Here is a little sneak peak into the Hale Theatre Children’s Theatre production of The Princess & The Pea. Each week we have families and children of all ages who enjoy a high energy, fun filled fairytale right here on our stage.  We thought you might like a sneak peak into Saturday Mornings at Hale.  Enjoy!

Special thanks to John Janezic for putting this video together.

1. The Story

Prince Valiant is having difficulty finding a partner, as he must marry a princess.  When a young woman seeks shelter in the castle and claims to be a princess, his mother decides to test the guest by placing a pea in the bed the young woman is offered for the night.  In the morning, the guest, Princess Olivia, tells her hosts that she had a sleepless night, kept awake by something hard in the bed.  The prince rejoices.  Only a real princess would have the sensitivity to feel a pea through such a quantity of bedding.

2. Creativity

Apart from Princess Olivia, Prince Valiant & Tabitha the Cat, who brings humor to the play, meet Stella Strong (smartly clad in a white Olympia gown with gold trim), Dianna Ding-a-ling (Silly with an awful singing voice), Minerva the Marvelous (the brainy princess in cap and gown), and Bealah theBeautiful (carries her cosmetics in a gold bag).

3. Relevance

There’s a universal lesson to be learned here.  Prince Valiant isn’t dazzled by the good looks or impressed by the brains of the princesses.  He seeks a princess with whom he can share something in common for a long-lasting marriage.

4. Introduction to Children’s Theatre

Hale Theatre offers children’s theatre in the spring & summer.  The productions, characterized by action, drama, emotion, colorful costuming and appealing story lines, are a good way to introduce a child to live theatre. Plus, it’s a positive alternative to watching cartoons on TV!

5. Celebrate or Have a Picnic

The show starts at 11 am on Saturdays.  The water park across the street has tables and grassy places for a picnic or birthday party after the show.  If you’re celebrating a birthday, the theater will keep your cake refrigerated until the party.  Birthday children are introduced on stage and given a small gift.  In addition, the audience sings the birthday song.

(Text courtesy of Srianthi Perera of the Arizona Republic)

The finishing touches are all coming together for our upcoming children’s theatre production, The Princess & The Pea. The costumes look beautiful, the finishing touches are being put on the set, and after months of hard work the actors are getting ready to perform for a live audience.  This will surely be a show you and your little princess will not want to miss.  Gary Caswell, our resident children’s theatre director knows how to get laughs out of all of us!  Tell a friend and we’ll see you Saturday Mornings at 11:00 AM!  Call the Box Office for more information at (480) 497-1181.