Theatre By Kids, For Kids!
All beauty and no sleep, Meet Sleeping Beauty Director Meghan Smith
- May 10, 2013
Joking about the sleep–we can’t tell you how excited we are to present Sleeping Beauty this June! Meet the fun and fabulous Meghan Smith, Director of the show, as she describes this beautiful fairytale story in her own words, shares with us the casting process, and her Encore experience.
Click here to view the full press release “An Unforgettable Birthday Gift.”
Meghan: The story of Sleeping Beauty tells us about Briar-Rose, the daughter of King Rudolph and Queen Eleanor, who has been cursed by the Bad Witch, Evilina. At a party to honor Briar-Rose’s birth, Evilina casts a terrible curse that Briar-Rose would prick her finger on a spinning wheel spindle on her sixteenth birthday and die. The Six Good Witches of the Kingdom of NeverNod spend sixteen years trying to undo or fix the curse and come up with a way to save Briar-Rose – if she pricks her finger, she won’t die but will fall into a deep sleep until she is saved by True Love’s Kiss! Enter Prince Alexander, to whom the Princess is betrothed. The story has action, comedy, drama, and a villain!
Encore: How was the casting process?
Meghan: The casting process was SO HARD! From the first auditions until the final cast was set, I have been consistently impressed with the talented kids and teens who came out for the show. We have twenty five actors in this production. Casting is a challenge because you’re really trying to create a balanced show: you want to play to a given actor’s strength, while still providing challenges to each performer, and figure out what pairings and groupings work best. Physical characteristics play into this – how tall or short an actor is, what his or her voice is like, etc – but it’s also about intangibles like “Presence” (you can be very small and still manage to be huge on stage!), and recognizing team players.
Encore: What can our audience look forward to in this production?
Meghan: The audience coming to Sleeping Beauty will be delighted by a classic fairy tale filled with their favorite Princess and Prince, some rascally animals, an evil witch, action, and lots of laughs! I like to find the humor in everything – the world is so much more engaging if you can laugh at it! So we have been finding ways for these characters to be fun and funny and silly, while still telling a classic and much-beloved fairy tale.
Encore: What other Encore productions have you been involved with?
Meghan: I began as a Technical Director for Encore when I was still in college (at GWU) in the fall of 2003. I don’t remember all of the productions I was involved with behind the scenes but there were LOTS! I’ve also been involved with Act III as a stage manager for Oklahoma, and then as a performer in High School Musical (Sharpay) in 2006 and Beauty and the Beast (Cogsworth) in 2009. I have worked as a teacher for Encore classes in after school programs as well as summer camps, and I directed Cinderella. I think this is such a great organization, and I’m always happy when I can find time to be involved.
What do you enjoy most about working with Encore?
Meghan: I love the kids of Encore! Really, getting to know so many bright, talented, and energetic kids and teenagers is such a joy for me. I grew up in a children’s theatre in Rhode Island and the values I learned there have carried through my life. I love that I can be involved in that experience for others. And, really, I just love getting to do some great theatre!
Performance Dates and Showtimes:
Friday, June 7 at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, June 8 at 11 a.m.
Saturday, June 8 at 3 p.m.
Sunday, June 9 at 3 p.m.
Friday, June 14 at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, June 15 at 11 a.m.
Saturday, June 15 at 3 p.m.
Sunday, June 16 at 3 p.m.
Ticket Prices: $12 adults, $10 children, students, and seniors (includes all box office fees)