Engaging young minds, refuting tradition – all in a day’s work

What actor Sean Hendrickson relishes most about his current production, Ghostlight Ensemble’s The Princess Without Pots, is the opportunity to share stories and ideas with children.

“Many of us didn't have opportunities like this growing up,” he said, “So seeing them get excited and engaged with the show is wonderful.”

The Princess Without Pots is an empowering fairy tale written for young audiences about the importance of never underestimating your opponent or the power of a delicious baked good. In it, Princess Cristina's parents have decided it’s time for their daughter to marry, so all the princes from all the lands come hoping to marry her. But, to win this princess's heart, a prince first needs to win a battle against the fiercest warrior the age had ever seen – Princess Cristina.

This weekend Hendrickson goes on as Prince Brax, the cocky, war-hungry prince whose only passion is conquering other lands.

As an understudy, he takes over a role that was established by another actor and as such finds himself having to walk a fine line between preserving the integrity of the stories and relationships established by that actor while still making the character his own.

“Learning to relax into the show and roll with the comedy as it comes has been the challenge,” Hendrickson said.

What he loves about the role is that it's the one hold over from traditional fairy tales in a play that otherwise turns the genre on its head.

“We look ridiculous next to everyone else. I love it,” he said.

Audiences – young and old alike – will like how funny yet genuine the story is, he added.

“This show is earnest, but it doesn't take itself too seriously,” he said. “Come for the laughs, stay for the heartfelt story.”

Up next for Hendrickson after this weekend’s stint as Brax, he'll be a guest Dungeon Master for Out On a Whim's Improvised D&D this July. And after that, he’ll be off to Nanjing, China, where he’ll be teaching theatre to primary and secondary school students with Enreach Education.

Hendrickson is a recent transplant to Chicago from the Pacific Northwest, but has been seen onstage locally with The Neighborhood, where he is an ensemble member. He has a BFA from the University of Idaho and has studied at the Moscow Art Theatre School. When not on stage, Hendrickson enjoys playing board and tabletop games with friends and reading fantasy and fiction when hanging out with his cat.

Catch Hendrickson on stage in Ghostlight Ensemble's The Princess Without Pots, the inaugural production in the theatre company’s young audience series, Nightlight. The show runs Saturdays at 11 a.m. and Sundays at 1:30 p.m. through July 1 at Laugh Out Loud Theater in North Center. More information is available at GhostlightEnsemble.com.