The cast and crew of the youth production at the Butler Little Theatre are keeping their cool as they prepare for “The Snow Queen,” the annual summer offering this season.

The play by Will Ledesma opens July 20.

Based on the story by Hans Christian Andersen, “The Snow Queen” is being directed by Shannon Donovan and produced by Connie Donovan.

The story is that of little Gerda who searches for her fried Kay who has been bewitched and imprisoned by the Snow Queen in her ice palace. Gerda's charming innocence affects all she befriends along her journey.

The character of Gerda is being played by 11-year-old Naomi Eberle of Butler.

“Gerda is a shy girl that when asked to go on this mission was very scared. She continues to be nervous throughout her adventure. In the end she finds happiness,” Naomi said. “Personally, I can be very shy. I feel I look like she did.”

Having been in the last three summer shows, she said she wanted to audition for this production as well.

“I auditioned because every year I do one of these shows I have a lot of fun,” Naomi said.

Gerda is a very emotional girl and therein lies the challenge for Naomi.

“The biggest thing I've been working on is practicing getting very emotional on stage,” she said.

Owen Boring of Center Township, a fifth grader at Butler Middle School, is portraying Kay the Captured Boy.

“Kay is a 10 year old boy who likes pirates and adventure,” said Owen, who is himself 10 years old.

“He is protective of his best friend, Gerda.”

But his character changes, and when he is controlled by the Snow Queen he doesn't care about anything anymore, he said.

“I'm good at shifting my moods,” said Owen of what he brings to the role. “I have more lines in the show, which I like, but it's hard to learn them all,” he noted.

He appeared at the Butler Little Theatre as Mike Teavee in “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” last summer.

In the role of the Snow Queen will be 16-year-old Laila Tyler of Butler.

“She is cold and kind of mean,” said Laila, a junior at Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter School.

“My strengths allow me to convey her personality and the tones of it,” she said.

For her, the scene changes are the most challenging part of the show, she said.

“Kay is taken by the Snow Queen after getting a piece of enchanted mirror stuck in his eye,” Tyler explained. Her last role was Bernice in “Flowers for Algernon” at the BLT in May.

Carrie Peters of Winfield Township takes the role of story teller. The 21-year-old is a student at Butler County Community College and has taken on this type of role before with the summer theater program.

“I'm very adaptable and used to memorizing a lot of lines. I've played all kinds of different characters so it's easy for me to step up to the challenge of making this role entertaining,” Peters said.

Though Peters had read the story and was familiar with it, she said it was more about her familiarity with the director that spurred her to audition. “I just love working with Shannon. She always brings new ideas to the table and I love her abstract visions,” Peters said.

But realizing her skills as a narrator is only half the battle for Peters.

“I played the narrator in 'James and the Giant Peach.' My challenge has been to create a storyteller personality that fits with this show that is different from that narrator,” Peters said.

Twelve-year-old Sawyer Smith of Donegal Township has as a role to crow about.

“I play the Crow. He is elegant and refined and uses big words in his speech,” Sawyer said.

Last year his brother was in the summer show and said he had a lot of fun, so Sawyer decided to audition this year.

“Being new to the story, my main focus is my lines. I like making people laugh when I say them,” he said.

Sawyer last appeared on stage as boy Cratchit in the 2015 presentation of “A Christmas Carol” with the Hobnob Theatre.

The large cast of “The Snow Queen” includes students from a variety of area school districts.

WHO: Butler Little Theatre's summer youth productionWHAT: “The Snow Queen” by Will LedesmaWHEN: 7:30 p.m. July 20 to 22 and 2:30 p.m. July 23WHERE: Theater at One Howard St.TICKETS: $12 at www.bltgroup.org; limited tickets will be available at the door.