Theater students reprise Elly-winning 'Snow White' at The Acting Company in Yuba City

Students of The Acting Company's Young People's Theatre Program Summer Workshop reprise the Elly-winning "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs of the Black Forest" on TAC's main stage through Sept. 16 in Yuba City.

"Everybody knows the story of Snow White; it has been retold twice this year through (the films) 'Mirror Mirror' and 'Snow White and the Huntsman,'" said Dianna DeLashmutt, who co-directs the play with Carmen Smith.

"But this is the G-rated version. It has a mean witch and a poisoned apple and cute animals and cute little dwarfs and dancing trees — and it is an outstanding, huge cast," she added.

DeLashmutt said the children in the play were all part of TAC's summer theater youth program. "This is kind of like their recital, only better. The Acting Company is very proud of this production," she said.

TAC's summer theater students have performed "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs of the Black Forest" for the past several years with the Elly Award-winning Foster McManus as the evil Queen Bella and Paul McManus as the memory-deficient king.

"We do (this show) because it gives the kids a chance to grow 'up' — so someone who's a dwarf one year could be Snow White in the next year. They like it, and it gives them a chance to learn new parts and grow and expand," DeLashmutt said.

"The show has got so much to offer, and it's just so much fun. And because we do all know the story, it's fun to see it acted out. Each year it's different. Like, I helped Carmen last year with this show as the stage manager, and I got to grow up to be the assistant director!" DeLashmutt smiled.

The cast includes Hope Heaven Lee as Snow White, as well as Lena Bautista, Chantal Blomgren, Petra Cadwell-Nabi, Madison Cofer, Molly Enderton, Lacey Fuller, Elijah Hanson, Hannah Hanson, Aiden Hayes, Andrew Hayes, Lily Long, Jocelyn Machuca, Julissa Machuca, Kaydence Midgley, Sarah Odegard, Laurissa Poma-Sweet, Blake Rider, Kylie Snelgrove, Andrea Thoms and Emma Wolfgram.

"The best part about drama and being involved in theater is the life lessons you learn. Like, props — you don't touch someone else's props. Well, that translates to life: You don't touch anybody else's stuff," DeLashmutt said.

"And being a good listener — on stage, you need to listen for your cue line, you need to listen to what the other actors are saying. Or, you need to know your part well enough and be in character enough that you can cover if someone else forgets their lines. And all of that translates to life because that all helps you in life.

"So I think having theater in your life from a young age is an awesome thing," she said.

"Snow White" is "a universal story of good over evil — and I don't think you can learn that lesson enough, especially in this day and age. You need to remember that good will win," DeLashmutt said.

"Each year the cast interprets the story just a little bit differently, and they bring something new to it. So, yes, it's the same story, but it's told in a new way."

CONTACT Susan Benitez at sbenitez@appealdemocrat.com or 749-4773. Find her on Facebook at /ADFeatures or on Twitter at @adfeatures.