Sparta Recreation Presents 'Papa Shoe and the Christmas Elves'

SPARTA — It�s going to be a �Grimm� Christmas this year as Sparta Recreation presents the musical play, 'Papa Shoe and the Christmas Elves,' Dec. 14 through 16, at Sparta Recreation, 22 Woodport Road, on the lower level of the Sparta Library.

Based loosely on Grimm�s classic fairy tale, this original play written and directed by Sheri Verrilli, follows Freidrich Schuhmaker, a poor Bavarian cobbler known to all the village children as Papa Shoe.

When Freidrich�s wife, Elsa, mistakenly uses the last of Freidrich's shoe material to make four elf dolls for some orphan children, the cobbler is aghast, realizing that if he cannot finish his shoe orders by Christmas, he will be unable to pay his taxes. But when all hope seems lost, a mysterious stranger appears in the shop and with the help of the sassy little elf dolls, performs a miracle that could only happen at Christmas time.

With a mixed cast of adults, children and professional puppets, this enchanting show features Michael Lawlor as �Papa Shoe, Monica Orr as �Elsa, and Sparta residents, Jake Schultz, Beth Hoffman, Emily Hand, Mikayla Bivona, Kristen Hoffman, Emily Hayes, Rebecca Nigro, and Jill Hoffman.

Sussex County residents, Brian Festa, Melanie Richeda, Courtney Verrilli, Beth Squier, Madeline Patterson, Hannah Orr, Lily Jastrebski, Lorna Jastrebski, Eden Hamer, Kenna Squier and Kylie Squier round out the cast.