Enchantment Theatre Company's THE SNOW QUEEN Begins Today

Each year, Enchantment Theatre Company brings its theatrical magic to the holidays and this season will be no exception. The company is celebrating the return of their production of Hans Christian Andersen's The Snow Queen. The show will run today, December 13-January 4 at the Arts Bank, 601 South Broad Street. Tickets cost $16- $29 and are available at enchantmenttheatre.org or by phone at 215-496-9160.

The Snow Queen begins when a young boy vanishes and his best friend sets out on a magical journey to bring him home. This is the tale of Gerda, who is determined to rescue her beloved friend, Kai, from the evil Snow Queen. A fantastic adventure through the land of snow and ice, the story is told with life-size puppets, expressive masks, original music and imaginative theatrical effects. All of these elements are woven together in a uniquely magical way to tell the story of a brave girl, whose journey shows how far she would go to save a friend.

The show will open with a Winter Wonderland Celebration on Saturday, December 13. Tickets to this special event cost $50 for adults and $25 for children and the proceeds benefit Enchantment's in-school art education residencies and performances. Beginning at 1 p.m., there will be food and family activities. Then, before the 2 p.m. performance Enchantment Theatre will present their annual Eden Award to Glen Knapp, Executive Producing Director of Philadelphia Young Playwrights. The Eden Award is presented to an individual in the Philadelphia area who exemplifies the values that guide Enchantment Theatre Company - imagination, originality, transformation and community. It was created to honor the memory of Judith Eden, who was a tireless advocate for the rejuvenation of Center City through her service to many Philadelphia organizations, including the Mural Arts Program, Center City District, Scrub Center City Residents Association and Enchantment Theatre Company. Past recipients include: Judith Eden, Dancing Classrooms Philly and Dr. Dennis Creedon, Assistant Superintendent of The School District of Philadelphia.

The cast includes: Scott McPheeters as Kai; Alison Liney as Gerda; Peter Smith as the Crow and Shaman Lady; Maria Konstantinidis as the Flower Lady and Robber Girl; and Justin Jain as Grandma and Reindeer, among other characters.

The show is directed and choreographed by Leslie Reidel. The design team includes: Andy Teirstein, Composer; Thomas C. Hase, Lighting Designer; James F. Pyne, Set Designer; Jonathan K. Becker, Mask and Puppet Designer; Ken Berman, Puppet Designer; Marla J. Jurglanis, Costume Designer; and David Hearn, Special Effects Designer. Special effects are created by David Hearn.

"The Snow Queen is first and foremost about the power of friendship and love to transform the world. Gerda is so committed to her best friend Kai that she will go to the end of the earth to save and redeem him. On her journey, she discovers her own power and is profoundly changed by her own actions. By traveling with Gerda, the audience comes to appreciate their own power to melt a frozen heart," said Reidel.

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