’s really hard to have a big part because you have a lot of lines to memorize,” she said.

But they all know that there’s much more to acting than knowing your lines. Hannah Brown plays Homer Zuckerman, Fern’s uncle. How does an 11-year-old girl slip into the role of a middle-aged man? She uses facial expressions to convey Homer’s emotions – no method actors here – even when the emotions may not be all that clear. “I have to pretend that I’m married,” said Hannah. “I mostly just express the feelings with my body. I can make my face react however I need it.”

From left, Jireh Tice, Joci Burnett, Jane Kissinger and Abigail Thornton listen to Phil Morrill perform some of the musical numbers from ‘Charlotte’s Web’ during a rehearsal at the Astor Street Opry Company.”I love pretending,” said Hannah, and her off-stage friend and on-stage niece Opal agrees. “That’s one of my favorite things about acting. You don’t have to be you anymore, you’re someone else,” said Opal. “I’m totally happy with who I am, but being someone else for a little while is fun.”

The cast practices enunciating by reciting tongue twisters, and they pretend to be pieces of bacon frying in the pan during an improvisation. “I rolled over on my back and I was wiggling and squirming,” said Stephanie Schoonmaker. Like most actors, she gets nervous before a performance. “But I try to keep my voice as loud as I can and see how that works out,” she said.

Dana Lewis Allen, the director of the children’s theater performance of ‘Charlotte’s Web,’ provides instruction on stage to, from left, Opal Whitaker, Brittany Waltemate, Itzel Camacho and Tiffany Stevens.Learning how to project out to an audience is a big part of getting ready for the performance. The benefits for the children, however, go beyond tangible skills. “Really, acting is more than just entertaining,” said Dana Lewis Allen, the show’s director and producer. She has years of experience directing children and adults and she has seen how the stage can change people. “Some people are scared to try out,” she said. Once they overcome their apprehension about performing, the payoff is a boost in their self-esteem. Not every child will get into sports, and drama can be an outlet for those children who don’t care to run fast or chase after a ball. Having that alternative to sports is important, said Allen. Her favorite moment with the children’s performances is when she sees the kids realize that they can do this, that they can stand up in front of an audience and shine. “It really does make you feel good,” she said.

Children gather around director Dana Lewis Allen to grab a tongue twister reading: You know New York, you need New York, you know you need unique New York.Allen hopes that this will be the first of many children’s productions supported by the Astor Street Opry Company. This summer, she has plans to perform a “Junior Shanghaied” play with children ages 9 to 14 and an age-appropriate script. “We’re trying to expand our repertoire,” she said.

The current cast of “Charlotte’s Web” may benefit. After performing in E.B. White’s classic tale of friendship and heroism, they all have plans for bigger and better roles. “I’ll definitely consider it when I’m older,” said Hannah about acting, one of her favorite things to do. Stephanie would like to get into a movie. Jane and Opal also see more stage-time in their futures, and Abby Thornton, age 10, probably said it best: “It’s one of my passions, I guess.” Until they’re all superstars, they will continue to weave webs of friendship and experience, together with Charlotte the spider, Wilbur the pig, and the many smaller roles that need big actors just like these.

“Charlotte’s Web” is an American classic. Which version – book, cartoon or live-action movie – is your favorite?

Author E.B. White wrote three children’s books in his career primarily as a columnist for The New Yorker.Hanna-Barbera’s 1973 animated musical version of ‘Charlotte’s Web’ remains one of the most beloved children’s movies of all time.Julia Roberts provided the voice of the title character in the 2006 live-action and CGI-animated movie.