Over 20 kids have been working for 10 weeks memorizing lines, making costumes, designing sets, and much more for their performance on May 13 of Fairytale Courtroom.
According to one of the play’s directors, Maggie Peters, the ending of the play is dependent on the audience, so it is very important that people come and watch—”without an audience the play is impossible”.
“There’s lots of audience involvement… Each act will end differently based on how the audience reacts, so basically the audience gets to decide [who is] guilty or innocent,” explained Peters.
The play will consist of two different acts, with the Big Bad Wolf and the Wicked Witch, and will last about three hours, starting at 6 p.m. at the Columns, located at 343 West Second Street.
“If [they] don’t do a sport, then sometimes there’s not much for [kids] to do and so putting on plays and stuff, it gets kids to be themselves but also the opportunity to be somebody else. And I think kids really enjoy being able to become someone else,” said Peters.
The entire performance, props, sets and all of the other small but significant elements of the play are done by children, with Peters and Co-director Todd Hangess simply organizing, and instructing. The kids learn how to connect to their characters, how to work as a team, the challenges of memorizing lines, and many other things.
“It’s really their—the kids’— play that they are putting on. [Todd and I] are just there for support,” said Peters.
The seating and the stage will be outside with a bar with drinks and soft drinks, and entry will cost $15, according to Peters.
“Now that the weather is starting to get nicer it’s just something different and unique for Winnemucca,” said Julie Peters, who is sponsoring the venue, her home, and offering tours.
The play will have many different comedic and witty aspects and will have characters familiar to both adults and children, such as Little Red Riding Hood, the Three Little Pigs, the Wicked Witch, Snow White, and others.
Peters said that originally there were 15 different kids participating in the performance, but more were quickly added and “it’s growing” with each performance.
The last performance by the group, during winter, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, had a few less participants, but turned out to be a wonderful performance.
“[The plays] show support and it shows that, you know, the kids that maybe aren’t into sports, that they can have something that they can be active in,” said Peters.