Red Mask Players children's productions allow generations of performers to take their first bows.

The tradition continues this week when both novices and more experienced young actors appear in "Frumpled Fairy Tales" at Red Mask's Kathryn Randolph Theatre.

Jean Lewis, Randolph's daughter, began the children's theater for Red Mask in 1962. Children's theater plays feature kids in grades three through eight and provide families with an opportunity to work toward a common goal.

Each youngster who participates onstage or backstage must have a parent involved in the production.

Parents build sets, apply makeup, gather props or run lights and sound for the annual spring and fall plays. Many have no previous theatrical experience. Others feel the bite of the acting "bug" after the experience and go on to adult community theater.

Regardless, they share the pride their children feel when the production moves from initial rehearsals to performances and the audiences' applause.

"Frumpled Fairy Tales," a comic look at three of the Grimm Brothers classic stories, features 22 youngsters from schools throughout Vermilion County. The show features shortened versions of "Rumplestiltskin," "Little Red Riding Hood" and "Rapunzel."

Special performances during the week for school kids highlight the spring children's productions. This year, students from 13 grade schools from Danville and surrounding communities will attend these matinees.

"These kids are very bright. They learned their parts quickly, and they're well-behaved," said parent and stage manager Mary Albeanese of Danville,

Her 9-year-old daughter Angela, cast as the witch in "Rapunzel," appeared in Red Mask's "Wishes."

"This is my first time as stage manager," Albeanese said. "I've had to do a lot of multitasking."

A rotating group of parent cast-sitters assist her in keeping the children focused backstage during performances.

Vincent Drake, an eighth-grader at St. Paul's School, has appeared in Red Mask children's productions since third grade. For "Frumpled Fairy Tales," he's working as one of two student directors, assisting director Peter Blackmon. Taylor Nobbe, a fourth-grader from Bismarck, also serves as a student director.

"This is a way different perspective of a play," Drake said of his work behind the scenes. "It's really interesting, but I like acting a little more."

Drake plans to continue in community theater beyond the children's shows.

His parents, Susan and Richard Drake, did set construction and design for the show.

"My husband is the creative one," Susan Drake said. "He was able to use some of the set from the last adult play at Red Mask with just some cosmetic changes. I'm more of the go-fer."

Danae Danzl, a Catlin fourth-grader, makes her theatrical debut as the miller's daughter who turns into a queen in the "Rumplestiltskin" segment of the play.

"I've really liked meeting so many new people doing this," she said.

Danzl demonstrated her crying scene, which she described as her favorite part of the play.

Her proud dad, Rick Danzl, described his daughter as "funny and outgoing. She's done church plays before," he said, "but this has been a different experience for her. These kids have come a long way in a short time."

Colin Ramage, a veteran of Red Mask and Danville Light Opera productions at the age of 11, makes his last Danville appearance in "Frumpled Fairy Tales." He and his parents, Michelle and Tom, will move from Danville to Mahomet at the end of the month.

"I know that I'll do plenty more shows in Champaign," Ramage said.

He appeared as the only child in the Parkland College production of "Assassins" last fall.

"What I've learned here is how to have fun while acting. In this show, I'm Rumplestiltskin. He's sloppy. I've got real mustard stains on my shirt," he said.

"If I like the character, acting is a lot of fun."