Princess Playhouse presents 'Cinderella'
SHIPPENSBURG >> Cinderella and Snow White are making their way to the castle of the Little Princess Playhouse on Saturday, Nov. 21, and Saturday, Dec. 5.
Sponsored by the Shippensburg University Department of Music and Theatre Arts, “Cinderella” is the latest in a series of successful theater productions at the children’s playhouse. The show will be joined by a production of “Snow White” for a Little Princess double-feature.
Performances are in Stewart Hall on the Shippensburg University campus, 1871 Old Main Drive, Shippensburg. Show times are 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. each day.
“Cinderella,” written by French author Charles Perrault, was later produced in 1950 by Walt Disney. Nominated for three Academy Awards, Disney’s version is considered to be one of the best American animated films ever made. In 2015 a live-action re-imagining of the story starring Lily James as Ella was a commercial success, grossing over $542 million.
In a press release announcing the shows, Director Gretchen Leitner explains the Little Princess community mission, “We provide wholesome and affordable live theater for children, where they can sit within an arm’s reach of the actors. It’s a very intimate space, which inspires an interactive environment. Children can feed their imagination and ignite their creativity.”
Dr. Paul Leitner, professor of Theatre Arts at Shippensburg University, agreed. “Many of our student actors are studying to be teachers, not Broadway professionals. They are learning how to get up and engage children using theater as the medium. We hope these young teachers will take their theatre experience into their classrooms, encouraging their own students to learn to be creative and communicate with others.”
Actor Alyson Poorbaugh said, “Children are the most wonderful audience. They are honest and excited to see characters they know and love.”
Sarah Hykes agreed, “They come for the magic. That excites me.”
Hykes said she enjoys the evil characters, “My favorites were always the baddies and these two shows offer the ultimate battle of the stepmothers.”
Lauryn King said, “Humor is the glue that ties it all together. Parody allows us to find the laughter. It is the one consistent kernel in all the shows. We want everyone to laugh and have a great time.”
Tickets for the double feature of “Cinderella” and “Snow White” are $4 and will be available at the door. Seating is limited. Parking is free in the Memorial Auditorium lot, a short walk to Stewart Hall. For more information, call 717-477-1638.