Special needs cast to stage own Fairytale Mix-Up' in Arlington Hts.

You won't see it on the Metropolis calendar, but the Arlington Heights performing arts center presents its first fairy tale mash-up this weekend.

The young adult actors in the theater's Flourish in the Footlights program collaborated during last fall's session to create the original production. They called it "Fairytale Mix-Up: Red Meets Gold!" - because the tale combines "Little Red Riding Hood" with "Goldilocks and the Three Bears."

The show is at 3 p.m. Sunday at the Metropolis Theatre, 111 W. Campbell St., in Arlington Heights. Tickets are $8. For information, call the box office, (847) 577-2121.

Have you ever wondered what the Three Bears do in their spare time or why the Big Bad Wolf is so angry? What happened to Little Red Riding Hood's father? And why does Goldilocks break into the Bears' house?

"We have been performing fairy tales for the last seven shows and I felt we were ready to step up our game a little bit this year," says Megan Willhite, now in her 10th year of directing the show. "I think the actors were ready for a change, but I also wanted to continue to cultivate their story writing and performance skills,"

The ensemble this year includes 12 actors, who range in age from 19-37 and come from Arlington Heights, Barrington, Hoffman Estates, Itasca. Palatine, Rolling Meadows and Wheeling.

Flourish in the Footlights is an acting program for teenagers and adults with special needs that was created 12 years ago in partnership with Arlington Pediatric Therapy Clinic.

The seven-month program has an acting techniques class and a production rehearsal process and culminates with a full-scale performance on the Metropolis stage.

"Many of our actors come back year after year, and you just see incredible growth," says Mary Beth Mayer, a special educator with Arlington Pediatric Therapy. "The program is a way to bring all the different skills - speech, physical and occupational therapies - together. Mostly, its puts them in the spotlight, which they desperately need."

A portion of the proceeds from the Metropolis Gala - this year's is on Saturday night - have consistently supported the program and its actors.

Willhite says what she really loves about the program is the creative process the actors participate in.

For this show, the actors collaborated to determine what would connect the two stories. Fairly quickly they decided Little Red Riding Hood and Goldilocks would be sisters.

The ensemble was also responsible for dreaming up all the interesting plot twists and character quirks that make the story unique. They wrote the dialogue and outlined the plot before choosing how the story would end.

"I couldn't be happier with the way the actors conquered this challenge," Willhite says. "Not only do the two fairy tales blend together smoothly, but the story is lively and funny and includes some more serious themes, which is new for us."

The success of Flourish in the Footlights has prompted Metropolis officials to reach out to other organizations that serve people with disabilities.

According to Outreach Coordinator Barbara Wachholz, Metropolis works with Clearbrook in Arlington Heights and Northwest Special Recreation Association, based in Rolling Meadows.

Metropolis' School of the Performing Arts also works with various elementary and middle schools in Arlington Heights Elementary District 25 and the Arlington Heights Senior Center for acting and improv classes.