Everyone Is a Part of This Sorcerer's Spectacular

Ever been afraid to go to a children's participation play? Don't be. June Chandler's Fairy Tale Theater production "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" gives even its non-target audience a very good show. And the special effects--in a word, impressive. Every member of the family can enjoy this follow up to The 's hit participation musical, "Cinderella"; from little Susie up through Mom and Dad, Grandma and Grandpa, and back down to little Tommy.

Swordfights, damsels in distress, rapid-fire dialogue that recalls "The Princess Bride" and Danny Kaye's classic "The Court Jester"--there's something for everyone waiting in the velvet seats of the Sierra Madre Playhouse. Intrigued? Here's how to go about it.

After stepping into the Sierra Madre Playhouse's air-conditioned corridor, every patron receives a glowstick--er, magic wand--and a shiny gold coin, light as a feather. A few steps further and they reach the red velvet seats waiting patiently to be filled.

The Playhouse houses 104 standard seats, with some extra foldables in the back. The lights in the theatre are dim, but faint gold sparkles are seen on the stage--maddeningly undiscernable in the darkness. A silver cauldron sits proudly at stage left.

Fifteen minutes after eleven o'clock the show starts, although its official start time is eleven o'clock flat. A young man bursts into the theatre from the back doors, visibly sweating and asking the audience "Am I late? Did I miss the audition for the almighty sorcerer?" This is our hero, the hopeful Sorcerer's Apprentice (Derek Coleman, effortlessly magical) named Merlin the Magician.

After some small banter with the audience, he reaches the stage, and starts to practice his magic for the audition. An unfortunate spell misfire gives him rabbit ears, which remain for a goodly part of the show.

Our Apprentice isn't completely inept--one particular trick with a coloring book will definitly cause even adults to scratch their heads in confusion--but he's nowhere near ready to assume the mantle of the all-mighty Sorcerer of the Universe (Michael Evans, whose beard drops magestically from atop a ten-foot ladder all the way to the floor) and as such, Merlin is given five tasks to prove his worth.

The tale is a familiar one, but it succeeds in taking the characters and giving them a twist. Our damsel-in-distress (Lindsay Hopper, whose guiding voice makes a lovely sound) reaches out to Merlin through a crystal ball, and she is clever and helpful, guiding him from start to finish in the tasks. Merlin is also helped by two animal familiars: scene-stealers Harriett Hare (Helen Frederick, with fish-net stockings that steal the scene from everyone) and Sly Fox (Barry Schwam, whose impecable mannerisms and costume turn him into a real Renard).

This unlikely trio, crystal ball in bag, travels all around the world within the theatre doors; up and down aisles, across the back, and back up to the stage, avoiding screaming eagles and receiving help from all the young "magicians" in the audience with those glowing wands.

Our Apprentice grows in strength and confidence, in time to reach the test of cleverness, put to him by twin witches--one good, one evil, neither discernable.

Itchy Witch (Lynda Rohrbacher, the good witch) and Twitchy Witch (Joyce Sindel, the evil witch) pose the age-old "poison in the glass" riddle. Merlin, Sly Fox, and Dee Dee  Damsel, from her crystal ball, wrestle with the answer to the riddle in Court Jester-esque fashion while Harriett Hare watches worriedly from under the table, and not even her ubiquitous carrot can distract her from the wordplay. The audience audibly chuckles as our heroes banter at rapid-fire pace.

Once the riddle is solved and poison avoided, Merlin must face his toughest test of all: a seven-foot dragon (Ron Johnston) glowing in the dark and rumbling for a fight. Merlin and the dragon perform a stunning fight sequence, with the sparks from the "swords" the only thing visible in the blackened theatre during the dramatic battle. The pitch-perfect sound accompaniment of rolling thunder furthur heightens the dramatic tension.

Lest the story become too intense for the little ones, the lights pop back on and Merlin discovers the dragon's secret weakness: barbeque. With the dragon happily off to a barbeque, Merlin is finally able to find his lady-love Dee Dee Damsel and win the coveted job of "Sorcerer of the Universe". The previous sorcerer, you see, just wanted to retire to Bermuda, and happily trots down the aisle in a Hawaiian shirt and flip-flops.

The Quest is accomplished, the maiden is freed, the day is won, and the play finishes with a flourish in the tight running time of one hour.

After the show, the cast is available in the front of the theatre for autographs and pictures. Their geniune love and enthusiasm for both the play and their audience is refreshing. "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" is good fun for everyone, and a very refreshing twist on the old story.

"The Sorcerer's Apprentice" plays for the last time at 11:00 on Saturday, September 24. Tickets are $18 for adult and $12 for child. They can be purchased online at www.sierramadreplayhouse.org, by phone at (626) 355-4318, or at the box office at 87 W. Sierra Madre Blvd, Sierra Madre, CA 91024.