It’s a hard-knock life being an actor sometimes.

Especially if you’re a kid.

So following the lead of the adults of Whidbey Children’s Theater whose musical revue “Gotta Sing, Gotta Dance” broke some legs, the kids decided it was their turn. That’s why the kids of WCT decided to name their upcoming production “Our Time to Shine.” The show plays March 10 and 11 on the Martha Murphy Mainstage at WCT in Langley.

“We wanted to do this show because kids that are younger than middle school age usually get lesser parts,” said actor/student producer Sommer Harris. “Now that we are in middle school, it’s our turn to show our talents.”

Thus the title, though the cast is filled out with some students older than middle school.

“Shine” is a musical revue with songs chosen by student producers Jennifer Zisette and Harris. The cast is made up of 15 singers, all alumni of WCT between the ages of 10 and 18.

“We chose the songs by looking through WCT’s musical collection and choosing some of the most memorable songs,” Harris said, songs the young singer said they’ve always wanted to perform.

Harris and Zisette also acted as casting directors, giving the tunes to the appropriate singers after listening to hours of musical possibilities.

The show includes songs from some of the most popular musicals ever to hit Broadway including “Annie,” “Oklahoma,” “Huckleberry Finn,” “Into the Woods,” and “Wicked,” among others. Some of the songs are solo acts, some are sung with part of the ensemble and others with the entire cast.

The revue is directed by Kira Keeney and artistic director Martha Murphy, with choreography by Keeney, Melinda Mack and Suzanne Kelman.

Part of WCT’s purpose is to reach out to the community and extend the boundaries of what the theater can do, showing support for all ages interested in doing theater. So when producer Dana Harris voiced the idea her daughter Sommer and some other young thespians had about doing a show with songs that they wanted to sing, WCT was quick to accommodate them and give them some dates off their busy calendar.

The show opens 2 p.m. Saturday, March 10. There is also 7:30 p.m. performance on opening night and the show continues at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Sunday, March 11.

“The cast just kept getting bigger,” said Dana Harris. “The older kids started coming by and asking if they could sing or just be a part of the production. Around tech week I just had to say ‘NO! That’s it. No more singers!’” said Harris, emphasizing how close-knit the support of the community is.

But that seems to be the nature of theater around here. The community is very involved and WCT has been the center of the kids’ theater connection for 25 years.

“It feels like the kids are giving a gift to WCT,” said Peggy Juve, President of WCT Board of Directors.

Sommer Harris, who was recently seen in “Seven Keys to Baldpate” as part of a unicycling team with Dinah Hassrick — another “Shine” performer — was excited by the prospect of finally getting to “shine.”

When asked what she wanted the audience to come away with she had this to say,

“I just want the kids to feel like they’d like to be in it. And the parents to want their kids to be in it. I just want to do it and have them all think it’s fun,” she said.

Patricia Duff can be reached at 221-5300 or pduff@southwhidbeyrecord.com.