For all that I have no natural affinity at all with kids of any age, I actually enjoy the Young Company shows. Often they're a bit fantastical, and there's nothing like costuming a fantasy to make your brain bounce! And the whole process is spread over a little more time, so you can take a moment or two to see what's going on, unlike the mainstage shows that kind of smack you in the head with a two-by-four, and then are gone!
So the inspiration for this show was a pop-up book of FairyTales, and that's what Beckie had to build for the set:
In this 'faeryland in a book' was a theatre, stage managed by Wilf Bounty, a wolf:
When the Once Upon A Time Players came to town, they brought with them every fairy tale character ever mentioned. Witches:
Mother Goose:
Peter Pan and The Good Fairy:
Little Red Riding Hood:
There was an Evil Queen and her mirror:
Prince Charming, and some not-so-ugly Step Sisters:
A whole passel of princesses. Rapunzel, Sleeping Beauty, and Snow White, and their protector, Ned the Huntsman:
And Captain Hook. (But his good twin Chas...)
When we lost one of our young actresses just before the whole thing was started up, we retooled some characterizations and created Hansel-und-Gretel as one person:
Of course, as in all good fairy tales, magical things had to happen.
And eventually, without a doubt, a happy ending. The play even says a number of times, Whatever starts with a Once Upon A Time, must end with a Happily Ever After. So, of course, there was never any doubt!
Of course, many apologies, photographing kids, especially kids who act, is very much like trying to photograph cats. Even the fast-moving object setting can only help so much!
anti-v
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