Summer Youth Program to present “Haphazardly Ever After”
COSHOCTON – How are you supposed to rule your royal kingdom when your royal children are too much for you to handle, the fairy godmother is just too expensive, every royal therapist you hire gets fed to the royal dragon, and on top of everything, the fairytale inspector shows up out of the blue to audit the efficiency of your kingdom.
Find out in the summer youth program’s “Haphazardly Ever After” at the Triple Locks Theatre July 16, 17, 18, 19, 23, 24, 25, and 26.
“It’s about a king and queen in their kingdom and their kids, they can’t stand them,” said Shelley Lillibridge, director of the play. “The play is about how the king and queen get rid of them and what can go wrong and what does go wrong.”
It’s not until the royal couple sees an advertisement for an Enchanted Depot with Do-It-Yourself spells that they start having hope of getting rid of their four children.
“I love the king’s sense of humor,” said Quinn Wherley, who plays the king. “He has some amazing lines and I always get a kick out of him because the king and queen are the dynamic duo of this play.”
It’s no wonder the king and queen want rid of their children. There’s Prince Slacker, played by Cayden Coffman, who sits around all the time and watches television; Prince Hairgel, played by Grant Cullison, who always has a mirror in his hand and has to have perfect hair at all times; Princess Peppermint, played by Kenzie Potter, who’s just a little ditzy and always says the wrong thing no matter what; and Princess Cinnamon, played by Leah Brinker, who believes that no suitor is good enough, or rich enough, to marry her.
Potter, who plays Princess Peppermint, finds her character traits part of her charm.
“I like that she has no idea what’s going on,” she said. “She thinks she does, but she doesn’t. She’s always very confident in what she says, but she always gets it all wrong.”
In addition to all the characters, there is also a narrator, played by Sarah Kittner, telling the story.
“She does a very good job,” said Lillibridge. “She just has a fixating voice. When she talks, it makes you want to sit down and listen.”
“For most of it, my job is just reading the story as it happens,” said Kittner. “I react to the characters the way I would if I were watching the play, but sometimes, I interact with the characters.”
All fairytales must have a magic mirror and “Haphazardly Ever After” is no exception. However, this magic mirror doesn’t show you your true love. It’s too busy cracking corny jokes and doesn’t take anything seriously.
“He’s a very amusing magic mirror,” said Cole Fisher, who plays the mirror. “He cracks a lot of jokes and is barely serious. It’s really hard trying to be an object and it’s hard trying to give him a personality and try to figure out his emotions.”
The play features 32 kids in the cast and 40 kids and adults total. Kids range from age eight to 17 and are involved in sound and lighting, backstage, and the concession stand.
“Haphazardly Ever After” will be performed at the Triple Locks Theatre on the dates mentioned above at 8 p.m. with special performances on July 19 and 26 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $12 for adults and $7 for students. Reserve tickets on their website at footlightplayers.com or call 74-622-2959. Tickets are on sale Monday through Thursday from 7 – 9 p.m. and on the day of performances from 2 – 4 p.m.
beth@coshoctoncountybeacon.com
Category: Arts & Entertainment
