Creative Youth Theatre

Here is a great photo from our rehearsal on Tuesday night. Pictured are Samantha Tibbs as Miss Minchin (on the right) and Hespera Purdin as Becky (on the left).

 

Below is our press release announcing A Little Princess to the world, or at least, the local media.

Creative Youth Theatre is proud to announce the final production of their 2006-2007 Main Stage season, A Little Princess. The children's classic opens at the theatre located in the heart of Phoenix on Friday, April 6 and continues until Saturday, April 21.

This version of A Little Princess is a modern adaptation of the beloved tale of Sara Crewe by Frances Hodgson Burnetts. Others know the Sara's character by way of Shirley Temple, who starred in an endearing 1939 version, entitled The Little Princess. Sara's story is one of love, loss and hope for the return of that which was lost. It is a story of transcendence. This wonderful, creative interpretation is infused with charm, comedy and a good dose of drama as we follow Sara through her challenges and travails, and we are there with her as she tries to regain all that she has lost, including her father.

The cast of A Little Princess is comprised of 12 children, ages 10-18, and one adult guest actor. The budding actors and actresses hail from Phoenix, Glendale, Peoria and Scottsdale. Several have been previously involved with Creative Youth Theatre or have previous performing arts experience at their school or other local theatre. The lead role of Sara is played by AriZoni nominated actress, Athena Purdin, a talented young lady from Glendale. Sara's nemesis, Miss Minchin, is played by the energetic Samantha Tibbs, a first-time performer at Creative Youth Theatre. They are joined by an amazing cast of kids who have given their all during rehearsals to make this the finest play that Creative Youth Theatre has had the honor of producing.

"The amount of energy and enthusiasm that these kids have is heart-warming and inspiring," said Paul Stout, Creative Youth Theatre's founder. "The excitement of opening night and a 3-week run has taken hold in these kids, their parents and the entire team at Creative Youth Theatre. We can't wait to present this version of A Little Princess to the public."

Tickets for A Little Princess can be purchased at the box office for $10 or for a discounted price of $8 via a secure, online ticket booth at Creative Youth Theatre's Web site - http://www.cryt.org – or, you may call 623-363-8385 for more information. A Little Princess open at 7pm on Friday, April 6 and runs through Saturday, April 21 with appearances every Friday at 7pm and every Saturday at 1pm and 4pm.

Photos from recent rehearsals of A Little Princess are now online. The kids, filled with loads of talent and enthusiam, are giving it their all. We're so excited about Opening Night on April 6!

The first week of rehearsals for A Little Princess has concluded, and what a great week it has been! The cast is full of talent, enthusiasm and positive energy. We are simply thrilled about this production. The weeks ahead will offer loads of opportunities and challenges, yet we know that every single one of these kids is a star. We can't wait for the debut on April 6. We hope you'll join us.

A couple folks emailed us asking for some basic summary information about A Little Princess, and we thought others would probably want the same information.

A Little Princess 

Dates: April 6 – 21, 2007

Shows: Fridays – 7pm, Saturdays – 1pm & 4pm

Tickets: $8 right here

Location: Creative Youth Theatre - 2045 W. Northern Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85021

Phone: 623-363-8385

We've posted this story at a few, local online news sites and we wanted to share it with our blog visitors. Enjoy!

Creative Youth Theatre is proud to announce the final production of their 2006-2007 Main Stage season - a modern rendition of the classic, "A Little Princess" beginning in April, with a production that is exciting, engaging and accessible. This story has been treasured for decades by audiences worldwide, with the Shirley Temple version from 1939 being most familiar to children and families alike.

"A Little Princess" begins when Sara, our sweet little princess, inherits a big fortune and is whisked away to a world-class boarding school. Sara is on the path to great wealth, the best education money can buy and a comfortable, easy, secure life. Ah, but life will not be quite that easy for Sara. Bad news arrives fast and the little girl, once brimming with potential, naiveté and an innocent sense of wonder, loses it all - her inheritance, her father, her world-class education and cultural grooming. Worse yet, Sara is completely defeated and forced into a brutish, harsh life of servitude. Sara is ready to give up when a stranger arrives next door and a series of curious events begin to unfold. The return of her family, education and fortune hang in the balance as "A Little Princess" draws to an exciting, heart-warming conclusion.

Sara's story is one of love, loss and the hopeful return of that which was lost. It is a story of hope and transcendence. And this wonderful, creative interpretation is infused with charm, comedy and a good dose of drama as we follow Sara, the Little Princess, through her challenges and travails and then on to her ultimate victories.

After two rounds of inspiring auditions, the final cast for "A Little Princess" was announced and the lineup is exciting. The kids involved in this play are truly amazing! Their enthusiasm is infectious and their energy knows no bounds. Rehearsals are always challenging, regardless of the production, as they drag out over the course of weeks, but every one of these kids is going to be a star in this production due to their hard work, commitment and growing self-confidence. The transformation that the kids go through is one of the great benefits of children's theatre. Watching a child's self-esteem grow right in front of you is so inspiring, and as the kids work towards their theatrical goals, their self-esteem, self-worth and self-confidence all rise exponentially.

One thing is for sure: the kids, their parents and the technical crew at Creative Youth Theatre are all sinking their teeth into this production to make it Creative Youth Theatre's finest hour thus far.

We are pleased to announce that tickets for the April production of A Little Princess went on sale this morning. You can purchase discount tickets online to any of the 9 performances. Please click here to buy your tickets to A Little Princess right now.

Auditions for A Little Princess concluded last night. We have a wonderful cast who will undoubtedly make A Little Princess, Creative Youth Theatre's finest production. We're thrilled with the number of energetic, talented, young people involved in this season's final Main Stage production.

Onward to rehearsals! 

Puss in Boots ended a wonderful run at the theatre on Saturday night. Thanks to everyone who pitched in to make this a rewarding, memorable production for casts members, families and audience members. Pictures will be added to the Photo Gallery soon!

We've been pretty busy around here lately with Puss in Boots' opening night this Friday, October 13, but we want to remind folks who are interested in performing with Creative Youth Theatre that auditions for The Grump That Tried to Dump Christmas are just two weeks away. Click here for more information on becoming a part of our beloved holiday production.