A royal performance: Alma Schrader to stage 'The Princess and the Pea' this week

In Hans Christian Andersen's original rendition of "The Princess and the Pea," a beautiful young woman shows up at a castle seeking shelter in a storm.

She claims she's a princess, so the castle's inhabitants test her identity by placing her in a room with several mattresses piled high.

In the morning, the girl reports a sleepless night because of something uncomfortable somewhere under all that bedding -- what turns out to be a pea -- and with her status confirmed, the prince of the household decides to marry her.

However, in the version of the story that will be performed at Alma Schrader Elementary School tonight and Friday, the Danish fairy tale will unfold in a whole new way, said its director, Rhonda Young.

Young is a fourth-grade teacher at the school who rewrote and readjusted the theatrical version so more than 30 Drama Team students would have parts in the production.

Lucian Nordin gives a toast Tuesday during a dress rehearsal of "The Princess and the Pea" at Alma Schrader Elementary School in Cape Girardeau.Glenn Landberg

Although the princess, the mattresses and the pea are still part of the tale, she said, "the story flow is a little different."

In this version, the story focuses on the royal family, including the king and queen's two sons.

One son, the elder, is a more positive character, and the younger is a villain.

The elder, Harcourt, will inherit the kingdom, but only if he can find a wife.

Meanwhile, the king's health is failing and the younger son, Edgar, is trying to steal the crown by preventing Harcourt from marrying.

Noah Armstrong reviews his lines Tuesday during a dress rehearsal of "The Princess and the Pea" at Alma Schrader Elementary School in Cape Girardeau.Glenn Landberg

One night, a young woman shows up at the kitchen door of the castle but can't remember who she is, so she becomes a guest there until her lineage as a princess is proven when she can feel the pea under her many mattresses.

In between, a variety of back stories and side issues are explored, along with characters such as a wizard named Isador and his group of helping spirits.

Johnny Crouch, a fourth-grader at Alma Schrader, plays the role of Harcourt and has had the most lines to memorize since practice began for the play in January.

Crouch, 10, has been involved in the Drama Team since third grade and also played Linus in this year's production of "A Charlie Brown Christmas."

He said he got involved in the group to have something fun to do after school a couple days a week and isn't too worked up about what he'll experience on opening night.

"I'm not all the way confident, but I'm not all the way nervous," he said.

Mindi Nickell, a special-education teacher's assistant who is serving as another director, has been helping all the children in the play not only learn their lines, but deliver them with style.

"I tell them, 'Be your character,'" she said.

Once the tiny actors and actresses can convey their characters with authenticity, they can build confidence for the other challenges they are likely to confront in school and in life.

"They're all out of their comfort zone in some way, shape or form," Nickell said.

Although it's taken several months and lots of help from parents, Young said she can't wait to see the feeling of accomplishment students will have when the curtain closes.

"What makes it all worth it is taking the final bow and realizing, 'Look what we just did,'" she said.

"The Princess and the Pea" will show at 7 p.m. tonight and Friday at Alma Schrader, 1360 Randol Ave. in Cape Girardeau. Tickets are $5 at the door, and proceeds will support the Drama Team's future efforts.

ljones@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3652