Beth Fowler dancers to bring fairy tales to life

In “Storybook Ballet,” the Beth Fowler School of Dance Company will take the audience through the pages of the tales that have sparked the imaginations of children for generations, using the power and energy of dance to bring the bedtime stories to life.

The story begins with Marie, played by Alyssa Vicary of Genoa. She’s a young girl like so many others who begs her mother to read her favorite stories before heading off to bed. Just as she is about to drift off to sleep, four fairies flitter into her room and magically bring the characters into her room through doors hidden in her storybook.

“It’s the princesses we all know and love, coming to life out of a storybook,” Vicary said in a news release. “It’s every little girl’s dream, and Marie gets to live it.”

First through the storybook door is Snow White, portrayed by Jennifer Flatland of Hampshire, who will take Marie through the familiar tale of terror and travail against the Evil Queen, played by Lydia Carpenter of Sycamore, until she is restored by a kiss from the Prince, danced by Larry Pool of Rockford.

Next through the Storybook is the tale of the “Little Mermaid.” Princess Ariel, played by Becky Baert of Genoa, who together with Prince Eric, played by Wade Tischhauser of Chicago, King Triton, played by Phil Masterton of Rockford, and her undersea friends battle for Ariel’s voice and their very lives against the wicked sea witch, Ursula, portrayed by Lindsey Haugen of St. Charles.

Following intermission, the characters from “Aladdin” then waft magically into Marie’s bedroom, as Aladdin, played by Jacob Bliujus of Sycamore, and Princess Jasmine, portrayed by Taryn Sarto of Genoa, with their friend, the Genie (Lydia Jacobson of DeKalb), battle for their future and their city of Agrabah against an evil sorcerer.

Marie watches as the characters from “Beauty and the Beast” enter her room. Belle, portrayed by Lindsey Haugen, and The Beast (Larry Pool), join with their enchanted friends, the candelabra Lumiere (Jacob Bliujus), Cogsworth the clock (Abby Lewis of St. Charles), the feather duster Babette (Anne Fritsch of West Chicago); Mrs. Potts, the tea pot (Kaitlynn Rollo of South Elgin); and little tea cup, Chip (Brooke Baurer of Geneva), join together to defeat the treachery of Gaston (Wade Tischhauser) and break the curse cast by the Enchantress, portrayed by Becky Baert.

Finally, the fairies return Marie’s bedroom and storybook to their ordinary states, and leave Marie to her rest.

The show features choreography by Beth Fowler, with assistance from rehearsal faculty Brooke Fowler, Allix Sester and Lydia Carpenter, and costumes by Madlyn Steffey. The sets were designed and created by Sahin Sahinoglu of Northern Illinois University.

Performances will be at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the Egyptian Theatre, 135 N. Second St. in DeKalb. Children and adult ticket prices range from $18 to $28. Discounts are available for nonprofit groups of 10 or more.

Tickets are reserved seating and are available at www.egyptiantheatre.org or 815-758-1225 or at the theater box office one hour before each performance. All children's tickets include a backstage photo meet-and-greet with the princesses and cast.