Theater founder to retire

MISSOULA – Jim Caron had every right – and every intention – to cast himself in his final show.

What would be more fun for the CEO of the Missoula Children’s Theatre Inc. – and more appropriate – than starring in and directing the iconic “Fiddler on the Roof,” a timeless musical so dear to Caron’s heart?

It is, he said, “the show that kind of put me on the map.”

But two weeks ago, something stirred him in his sleep. And that idea exited, stage left, and never returned.

“I thought, ‘Wait – you know, this is not about my acting,’ ” said Caron, who announced Thursday he will officially step down after next season as CEO of MCT, the company he’s built into an institution of worldwide fame. “This has always been about my work with kids.”

So Caron threw “Fiddler” off the roof and replaced it with an all-kids show that will feature more than 200 local teenagers.

“East Broadway Rocks!” – a musical revue of Broadway shows, scenes, sketches and music – will put a cap on the 2010-’11 MCT season and a cap on Caron’s career.

“And it will be the biggest, highest-energy show Missoula has ever seen,” Caron said, his voice suddenly stern with candor. “And that is a promise.”

Caron is retiring, handing the reins over to Michael McGill, who has been MCT’s executive director since 2006. Caron said he may come back to direct an “occasional” show while focusing most of his efforts the next couple of years on getting the Next Step Prep performing arts high school up and running.

Will it be hard to step down?

“The thought of it sounds nice” right now, but as the time approaches, it will be hard, he said.

“Fortunately,” he joked, “they won’t let me come back.”