Gypsy Tales : Troupe stages free interactive shows for children in Ventura, Simi Valley.

A greedy queen, a powerful wizard and spellbinding magic are the makings of the next outdoor play by Gypsies in a Trunk, an acting troupe that stages free interactive theater for young children.

Parents looking for a hands-on activity in which their children can hear interesting stories--and participate in the action as well--should look no further than the troupe’s summertime Fairytales in the Park.

Shows are staged at parks in Ventura and Simi Valley and generally run about an hour. Very young children are welcome, and parents are encouraged to pack a blanket or lawn chairs and bring snacks to enjoy during the performance.

There are playgrounds and potties near the stages.

“I think this is a great way to introduce kids to live theater without having the restraints of live theater,” said Roxanne Diesel, founder of the five-person acting troupe based in Simi Valley. “It sparks their imagination and gets them interested in performing.”

The next production, the classic tale of “Rumpelstiltskin,” will be staged Saturday at 4 p.m. at Barranca Vista Park, 7050 Ralston St. in east Ventura.

The park features seven acres of rolling green lawns where families can relax in the sun while watching the performance, which will be held in a marked area in front of the park’s recreation center.

Diesel, who will portray the witch in the story, describes “Rumpelstiltskin” as the story of a greedy queen on the brink of bankruptcy who orders the prince to marry a rich princess.

Alas, there is a conflict. The prince is in love with a poor girl, and the poor girl loves the prince so much she tells the queen she can spin hay into gold. An evil wizard helps the girl fulfill the claim in exchange for the promise of her firstborn child.

When the royal family uncovers the truth, the audience must find a way to help outwit the wizard.

The acting troupe’s final performance next month will be “The Boy Who Had No Story.” Call 644-6542 for dates and times in Ventura or 522-0449 for information about the shows in Simi Valley, which are staged at the Rancho Simi Bicentennial Amphitheater in Rancho Simi Park.

The performances have become so popular that more than 200 people have been known to attend at a time, Ventura city officials said. Parking is abundant at both venues, and the troupe uses an amplification system when necessary.

Now, want to know just how fun it is?

In recent productions of “Mr. Toad’s Wild Adventures,” children laughed and squealed as the actor portraying Mr. Toad roamed through the audience in a costume that included a cardboard car strapped to his waist, participants said.

“Where did he go?” asked the other characters of “Mr. Toad.” Children yelled, “There he is! There he is!”

In another scene in the production, children were asked to present the deed of the castle--copies of which were passed out before the play started--to Mr. Toad.

“It’s a place where parents can come and bring their kids and not have to worry about telling the kids to sit down or be quiet,” said Jill Dolan, a spokeswoman for Ventura’s Community Services Department. “It’s not a formal setting--it has more of an improvisational tone, and it’s just a good time. If mom and dad bring a kid over and the kid falls asleep in the grass, that’s OK, too.”

Participation theater. That’s what Kathryn Dippong-Lawson called it when asked to describe the shows’ primary benefit. Dippong-Lawson, who also works for Ventura’s Community Services Department, said the price is right and it’s an event that really holds the interest of children under age 8.

Dippong-Lawson, an actress herself, brought Gypsies in a Trunk to Ventura after seeing the troupe perform in Thousand Oaks.

Plays started at Barranca Vista Park in 1997 with about 80 people attending. She gets the word out by mailing more than 2,000 postcards to city residents.

Shows started in Simi Valley in 1995 after Diesel and her husband, who directs and does technical work on the productions, decided to do something fun for the community’s children, she said.

From thrift stores and various trunks full of old treasures they’ve come across, the couple have built up the troupe’s wardrobe. The microphones were donated and the couple spent their own money enhancing the sound system.

To help with costs, the actors pass around a hat for donations during the plays. It helps if audience members give, but it’s OK if they don’t, because the main reason the Gypsies do what they do is for fun.

“To see their faces, to see the kids light up and really get into it, I think it’s great,” Diesel said.

DETAILS

Fairytales in the Park by Gypsies in a Trunk, Saturday at 4 p.m. at Barranca Vista Park in Ventura. Call 644-6542 for details or 522-0449 for show times in Simi Valley.

TIP OF THE WEEK: To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Corriganville Park being opened to the public, a slide show of classic western movies shot at the ranch will be presented Saturday at 2 p.m. at Strathearn Historical Park at 137 Strathearn Place in Simi Valley. In its heyday, the movie ranch served as a working set for more than 3,500 films and television shows. The free slide show will be presented by Bill Ehrheart, a Corriganville historian. Call 526-6453 for details.

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