HOUSTON -- Fairy tales come to life with dramatic sets, lighting and costumes at the University of Houston's Children's Theatre Festival and Local 2 got a sneak peek of the first play, Sleeping Beauty, KPRC Local 2, Your Education Station, reported.

"Anybody that writes for theater learns to respect the audience," said Kate Pogue, who wrote the adaptation.

She said it's challenging to adapt plays for grammar school children. Energy, music, fun and brevity are key ingredients.

"It's easy to dramatize and fun to dramatize, especially this play with good and evil incarnated by actual characters -- the evil fairy, the good fairy," said Pogue, who also directed the play.

The actors who made it through the auditions for the coveted roles rehearsed scenes for three weeks.

Roland Ruiz got the hang of performing for a young audience doing children's theater in Sugar Land.

"You do a lot of physicality. You make sure you're not too wordy so that kids don't go off somewhere else. You try to maintain their attention as best as possible," said Ruiz after he rolled around on the floor with a fellow actor.

It was humorous watching the two actors rehearse a "quick change" on stage with the period costumes from the 16th century. The male costumes are big and flowing with velvety layers and covered buttons that slow down a quick strip on stage.

Cristina Madero, in her first paid actor's role, pranced around in a very exposed padded suit for her role as an affable portly servant.

"This play, it's packed not only with the look -- that of a fantasy world -- but it's full of humor, love, mistaken identity, morals and the pursuit of good," said a very animated Madero.

Sidney Berger founded the Children's Theatre Festival in the 70s when he realized there appeared to be a vacuum of cultural life in Houston for youngsters.

"My job at Children's Theatre is to prepare the audiences of tomorrow. We are one of the only countries in the world that doesn't really train young people to be theatergoers when they reach adulthood," said Berger.

Showtime's for the Children's Theatre Festival begins June 11-20 for Sleeping Beauty and July 8 for the second play, The Emperor's New Clothes.

Tickets are priced less than $10, but they're going fast because several summer camps in Houston have featured one of the plays for a summer field trip. For more information, visit www.houstonfestivalscompany.com.