'Little Prince' takes stage in Ann Arbor

Ursula Watson / The Detroit News

The Ann Arbor Civic Theatre's Junior Theatre will work hard to give a royal performance during its production this weekend of Antoine de Saint-Exupery's children's tale, "The Little Prince."

Published in 1943, the fantasy is the story of a pilot stranded in the Sahara Desert who meets a young prince. The little prince tells the pilot of his own journey to various planets, each inhabited by one unusually flawed adult. One such adult is the Drunkard, who drowns himself in drink to forget that he is embarrassed about his addiction. Or the Conceited Man who hears only compliments, wants to be adored by all, but lives alone on his planet.

Theater director Claudia Wier boasts that this play is an original adaptation of the book and that the music was created just for the production.

"This is not a commercial endeavor but an educational endeavor for the audience and cast," says Wier. "It is exciting for young audiences to see children play for them and bring to life these fabulous characters in a challenging production."

One young cast member is Emily Waters, 13. She portrays the Geographer, who sits at her desk obsessed with cartography but never explores the places she has mapped, not even her own planet, Emily says.

The young actress admits the stoic role was a bit of a stretch. "It was hard to be so serious because I am goofy person," Emily says.

Wier says, "I enjoy working with young actors because I do believe that they can act excellently and do everything that an adult can do, practically speaking."

While the play is for pre-schooler to fourth-graders, she says adults will find "The Little Prince" engaging, as well.

"This book is about cherishing and honoring the child. The native wisdom and instinct of a child to know what is true and right," Wier says. "For adults, it is about remembering who they were when they were 5."