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Canfield siblings add a fairy tale twist
By CHRISTINE KEELING
The Cinderella story always included three evil stepsisters, but at the Youngstown Playhouse’s April 28 through May 1 performance of the classic fairy tale, it was a sister and brother that helped the show come alive.
Lindsay and Matt Stevens of Canfield enjoy taking part in various productions and spent four days a week for over a month preparing for their latest adventure as Cinderella and stage manager.
The pair has been part of the Youngstown Playhouse Youth Theater for about four years after they tried out and got parts in “A Christmas Carol,” but it was school plays that really got them started.
“At first I just liked to sing and then I did a play at school,” Lindsay said.
The role of Cinderella was not the first go-around of the story for the 13-year-old; in sixth grade she played the Queen. The change in characters came with a new challenge because Lindsay had to juggle lines for two plays. During her practices as Cinderella, the eighth-grader also prepared for a performance in Canfield Village School’s “All Shook Up.”
“I thought it would be harder, but it really wasn’t,” Lindsay said. “My favorite things to do are to sing and act.” The love for theater is evident and she plans on pursuing a career on Broadway.
“Anything acting,” she said.
Her next aspiration is to become the little sister in “Our Town.”
“Matt is a jack-of-all-trades,” said Gail Stevens, the childrens’ mother. “He always loved the stage, but he likes technical, too.”
Matt started acting when he got a role in the “Princess Diaries” at school. Since then, he has done about 30 different shows. His role in Cinderella was taking care of every back stage activity.
“After the show starts, a director doesn’t do anything,” Matt said. “The stage manager runs the entire show.”
The 16-year-old Canfield High School student said that by working as a stage manager he learned how to build sets and do lighting. Although he finds theater fun, he doesn’t see himself pursuing a career in it.
“I want to do something in law,” Matt said.
The brother-sister duo has done a lot of the same shows and look at working together like Cinderella and her stepsisters might.
“He tries to boss me around,” said Lindsay.
“It’s OK,” Matt said.