An evil fairy

places a curse on a girl that causes her to sleep until she is awoken

The town is

cursed as well, not to mention run by a confused mayor, a hysterical queen

and overrun by a giant. This is the plot of Offshoot Production's summer

musical, "A Tale of Sleeping Beauty."

Performed in

an intimate setting, this charming and quirky take on the classic fairy

tale unfolds with help from the children in the audience. This is the

third summer that Offshoot has performed one or more participatory plays

for children and the results in the past have been outrageous.

"You never

know what will happen when you invite children to join you on stage,"

said Susan Steadman, offshoot's artistic director. "A young boy dressed

as a pirate wanted to fight side by side with Long John Silver one year

and another show had a near sighted actor playing a king choose a boy

from the audience to be his queen."

Participatory

theater certainly keeps the actors on their toes and this year's cast

has plenty of theater experience. Accomplished performer Kathy Gilcrist

of Lawrenceville portrays the Queen, while Tyrone's Tom Flaherty appears

as the Prince. Flaherty has performed professionally with the Houston

Grand Opera and is up to the task of saving Beauty and her family from

the evil curse. The role of Beauty will be shared by Sharpsburg's Jen

King and Fayetteville's Emily Clifton, while Jeremy Steadman and Don Jenkins,

both of Peachtree City, share the role of the King.

Joey Waldrop,

a third-time Offshoot apprentice and seven-foot-tall Senoia resident,

fittingly plays the Giant who holds the Prince captive. Kimbo Daniel of

Brooks and Katy Jenkins of Peachtree City will share the role of Glenda,

the evil fairy, while Melissa Hamilton of Peachtree City appears as the

befuddled Mayor, who is shaken when the entire town leaves to escape the

curse.

Martha Clarke

of Fayetteville is the musical director. She has previously worked with

Offshoot on "The Tale of the Frog Prince," "The Further

Adventures of Maide Marian" and "Twelfth Night." A. Bryant

Betsill Jr. of Fayetteville provides the set and light design and is assisted

and Paige Steadman is the associate producer and the understudy.

"A Tale

of Sleeping Beauty" will be performed July 20-29. Curtain times are

at 7:30 p.m. Fridays, 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Saturdays and 3 p.m. Sundays.

There will also be two special daytime shows a 10:30 a.m. Wednesday and

Thursday, July 25 and 26.

Tickets are

$5 each, with a $1 discount if a child shows his or her library summer

reading program folder or, in the case of Fayette County, his or her "Press

Card." Groups of 15 or more can get a group rate with payment in

advance. Tickets are available at the Peachtree City Library and the Fayette

County Library and will also be sold at the door. Phone 770-631-2362 or

e-mail [email protected].

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