Anya Smith combines five fairy tales in her first-ever play
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PABLO – As the lights dimmed in the Pablo Christian Church Saturday evening, for 12-year-old Anya Smith’s debut performance of “Fractured Fables,” the fruits of her labor and relentless work ethic were evident. She beamed with energy in front of more than 70 friends, family, and supportive community members for the hour-and-a-half show.
Extra rows of seating were required to accommodate the large crowd that came out for an evening of laughs and entertainment. Anya spent the past few months writing and directing her very own play after she was unable to lease the play she originally had in mind.
Pablo Christian Church Pastor Mike Johnston said he had always wanted to host a play at their church, as he minored in theatre while in college.
“I heard (Anya) needed a place to have her show, and that’s something I’ve always wanted to do here, so I said come on, we’ve got a nice gym for that,” Johnston said. “Hopefully this will be the start to something new for us and we can continue to do this.”
Earlier in the summer, Anya decided she wanted to put on a short play, but hit a road block when a company in New York City, told her it would cost $1,000 to lease the play entitled “Guys and Dolls Junior.”
“We told her if she organized and wrote a play we’d help her out (financially),” her father Brandon Smith said. “She’s a very driven girl. We’re absolutely proud of what she’s done with this play.”
“I just decided there isn’t much children’s theatre in the summer,” Anya said. “That’s why I figured I would do it myself.”
Anya combined classic fairy tales such as Rapunzel, the three little pigs, Goldilocks and the Three Little Bears, Little Red Riding Hood and Rumplestiltsken into “Fractured Fables.” Anya brought her own modern flair to these stories by incorporating modern items such as cell phones, laptops and Facebook to make the old classics feel new and fresh for audience members.
To fill her cast, Anya recruited her two siblings Bella, 8, and Logan, 5, along with friends she’s made in the Port Polson Players throughout the past few years. Anya held auditions for her play on July 5, gathering her cast a few times a week to iron out the details before the big show.
“All of this is pretty amazing,” her mother Judy Smith said. “She’s quite the industrious child. She’s creative and works hard at it. We’re proud of her.”
As Anya’s first play has come-and-gone, she is hopeful that she will be able to continue writing and directing at least one theatrical play each summer.
“I’ll definitely try to do more plays,” Anya said. “I want to do one every summer so the kids have something to do. It’s been so much fun.”
