KWP Productions has announced that two shows will be produced with an all-youth cast this August. The Story of Hansel and Gretel features the Overtures, elementary and middle school actors who make up the youngest members of the KWP production company.
Sent into the woods, Hansel and Gretel meet up with a number of peculiar characters. A fiery troll guards his little wooden bridge. Even more, an articulate owl, a forest sprite and two hobgoblins are in the service of an evil (but extremely funny) witch.
The witch locks poor Hansel in a cage and feeds him nothing but cake. Everyone will cheer Gretel as she outwits the crone and sets free all the children who have been turned into cookies.
Every dramatic moment is brought to life, from the night spent in the woods to the discovery of the candy-coated cottage. Sweetened delightfully with music, all will enjoy the fun of songs like “Gingerbread Witch” and “Apple Muffin Goblins.” The book is written by Vera Morris. Music and lyrics are written by Bill Francoeur.
Performances run from Friday, Aug. 2 through Sunday, Aug. 4 at the Atlantic Arts Theatre, with show times at 7 p.m. on Friday and at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. on the weekend.
The Mo’s Art Theatre will feature the play Friday, Aug. 9 and Saturday, Aug. 10 at 7 p.m., and also Sunday, Aug. 11 at 3 p.m. Tickets cost $15 for an adult and $10 for a student.
The second production, A History of the American Film by Christopher Durang, is being presented by the Second Stage Players. This group is made up of high school and college actors wanting to stretch their wings and do a more challenging piece to hone their skills.
The show is a hilarious take-off on American films, especially from the 1930s through the 1950s. The principals play a variety of characters, mostly wild parodies from many Hollywood genres: a silent tearjerker, gangster epic, courtroom melodrama, chain gang social justice thriller, screwball comedy, Busby Berkeley backstage musical, war propaganda canteen musical and more.
The play features: Elli Brown (Palm Beach Gardens), Lexi Carter (Jupiter), Jonathan Clarke (West Palm Beach), Victoria Devereaux (West Palm Beach), Alfredo Gonzalez (West Palm Beach), Michelly Gonzalez (West Palm Beach), Andrew Griner (Juno Beach), Sarah Hardwick (Lake Worth), Jake Howard (Boynton Beach), Chris Konce (Palm Beach Gardens), Jonathan Raffoul (Boynton Beach), Alec Ruiz (Wellington), Analisa Ruiz (Wellington) and Sophia Tome (West Palm Beach)
The book and lyrics are written by Durang with music by Mel Marvin. The show is for mature audiences only.
The play will run at the Mo’s Art Theatre on Friday, Aug. 2 and Saturday, Aug. 3 with performances at 8 p.m., and Sunday, Aug. 4 at 3 p.m.
The play will be performed at the Atlantic Arts Theatre from Friday, Aug. 9 through Sunday, Aug. 11, with performances at 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and at 2 p.m. on Sunday.
Tickets cost $25 for an adult, and $20 for a student.
The Atlantic Arts Theatre is located at 6743 West Indiantown Road, Jupiter. The Mos’ Art Theatre is located at 700 Park Ave., Lake Park.
Tickets for both shows are available at www.kwpproductions.com.
