Madeline's Christmas At Actors' Playhouse Encourages The Spirit of Giving

Sawyer O'Keefe has been a busy 10-year-old girl this Holiday Season, performing her leading role in Madeline's Christmas at Actors' Playhouse and having over ten inches of hair cut off to help those suffering from illness.

Sawyer, a fourth-grader at Ada Merritt K-8 Center, is one of two girls portraying the role of Madeline in the acclaimed Actors' Playhouse Musical Theatre for Young Audiences' Holiday production of Madeline's Christmas, playing at the Miracle Theatre through December 24. In preparation for the big role, Sawyer paid a visit to Judi Ashworth of The Alley Shop Salon in Coral Gables to shorten her hair for the role. To get into the Holiday Spirit of Giving, Sawyer decided to gift her naturally scarlet tresses to "Locks of Love," a non-profit that donates hair to children who are suffering from illnesses that makes them lose their hair.

When asked about her inspiration to donate her hair, she said, "I heard about 'Locks of Love' and I thought it would be great to donate my hair for this!" She had no hesitation about cutting it either, "I just didn't want bangs!" she says with a laugh.

To encourage the Spirit of Giving amongst patrons during the theatre's production of Madeline's Christmas, Actors' Playhouse is collecting donations for the Neighbors 4 Neighbors Adopt-A-Family 4 the Holidays Program. Every child who brings a new, unwrapped toy to donate during a performance will receive one free Flexible Anytime Ticket good for any remaining show in the Musical Theatre for Young Audiences 2011-2012 Season. The last day to donate toys will be this Saturday, December 17.

Madeline's Christmas begins with the classic storybook line, "In an old house in Paris that was covered with vines lived twelve little girls in two straight lines." From there, the day begins like any other day for the girls and their caretaker Miss Clavel, but soon ends in disaster when everyone except Madeline gets the flu. Saddened that they may not be able to go home for Christmas, the girls and Miss Clavel take to their beds. Can Madeline save the day for everyone with the assistance of a mysterious Rug Merchant?

The final 2 p.m. matinee for Madeline's Christmas, with book and lyrics by Jennifer Kirk by and music by Shirley Mire, is this Saturday at the Miracle Theatre. Additional holiday performances will be held Friday, December 23 and Saturday, December 24 at 7:00 p.m.

Tickets are $20 for adults and children and can be ordered online at www.actorsplayhouse.org or through the box office at 305.444.9293. Birthday party group rates for fifteen or more are available for show only and/or show and party reception.

About Actors' Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre
Actors' Playhouse is the nonprofit resident theatre company and managing agent of the historic Miracle Theatre on Miracle Mile in Coral Gables. Actors' Playhouse, which has brought home 70 regional Carbonell Awards for artistic excellence, is a Florida Presenting Cultural Organization and one of 22 major cultural institutions in Miami-Dade County. In addition to its Mainstage season, Actors' Playhouse offers a year-round season of Musical Theatre for Young Audiences, a National Children's Theatre Festival, a Theatre Conservatory and Summer Camp Program, as well as educational arts outreach programs for underserved youth, and has initiated a Young Talent Big Dreams contest for children in partnership with The Children's Trust.