Trading the glass slipper for the sock hop
Liberty Ridge Elementary found its way to the ball on Saturday when the school performed “Cinderella” for parents and classmates at East Ridge High School’s Loft Stage.
Liberty Ridge was able to put on the show with the help of the Prairie Fire Children’s Theatre.
Founded in 1987, Prairie Fire Children’s Theatre is a touring theater company that brings theatrical experiences to communities.
Throughout the year, the professional actors and directors travel to various communities for a one-week residency. The local children fill the roles, while Prairie Fire provides the sets, the costumes, the direction and two actors.
Last week, during their five-day residency at Liberty Ridge, Prairie Fire Theatre helped the children bring the retelling of “Cinderella” to life.
The Prairie Fire Theatre’s version of “Cinderella” is set during the 1950s, when sock hops were popular. Cinderella desperately wants to go to the sock hop and enter into the lip sync competition, however her stepmother and three stepsisters refuse to let her go. Cinderella eventually finds her way to the dance with the help of her fairy godmother.
As part of the residency, Liberty Ridge students auditioned for the various roles.
A total of 78 Liberty Ridge students portrayed Cinderella, the stepsisters, the mice, the pumpkins, the cat Dinah, the girls, the boys, Mikey the rock star and his band, judge King Kash and the host, Click Dark.
The two professional Prairie Fire actors portrayed Poppa, Cinderella’s father, and a dual role of Winona the Stepmother and the fairy godmother.
Prairie Fire Children’s Theatre is at Valley Crossing Community School this week to help with the school’s production of “Robin Hood.”