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The Three Prince Charmings at The Elden Street Players
By Amanda Gunther - February 12, 2012
The most charming children’s show of the season will waltz into your heart as The Elden Street Players presents The Three Prince Charmings. A laughable, loveable, fairytale adventure written by Edith Weiss and directed by Barbara D. Carpenter, this fun-filled tale will keep young audiences fascinated with the stories of Prince Charming Smile and Prince Charming Hair as they encounter their true loves along the way. With characters that you just can’t resist like Narrator Steve (Paul D. Rubenstein) who is constantly changing up the story as one might expect a narrator to do, and The Queen (Marissa Dolcich) the woman who is always meddling in her son’s marital affairs; this story is sure to delight audiences young and old.
There’s magic in the way simple actors can become prominent fairytale characters simply by the outfits they’re wearing. Costume Designer Kathy Dunlap puts forth a tremendous and splendid effort into making these all too familiar storybook heroes and villains come to life. There are velvet and gold trimmed outfits for the princes, shiny cloaks with cobwebs and scary things for the witches, and a handmade Disney lookalike gown for Snow White (Betsy Eames.) But the two best costumes will shine through in the evil twin sisters, Hildegarde (Alexa Yarboro) and Magdelena (Alexandria Backer) as they are presented to Prince Charming Hair (Ronnie Spata) brides. Narrator Steve (Paul D. Rubenstein) calls them “jungle predators” and so they arrive on the stage in a vibrant leopard print dress and a bright turquoise dress covered with peacock feathers – a brilliant creative choice to really add a little kick to the words of the story.
Audiences will be thrilled with the daring sword fights and lively dance numbers during the show. Fight Coordinators Kevin Robertson and Marissa Dolcich ensure that each clang of the sword between the two princes look and sound authentic; making sure that the heroes are never in any real danger. Choreographer Katie Cheek has equally incredible work displayed in the show. There are dance numbers throughout but the most awesome one is perhaps as the witches enter the scene. Eight witches decked out to their full spooky potential sneak onto stage and do the “Shimmy Snake Shake.” It’s a coven of creepy crones can-caning and kick-lining their way across the stage; one of the finest moments of the show!
The stand out stars of the show of course are Prince Charming Hair (Ronnie Spata) and Prince Charming Smile (Lukasz Hall.) This dueling duo keeps the audience rolling with laughter as they consistently seek to challenge one another over whose the real Prince Charming, or who is more brave or less cowardly. Spata adapts the Elvis hips and coiffeur to impress his true love, Cinderella (Catherine LeValley). Hall is the over-the-top character that you just can’t help but love, with wild expression filled eyes and crazy gestures that will keep any kid laughing. Together this team really helps the story remain engaging for younger audiences.
So if you want to know exactly how Snow White, Cinderella, and Rapunzel found their true loves – in the words of two very dashing and very funny princes and one excellent narrator, then do not miss The Three Prince Charmings.
Running Time: Approximately 70 minutes with no intermission.
The Three Prince Charmings plays through February 19, 2012 at The Elden Street Players’ Industrial Strength Theatre – 269 Sunset Park Drive, in Herndon, VA. For tickets please call the box office at (703) 481-5930, or purchase them online.
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About Amanda Gunther
Amanda Gunther is an actress, a writer, and loves the theatre. She graduated with her BFA in acting from the University of Maryland Baltimore County and spent two years studying abroad in Sydney, Australia at the University of New South Wales. Her time spent in Sydney taught her a lot about the performing arts, from Improv Comedy to performance art drama done completely in the dark. She loves theatre of all kinds, but loves musicals the best. When she’s not working, if she’s not at the theatre, you can usually find her reading a book, working on ideas for her own books, or just relaxing and taking in the sights and sounds of her Baltimore hometown. She loves to travel, exploring new venues for performing arts and other leisurely activities. Writing for the Maryland Theatre Guide will give her a chance to pursue her passion of the theatre and will broaden her horizons in the writer’s field.
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