Elmhurst Children's Theatre Returns to the Stage - LIVE!

Elmhurst Children's Theatre proudly presented the hilarious play Game of Tiaras on May 14 and 16 at Christian Church of Clarendon Hills. Game of Tiaras, by Don Zolidis, is a twisted tale of the princesses you know and love in a play based on the old bard's King Lear.

Director Tim Soszko says, “I really enjoyed bringing this cartoonish version of King Lear to the stage.” Soszko has been working with Elmhurst Children's Theatre for over 14 years as the director of the sketch comedy show Unintentionally Hilarious, but he started his ECT career in 7th grade as the crocodile in Peter Pan. Soszko has been performing, teaching, writing, directing, and producing for over 15 years. He teaches classes at The Actors Training Center, The Revival, Booth, and Quinlan and performs with a musical improv group called The Deltones. www.timsoszko.com

Assistant Director Jackie Cimino is an ECT alum and a junior at York Community Highschool. “I have held a profound love for ECT and everyone involved since the summer going into my 7th-grade year at Churchville Middle School when I was Soloist Number One in Elf Junior.” Cimino is currently involved with York’s production of Theory of Relativity.

The Game of Tiaras cast was made up of 24 actors who played characters ranging from Cinderella and Prince Charming to the Little Mermaid and “Princess Number Three.” The snarky drama between the 3 main princesses, Cinderella—played by Churchville 8th grader Alexa Klein, Ellie (not any relation to a licensed character who also has a chilly demeanor and commands snow and ice)—played by Bryan 8th grader Betsy Kungl, and Belle—played by Sandburg 6th grader Sarah Sokol, kept the audience laughing. Bryan 7th grader Elyssa Hall and Sandburg 7th grader Eloise Hill played Little Mermaid and Other Princess 3, both delivering exceptional vocal performances of songs with lyrics tweaked to go along with the comedic storyline.

Prince Charming, played by Bryan 8th grader Aidan Espinosa, seemed to be perhaps a bit on the dense side, belting out lines like “I LIKE BUNNIES” for no apparent reason. But later Prince Charming took the stage to deliver a hilarious monologue in which he revealed his evil plan to take over the kingdom.

The audience was brought to tears of laughter with lines like “I’m a priest on the weekends,” delivered by a soldier (played by Sandburg 6th grader Danny Casey) who rose from one of the many, many untimely deaths portrayed in the comedy to deliver a marriage sermon. Tevis Hardin, a Bryan 7th grader, played the hilarious executioner who, after failing to reattach Belle’s decapitated head, a painted styrofoam wig head, back on to Belle, ran off the stage in despair.

Because, as narrators played by Sandburg 8th graders Eva Pavlik and Josephine Roubitchek explained, the show “has a limited budget,” death scenes were punctuated by a character called The Blood Packet Guy, played by Sandburg 7th grader Luke Peterson, who attached red streamers to victims when they were supposedly injured or killed during the play.

Still, nothing could be quite as funny as the “animated snowman” played by Bryan 8th grader Nathan Walker, who simply wanted to hug it out with Smeagol, played by Bryan 6th grader Emily Gambill, even as Smeagol continued to try to stab him, saying simply, “he doesn’t seem to have any internal organs!”

The full cast included students from Elmhurst middle schools and elementary schools both public and private. The cast included:
Heidi Bedinghaus
Allison Buhrfiend
Danny Casey
Gio D’Alessandro
Aidan Espinosa
Emily Gambill
Reese Goodrich
Elyssa Hall
Tevis Hardin
Eloise Hill
Addison Hronek
Alexa Klein
Betsy Kungl
Cailyn O’Malley
Eva Pavlik
Luke Peterson
Lucas Prine
Liam Rees
Josephine Roubitchek
Rich Simonds
Sarah Sokol
Ava Turek
Nathan Walker

Crew included:
Maggie Casey, Pauline Lewis, Eli Lucier, and Casey Simonds

Elmhurst Children’s Theatre is grateful to Team Elmhurst Soccer Club and Christian Church of Clarendon Hills for opening their space to our cast to rehearse and perform. Without their trust in our program, cast, and volunteers, this production would not have been possible.

If you missed the show, DVDs are available for sale through ECT for $25. Please contact treasurer@elmhurstchildrenstheatre.com.

ECT is thrilled to announce the return of Director Samantha Rose and Musical Director Michelle Maiers as well as our new Assistant Director Cece Lampa, an ECT alum, to produce this summer’s production of Madagascar Jr., coming to audiences live on July 21 and 22, 2021, at Wilder Park. Follow ECT on Facebook or Instagram or visit ECTshows.com for more information.

ABOUT GAME OF TIARAS

Written by Don Zolidis.

GAME OF TIARAS is presented through special arrangement with Playscripts.
All authorized performance materials are also supplied by Playscripts.

ABOUT ECT

Elmhurst Children's Theatre (ECT) is a 501(c)(3) not for profit, children's theatre company. Dedicated to serving the children of Elmhurst, ECT provides a unique experience in all aspects of live theatre by promoting a supportive and positive learning environment.

Children in fifth through eighth grade who live in Elmhurst or attend District 205 or parochial schools in Elmhurst may audition for ECT productions. In a typical year, ECT stages two main stage productions, a summer show, and the Unintentionally Hilarious Sketch Comedy Troupe, hiring professional directors and relying on parent volunteers to manage classes, productions and rehearsals, market productions and classes, and create costumes and sets. Classes are offered throughout the year for children in first through eighth grades.

Elmhurst Children's Theatre's 501(c)(3) not-for-profit status provides tax-deductible donation opportunities to our community. Your generous donation funds scholarship, outreach, and experience to children of Elmhurst providing an opportunity for growth through the experience of live theatre. Donate to ECT -
Zelle: treasurer@elmhurstchildrenstheatre.com
Check: ECT Treasurer, PO Box 64, Elmhurst, IL 60126
Facebook: click on the donate button on any of our donation posts
Special arrangements: treasurer@elmhurstchildrenstheatre.com

Thank you for your support.

For more information, please visit ECT's website at ectshows.com.