What: “The Amazing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe”

When: 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. Saturday

Where: Cultural Activities Center, 3011 N. Third St. in Temple

Tickets: $10 for adults, $5 for children 12 and under

Note: For information, call 254-773-9926

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“That’s a full show,” said Lynda Mondragon.

She was talking about a cluster of crates and duffel bags full of set pieces and costumes that fill the back of a sport utility vehicle.

Mondragon and her husband Jeffrey Staso are co-directors of the traveling production of “The Amazing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe” by the Missoula Children’s Theatre.

However, the directors and their crowded SUV are the only part of the show that actually travels. The cast and crew are recruited in each new town and now it’s Temple’s turn to shine.

After five days of rehearsals more than 50 local kids will hit the stage on Saturday for two shows at the Cultural Activities Center.

“It’s almost a variety show,” Staso said about the production. “It doesn’t have a straight forward plot. It is more of an ensemble piece.”

At the Tuesday afternoon rehearsal the Octet, a variety act made of animals, practiced their routine.

Spunky the Monkey (Abigail Deitche) is the group’s impressionist. Her performance is capped off with a portrayal of the fearsome King Kong who becomes even angrier after eating a sour tasting insect.

Charlie Owens is the groan-inducing comedian Wild Boar Willy. With jokes like, “What did the zero say to the eight? Nice belt,” Owens is sure to live up to his boorish persona.

However, Willy may not realize the joke is on him because as he puts it, “I’ve got a million of ’em.”

With only one day of practice under their belts most of the cast has already put their scripts to the side and are working from memory.

Mondragon and Staso said the kids are never intimidated by working in such a small window of time.

“Kids never seem to care about that,” Staso said. “I think when you’re a kid anything like that is possible. There is no ‘I can’t do this’ when you’re a kid.”

Even if the actors go blank the directors are there to help fill in the gaps.

“When we first started we were only required to know our lines,” Mondragon said. “It’s kind of a hazard of the trade that you learn every line.”

The directing duo has been on the road for nine weeks and each week they are surprised how fast the production comes together.

“It’s interesting because it is amazing how quickly you become a family that week,” Mondragon said.

According to the program for “Crusoe” the play is based “loosely on a novel by Daniel Defoe (and we mean loosely).”

With a cast that includes the Chameleons, the Very Hairy Frowny Face-Tribe, the Goats, Friday’s family, Leonard the Leopard along with Wilson and Robinson Crusoe the term “loosely” may really mean “having a great time.”

“I think the theme of the play itself is imagination,” Mondragon said. “The ‘what-if’ factor.”

--rrenfrow@temple-telegram.com