The Snow Queen

Chicago has a new holiday tradition to look forward to this season, with the much-anticipated return of Hans Christian Andersen's beloved winter tale The Snow Queen, November 30-December 23, 2007 at the Victory Gardens Biograph Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Avenue in Chicago.

Conceived by Chicago folk music legend Michael Smith, Tony Award-winning director Frank Galati, and master puppeteer Blair Thomas & Co, The Snow Queen debuted last year, and quickly became one of the biggest hits in Victory Gardens Theater's 33-year history.  Back by popular demand, The Snow Queen is returning for its second season with a magical new scenic design by top Chicago designer Jeff Bauer, inventive new choreography by nationally-acclaimed actor/dancer/director Jim Corti, and the same haunting, hilarious folk music score that charmed young and old alike.

In Victory Gardens' The Snow Queen, a spine-tingling swirl of snowflakes, eye-popping puppetry, warm storytelling, and Smith's chillingly beautiful score combine for an intimate, magical winter ride into Hans Christian Andersen's mythical world of myth and dream.  Meet Gerda and Kai - the best of childhood friends.  But tragedy strikes when Kai's eye and heart are pierced with frozen shards from the Devil's mirror, and the loving boy Gerda knew vanishes.  The Snow Queen has put Kai under her trance and spirited him away to her palace of snow and ice.  Wooden soldiers, talking reindeer, a sly enchantress, robber girls and lost children swirl in her mysterious spell.   But it is up to Gerda to brave the Snow Queen's icy ire and bring Kai home to the love that awaits him.

Reprising their roles in The Snow Queen are award-winning actress Cheryl Lynn Bruce as The Storyteller, and Andrew Keltz, now a senior theater major at Northwestern, as Kai. New to the cast as Gerda is Blair Robertson, who made her VGT debut last season in My Children! My Africa! Puppeteer/dancers are Nicole Marie Pellegrino, Joey Stone and Lindsey Noel Whiting. Backing Smith live on stage are The Snow Queen band, a who's who of Chicago's top folk musicians, who also play various fairy tale characters in the show: Barbara Barrow, Kat Eggleston, Bob Goins, Cathy Norden, and Anthony Shepherdstone. 

Ideal holiday entertainment, Victory Gardens' smash hit musical begins previews November 30.  Performances of The Snow Queen run through December 23.  For tickets and information, call the Victory Gardens box office, (773) 871-3000, or visit www.VictoryGardens.org