Figure 1.--.

A young brother and sister lost in the woods...a wicked witch with a taste for children...and a house whose construction would make any dentist's eyes light up! All the elements from the beloved Brothers Grimm fable Productions of the classic Brothers Grimm fairy tale, Hansel and Gretel often blends whimsical choreography with gorgeous sets and exciting costumes. The parts of mice, moths, lollipops, candy canes, gingerbread cookies and wood fairies offer many roles for young dancers. Children with motivation and commitment--from 5-year olds through technically accomplished teens can be integral to the production.

Story

Act I the broom-maker's hut

The curtain rises to reveal the interior of the house of a broom-maker in a deep, dark forest. Gretel is busily doing her homework while Hansel, instead of making brooms or doing his homework, is complaining about his hunger and close to tears. The children are both hungry and tired of working. To lift their spirits, and try to forget their hunger, Gretel invites Hansel to dance. The dancing gets more and more wild until it is suddenly interrupted by the entrance of the children's mother. She is annoyed to find them playing when they should have been hard at work. In her anger she hits Hansel and breaks their last bottle of milk which was to have served as supper. She chases Hansel and Gretel from the house, to the Ilsenstein woods to collect strawberries for dinner. The Mother, alone, sits down exhausted, wondering how to provide food for her starving family. The Father is soon heard as he comes home singing, having had just a little too much to drink. He has excellent news for the family. He has sold more brooms than ever, and has brought home a bag filled with provisions. In a good humour, the broom-maker whirls round the room in a jolly dance. Suddenly noticing the children's absence, the Father is horrified to discover that they have been sent to the Ilsenstein woods because, he tells his wife, there is a witch who entices little children to her Gingerbread cottage, turns them into sweets and eats them. Both parents rush out of the cottage to search for Hansel and Gretel.

Act II in the forest

In the forest Hansel has gathered a basket of strawberries whilst Gretel has woven a garland of flowers. Resting after their work, the children unthinkingly finish all the strawberries and realise that they must refill the basket before they can return home. It is now getting dark and Hansel and Gretel are frightened of the strange twilight shapes that keep appearing. The Sandman appears and calms them with his song. After saying their evening prayer the children fall asleep and dream of happy times with their real mother and family before she died, while angels have descend to protect them.

Act III

Morning breaks and the Dewfairy wakes the children. As the mist clears, Hansel and Gretel see that they are near a house made of birthday cake with a hedge of sugar children. They go towards the house and, after some hesitation, start nibbling at it. A voice from inside asks who is eating the house but the children ignore it. So absorbed are they in their delicious meal that the Witch, Rosina Dainty-mouth, is able to creep up on them unobserved. She invokes a spell to bind them to the spot and then shuts Hansel up in a cage for fattening up. Rubbing her hands with glee as she anticipates cooking first Gretel, and then Hansel, in her oven and turning them into gingerbread. Like a mad cook she starts to prepare her meal, mixing dough and pre-heating the oven. Later on, Gretel, who is a very smart little girl, is able to break the Witch's spell over Hansel, enabling him to move and warn her of the Witch's plan to push her into the oven and cook her. Gretel manages to trick the witch into looking into the oven first, and the two children push her in. Hansel and Gretel are celebrating when the oven explodes. The witch is dead! Just then the sugar children outside the house turn into real living children who rejoice at being alive again. When Gretel touches them they open their eyes, and when Hansel says the magic words the Witch's spell is broken. Just then Hansel and Gretel's parents appear and the children rush into their arms. In the oven the Witch has turned into a giant gingerbread cake. The freed children join hands and start to dance. Hansel and Gretel's joy is complete with the arrival of their mother and father. With the family reunited Hansel & Gretel comes to an end with a heartfelt song of thanksgiving.