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Show n Times Newspaper Wednesday, Maf7, 1997 Page 16 It New Musical of 'Sleeping Beauty to open May 14 at SCERA Shell Sixty-two children will recreate one of the world's most beloved fairy tales in a new musical of "Sleeping Beauty" beginning May 14 at the SCERA Shell Outdoor Theater. The Spanish Fork "Children's Theatre will present the production produc-tion as part of the SCERA's 1997 arts season.) Anna Murdock, who has directed children's theater for nearly three decades, researched re-searched Charles Perrault's 17th century script of the fabled fairy tale and the Grimm Brothers' story to write her own version of a beautiful princess, a heroic prince and a vengeful, fun version of this popular story." "I took the basic story, added a few characters to assist with plot development and brought in Cami Jensen for music and choreography. I think what emerged is an exciting, fun version ver-sion of this popular story." Performances May 14 through May 17 will begin at 8 each night. Although tickets will be available at the gate to the Shell (699 S. State St, Orem), season tickets are still available through May at the SCERA Center (745 S. State) weekdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The show is made possible by season sponsors spon-sors Losee Jewelers, Bert Murdock Mur-dock Music. Swire Coca Cola. McCoy's Quality Carpets and Universal Campus Credit Union, with media support from KBYU Channel 11. "Sleeping Beauty is a timeless time-less story that had been told orally long before anyone wrote it down," Murdock says. "It is not merely a children's tale, because Perrault wrote stories for the court of Louis XIV. Many of his stories - "Little Red Riding Hood," "Beauty and the Beast," "Cinderella," Tuss in Boots," "Bluebird" - have survived to be- c& Ota&'Cooflta's I The SCERA Shell presents the May 13 and 14th at 8:00 pm. come enduring favorites." She remained faithful the original plot but omitted much of the violence. She added evil ogres to play off the evil fairy Malicious and a dwarf to serve as a liaison between the castle - Loco TcJH c&BVU W Loco Weather c& Church Soft Po CUusic Poip h Classic Sleeping Beauty on n and five fairies who take care of Beauty. Because so much of the story deals with time passing, she has a trio of clocks that become be-come integrated in the story. "The children really love them," she says. Murdock also kept the prin- si AM 54 CBusic Sports (Sundays 6 am, 8 am, Noon.) ' cess in the palace because, she says, "I cannot imagine the parents never seeing their daughter." V Additionally, she disliked the idea of a heroic prince who 'only shows up near the end of the story, so her prince is a childhood friend, and they see feeach other throughout the play. Malicious, too, frequently sees ' the princess. She is continually, after Beauty - flute theme intra-1 duces her presence so that children quickly know whenever "she is going to make an appearance. ap-pearance. ,r. As 'Sleeping Beauty begins,-an begins,-an evil fairy becomes increasingly increasing-ly impatient to get an invitation to the celebration of the birth of a princess. From her dwelling in the forest, she hears reports of her sister fairies receiving their invitations, and her rage knows no bounds when she realizes she has been left off the invitation list According to the legend. Beauty will fall into a 100-year sleep by pricking her finger on a spindle. The place burns all the spindles in a huge bonfire Murdock Mur-dock designed using fans, lights and fabric. Unfortunately, one spindle remains, and Malicious entices Beauty to the spindle during her 16th birthday. , Murdock wanted a tower as a palace backdrop, which she says, is backlit and looks like a "jewel against a darkened sky." it Additionally, she finds a way N to convert the evil fairy into an equally evil dragon. After Disney Dis-ney put on such a dramatic ending en-ding to 'Sleeping Beauty,' audiences expect a thrilling Ah' climax to any version of 'Sleeping 'Sleep-ing Beauty." Well, we deliver one," she says. Enhancing the music will be selections from Tchaikovsky's ... "Sleeping Beauty," jr The director designs her t plays to appeal to both children 60 70 80 90 Shows and adults. "Those who think ' this fairy tale is a simple story, ! do not realize it often threatens ' to be as tragic as Shakespeare's King Leer.' The parents are t , punished far beyond their over-t over-t sight At any time, they think . . they will lose their daughter ti forever, and their lament when she falls under the spell of Mali-, Mali-, cious is real and heartrending." All the major roles are double cast to give more children the opportunity to act onstage. Starring as Beauty will be Staci ,: Smite and Cami Murray. Prince (Charming) Justin will be Nick Christensen and Phillip Bushman. Bush-man. Other major roles include Seth Hansen and Kevin Keele as the King, Jenifer Miller and-Amy and-Amy Spotten as the Queen, Thomas Jarvis and Richard Keele as Dwarf Goodwin, and Amanda Matthews and Sara Herbert as Malicious. The fairies who help Beauty - Faith, ' Hope, Grace, Charity and Harmony Har-mony will be played by Jennifer Mahlum, Laura Money, ' Melania Phelps, Britney Penrose, Pen-rose, Susan Jensen, Tyra Echols, Jessica Howell, Kathy Keele, Lisa Mahlum and Mandi Peck. Narrators will be Jessiane Brinkerhoff and Meghan Standi Stan-di fird. Assistant Murdock as assistant assis-tant director and stage manager is Karma Christensen. Set designer is Clair Johnson plus Larry Murdock, Talus Jarvis, Mike Christensen, Kevin Keele and Richard Keele. Sound designer desig-ner is Richard Lindsey (Admix Sound Works) and light designer desig-ner is Dawnesia Shaffer. "It has been exciting to work with this ancient story," Murdock Mur-dock says. "And although, there are elements of tragedy in the tale, the fun of fairy tales is the magical happy ending. We hope our audience will share with us the triumph of vanquishing one very evil fairy and in living happily hap-pily ever after." For additional information 100 1200 about "Sleeping Beauty" and other SCERA Shell productions, contact the SCERA weekdays at (801) 225-ARTS (2787) or 225-2569. si iscmumyiane 1 Celebration ? Dcr.bury Lena's ,jj Cirthday Bash ' Whan Uav ft Q 1A IftSV Time: 10 a.m.4 p.m. li RcfraslHMirtsWUkSMVMfl I GIFT IDEAS FOR MOTHER ( Spring Clothes Yankee Candle , If 'Garden Accessories v Dried Silk c & Floral Arrangements Fresh Ivy Topiaries H'. - ... . . minu, uram. The wheel, it's believed, was invented about 3500 B.C. Celir.2 Pio;i Whitley Houston Ths Carpsntcrs Crcad EItc:i Jch;i a.-'"-- . " ;??W. 'qr )J : . . ---- I 1 I i -J. |