On November 8th and 9th, Sahuaro’s Intermediate Theatre captured audiences with its enchanting performance of The Frog Prince. Held in the little theatre, the show began promptly at 7 PM on both nights, drawing in families and friends eager to experience this delightful tale brought to life by the group of talented young actors. The stage was transformed into a fantasy world, showcasing not only the creativity of the cast but also the dedication and hard work that went into making this production a memorable debut for the year.

“I’m really excited for everyone to see the stage come to life and to experience the whimsical atmosphere that the set brings to the play,” shared senior Baylie Barger, who worked in theatre tech and helped paint and create the set.

With everyone working together, the play displayed full commitment.  “Intermediate theatre worked on the play for about a month, maybe a month and a half, so I’m excited for everyone else to finally see what they’ve been able to do,” Baylie said, expressing her anticipation for opening night.

The play opens with Prince Tad, portrayed as a selfish ruler who looks down on those around him. His arrogance leads to a life-changing event when he refuses to give an apple to a demanding witch. In response, she transforms him into a frog, with the only way to break the curse being true love. Only his guard, Fred, witnesses the transformation, and when Tad shares his experience, his brother and fiancée refuse to believe him.

Tad and Fred venture into the woods to seek a cure but find nothing, leading them to stay hidden amidst the trees. There, they meet Helen, a widow who believes the previous king was corrupt and thinks Tad’s brother, Ernest, should be king.

Meanwhile, the kingdom believes Tad is dead, and Ernest marries Sylvia, Tad’s former fiancée. During this time, Helen and Fred develop a secret romance. When Helen saves Tad from drowning, he mistakenly thinks she loves him, only to be heartbroken when he learns she is in love with Fred.

After witnessing this, the witch returns Tad to human form, revealing that she wanted him to understand how it feels to be small, just as he has made his friends feel for years.

As a human again, Tad realized the severity of his past attitude, returned to his brother, and sought forgiveness. Tad and the rest of the people of the kingdom accepted Ernest as king, which brought peace to everyone.

This group of talented students did a wonderful job of making the play both entertaining and interactive. The cast was made up of:

• Kaleb Sullivan Villa playing Tad
• Raven (Lex) Walker playing Fred
• Logan Crawford playing Ernest
• Haley Garcia playing Sylvia
• Donna Rachael-Allison playing Helen
• Samantha Carr playing Marge/Fish
• Athene Frad-Lerma playing Witch/Mildred/Rabbit
• Philip Rosado playing Healer/Terrance
• Amaya Romero playing Fish/Backstage Crew

Steve Kaczynski was responsible for the lighting design, Gretchen Wirges created the masks, and the theatre teacher, Christopher Younggren directed the play while also contributing to the set design. This opening performance was a fantastic showcase of the dedication of these individuals, and the school eagerly anticipates their upcoming creations this school year.