Family : College Stages ‘Rapunzel’ Lite

You think Cinderella got a bum deal? Poor Rapunzel! First, her parents trade her for a bunch of radishes. Then she is forced to spend her childhood knocking around an enchanted garden talking to the landscaping. Finally, she is locked up in a tower with no doors, no stairs--heck, the kid probably doesn’t even get cable--until she finally flags down a passing prince and a one-way ticket to her happily ever after.

Although it has its faults, Jack A. Melanos’ adaptation of this Brothers Grimm classic does fill in a lot of blanks in the story that other versions don’t. For example, why didn’t Rap’s mom and dad try to get her back after she’d been taken by the witch? And why wouldn’t a resourceful kid like her even try to escape?

Sure, it’s a fairy tale. But inquiring minds want to know, and Melanos’ play--which continues Thursdays through Sundays at Saddleback College’s Studio Theatre through Aug. 13--provides some entertaining answers. The 75-minute show has been directed by former Saddleback student Terry Christopher and features a capable cast of four local teen-agers.

They bill “Rapunzel” as a “suspenseful fairy tale,” and they mostly make good on that promise. There’s a truly nasty witch, some homespun but spooky special effects and a few genuinely creepy Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde moments with the heroine.

Anguish and remorse rear their ugly heads, too, as Rapunzel’s parents yearn for the child they lost. At a performance on opening weekend, a couple of preschoolers were carried out in tears.

But there are plenty of light moments (though you have to listen closely sometimes to catch them). When Rapunzel is leafing through the witch’s magic book, she wheels off into a litany of spells from other famous fairly tales. And the witch’s dialogue, which is mostly in rhyming couplets, can be pretty clever.

Chelsea Alexandra Farbolin nearly steals the show as the witch. Like a good wine, her performance becomes more flavorful as time passes. She hits her stride about halfway through and maintains it to the end, cackling like a madwoman and casting out sly asides with the ease of a veteran. Fortunately, Desiree Lyons is strong enough as Rapunzel so as not to be overshadowed by her “Mother Gothol.”

April Madigan and Will Townsend are fine in the supporting roles of Rapunzel’s mother and father, although Townsend’s fake beard and hunched walk make him look like a refugee from the other children’s show currently at the school, “Rumpelstiltskin” (see accompanying review). Townsend doubles as the prince.

Although it works well on the intimate Studio Theatre stage, the smallness of the cast does cause some problems. When Rapunzel and the prince finally off the witch and break her spells, they are reunited with their parents, but there are no actors to play three of those four characters. The director tries to bluff his way through with a minor-league stage effect, but it doesn’t work, and it makes for a confusing ending.

Wally Huntoon’s set is storybook ready without being florid; the tower is a peach, although viewers in the first rows may get cricks in their necks watching the action up there. Diane Lewis’ costumes also are straight out of the fairy tales, especially Rapunzel’s flowing, rosebud-sprinkled gown--dreamy, positive proof that no matter how fouled up your home life is, you can still look good.--C.F.

* “Rapunzel and the Witch,” Saddleback College Studio Theatre, 28000 Marguerite Parkway, Mission Viejo. Thursdays-Sundays at 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Closes Aug. 13. $6 for children and adults. (714) 582-4656. Running time: 75 minutes. April Madigan Margot

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Will Townsend: Otto/Prince Eric

Desiree Lyons: Rapunzel

Chelsea Alexandra Farbolin: witch

A Saddleback College Summer Theatre production of a play by Jack A. Melanos, directed by Terry Christopher. Set design: Wally Huntoon. Lighting design: Bonnie Vigil. Costume and makeup design: Diane Lewis. Stage manager: Peter Deutschman.