Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Albert Lea High School students on Friday will open the year’s spring play, “The Princess and the Pea,” a take on the classic fairy tale in which a girl must prove she is a true princess to the kingdom’s king and queen to win the hand of the prince. 

The play is directed by Mary Schoppers, a Spanish teacher at the high school. Schoppers has been involved in many plays, mainly doing choreography, since 2017. She most recently directed the school’s fall musical, “Mean Girls.” 

Unlike “Mean Girls,” Schoppers said, this play is made specifically for children. 

“It’s really geared towards the kids and their enjoyment of the story,” she said. “I figured that since we had such a PG-13 fall musical that we needed something to bring the kids in to finally come and see.”

In addition to having content suited for children, the play also has a smaller run time of around one hour. 

Schoppers said she hopes this is a fun event for the community at large to be a part of. 

“It’s just fun. It’s silly. It’s a little bit ridiculous,” she said. “It’s been a lot of fun for these high schoolers, I think, to prepare for these elementary kids to come in and see. It’s a different mentality than … any show we’ve done at the high school because this is geared towards kids.”

The last time the school did a show for such a young age group, she said, was when they performed “A Year with Frog and Toad” in 2022.

This year Schoppers took special interest in making sure the play transports people to a different time. One way she did this is by choosing costumes specific to the Renaissance era and having the students learn more about the time period and how it would influence their characters.

“We got a homework assignment on one of the first rehearsals, which usually would not be a cause for joy, but it’s the first time a director … has really encouraged us to get into character,” said Isaac Lowe, a freshman. “I just appreciate that opportunity.”

Lowe plays the role of Simon, a secondary character who works for an evil witch.

Even with a small cast of 14 actors, Schoppers said, there has been a lot to learn as the play has numerous set changes, two fight scenes and even some special effects.

“You see my character come to life through a transformation with a bunch of graphics and cool lights,” said Adele Hellekson, a sophomore. She plays the role of Princess Zorina.

Hellekson has been doing theater since she was a third-grader, and this will be the 15th show she has been a part of. 

A new face to the school, Patrianna Scales, stepped up this year as the assistant director for the show. Scales is a board member on the education committee for Matchbox Children’s Theatre in Austin. She approached Schoppers and offered to help with the school’s theater program in the fall.

Scales said her favorite part of the show has been getting to know the students through the characters they play, which was especially helpful as she did not know the students ahead of time.

“They bring a lot of themselves to the table,” she said.

“The Princess and the Pea” will have performances at 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the Albert Lea High School auditorium. There will also be a matinee performance at 1 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $8 for adults, $6 for students and $5 for senior citizens and children in seventh grade and younger. Tickets can be purchased on GoFan.co, the GOFAN app and at the door. At this time, cash and passes will not be accepted so guests must use electronic payment only. 

It should also be noted that the play contains scenes with flashing lights, so those with light sensitivity should use discretion.

Cast

King Jasper: Jackson Bighley

Queen Sarsaparilla: Evalyn Holcomb

Prince Peter: Given Saw

Jester: Paige Anstine-Orosco (Albert Bierman as understudy Jester during matinee)

Witch Zelda: Katelyn Schmidt

Maid: Jaycie Eaton

Zorina: Adele Hellekson

Simon: Isaac Lowe

Mary: Lydia Thompson

Princess Priscilla: Grace Nelson

Forest creatures: Albert Bierman, Lia Broskoff, Faith Dahl and Ta Wah

 

Crew

Creative director: Mary Schoppers

Assistant director: Patrianna Scales

Tech director: Suzanne Mauer

Set director: Ken Fiscus

Tech crew: Aiyanah Buckhanan, Bella Hafstad, Emmalynn Jeppson, Kylan Lenway and Avery Mauer