Troupe Puts Lighter Spin on ‘Rumpelstiltskin’ Yarn : Children’s theater: The Lilliput Players slightly soften the Brothers Grimm tale in a presentation by Anaheim’s ‘Just for Kids’ program.

What some dads won’t do for their little girls. . . .

Here’s the deal. It seems that dear old pop, eager to catch a royal husband for his daughter, spins a wild yarn that could cost him his head. Things are starting to look pretty, well, grim, when a mysterious dwarf appears to save the day. Or does he?

Families can find out the answer to these and other mysteries tonight when the Lilliput Players bring their touring production of the Brothers Grimm fairy tale, “Rumpelstiltskin” to Anaheim’s Pearson Park Amphitheatre.

“Our version is a little different from the classic story,” explained Bill Durkin, managing director of the 13-year-old children’s theater troupe. “In the original, the miller foolishly boasts that his daughter can spin straw into gold, and the greedy king says she must do it or she will die. In ours, the king isn’t such a bad guy. He falls in love with the girl, and in order to marry her off, the miller comes up with this story about the gold. Unfortunately, the penalty for lying in the kingdom is death.

“So Rumpelstiltskin comes along, and for two nights, he helps the girl by magically turning the straw into gold. But on the third night, he tricks her.”

Founded in 1977, the Lilliput Players has presented its version of classic children’s stories to an estimated 1.5 million children and adults in more than 4,500 performances across Orange, San Diego, Los Angeles and Riverside counties. This season, the troupe staged three children’s works, “Rumpelstiltskin,” “The Pied Piper” and “Merlin” in about 350 schools, parks and community centers.

The Lilliput Players’ parent company is L.P. Repertory, which produced eight seasons of family dinner theater at Fullerton’s Muckenthaler Cultural Center before opening its own permanent facility in Tustin in 1988. Financial difficulties forced the site to close last month, but because the two organizations operated independently, the demise of L.P. Repertory had no impact on the Lilliput Players.

Tonight’s performance of “Rumpelstiltskin” is part of the Anaheim Parks and Recreation Department’s “Just for Kids” program, an 11-week series of children’s theater, music and dance sponsored by Target Stores and the Anaheim Arts Council. Admission to all Just for Kids events is $2 for adults and $1 for children under 12 and seniors. Children under 3 are admitted free. Just for Kids performances are at Pearson Park, 400 N. Harbor Blvd. (at Sycamore Street) in Anaheim. All shows are at 7:30 p.m., except July 26. Information: (714) 999-5191.

The summer schedule:

* June 28: “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown,” featuring an all-adult cast of local actors.

* July 5: “Proud to Be Me,” a play about self-esteem presented by We Tell Stories.

* July 12: “Snoopy,” a musical featuring an all-adult cast of local actors.

* July 19: “The Red Tipi Descendants,” a program of native American music, stories and dance.

* July 26: “Make a Circus,” a performance and hands-on workshop of circus skills, including juggling, tight-rope walking and tumbling.

* Aug. 2: Area high school students perform in the musical “Annie.”

* Aug. 9: Ballet Pacifica dances “Hansel and Gretel.”

* Aug. 16: “Stories From Around the World,” a play presented by J.P. Nightengale.

* Aug. 23: “The Pecos Bill Show,” a celebration of American’s pioneer spirit through legends and folklore by the Imagination Company.