Eat Dinner, Watch 'A Tale Dark and Grimm' at Wharton High School

There's a saying at Wharton High School: "We have it good at both ends of the school."

Wharton athletics holds down the north side of the school while the LSA Repertory Theatre Company, also known as Wharton High School Theatre, holds down the south side of the school.

Basketball, football and soccer all made regionals in 2011. However, Wharton theatre has made states for the last 14 years running; that's every year since the school's construction.

Wharton theatre opened "A Tale Dark and Grimm" on Thursday (Dec. 1). They will perform it at 7 p.m. tonight and tomorrow (Dec. 2-3). Dinner is served before each show at 5:30 p.m.

While "A Tale Dark and Grimm" is the main stage show for the fall at Wharton, it is also the one-act play that they are taking to the Thespian District 9 One-Acts Festival at the University of South Florida, next weekend.

"We've made the 'Best Five' at states for 14 years in a row and we would like to have 15," said Director Jas Warren.

The play is an adaptation of an Adam Gidwitz novel. Warren received permission to adapt it for the stage and produce the show.

"On a desperate whim, I wrote him a letter, asking him for permission. ... And strangely enough, Mr. Gidwitz said, 'yes.' A terrible thing it is to be given what you ask for, because then you have no more excuses," Warren writes in the director's notes of the program.

The following is another except from the program: "Beware: there are warlocks with dark spells, hunters with deadly aim, and bakers with ovens retro-fitted for baking children that lurk within these pages. But if you dare, follow Hansel and Gretel as they walk out of their own story and into the wilds, where magic, terror and a little bit of humor shine like white pebbles lighting the way. Come on in. It may be frightening, but, unlike those other fairy tales you know, this one is true. Because, once upon a time, you see, fairy tales were awesome."

The experience at Wharton High School goes beyond just the stage for attendees. Art teacher Judy Oliveri pitched in with some Grimm-themed paintings that adorn the lobby. And a dining experience is delivered on a platter by Chief Instructor of Culinary Arts Edward Bujarski.

The Grimm tale involves a German Hansel and Gretel with Asian imagery, so the entree served to the public is called "Pad Munich," which according to Bujarski is, "chicken schnitzel over spaetzle (German pasta) with the pad thai sauce being mushroom gravy" — a German-Asian fusion dish.

This type of collaboration is commonplace at Wharton High. 2011 graduates Bianca Morales and Kristen Young have returned to Wharton to choreograph the musical numbers and, according to Warren, "even help paint the set."

"Most people wouldn't want to spend time at their old high school after they graduate but I just love watching people grow and learn about theatre," said Morales.

"Since the beginning of the school year, I've been here, pretty much every day," said Young.

Morales and Young choreographed last year's one-act, "Ratcatcher," and have volunteered to help a younger class of thespians "keep the tradition alive."

The two recent graduates have a short dance number that opens the show.

IF YOU GO

What: LSA Repertory Theatre Company's production of "A Tale Dark and Grimm."

Where: Wharton High School Auditorium, 20150 Bruce B. Downs

When: Show at 7 p.m. tonight (Friday, Dec. 2) and Saturday (Dec. 3); dinner is before both shows at 5:30 p.m.

Show price: Adults are $10, students are $8 and children are $6.

Show and dinner price: Adults are $18, students are $16 and children at $10.

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