Storied Students Youths stage 'Snow White'
Students have been honing their craft and mentoring younger actors as they produce and direct "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," which opens tonight at the Butler Little Theatre and runs through Sunday.
Gretchen Perschke of Center Township is the director for the production. The 20-year-old is a junior at Washington and Jefferson College in Washington County. She has a long-standing history at the BLT.
"I've been involved in theater starting at the BLT for nine years. I've had many firsts at the BLT, such as first time performing for a paid audience, and now first time directing," said Perschke, who is majoring in theater and pre-medicine.
"I wanted to see what it was like on the other end of a production. I am usually being directed instead of giving the direction, so this project has been a wonderful challenge," she added.
Perschke's cast is composed of 27 children, and this version of "Snow White" is not the classic story or the movie version. She is trying to draw on her past experience and all she has learned to make this production successful.
The executive director and producer is Barb Shinn, leading Perschke and her assistant director, Brock Switzer, through the process.
"After having worked under some great directors in my past, from both the BLT and W&J, I am trying to combine all the techniques I have learned from them," Perschke said.
Switzer, 18, of Chicora is a recent graduate of Karns City High School and has been involved with the theater for seven years.
"Last summer I branched out to Butler after doing high school shows and was a member of the cast for 'Alice in Wonderland' last year at BLT," Switzer said about his theater experience, noting that he has done a total of nine shows to date.
Being involved with the project has been the highlight of Switzer's summer. "This has been truly one of the most fantastic experiences of my life thus far. I have learned so much and made some amazing friends in the process," he said.
In the cast, Sarah Huth, a sophomore at Point Park University, will play the role of Witch Hex.
"Witch Hex is interesting, because she's not particularly good but she's not really as evil as the queen is either," Huth said.
"I feel as if the queen is almost afraid of her at times. She sort of works the middle-ground and does whatever she wants, willing to bend the rules or harm others as long as she has someone else doing the dirty work for her."
Huth said she believes ultimately that Hex is a softie at heart.
The best way to view this story is to expect the unexpected, Huth said.
"There are going to be a lot of cool effects, especially with the mirror, and everyone acting in the show is exceptional," she said. "It's very different from both the Brothers Grimm version and the Disney version, so even if you know the Snow White story, there will be something interesting and new to check out."
Playing the role of the lead dwarf, named Blick, will be one of the BLT's youngest veterans, 11th grader Jordan Meals of Center Township.
Meals has been involved with theater for 12 years. "I decided to do this show because the summer show was so much fun last year that I knew I had to do it again because it is a great learning experience," he said.
"Blick is the dwarf in charge, much like 'Doc' was in the Disney version. Blick thinks he knows everything, but he doesn't."
Meals said that while Blick is the leader of the pack, "the pack" doesn't always listen.
The show opens tonight and runs through Sunday at the theater at One Howard St.
<B>WHO: </B>Butler Little Theatre Summer Youth Program<B>WHAT: </B>"Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," adapted by Jessie Braham White<B>WHEN: </B>7 p.m. tonight, Friday and Saturday, and at 2 p.m. Sunday.<B>WHERE: </B>Butler Little Theatre, One Howard St.<B>TICKETS: </B>$8 in advance at May's Music Shoppe, 247 E. Jefferson St. Any available tickets will be $10 at the door.<B>INFORMATION: </B>Call 724-287-6781 or visit the Web site, www.bltgroup.org
