THE FROG PRINCE at Archway Theatre Delights with Classic Fairytales For All Ages

Archway Theatre welcomes the children's theater production of "The Frog Prince and His Story Time Pals" to the stage for performances 11 a.m. Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays Nov. 25 through Dec. 17. People of all ages will delight in this staging of these classic fairytales about charmed princesses, spell-bound princes, and enchanted animals. Tickets are $15 general admission, or $40 for a Family Four-Pack.

"The Frog Prince and His Story Time Pals" was written and developed by Sara Davenport and Adam David Green. Both are Archway Theatre resident company members, as are several members of the cast. Green also directs the production.

"While it is vital that we bring quality art, particularly theater, to the younger generations today, by writing 'Frog Prince & His Story Time Pals,' Sara and I set out to do something more," Green said.

Their script is composed of adaptations of "The Frog Prince" and three other lesser known classic fairytales.

"We chose fairy tales few had heard of so we could inspire young audiences to maybe, one day, discover their own stories to tell on the stage," said Green.

"The Adventures of Covan" tells the story of brothers who must keep their promises in order to rescue their sister. "The White Doe" follows the life of a young princess who has been cursed to.look different. "The Two Caskets" demonstrates the value of kindness to two sisters.

"These stories distill the great struggles we all face in our lives and, by doing so, bring comfort and understanding in equal measure to children, adults, and everyone in-between," said Davenport.

Their adaptation also has a bit of a modern twist to it.

"In 'White Doe,' instead of having the prince win the princess, we have a princess who finds complete independence - and is off to study marine biology at that!" Davenport said.

Cast members in the production include Archway resident company members Emily Blokker-Dalquist, Sommer Branham, Jesse Durant, Sally Schaub, and Davenport. Additional cast members include Andrew Chilcott, Richard Conolly, Caitlin McCormick, Timothy Rodriguez, and Lauren Simon.

"My first experiences of the stage were all about watching children's stories, fairy tales especially, brought to life by gifted actors, colorful sets, and music!" Davenport said.

"To blend four fairy tales together...really allowed us to untangle the biases and prejudices built into most all fairy tales," said Green.

"Yet, for all our tinkering with these classics, these stories maintain their immediacy - their essential magic," said Davenport.

The Archway Studio/Theatre is located at 10509 Burbank blvd., North Hollywood, CA. For additional information visit: www.archwayla.com or call (818)980-PLAY (7529).