Raising the Curtain on "Snow White"

HFCC’s Theater Department’s production of Snow White will have its opening night on Friday, November 15.  Student actors and technicians, with the guidance of faculty members, worked and rehearsed for the majority of the fall semester to bring the classic fairy tale to life. Director Judith Fletcher chose to utilize a rotating cast in the principal roles, which included Snow White, the Wicked Queen, the Magic Mirror, and the Prince. The nine dwarves (up from the usual seven) were cast individually. The company performed a total of thirteen performances, including a full week of matinees for hundreds of area schoolchildren.

Danya Lynn Talab, one of the two actresses cast as Snow White, had worked previously with Fletcher when she directed the musical Grease in 2012.  “I really feel a connection to the character,” she said. “I’ve always had to fight things and stand up for what I believe in. Ever since I was young, I could relate to her and how she always thought there was something else out there. I know what it’s like to feel an outcast, similar to the way Snow White feels around her wicked stepmother. But I think she gives every little girl courage.” Reflecting on the story’s countless reinterpretations, she added, “Every reiteration of the story contributes something different. I feel our adaptation incorporates lots of different lessons, which is great.”

Katie Higgins, who appears as one of the two Wicked Queens, is new to the department, but not to theater. She was involved with a few productions during her time at U of M Flint. This is her first time acting in not only a large role, but one that carries with it a degree of recognition. “As I developed my character,” she said, “I took what I knew from the original 1937 animated Disney film, as well as a bit of the pure vanity shown by Charlize Theron’s Queen [in the 2012 film Snow White and the Huntsman]. Then I mixed those into my own interpretation.”

Higgins added, “There’s been a nice camaraderie among the cast and crew. I’ve learned to work with a bigger cast than what I’m used to, but we’ve helped each other out in various ways found it to be a very welcoming environment. I felt that Judy, our director, was very knowledgeable and patient. I’ve come to see her as both a mentor and director. And I’ve learned more about technical theater by helping out in the scene shop. Overall, it’s been a pleasurable experience working here.”

Next up is The Three Musketeers, based on the classic swashbuckling novel by Alexandre Dumas and directed by faculty member and professional director Christopher Bremer. Auditions are November 18th and 21st at 7:00 pm in Adray Auditorium, in Mackenzie Fine Arts Center. For more news and info, visit http://theatre.hfcc.edu.