A Member of the Pack

Fort Peck Summer Theatre's opening performance this year, Cabaret, is halfway through its performance run which means Malta's Dawn Jenkins and the cast of the playhouses' next show, Leader of the Pack, are due to start rehearsing ASAP.

"I am part of the ensemble and I am basically a backup character this time who doesn't have a name," Jenkins told the PCN. "I don't know any of my lines yet because I have not received the script, but this Saturday will be our first rehearsal and I should get the script and see what I am going to be doing in the show."

Jenkins said her involvement with the Fort Peck Theatre started with a theatre camp several years ago, after which, one of the teachers mentioned to Jenkins mother, Heather Jenkins, how theatrical her daughter was and encouraged Dawn to continue acting.

"I did well at that camp and felt like it was time to level-up and start being in plays," Dawn said. "The classes were great because they teach you how to be more comfortable on stage, being in front of people, and to embrace new characters who don't exactly fit your personality. I found that I like being on stage, and, let's be honest, who doesn't like being the center of attention."

The other shows Jenkins has been in at Fort Peck Theatre have included Oliver and Man of La Mancha, Jenkins pointed to the latter as her favorite thus far.

"I absolutely loved that play because I was on stage the whole time," Jenkins said. "I could see everything that was happening and, oh my goodness, the set was so beautiful, and the sound effects, and it just smelled different. It was great. I am looking forward to Leader of the Pack as well."

Jenkins is a Malta High School graduate from the Class of 2018 and was able to hang with her high school peers a little bit longer this summer as she, classmates, and teachers visited London a few weeks ago. Jenkins said the group's time in London included attending three plays - Hamlet, The Play that Goes Wrong, and Kinky Boots - as well as three acting classes. Jenkins said that one of the things she brought home from London and one of the classes is the use of her hands while on stage. She said generally, she uses her hands a lot while acting (and in everyday life for that matter ..."It's who I am," she said).

"This lady wouldn't let me use my hands and it was really difficult," Jenkins said. "But it fit the character better, so it was interesting to try...It was a trip of a lifetime."

Jenkins spent four years on the MHS Speech and Drama team and was a part of many of the school's plays. She said that her experience on the Speech and Drama team and performing in the school's yearly plays has helped her hone the craft she so enjoys.

"Mrs. (Anna) LaBrie has been a lot of help because she is a great coach and she always knows what to say to get me to push my boundaries and be my best," Jenkins said.

Fort Peck Summer Theatre has been putting on shows since 1969 and the current show, Cabaret, runs until July 1Jenkins and her castmates start their run of Leader of the Pack on Friday, July 6 and the show will run until Sunday, July 22. Following Leader will be Disney's Little Mermaid (July 27 through August 12) and wrapping up the 2018 season will be Almost Maine, (August 7 through September 2) a romantic comedy which takes place on a night under the Northern Lights. Showtimes all season long are 7:30 p.m. on Friday, and Saturday, and Sundays at 4 p.m. Tickets for the shows can be purchased online at http://www.fortpecktheatre.org or at the theatre. For more information, the box office can be reached at 460-526-9943.

As for Jenkins, she said that acting is a great hobby which she will continue to partake in, but for a career going forward, she hopes to get into computer programing.

"I don't want to ever give up theatre, but it is not my main focus in life," she said.