Press Release: Snow White

TAKE A BITE OUT OF THIS FUNNY ADAPTATION OF SNOW WHITE AT SOUTH COAST REPERTORY

Two Actors Bring A New Twist to This Theatre For Young Audiences and Families Classic

COSTA MESA, Calif. (Oct. 25, 2022)—South Coast Repertory (Artistic Director David Ivers and Managing Director Paula Tomei) gives a children’s classic a modern twist with its Theatre for Young Audiences and Families production of Snow White. Adapted by Greg Banks and directed by H. Adam Harris, Snow White runs Nov. 4-20 on the Julianne Argyros Stage.

Tickets are on sale at scr.org. Snow White is suitable for children 4-years-old and up.

“Greg Banks’ adaptation is a fantastic theatrical adventure that takes a traditional theatrical story that’s in our canon and brings it with a furious, hilarious and inventive immediacy,” Ivers said. “It’s in some ways groundbreaking, in terms of theatricality, but in other ways, it’s groundbreaking in terms of representation and I think those are all the things that are important to us as an institution.

“H. Adam brings a wealth of experience and a wealth of assets to this organization and one of them is knowing how to lead a room as a director.”

As director, Harris brings extensive familiarity with Banks’ work. Harris played Baloo/Father Wolf in Jungle Book and Smaug/Kili in The Hobbit, both written and directed by Banks.

Banks’ adaptation of Snow White features only two actors and SCR’s cast is diverse in experience and background: Snow White is played by Candace Nicholas-Lippman, and Dwarf Four is played by Derek Manson. In this twist on the children’s classic, Snow White is reclaiming her story and acting out what really happened after her new mother took over as queen. With six of the Seven Dwarves missing, Nicholas-Lippman and Manson play all 14 roles in a super-fast, whip-smart, hilarious game of switcheroo.

“I love Greg Banks plays. They are dynamic, heart-forward and require equal amounts of joy and rigor,” Harris said. “That’s the type of Theatre for Young Audiences and Families I love to see. We’ve assembled a terrific duo of performers and the creative team is embracing the challenge of bringing this story to life. I’m honored to work on this story that puts Snow White at the center of her narrative. Her story in this play reminds us of the power of storytelling, imagination, community and what happens when we invite more compassion into our lives.

“I believe great things happen when we tell our own story, and in this version, Snow White gets to do precisely that.”

Telling that story is SCR newcomer Nicholas-Lippman, whose credits include starring as a regular in the hit TV series, Blindspotting on Starz, a recurring role on the Freeform/Hulu television series Good Trouble, a guest star role on ABC's Grey's Anatomy, a recurring role on FB Watch Series, Grounded, Nick Bottom in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Elizabeth in In The Next Room, which earned her an LA Scenie Award and an LA Weekly Award nomination for Best Supporting Female. In 2018, Nicholas-Lippman debuted her solo show A Rose Called Candace to critical acclaim, followed by multiple successful runs including being featured in the 26th Annual Los Angeles Women's Theatre Festival in the spring of 2019. That fall, A Rose Called Candace traveled to the East Coast where it made its off-Broadway debut in the United Solo Theatre Festival.

No stranger to SCR, Manson returns to the theatre after regaling audiences with his hilarious portrayals of Russ the Bus and Reggie in last spring’s Tiger Style! by Mike Lew. Before that, he appeared as Snoopy in the Outside SCR production of You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, the Centipede and Aunt Spiker in James and the Giant Peach, Steve in Jane of the Jungle, and in the 2022 Pacific Playwrights Festival reading of A Million Tiny Pieces. Manson’s extensive L.A. credits include roles in The Bicycle Men, Neil Simon’s Musical Fools, Room Service, The Gary Plays, The 39 Steps and Life Expectancy. Manson also appeared in the satirical news show Second City This Week at Second City Hollywood. His television and voice-over credits include “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”, “The Last Tycoon”, “UnREAL”, “Project Blue Book”, and SNL’s “Best of TV Funhouse”. Manson’s directorial credits include Einstein is a Dummy (Sierra Madre Playhouse) and Political Pop-Ups (Open Fist Theatre).

Known for his artful adaptations of familiar stories and considered one of the premier children’s theatre playwrights in the world, Banks’ works often involves adapting classics with smaller casts. Both Banks’ Jungle Book and The Hobbit featured only five actors. Banks also adapted Huck Finn, Pinocchio and Robin Hood. Both Pinocchio and Robin Hood became SCR productions. He has also written and directed adaptations of Antigone, Romeo and Juliet, A Wrinkle In Time, Charlotte’s Web and Sleeping Beauty for the Minneapolis Children’s Theatre. His work has appeared at theatres all over the world, including New York State Theatre, Seattle Children’s Theatre, The Arden Theater in Philadelphia, Roseneath Theatre in Toronto, Vedogon Theatre in Moscow, TNT/International Theatre Company in Munich and The Egg Theatre, Birmingham Stage Company, Bristol Old Vic and the M6 Theatre Company in his native United Kingdom.

Harris directed Redwood by Brittany K. Allen at the Jungle Theater last winter. He has directed plays at the William Inge Festival, Eugene O’Neill Theater Center, Theater Mu and various universities. Along with Jungle Book and The Hobbit, Harris’ acting credits include Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax, The Snowy Day, and How the Grinch Stole Christmas, among others. He has also worked onstage with Guthrie Theater, Penumbra Theatre, The Old Globe, Seattle Children’s Theater, New Conservatory Theater Center, Pillsbury House Theatre, Minnesota Orchestra and St. Paul Chamber Orchestra. A teaching artist at SCR’s Conservatory, Harris works at the intersection of theatre, education, social justice and community engagement. He currently serves as SCR’s Artistic/Audience Engagement Associate.

The creative team includes Phillip Matsuura and Matthew McGraw, musicians; Fred Kinney, set design; Ramzi Jneid, costume design; Andrea Heilman, lighting design; Leela Oleszkiewicz, composer/arrangements/musical direction; Joanne DeNaut, CSA, casting; and Natalie Figaredo, production stage management.

Snow White received generous support from Honorary Producer Leona Aronoff-Sadacca and Corporate Associate Honorary Producer Union Bank.

Tickets are now on sale and range in price from $28-$40 for children ages 4-12 and $34-$46 for adults. Tickets may be purchased online or by phone at (714) 708-5555. More information is available at www.scr.org.