 By Kathryn E. Eriksen
Magic happened on stage at the Fine Arts Center inside Waxahachie High School! Sixty boys and girls (from 5 years old to 16) played their roles to perfection and brought “Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs” to life – right here in Waxahachie. Ellis County Children’s Theater (ECCT) sponsored the weeklong theater camp and the two performances on Saturday. With the expert help provided by Calida Davis and Justin Deater from Missoula Children’s Theatre, the cast and crew from Waxahachie created a show that was enjoyed by all. Auditions for the play were held six days before the performances. A total of 113 children tried out for parts in the play. The turnout for the auditions exceeded even Gail Harrell’s expectations. Gail is the Director in charge of this event for ECCT. “I knew that the children in Ellis County needed a theater, now I know how much they need it!” Gail said after the cast was chosen. Rehearsals began in earnest on Tuesday and continued every day until the Saturday performances. The transformation of kids that had never acted before into polished performers was wonderful to watch. Justin Deater excelled in his direction of the cast, and his high expectations were met by all of the children. Calida Davis played the part of “Witless” (the narrator) with gleeful abandon and she also kept everyone focused during rehearsals and the two shows. While it is not possible to mention each cast member’s performance, one person’s acting set the emotional conflict for the entire show. Grace Nelson played Queen Bella perfectly, adding the right mix of gleeful, evil delight to her role. When Queen Bella is transformed at the end of the play, the audience joins in with the joyful celebration that takes place on stage. Emilie Bentley as “Snow White” was a joy to watch. She embodied the sweetness of her character, yet played it with a touch of haughtiness just like a true princess. The emotional contrast between the good “Snow White” and the evil “Queen Bella” drove the play to its natural and satisfying conclusion. Magic can be created, when sixty children accept direction from two professionals who know how to bring out the actor in each child. Magic can be felt by the audience who sees their darlings on stage for the first time. And magic is remembered by those same children when they ask their parents, “Can I do that again? It was fun!” Ellis County Children’s Theater’s answer to that question is a resounding “YES!”
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