BAKER CITY — Jim Hawkins is having a bad day.

It’s one of those days where nothing goes right.

First, he missed the school bus.

Then he dropped his essay in the mud and couldn’t present it to his class.

And when he gets home, he finds out his mom is making tofu patties and bean sprouts for dinner.

“What is this? Torture Jim Hawkins Day?” he says.

He ends up in his room until he changes his attitude.

Frustrated, Jim just wishes that people had more imagination and less work and school and tofu.

He’d rather be a pirate sailing the high seas and searching for gold and fighting with a sword.

Then, suddenly, there’s a knock at the door and in strides Billy Bones, a “nightmare of a pirate” who demands that Jim fetches his sea chest.

And just like that, Jim Hawkins plunges into the world of “Treasure Island” in this youth production presented by Eastern Oregon Regional Theater.

“The kids are having a ball. It’s a fun one,” said Cindy Ratterman, who is directing the play.

The cast of 24 ranges in age from 5 to 16 — plus one adult, John Brockman, who plays Long John Silver.

The show opens Friday, April 12 at 6 p.m. with a special ticket price of $8.

More performances are set for Saturday, April 13 at 6 p.m. and Sunday, April 14, at 3 p.m. Tickets are $10 adults, $8 EORT members and $5 students.

The second weekend of shows is April 19-21 — 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday.

All shows are at the theater, 2101 Main St.

New and familiar faces

Ratterman said auditions drew a lot of youngsters who are new to the stage, in addition to actors who will be familiar to the audience.

Rehearsals started about two months ago, and the actors have learned lines as well as songs and dances.

And the audience can join, as well.

“There are fun songs — people can sing along with us,” Ratterman said.

“It’ll be an immersive experience,” Marquesa Peterson, who plays Captain Smollett, said with a smile.

She and Justin Wolfe, who plays Billy Bones, are the lone high schoolers in the play.

Although the play is based on the novel “Treasure Island” by Robert Louis Stevenson, it has been adapted by Kathryn Schultz Miller to be “a musical participation play for young people to perform.”

Ratterman said the kids have helped build props, such as treasure chests made out of cardboard boxes. Also, the play requires set changes and the cast helps change scenes from Jim’s bedroom to a ship on the ocean to the jungle at Skull Island.

The play runs about an hour. To buy tickets in advance, visit easternoregonregionaltheatre.com or call 541-523-9652. Tickets are also sold at the door.

‘Treasure Island’

This youth production is presented by Eastern Oregon Regional Theater over two weekends: April 12-14 and April 19-21.

Shows are at 6 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 3 p.m. Sundays, at the theater, 2101 Main St. in Baker City.

Tickets are $10 adults, $8 EORT members and $5 students. The opening night special for April 12 is $8.

Purchase tickets in advance at easternoregonregionaltheatre.com or 541-523-9652.