Three decades ago Ellie Shunko began working at South Suburban College. That is also when she began Children's Theatre Company.

In addition to sold-out performances primarily for students from Jan. 17-20, the troupe stages “The Beauty and The Beast” Saturday and Jan. 21 for the general public at South Suburban College's Kindig Performing Arts Center in South Holland.

“This is our 30th year. I wanted to do something I haven't done before,” Shunko said.

“I mainly use the scripts of Michele L. Vacca. Her material is just so wonderful. I hadn't directed this one before. I said, ‘Let's do something special this year,' so we picked that. The next thing we know ‘Beauty and the Beast' is everywhere.”

Different from other versions including a new movie coming March 17, “The Beauty and The Beast” is not a musical and is led by hostess and narrator Florabunda, the Enchantress.

“The play starts out as if it's a troupe of actors all coming on the stage. They play all kinds of different roles. They're not all just one part. There's a bit of a ‘Wizard of Oz' feel to it where one person is playing three or four different characters,” said Shunko, who directs the production.

“They put on different hats. They put on a different jacket or take on a different accent. They don't play furniture pieces so there's not a pot or a kettle. They're actually people. This is far away from Disney so that's how it's different from what kids might be used to seeing.”

The cast of South Suburban College students and community members includes Rykeil Knights, of Riverdale; Angela Martin, of Midlothian; Pat Nevins, of Homewood; Sandy Wagner, of Lansing; Thornton's Juniper DeYoung and Catherine Hundt; and Chicago's Eric Atkinson and Heather Young.

“I've got a delightful mix of old and new faces. You can't ask for a better group of people,” Shunko said.

“Every time we do a kids show I just get a marvelous turnout of people that want to do this and, of course, they all want to be actors. Who doesn't? I like to work with young actors because they're all very committed to telling the story and performing as opposed to just being an actor.

“They're very committed to the whole concept of performing for children. That really makes a huge difference.”

Children's Theatre Company performs yearly to groups from grammar schools, day care centers and senior centers as well as homeschoolers during the school day and also offers weekend performances for the public.

“Since we started out we have been the best-kept secret on the South Side of the Chicagoland area,” said Shunko, manager of Kindig Performing Arts Center.

“We are blessed to be able to offer really low ticket prices so kids can come and see a performance on stage as opposed to watching a movie.”

Jessi Virtusio is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.