Stewart Hall transformed into the Little Princess Playhouse on Saturday for the double feature production, “Elsa and the Snarls” and “A Princess Christmas.”

Shippensburg University students from theater arts professor Paul Leitner’s Creating Children’s Theatre class put on the shows as their final project. Many of the students are education majors, Leitner said, so acting in the show is a great way for them to interact with children.

Leitner and his wife, human communication studies instructor Gretchen Leitner, started Little Princess Playhouse eight years ago to fulfill the town’s need for children’s shows. Little Princess Playhouse has a production each semester.

“I thought this was not only a great opportunity to do theater, but to put on a show for kids,” said junior Cody Haifley, who played Miss Birdleg and the Ghost of Christmas Past.

Visitors flooded Stewart Hall, with some arriving as early as 9:15 a.m. for the 10 o’clock show. Children sat on the carpet so they could get up close and personal with the actors, who were just a step up on the small stage. Many children dressed up as princesses or wore their best Christmas outfits for the occasion. About 125 people came to the first show.

Although some of the actors were new to the Little Princess Playhouse, many were veterans who had taken the class previously. Senior Alyson Poorbaugh returned for her fourth time.

“Just seeing the pure joy from all the kids makes it worth it,” Poorbaugh, who played Holly, said.

In the first show, “Elsa and the Snarls,” Halle Shank played Elsa from the movie “Frozen.” Elsa wakes up each morning with her hair horribly tangled. It takes the princesses of Disneyland hours to comb out her messy hair. Kristoff, played by Grant Henry, discovers that Maleficent, played by Gillian Mencken, is using a magical hairbrush to ruin Elsa’s hair.

Elsa and her sister Anna, played by Alexandria Hamill, try to warm Maleficent’s heart by spending time with her in the castle doing the things she enjoys, like playing with her toads and snakes. The other princesses decorate the castle with Christmas lights and fill Maleficent’s calendar with social engagements. In return for their friendship, Maleficent gives Anna another magic hairbrush to cure Elsa of her snarled hair.

With only a minute to spare the cast quickly rotated to its next show, “A Princess Christmas.” Poorbaugh and Brittany Newlin played as third grade students in the play. The two created the play for their class and based it on their favorite book, “Pinkalicious.”

Princess, played by Lexi Haines, is a selfish girl who loves all things pink. She gives her parents a long Christmas list that seems never ending. When her parents scold her about learning the true meaning of Christmas, Princess pouts, “Bah humbug.”

The next day at school, Princess makes fun of her classmate’s ugly sweater, suggesting she simply go to the mall and buy a new one. Princess does not realize not everyone is as wealthy as her family. Princess’ teacher warns her to change her attitude —or Christmas spirits will come to haunt her.

That night, the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future come to visit Princess. Each shows her a vision. Princess sees her poor parents at their first Christmas together, her classmate’s father says he might lose his job, and worst of all, Princess’ future self at 40 years old turned into a shopaholic.

As soon as she wakes, Princess changes her ways. She wants to give her coats and boots to her classmate. Instead of keeping the pink tree Princess decorated all by herself, she asks her parents if they would like to take it all down and decorate together. She even wants to make presents for her mother and father.

Once the actors took their bows and the lights flooded the room, eager children rushed toward the cast members to take photos and embrace their favorite characters.

“That’s what it’s really about —their experience,” Paul Leitner said, gesturing to the children.

Little Princess Playhouse will have two more shows on Saturday at 10 and 11:30 a.m. in Stewart Hall. Tickets cost $5 at the door and free parking is available at Memorial Auditorium.

Share