A different take on an old fairy tale in the Blackhorse Village Players production of A Snow White Christmas  

By Brian Lockhart

Once upon a time – was a long time ago.

Snow White no longer lives with seven dwarfs, and her looks may have faded a bit over the years.

She now runs a “Sweat Shop” – the “a” is silent – and employs several orphans to work in her bakery, in the Blackhorse Village Player's production of A Snow White Christmas.

Written by Norm Foster and directed by Andrew M. Ladd, this production has a different take on what happened to Snow White years after she bit into the poisoned apple and was revived by a kiss from a prince.

This production features a cast from around the region. Actors and crew from New Tecumseth, Caledon, Aurora, and Bolton, came together to make this production a reality and brought their talent to the Blackhorse Village Players stage.

In the role of Snow White, Julia Okoth plays the beloved fairy tale character in the years after she met her prince, and takes great offence when anyone mentions that Cinderella is the fairest girl in the land.

She is visited by Vincent Charming, a new neighbour who has a store next to the Sweat Shop that sells copies of famous artwork.

Vincent, played by Thomas Pearson, is a smooth-talking philanderer who makes a great effort to get to know Snow White.

In the role of Max, Julian Guerrero-Hirsch is one of the orphans whose primary focus in life is getting a decent meal for a change. He works in the bakery and quite often works through his lunch with other children because there is no food.

In order to raise money, Snow White retrieves a magic mirror she obtained years earlier, that has the power to answer any question. She gives the mirror to Max and tells him to sell it to someone on the street.

Enter Derek and Freddy. They are two ne'er-do-wells played by Ricar Giachini and Walter Stewart, who are unemployed and desperate for money. When they meet up with Max, he shows the magic mirror. They can't agree on a price because neither Derek nor Freddy have any money.

That night, Snow White's “Fairly Good Mother” arrives by materializing in a broom closet.

Played by Laurie Laing, The Fairly Good Mother tells Snow White that she is one level below Fairy Godmother.

Derek and Freddy devise a plan to steal the magic mirror so Derek can find out what happened to his true love, and where she is now. They decide to kidnap one of the orphans named Prudence and hold her for ransom.

The plan is not well thought out, as Freddy signs their names at the bottom of the ransom note, just to be polite.

They have an even bigger problem when the orphan escapes by crawling out an open window.

Rounding out the cast are Cassandra Sima, Vivian Rose Genz, Maya Genz, and Amanda Tessier in the role of orphans.

Produced by Jo-Anne Pulfer and Julie Kovach, and set design by Myles Stromm, A Snow White Christmas is suitable for all members of the family and is on the Blackhorse Village Players stage through to December 8.

For tickets, visit the website at: www.blackhorsetheatre.ca.