The Erie Playhouse opened up its 2016 winter season this past weekend with its production of “The Snow Queen.”
This “Youtheatre” rendition retells this famous fairytale written by Hans Christian Andersen in 1844.
Young Erie students unlock their creativity in this tale of good versus evil with the addition of vocal and dance numbers.
The original tale of “The Snow Queen” follows the story of young Gerda and Kai.
Kai, under an evil spell cast by a troll, has left his home and best friend Gerda.
Gerda and her family believe his disappearance was caused by a drowning in the nearby river.
Heartbroken by his disappearance, she journeys to find the truth.
After venturing to a sorceress’s garden, a princess’s castle and befriending a young bandit girl, Gerda finally discovers Kai was taken to the Snow Queen’s Palace.
There she must break Kai’s curse using a new magical power she never knew she had.
This original fairytale was created by Andersen, a Danish author known for multiple plays, poems and fairytales.
This 19th-century writer began writing fabled tales based on old stories he was told as a child, until he grew more confident with his pieces and began creating his own unique, make believe stories.
His tale “The Snow Queen” is believed to be based on a lost love named Jenny Lind.
Andersen showed her his heart but she did not reciprocate his love. Her cold hearted reaction to his courtship is supposedly the inspiration for the Snow Queen’s evil and icy personality.
“The Snow Queen” has been the inspiration for the creation of numerous movies and books including C.S. Lewis’ “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.”
Its most recent impact was on Disney Animation’s “Frozen.”
Both movie productions focused on the evil Snow Queen and her ability to create a frozen tundra by the wave of her fingers.
Walt Disney took much interest in Andersen’s book, leading to the Disney animator’s later creation of “Frozen.”
Queen Elsa and Princess Anna are characters from “Frozen” who are loosely based on main characters, Gerda and Kai.
Queen Elsa also has the magical ice powers of the Snow Queen.
“The Snow Queen” will be playing at The Erie Playhouse, located on West 10th Street in Erie.
The character Kai will be played by Mitchell McVeigh, Gerda will be played by Cara Niebling and the Snow Queen will be played by Reagan Kennedy.
Show times for the Erie Playhouse production are 7 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday.
All tickets for “Youtheatre” productions are $14.
For more information about the show go to erieplayhouse.org.
LAUREN SOVISKY
