The Boise State Theatre Arts Program is closing out their “Moonstruck” season with “The Little Prince”, a play based on the 1943 children’s novella written by French aviator Antoine de Saint Exupéry.
The story follows a jaded Aviator (Jacob Cabral) who crash-lands in the Sahara Desert and meets the Little Prince (Alexis Williams), a peculiar young boy from a small planet far, far away.
Over the span of two weeks, the Aviator learns the intricacies of the Little Prince’s world. From the conceited planetary men (Trevor Ferguson), to the thorned Rose he loves dearly (Ripley Hanson) and a Fox (Neekey Habibi) who teaches him the ritual of taming another.
When their journey together is cut short, the Aviator and the Little Prince must return to their respective homes carrying the newfound knowledge that stars can become true friends and that childlike wonder holds utmost importance.
“I’ve read the story [of “The Little Prince”] numerous times,” Neekey Habibi said. “When I first read it, I was too young to understand the meaning of it. Now coming back to it and realizing those deeper meanings about connection, growing up and keeping childlike wonder, it just hits so much harder, especially when I see my fellow actors performing. [The story] has such a special place in my heart. When the Little Prince says something, it’s true. There is no sugar coating it.”
With only eight hearts behind the entire production, the team has an evident bond.
Alexis Williams described the intimacy of the group as a “night and day experience” compared to previous larger Boise State Theatre Arts Program productions like “Macbeth” and “The Sound of Music”.
“The support system that we have with each other is something you probably don’t get in a lot of other places,” Ellie Wirth, assistant stage manager for “The Little Prince” said. “I know if I’m having a hard day that every single person here has my back and will make sure I’m taking care of myself.”
For graduating seniors Alexis Williams, Ripley Hanson and Jacob Cabral, “The Little Prince” is likely their final theater performance at Boise State.
“I’m moving out of Boise, so this is my last production here at Boise State. It’s heartbreaking, but I’m also ready to get out in the world and see what there is to offer,” Ripley Hanson said. “I’ve done three productions here now, and it’s been an incredible experience. It is heartbreaking and I’m so sad. I know I will cry on closing night. It’s been such a wonderful experience that I’m just trying to live every day in the moment.”
Jacob Cabral said his journey was “a little different” from the rest of the group. He fell in love with theater in high school.
“I’m actually a film major and want to do film acting. But in doing a lot of projects, because it’s mainly small student stuff, I’ve realized how much joy I get out of theater,” Cabral said. “There’s something about it that’s completely different. There’s no replica for theater, stage acting and just creating an entire production. This will be my last production for Boise State, but I hope it’s not my last play in my acting career. I’ve learned [that acting] is hard to live without.”
When asked what they were most excited for audiences to see, the cast and crew immediately gushed over the show’s detailed costume design.
“[Darrin Pufall Purdy, professor of Theatre Arts with a specialization in Costume Design and Technology] has really done an amazing job with these costumes,” Stage Manager Megan Ayers said. “Truly, these costumes are so beautiful. [The rose] especially — I cannot imagine how many hours he spent in that costume shop working on those. They’re so incredibly intricate and beautiful.”
Each costume in “The Little Prince” was given deep thought, and was described by the cast as “fantastical and magical”.
For the role of Fox, Purdy had the idea of incorporating Habibi’s Persian heritage into the forefront of her costume design.
“He worked on finding inspiration images from traditional clothing from Iran to merge together this beautiful, glitz and glamor representation of Fox as a Persian mythical being,” Habibi said. “It was heartwarming as an actor of color. It can be hard for me to find my identity in the world, so I felt like this was a very accepting moment. I can’t wait to put it out there and show such a beautiful representation of my culture and my people and hopefully do it justice. I’m also excited to showcase it to my family. It feels otherworldly.”
With a runtime of about 90 minutes and a moving stage filled with vibrant colors, the cast and crew emphasize that “The Little Prince” is a show for all.
“The author [of the story] does a great job of giving the Little Prince a lot of credit,” Williams said. “Something that is so common in this world is discrediting children. I think this show is so empowering. I hope that little kids can come watch this show and see that the Little Prince is so well spoken, brave and kind. He seeks out relationships and has so much autonomy in his life. I hope that children can look at that and see how they can apply it in their lives.”
“The idea of connection, relationships and taming is a huge aspect of the show,” Hanson said. “I hope the audiences leave the theater feeling like they have a better connection with those around them and can create stronger ties while pursuing those connections.
All Boise State students, faculty and staff members may receive one complimentary ticket to “The Little Prince” by presenting their Boise State ID in-person at the Morrison Center Box office. The production will run in the Danny Peterson Theatre in the Morrison Center for the Performing Arts on weekends from April 11 to April 27.
