BP students sing, dance through the forest
Brooklyn Simon, left, playing Gretel, offers some sisterly advice to Hansel, played by Ian Crabtree. The two had the lead roles in the Blooming Prairie Elementary School performance of the classic fairy tale – with a twist. Staff photo by Kay Fate
Drama – the healthy kind – starts early in the Blooming Prairie School District, and this year was no exception.
Each spring, the BP Education Foundation sponsors a professional touring theater company that brings stage experience to educate, challenge and inspire young artists.
This year, Storybook Theatre arrived in town with enough props, costumes and scripts for elementary school students to present “Hansel and Gretel.”
But as adults often realize, original fairytales are grim affairs, with wolves eating children, witches putting children in ovens, and evil stepsisters cutting off their own feet to win a prince.
It’s no surprise, then, when these traveling theatre companies offer a tale with a twist.
In this case, Hansel and Gretel are like any brother and sister – they can’t stand each other – but when their parents sign them up to be Adventure Scouts, they have no idea the adventure they are in for.
Troop Leader Paul, played by one of just two adults in the performance, takes his Adventure Scouts on a camping trip and tells a scary story about Brunhilda the Witch and her house made of candy.
Excited by the prospect of all that sugar, Hansel takes off into the forest after everyone has gone to sleep, and Gretel follows him.
Along the way, they meet some forest creatures and flowers that help them, but as they get deeper into the forest, they meet some of Brunhilda’s creations that are decidedly less friendly.
The entire production is cast and performed in five days, with rehearsals beginning shortly after the audition process – usually on a Monday afternoon.
By Friday, the play is stage-ready, with a matinee for the BPES classrooms in the afternoon and a 7 p.m. performance for family and friends.
Even with a last-minute hiccup – a loose ceiling panel in the performing arts center forced a change in venue to the south gym – the musical was met with laughter and hearty applause throughout.
And good news: Hansel and Gretel emerged from the camping trip without a scratch.