Vortex Theatre to bring folk tales, legends and more to life with 'Winter Tales'

Kathaleen Roberts, Albuquerque Journal, N.M.
·2 min read

Nov. 25—A concoction of fairy stories, fables and poems knits into "Winter Tales" at the Vortex Theatre next weekend.

This story theater meshes music with plays adapted from the Brothers Grimm in a spirit of innocence and holiday magic.

The show opens on Friday, Dec. 2, continuing on weekends through Dec. 18.

"It is a play, but it's a play based upon adaptations of mainly Grimm's fairy tales," director Paul Ford said. "One of it is O. Henry's 'The Gift of the Magi.' "

Paul Sills, the original director of Chicago's famed improvisational The Second City, developed the concept based on improvisation, transformation, mime and dance. The actors improvise plays from stories, myths, folk tales and legends.

Under Ford's direction, the cast will interweave stories and poetry with a 1717 recipe for roast turkey spiced with quotes from Mark Twain and "Hamlet."

Three longer stories dominate.

"The Dwarf and the Cobbler's Sons" is about three boys left alone on Christmas Eve when their father leaves them to earn some much-needed money, Ford said.

"This dwarf enters and he's very rude and he shoves them out of bed."

But food, candy and money fall from their pockets when he turns them upside down.

Maud Lindsay's "The Jar of Rosemary" tells the story of a prince's sick mother who pines for some rosemary for Christmas. The prince searches the provinces and cannot find it. Then he meets and old woman who refuses to sell her single jar of the herb. The prince solves the problem by trading a magic ball to her sick grandson for a sprig.

"It's an opportunity to explore the different modes and aspects of the holiday," Ford said of the production. "There are pieces that are dark. There are pieces that are sweet. Most of it celebrates the open heart of giving."

Winter Tales

WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 2; 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3; and 2 p.m. Dec. 4. Repeats through Dec. 18

WHERE: Vortex Theatre, 2900 Carlisle Blvd. NE

HOW MUCH: $24; $19 students and SAG/AFTRA, at 505-247-8600, vortexabq.org