Arts
Young players bring condensed fairy tale to the stage
After 12 weeks of rehearsals, the Swamp Fox Junior Players will hit the stage with “Cinderella Jr.” next week at the Strand Theater.
“I love classics and I remember the beauty of Cinderella when I was a child and saw a production,” director Ronnie Hunter said. “Working with juniors, it was fun characters and a fun set and it transported you into a fun, magical time.”
Hunter cast two actresses as Cinderella – Addy Hapeshis and Libby Kaminski.
Each will perform in two shows.
“Libby will watch and then she’ll do it, or I’ll watch and she’ll show an idea she has,” said Hapeshis, a junior at Waccamaw High School.
Kaminski, a homeschooled high school freshman, said she and Hapeshis asked each other a lot of questions and worked things out together.
“I really enjoy it because I like seeing what other people do and what we do differently and what we can learn from each other,” Kaminski added. “I think it’s an awesome opportunity for both of us and I’m glad we get to share it.”
Hunter said junior versions of classic plays are shorter and the characters are not as intense. Cinderella Jr. has 15 scenes, but some are comprised of one song.
“It’s not as in-depth as you see in a full production,” he added. “It’s light and usually hits the high points.”
Hapeshis wanted to get involved with the Swamp Fox Players after seeing “The Sound of Music,” which Hunter directed, in the summer of 2022.
Kaminski has previously acted on The Strand stage, which is why she auditioned for “Cinderella Jr.”
“I thought it would be a great addition to the community and I love doing theater,” she said. “So it’s just an all-around great experience.”
Hunter held his auditions in August, with input from Cathryn Thames, the show’s acting coach.
Thames and Hunter have seen a lot of growth in the kids since auditions.
“They’re much more confident in themselves,” Thames said. “It’s really exciting to see this new group of kids that have not really had experience before suddenly growing into ‘oh, we can do this.’”
“I have seen them grow from being very timid and shy to actually having a voice on stage and me going ‘Wow. Who is this little girl,’” Hunter said.
Thames is an ardent supporter of the arts in school because she said they teach kids empathy and how to socialize with one another.
“It teaches us to put each other in other shoes besides our own,” she added. “I think that’s so important, especially in elementary school, middle school and high school until they become fully functional adults. I think there should be more of an emphasis on the arts.”
If You Go
What: Swamp Fox Junior Players production of “Cinderella Jr.”
When: Dec. 15, 7:30 p.m.; Dec. 16, 2:30 and 7:30 p.m.; Dec. 17, 2:30 p.m.
Where: Strand Theater, Front Street.
Tickets: $15 for adults, $10 for children under 13. Call 843-527-2924 or go to swampfoxplayers.com.
