Julia Sand/Winonan

Winona State University’s “Straw Into Gold: The Classic Tale of Rumpelstiltskin” might be its 46th annual children’s show, but for actors Shay Thompson and Maggie Teper “Straw Into Gold” will be marked as their first children’s play.

Thompson, a senior computer science major, and Teper, are the only two in the play who are not theatre major or minors.

This is certainly not to say they lack a theatre background. Thompson acted in high school and was a scene director recently.

Teper’s experience is with show choir and musicals, singing and dancing.

“It’s incredible and humbling to see how so much creativity that gets poured into something like this, especially because I have never done anything like this before,” Thompson said.

Sally Netzel’s “Straw Into Gold: The Classic Tale of Rumpelstiltskin” is the originally childhood tale many have heard and fallen asleep to.

Melinda, the girl in this story, is locked away in a tower after her loud-mouth, overpraising boyfriend, the Prince, says she can turn straw in to gold.

The Queen, to punish her son, says Melinda’s only escape is to do just that: turn straw into gold.

Saving the day, Rumpelstiltskin comes out from living in his crevices of the castle to use his magic ability
to turn the straw in gold—at a price.

But Winona State’s show comes with a twist, Thompson said. It’s a play within a play.

The actors are “super high energy kids” playing on a playground, who, upon realizing they have an audience, decide to put on a play: Rumpelstiltskin.

This format allows for more audience interaction and dropping out of character – which the added character, the stage manager, will reprimand them for.

Thompson plays the chamberlain – a confused old man, unsure of what is going on, who lurks in the background constantly on stage for comic relief. Teper will star as Melinda, the girlfriend locked away.

While children and families are the play’s main attraction, a clever script and slapstick humor are something college students will enjoy too.

“It’s like a Disney movie. You can sit and watch a Disney Movie with your kids and they think it’s awesome, but you think ‘Ha ha, they didn’t catch that.’ It caters to adults and keeps their attention,” Teper said.

Magic can be found not only in watching the play itself, but the audience brings magic, too.

“It’s makes the theatre more magical, seeing it through a kid’s eyes: everything is real and exciting and magic is actually happening on stage,” Teper said.

The play will show Friday, April 5, and Saturday, April 6, both at 7:00 p.m. on the Main Stage in the Performing Arts Center.

Contact Julia at [email protected]