"Do NOT go into the woods" chant the children in Stories and More's latest production - Hansel, Gretel and the Big Bad Wolves - written and directed by Cecilia Mooney.
Hansel, Gretel and the Big Bad Wolves marks Mooney's 10th production written for children and staged in Hamilton.
Stories and More regularly stage a season at the Hamilton Gardens Arts Festival - this year was Jack and the Beanstalk - and an annual production at the Meteor in October.
Some of the audiences have become familiar with the annual Meteor October school holiday production, and turn up each year to see what new story and surprises are in store.
"Last year we had a dragon that breathed real fire and each production has some surprise element," said Mooney. "Of course, I can't disclose what it is this year."
Stage manager Willow Totterdell smiles wryly.
"That's my challenge every time, to manage the surprise elements!," she said.
Hansel, Gretel and the Big Bad Wolves features a cast of 23 local actors including eight adults and 15 children.
The children's cast is drawn from Stories and More's drama school, and the adults are local actors, some of whom are well-known in Hamilton theatre circles.
Mooney said that this year's production features some well-known traditional characters from fairy tales, along with some new ones, and an imaginative storyline ideal for children and the young-at-heart.
"Stories and More was set up with the express purpose of producing theatre for young audiences and to make theatre accessible for as many families as possible," she said.
On stage at the Meteor Theatre from October 7-10, Hansel, Gretel and the Big Bad Wolves is performed each morning at 11am except on Thursday, and every evening at 7pm.
Tickets can be pre-booked at www.iticket.co.nz and door sales are available half an hour before each performance. Door sales may be less than pre-booked prices and are $5 for children and students, and $10 for adults.