This year’s winter play took a twist on a classical fairytale with a modern approach. Performing this year was a range of South students from freshmen to seniors, taking roles of reality TV stars and incorporating them into the well known fairytale Cinderella.
Cinderella: Project Princess is set in the Kingdom of Trump, and the King, Donald of Trump is hosting a competition to find a princess to marry his son. According to director John Knight, many other celebrities were included in this year’s play.
“Cinderella lives with her stepmother Martha Stewart and her evil stepsisters Khloe and Kourtney,” Knight said. “There are spoofs along the way of American Idol, Fear Factor, the Bachelor, the Apprentice and others.”
According to Knight, the audience for this show ranged from children in kindergarten through sixth grade. Knight feels the children are always very honest about what they think of the performance and he was most looking forward to seeing their reactions.
“What I love is seeing the kids react because unlike older audiences, kids don’t hold back,” Knight said. “If they like something, they let you know it immediately by screaming [and] yelling. If they don’t like it they also let you know.”
Knight explained that he tries to choose plays that are appropriate for grade-school children, that teach valuable lessons and also entertain an older, more mature audience.
With productions for children, Knight feels it’s very important to find different ways to keep the audience involved.
“In this show we [made] all the kids do the chicken dance at some point,” Knight said. “We also [had] some of their teachers picked out of the audience to be contestants in the reality show.”
According to freshman Janie Kahan, assistant director of the play, there is a certain way actors talk when performing in front of children. Typically, the tone of conversation and the dialogue differs from most adult plays.
“When you’re acting for adults you’re maybe more serious and can talk in your normal voice but with kids it’s a lot of high energy,” Kahan said.
Junior Matt Miller, who played the role of Sir Ryan of Seacrest, notices the difference as well when he’s performing in front of a younger audience. According to Miller, to keep their attention, actors must put in extra enthusiasm with each word spoken and each movement.
“[You have to] talk louder, you have to act louder and [you have to] be more physical with the comedy,” Miller said. “Falling down is always a huge hit.”Miller enjoys performing for the children. According to him, acting in front of a younger audience is more carefree and fun.
“It’s completely different than any other show we do here so I’ve been doing it ever since,” Miller said.
