'The Enchanted Bookshop' A Delight For All Ages

Children and adults will both enjoy the Greenwood Little Theatre’s delightful presentation of “The Enchanted Bookshop.”

Featuring a cast of more than 20 talented actors, the play is directed by Roishina C. Henderson — and it makes for the perfect directing debut for the author and freelance editor and writer.

“The Enchanted Bookshop” is set in a bookstore called A Likely Story, which is owned by the whimsical Margie (Tracie Agnew). As the show begins, Margie’s passion for reading is on full display as she animatedly tells her beloved cat Bombalurina (Liliana Morse) about a book she’s reading.

As Margie is soon approached by a mother and son looking to purchase a book from the shop, she has a line that both Agnew and the director, Henderson, said prior to the Wednesday evening rehearsal performance is their favorite in the entire play: “Oh, no! Books are wonderful! They strengthen your vocabulary, and they fuel your imagination, and they teach you about other times and other cultures.”

The line further shows how important reading is to Margie, and book lovers in the audience will immediately recognize her and her literature-loving feline companion as kindred spirits. 

The bookshop owner, however, is struggling to bring business to her store. But, without her knowledge, at night, something magical is happening. 

Characters from children’s classic literature — from the books that fill the shelves in her store — come to life. 

These storybook characters who come alive in Margie’s bookstore are an absolute joy to watch. 

There’s Robin Hood (Samantha Studley), Tom Sawyer (Amaan Jemsheer), Sherlock Holmes (John McCall III), Dorothy (Mary Laine Dyksterhouse and understudy Jana Dees) and Toto (McCarty Edwards), Heidi (Allyson Bedingfield), and Pollyanna (Alyssa Tharpe).

When she hears her name, the Book Fairy, played by Paulette Clay, makes her ethereal appearance. The fairy warns the characters that they must not reveal themselves to humans or they will disappear.  

“Book characters are supposed to come alive the normal way — by being read,” the Book Fairy says.

Trouble arises when thieves draw A Likely Story into a criminal scheme, and the storybook characters, who want to help Margie, try to find a way to warn her without revealing themselves. 

There are other appearances from well-known book characters, such as an important scene featuring Fagin (Kat Coxwell) from “Oliver Twist.”

The cast members flawlessly embody their characters, fully immersing themselves in their roles, which makes this such a fun play to watch.

This play has laughs, mystery, a little suspense, and is the perfect play for the whole family. 

Bibliophiles will find this play especially heartwarming, as it celebrates the joy of reading and the special bond that is formed between a reader and the characters in a beloved book. To readers, our favorite characters come alive as we flip through page after page, and those characters stay with us long after we have finished the book. They continue to live on forever within our minds and hearts.

Performances of “The Enchanted Bookshop” will be held at 6 p.m. Friday and at 2 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday at Davis Auditorium.

The play runs for about an hour, but be sure to arrive early! At each performance of “The Enchanted Bookshop,” there will be a pre-show featuring Mississippi Valley State University’s brass ensemble. Each performance is scheduled to begin about 30 minutes before the show.

Admission is $20 for adults, $10 for students and is free for GLT members.

For more information or to purchase tickets, send an email to ticketing@greenwoodlittletheatre.com, call 662-219-3822 or visit greenwoodlittletheatre.com.