Preview: Sleeping Beauty is set to enchant at The Masque, Cape Town summer 2022/23
| Sleeping Beauty- a Musical for all ages Where: The Masque, 37 Main Road, Muizenberg, Cape Town When: December 9 – 23, 2022 and then January 5-15, 2023 Tickets: R100-R120 -available at Quicket http://qkt.io/sleepingbeauty Direction/adaption: Faeron Wheeler Musical director: Tersia Harley Choreography: Stephanie McCulloch Costume design: Jennifer Kasuga, of Studio Kasuga Venue info: Parking available Wheelchair access Cash bar and snacks |
The Masque Theatre kept the musical theatre flag flying, during our lockdowns and it is terrific that its end of the year, production, Sleeping Beauty, can be staged, with full seating capacity and with audience participation from the little ones. The show opens on December 9. There is a Sleeping Beauty Slumber Party on December 23. Kids are invited to wear pyjamas and bring pillows- but of course they go home after the show. There is a Fairy Parade at all matinees and the small fry are invited on to the stage at the end of the show, to meet the Princess, Prince and the Fairies. Start times are geared to please: During the week, shows start at 8pm and on Saturdays, there are two shows- 2.30pm and 6.30pm. On Sundays, there are shows at 2.30pm. Go to the beach after the weekend matinees. This show looks like loads of fun Read on for more:
Preview: Sleeping Beauty is set to enchant at The Masque, Cape Town summer 2022/23
The Masque Theatre is proud to announce its highly anticipated year-end production – Sleeping Beauty. Get ready for a whacky take on this classic fairy tale where the three fairies are tasked with keeping the princess safe and have to find just the right person to bring the kingdom back to life. Music, passion, dancing and celestial good fairies promise an enchanting evening out…
From the team that brought you vibrant and quirky Cinderella in 2021, Sleeping Beauty promises to be another fun ride. It’s a story we all know and love – the evil fairy Maleficent isn’t invited to celebrate the birth of Princess Aurora, so she gate crashes the party and curses the baby. The three Fairies of the Light – Luna, Sola and Twi – do their best to soften the curse and keep the child safe. On her 21st birthday, Aurora is tricked by the wicked Maleficent and falls into a deep sleep. The curse can only be broken by true love’s kiss.
Can the Fairies of the Light find the right man (or woman) to break the spell? Is love at first sight even really possible?
At the helm of Sleeping Beauty is the same creative team that magically brought Cinderella to life in 2021. Faeron Wheeler has once again adapted the fairy tale and written the script, and also sits in the director’s chair. Tersia Harley is in charge of the singing and Stephanie McCulloch will be choreographing up a storm.
The show is full of foot-stomping numbers from Mango Groove’s Special Star to the hugely popular The Greatest Show from the film starring Hugh Jackman. The script is alive with laughter, acrobatics and above all else, love.
Sleeping Beauty will run at the Masque Theatre from December 9-23 and then again January 5-15, 2023. Tickets are R100-R120 and are available at Computicket.
During the week, performances will be at 8pm. On Saturdays, performances will be at 2:30pm and 6:30pm. On Sundays, performances will be at 2:30pm.
Fairy Parade at all matinees! The littlies in the audience will be invited up on to stage to meet the Fairies and Prince and Princess. Dressing up is welcomed!
| SHOW DETAILS The Sleeping Beauty- A Musical for all ages Where: Masque Theatre 37 Main Road, Muizenberg Venue info Parking available Wheelchair access Cash Bar and snacks Tickets on Quicket:www.qkt.io/sleepingbeauty Day Date Curtain up Wednesday 7 Dec 8:00 PM Preview Night Thursday 8 Dec 8:00 PM Preview: Press/VIP night Friday 9 Dec 8:00 PM Opening night dress up – Come to the Ball Saturday 10 Dec 2:30 PM Fairy parade Saturday 10 Dec 6:30 PM Sunday 11 Dec 2:30 PM Fairy parade Wednesday 14 Dec 8:00 PM Thursday 15 Dec 8:00 PM Friday 16 Dec 2:30 PM Friday 16 Dec 8:00 PM Saturday 17 Dec 2:30 PM Fairy parade Saturday 17 Dec 6:30 PM Sunday 18 Dec 2:30 PM Fairy parade Wednesday 21 Dec 8:00 PM Thursday 22 Dec 8:00 PM Friday 23 Dec 8:00 PM Dress up – Slumber party Thursday 5 Jan 8:00 PM Friday 6 Jan 8:00 PM Saturday 7 Jan 2:30 PM Fairy parade Saturday 7 Jan 6:30 PM Sunday 8 Jan 2:30 PM Fairy parade Thursday 12 Jan 8:00 PM Friday 13 Jan 8:00 PM Saturday 14 Jan 2:30 PM Fairy parade Saturday 14 Jan 6:30 PM Sunday 15 Jan 2:30 PM Fairy parade Fairy Parade at all Matinees: Dress up welcomed, littlies are invited on to the stage at the end of the show to meet the Princess, Prince and the Fairies Slumber Party: Join Sleeping Beauty in her Slumber: December 23, 2022 – wear your Pyjamas and bring your pillows, slumber party at The Masque. It is okay, you can head back to your own bed after the show. The Masque Theatre The Masque Theatre is a vibrant, community driven theatre situated in the heart of Muizenberg in Cape Town. Annually, The Masque plays host to a wide variety of live productions of different genres – both community and professional productions. As a registered Non-Profit Organisation; The Masque strives to make theatre accessible to all – from both an onstage, backstage and an audience perspective. The Masque was opened in 1959 by a local attorney, Bertie Stern. Stern had a vision to provide a platform for both amateur and professional performers, regardless of their social or political situation at that time. When The Masque opened, it was one of the only theatres in Cape Town that was open to people of all ethnic backgrounds. In 1993 Bertie bequeathed The Masque into trust for the benefit and growth of community theatre. The Theatre is still owned by the Stern Masque Theatre Trust and is managed by a board of volunteers. Today, the theatre continues to operate, thrive and grow despite adversity. Run by volunteers with a focus on community, the theatre showcases all genres of performance and is as widely inclusive as possible. The Masque is wheelchair friendly, has a fully licensed bar and snacks are available before shows and during intervals. Director – Faeron Wheeler Faeron has been involved in theatre and the stage since she was only three years old. She studied drama and dancing throughout her school years. She then went on to do a BA with a double major in Screenwriting and English before earning her Honours in Film Production from the University of Cape Town. In 2016, she began directing and then took up producing theatre in 2017 through her new company, F Creations, and has toured shows around South Africa. Branching out from just theatre, Faeron entered an F Creations team into the Cape Town 48 Film Project in 2019, and their film received a nomination for Best Editing. 2019 also saw Faeron take on the role of theatre critic, writing for Broadway World South Africa and Fine Music Radio. In 2019, Faeron teamed up with Erika Marais to write and perform in Your Perfect Life. The show premiered at the National Arts Festival Fringe, where it received its first Standard Bank Ovation Award, before touring around Cape Town. In 2021, Faeron was named as a Regional Finalist in both the Main Pro and Endurance categories of the World Monologue Games. During the pandemic, Faeron continued to create – turning to directing, filming and editing with (extra)ordinary, (un)usual. This production is a monologue showcase, using the writings of Australian playwright Pete Malicki. Created as a hybrid of theatre and film, this piece debuted online in October 2020. The piece was also part of the vFringe on-demand streaming platform for the National Arts Festival in 2021, where it received a Silver Standard Bank Ovation Award. F Creations also received an unprecedented second Standard Bank Ovation Award for their digital offering of Your Perfect Life during the 2021 festival. Musical Director – Tersia Harley Tersia Harley is a full-time music teacher, who works with pre-primary learners from age 3 to 11. Her career started as a general music teacher in high school, which was most challenging at the time. After going to endless training, the dramatic arts became a big part of her life. Not only did she teach it, but she also took part in various productions as pianist, vocal coach and performer. While in the Eastern Cape, Tersia worked as an accompanist for a junior choir, during which time she learned from her colleague about patience with little souls. The role as pianist for the Alexander Playhouse Showstoppers has been one that has to go down into the books as “sure, you can play anything” moments. She was also Musical Director for quite a few productions, particularly pantomimes in the Guild Theatre and Arts Theatre – there is no doubt that all these moments have had a great impact on her teaching career. The skills she developed have been a great asset in everything she gets involved with. After moving to Cape Town, it took a while to get back onto stage. However, the first one, Guys and Dolls with G&S certainly opened many doors after that. She has since been involved in productions with the Masque Theatre, Milnerton Players and Pinelands Players, in various capacities ranging from Musical Director to performer and quite recently, pianist in The Great Gatsby presented by Cape Town Theatre Company and CDC. In 2015, she got involved with The Rosa Choir, which is a community choir that includes people from all ages and diverse backgrounds from all over Cape Town. People of different cultures and professions come to sing together and just find a safe musical place to express themselves whether it be in the group or as an individual. She also works with the Junior Choir, which includes children from 9-13 years old, where she managed to put a music programme in place where they not only learn to sing but have music appreciation in general. Her passion for music has taken her places where she has presented to and learned from both international as well as local lecturers. Choreographer – Stephanie McCulloch Stephanie has been a dancer since the age of 4 years old. She started with ballet, then modern and moved onto Hip Hop for most of her school years. Stephanie also studied Drama throughout junior school and high school. She then went on to study at the Waterfront theatre school majoring in Dance, drama and singing. After 4 years with the waterfront, she then went onto doing various performances on stage, music videos, TV appearances, adverts, workshops, and dance gigs. Stephanie then went onto study ballroom dancing and was there for 2 years with Sundance Studios. In 2009, Stephanie was asked to teach workshops for her old dancing school and then was asked to teach at Westerford High School. It was after this in 2010 that Stephanie opened her dance studio “Twisted Movements Dance Studio” which was originally based in the Southern Suburbs. The studio went on to do various promo events, shows and flash mobs. The studio has grown since then, and is teaching at various schools like Cedar House, Herzlia, Westerford, Amazing Grace and now has a studio in Noordhoek and in Bergvliet. The studio teaches classes to kids and adults in all genres of dance but specialises in Hip Hop and Ballroom. Stephanie is very involved in Animal Welfare and all the shows that the studio puts on are to raise money for charity. The main charity that the studio supports is called The Tom Ro Haven for Equines and Children. Stephanie does all the writing, choreography and directing of all the shows the studio puts on. |
| The Masque – social media links: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/masquetheatresa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/masquetheatresa/ Website: www.themasque.co.za |
✳ Featured image: Tithonia Roux, Claire Thomson, Rufaro Mvududu in Sleeping Beauty at Masque Theatre, Dec 2022 – Jan 2023. Photo credit: Alasdair McCulloch. Sponsored feature. Images supplied.
