The students of Alpha Psi Omega (APO), Northwest Missouri State University’s honorary theatre fraternity, are hitting the road again this winter with a play for area children.

The engaging and interactive children’s show, “Once Upon a Crime: The Trial of Goldilocks,” casts the audience as a jury and allows it to choose how the play ends. Goldilocks goes on trial for breaking and entering the three bears’ home, while other famous fairy tale characters – including Hansel, Gretel and Big Bad Wolf – take the stand to testify. It is up to the audience to decide whether Goldilocks is guilty or innocent.

“These fairytale characters make up so many of our childhood memories and allow us to have the imaginations of a child,” Haley Kernes, a senior speech and theatre education major and director of the play, said. “The best part about live theatre is being able to jump into another world for a while and go into the story with the characters.”

The ensemble will tour local elementary schools Dec. 12-16. Additionally, the ensemble will stage a public performance at 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 11, in the Studio Theatre at the Ron Houston Center for the Performing Arts.

The show, which has a runtime of about 45 minutes, is open to the public, and APO is accepting donations of non-perishable food items for local ministry centers and food banks.

APO annually elects a member to direct the play, and this year it selected Kernes. Students involved in the production gain experience in the theatrical field beyond traditional coursework and other profession-based experiences offered through Northwest’s Department of Fine and Performing Arts.

“It is great for future theatre professionals to know what it is like to tour and what kind of schedule they must adapt to in order to accomplish what needs to be done for that tour,” Kernes said. “It truly does take a village to make a show happen, and everyone learning to work together is crucial to their development in their future theatrical careers.”