White as Snow, Red as Blood
by V. Glasgow Koste
Play in seven scenes for a company of 12 to 18 players. One hour 20 minutes. $ 6.50
"Once upon a time in the middle of winter, a long time ago, long before anyone here was here, a high castle stood at the edge of a far forest..." Thus begins the extraordinary dramatization of a fairy tale that reaches deep into every child's experience of growing up. Koste uses all the resources of the theatre to add new layers to the experience. The seven dwarves are timeless, legendary beings who may be cast with children--a delightful opportunity for a company of adults to collaborate with a local youth theatre--or with adults. Both ways have proved successful.
This ever-popular tale about the power of evil has a dark side, but White as Snow is flooded with the magic that children delight in, and a joyful outpouring of language that holds them spellbound. Directors who want to combine a magical environment with exceptional depth of experience for both the parents and children find this fairy tale a welcome challenge.
Dear Jinny,
I am writing to tell you again how much I admire your Snow White. I think it is profound. I have read lots of scripts for young audiences that are impeccably crafted. This script, though, is sound in its craftsmanship and structure, but profound in its artistry.
It's the voice, the vision, the language of this script which is profound. While maintaining the integrity of the fairytale, you have found a way for the reader/audience member to experience completely the power of the fairtale. You have made it extremely contemporary. . . it subsumes us intellectually, but that is only the beginning. What it really does is take our hearts on a wild ride. And it's on that ride in which the profound insights are born.
As you can see, I like it.
James Larson, Artistic Director
Emmy Gifford Theatre
Omaha, Nebraska
