'Esther!' Comes to the Stage

Audiences are invited to journey back to ancient Persia and join Queen Esther as she outwits the evil and treacherous Haman when LifeHouse Theater presents “Esther!” The critically-acclaimed musical comedy opens Friday evening, April 3 and continues through May 10. Performances are Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 2:15 and 7:30 p.m., and Sundays at 2:15 p.m. In addition to the weekend performances, there will be a special Thursday performance on May 7 at 7:30 p.m., and the 7:30 p.m. performance on Saturday, April 18, will also feature an interpreted presentation for the deaf. There will be no performances of “Esther!” on Sunday, April 5 or Saturday, May 2. Audiences experience the intrigue, follies, and foibles of one of the most powerful empires of history in this tale based on a true story of a young woman who rises to the Persian throne. Award-winning playwright Wayne Scott and director Nathan Prince bring to life Queen Esther’s inspiring tale of courage and virtue already enjoyed by thousands in Southern California. “Our critically acclaimed musical, ‘Esther!,’ is a fun audience favorite,” says Scott. “This is a light rendition of a serious story as timely today as ever.” While winning a beauty pageant and the heart of King Xerxes, Esther rises from the humdrum life of an orphan to a luxurious life as queen to one of the most powerful men in the world. Heeding the wise advice of her cousin Mordecai, she courageously risks her own life to save her people – securing her place of honor as a heroine in the history of Israel. Joining Prince on the production staff are choreographer Emilie Helvey, musical director Jeremy Yeo, set designer Tim Mahoney, and costume designer Machir Lakofka. Playing the title role of Esther is Stephanie Yglesias. Shane Prince portrays the inept King Xerxes. Michael Tennant is featured in the role of the sly and conniving Haman. The musical also features William Fernandez Sr. as Mordecai, Jordan Crother as Teresh and Sarah Pearce as Queen Vashti. The Storyteller narrating the amazing events is played by Emily Prince. Advance ticket prices are $14 or $18 for adults and $7 or $9 for children ages 3-11 (no children under 3 are admitted) and can be purchased over the phone with a Visa or MasterCard by calling 909-335-3037. Tickets are available online at boxoffice.lifehousetheater.com. Tickets may also be purchased in person at the box office, which is open Fridays from 1 to 6 p.m. and one hour prior to performance times on the weekends. Tickets are $1 more the day of the performance. Group rates are available for groups of 10 or more. Guests are encouraged to reserve seats early as performances do sell out. The theater is located at 1135 N. Church St. in Redlands, next to the Redlands Christian School. Free parking is available in back of the theater.