The turtle and beaver will be there. So will Little Red Riding Hood and Cinderella. For the 10th year in a row, the Elden Street Players will present "Something Different" to the young, and the young at heart, when the curtain rises on the Theater for Young Audiences on April 5.
For a decade, Holly Harrington, the creator of "Something Different," has brought her collection of eclectic fables, fairytales and folklore to the darkened stage of an intimate little theater on the edges of the Town of Herndon.
But just because the feature characters in these acts may be girls with red hoods and glass slippers or boys and their magical beanstalks, doesn’t mean the acting, directing or attention to detail is any less exact.
"The worst thing you could ever do is underestimate your audience," Harrington said. "I have learned to never insult the intelligence of a child, they are a lot smarter than you might think."
Mary Ann Hall, the founder of the Theater for Younger Audiences, agreed. Hall said she favored scripts like the movie, "The Princess Bride," where audiences of all levels and ages can appreciate the show on different levels. "You can be four or 62, it doesn’t matter," Hall said. "It’s just you might find yourself laughing at different jokes, but you both leave the theater happy."
MONICA DIONYSIOU, OF STERLING, is the youngest member of the eight-member ensemble. Dionysiou says she prefers acting in front of a audience full of children. "I am more scared if I see an audience full of adults," she said. "At least with kids, they are always reacting to something, whether its good or bad. I like that reaction with the crowd, it really motivates you as an actor. I don't always find that reaction with adults."
The high school senior will take her talents and ambitions to Virginia Commonwealth University in the fall. Recently, Dionysiou has eschewed her Broad Run High School stage for the chance to work at the Industrial Strength Theater. "I just like this atmosphere better. I enjoy working with people who have all this real world experience," the 17 year old said.
With four rehearsals a week, plus weekends, the senior can spend up to three hours a day at the theater practicing her craft. The time commitment is worth it, especially when she sees smiling happy children in the audience. "I love the adrenaline rush I get from this place," she said.