Unusual Casting Marks Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

Play along with Offshoot: Act out your fantasy

WHAT: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs WHERE: Fayette Family YMCA, 215 Huiet Road WHEN: October 29 - November 13, Thursdays at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., Fridays at 10 a.m., Saturdays at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., and Sundays at 3 p.m. HOW MUCH: $7 for adults and $6 for children 12 and under FOR MORE INFO: Phone Offshoot at 770-631-2362 or send e-mail to offshoopr@aol.com.

Offshoot Productions' fall participation play, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, opens this week. The play boasts three professional actors: Jane Bass, who plays the Queen, Natalivette Costas Ratcliffe, who plays Cinderella, and Justin Sims, who plays all the male roles. Children from the audience fill in as other characters to help Snow White thwart the wicked Queen.

Ratcliffe, who moved to Georgia only last June, is a native of Puerto Rico where she was an award-winning teacher of drama and member of a traveling theatre company. According to Susan M. Steadman, Ph.D., Offshoot's artistic director, "Natalivette's accent is melodious and gives the audience a different perspective on Snow White. We worked on some of the sounds that were not second-nature for her, as Spanish is her first language, but she is very clear and expressive."

Casting a Snow White whose native tongue is Spanish may sound unusual, but it is par for the course for Offshoot, whose summer production of The Comedy of Errors featured female twin Dromios, roles which are male. Furthermore, one actress was white and one was black. "If the acting is good enough, the audience will buy that the other characters cannot distinguish one twin from the other," said Steadman.

Curtain-raisers for Snow White include four skits Ð fairy tales with strange twists Ð and several songs. In addition to the professional actors, the ensemble includes first-time apprentices Liam McDermott and Jean Snow, and community actors Brad Cottle and Jeremy Steadman. Rachael Shaw, assistant director, will also perform a pre-show song.

The show runs from October 29 through November 13 at the Fayette Family YMCA, 215 Huiet Road, Fayetteville, with performances on Thursdays at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., Fridays at 10 a.m., Saturdays at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., and Sundays at 3 p.m. Some Thursday and Friday performances are sold out, so audience members should call if they don't have their tickets ahead of time.

Tickets, $7 for adults and $6 for children 12 and under, are now available at the Peachtree City Library 2011 North Commerce Road, and the Fayette County Library, 1821 Heritage Parkway in Fayetteville. Tickets will also be sold at the door or by mail. Checks should be sent to Offshoot Productions, P.O. Box 2462. Peachtree City, GA 30269.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is supported by grants from Target Stores and the Endowment Committee for the Cultural Arts of Fayette County.

For additional information, call Offshoot at (770) 631-2362 or send e-mail to offshoopr@aol.com.