Everything that can go wrong will go wrong in Tri-City United’s upcoming spring production, “Haphazardly Ever After.” Directed by TCU Drama Director Sarah Mejia, this spoof on classic fairy tales like “Aladdin” and “Cinderella” will have audiences laughing as they follow a loving king and queen in their quest to secure a happily ever after for their insufferable adult children.
The production stars Aiden Miland as King Barnabas and Alice Schroeder as Queen Mildred, gentle rulers who would be content to spend the rest of their lives solving puzzles and tending to bonsai trees, if it were not for chaos raised by their four bratty kids.
Between their two girls and two boys, none are fitting of their royal titles. Princess Cinnamon, played by Addy Schroer, considers everyone and everything to be beneath her standards while Princess Peppermint (Olivia Skluzacek) is far from the sharpest tool in the shed. Prince Hairgel (Josiah Velarde) is so self-obsessed that he would rather look at himself in the mirror than his would-be bride, and Prince Slacker (John Titus) spends his time on his smartphone playing “Angry Peasants” instead of slaying dragons.
After many fruitless attempts to marry their children off and teach them proper royal etiquette, the king and queen are gifted a mysterious book of fairy tales by a reluctant fairy, played by Amanda Prigge, who would rather be an action hero than a pixie.
The royal couple turn to the book to solve their woes, hiring a fairy godmother (Xiani Medina), installing a magic mirror (Tahlia Buckingham), casting a magic spell and more to give their kids a happily ever after. But hijinks ensue when nothing goes as planned, and the question is raised if the royal family can get the happy ending they seek.
Starring in “Haphazardly Ever After” is a dream come true for seniors Miland, Schroeder and Prigge. The three of them were all big fans of the comedy after seeing Tri-City United’s previous staging of the show back when they were in the sixth grade.
“I thought it was the funniest thing ever, and I was like ‘I wish I had the chance to do this,’” said Miland.
The senior said he even approached Mejia a couple weeks before the play was announced to suggest “Haphazardly Ever After.”
“She looked at me weird and said, ‘Are you reading my mind?’” Miland recalled. “I was like, “Oh my God, we’re doing the show. I’m happy.”
Prigge said it was a nostalgic experience to get to perform on stage in a play that starred actors who would be come her own mentors in the TCU theater program.
“I sat in the upper row of the old theater,” said Prigge. “I watched things fall apart and I watched things go amazing. I laughed, I cried, it was awesome. Now I get to be the person putting on that show.”
Stepping into the production they saw when they were just burgeoning actors has inspired the seniors to form a friendly rivalry with the cast of the previous “Haphazardly Ever After” production. This year’s cast aims to generate as many laughs as possible to top the old show.
“I sit out there, I’ve seen it a million times and I still laugh at it, at tons of things people say” said Prigge.
“It’s hard for us as actors on stage not to laugh at the things going on,” Schroeder added. “We encourage people of all ages to come. It’s very age appropriate for anyone. There’s some remarks that our parents would get more than younger kids.”
Fundraising by TCU drama students has also supported all-new costumes for the production. Students raised dollars for the production by bringing store-bought and homemade concessions to give out with free will donations at their fall musical “Suessical.”
We did really, really well during Seussical,” said Schroeder. “People were so generous. We appreciate it because if it weren’t for them, we wouldn’t have all these wonderful pieces that help make the show what it needs to be.”
CAST AND CREW Cast Fairy One: Nora Titus Fairy Two: Dakota Meadows Reluctant Fairy: Amanda Prigge Narrator: Savanah Chapel Servant One: Kylie Anderson Servant Two: Audrey Keltgen Extra Servants: Jamil De la O, Mia Castro, Baylee Caponi and Elise Fashant King Barnabas: Aidan Miland Queen Mildred: Alice Schroeder Prince Hairgel: Josiah Velarde Prince Slacker: John Titus Princess Peppermint: Olivia Skluzacek Princess Cinnamon: Addy Schroer Royal Therapist: Eva Tikalsky Duke of Cranberry/Moe/Fairy Tale Inspector: Isaak Worm Cranberry’s Assistant: Jasmin Corona Princess Ambrosia/Phone Operator: Maisie Tiegen Prince Chowder: Hiovani Castro Royal Teacher One: Lauren Ballman Royal Teacher Two: Hayden Dietz Stage Crew One: Claire Vavra Stage Crew Two: McKenna Fredrickson Magic Mirror: Tahlia Buckingham Fairy Godmother: Xiani Medina Roe: Emilynn Liebhard Poe: Audrey Krugerud Paige: Abby Grant Mysterious Old Man: Darby Phelps Witch: Isabella Keltgen Sorcerer: Carter Maskrey Eddie: Keith Sexton Genie: Grace Pieper Voice of Gletterbell: Elise Fashant Crew Sam Fossum Kaelyn Barta Nathan Glockner Eleanora Silda Nick Mejia Kendelyn Sauter Abby Schmitz Zach Zehnder Riley Witte Jameson Zehnder b167eedd-a4f4-4835-9e32-e9efadfa1eb0
If You Go Tri-City United High School’s “Haphazardly Ever After” will be performed on the TCU Performing Arts stage on Saturday, April 13 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, April 14 at 2 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online at TCU’s website at $6.75 after fees for adults and $4.75 after fees for students. At the door ticket prices are $7 and $5 respectively. 692c00b9-31c9-49e9-b103-e01d979deb12
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