Most play productions feature about 12 to 20 speaking roles, this play features 53. Most casting directors have days to select their cast, this production has an hour.

The degree of difficulty is at an all-time high when the Christian Youth Theater of North Idaho puts on its 4th annual Play in a Day – a children's theater production that spans just over 24 hours from casting to performance.

According to director Jeff Rocco, 117 kids between 8 and 18 signed up to perform in this year's play, which will be at 7:30 p.m. in the theater at the Ray and Joan Kroc Center in Coeur d'Alene. There are also 23 kids who signed up to be on the crew, which has to build a set overnight.

“It's no fun if you don't use them (the children) all,” Rocco said.

Facing a debilitating disease and a Christmas season with three kids – including a newborn – a Coeur d'Alene artist did something extremely rare: He decided to focus on helping others.

Jason Sanchez had the idea to help Children's Village in Coeur d'Alene this Christmas because he knew he "had to do something out of the goodness out of the heart." So he contacted the charity and told them he had a plan to help by building a gingerbread replica to raise donations.

"My first reaction was to burst out laughing," Janie Givas, development director for Children's Village, said. "People have grand ideas all the time, until they realize what it will take to actually complete the project."

But when Sanchez came in with "a beautiful board already drawn of this great gingerbread house I knew he was for real," Givas said.

Sanchez had spoken with Sarah Colbert of Tom Addis Lake City Ford, who OK'd funding – about $500 – the project, and he was all set to start creating.