I really didn’t want to write this show. Fairy tales? Not for me. It’s sort of ironic because I read many fantasy novels, and they are certainly an extension of the fairy tale genre. Nevertheless, when the creative team asked me to write a fairy tale script, my reaction was immediate, strong, and negative.
Little did I know…
Stories have a funny way of co-opting a writer, and projects that were once onerous turn out to be refreshing and invigorating. It’s the characters. They start chattering away in charming and distinct voices, and you start to like them. Bart and Bowen were the first to speak up for me. Their endearing idiocy and buffoonery suddenly had me enjoying the play.
Indeed, I was so drawn in that I decided to make The Prince's Bride a story about storytelling. All of the characters in the play are, to varying degrees, aware that they are in a story. Some are even concerned about the plotline. For the audience, it's like popping the hood on a story, watching the spinning belts and fans to see what makes it go. But part of the magic of stories is that even when the ending is forecasted, and the plot devices are laid bare, we're still invested. We still want to see how it all pans out.
I hope that's the case for you, and that this story wins you over as it did me. Especially since... a few of these characters are aware that they are being observed. One in particular is quite vain, and he'll be absolutely insufferable if you don't enjoy yourselves thoroughly.
Thanks so much for coming,
Adam Schnell