Cinderella and her royal friends invite Wichita girls to a grand gala

Cinderella is about to have her first ball in Wichita.

On Sunday afternoon, 100 girls will be able to join 11 princess characters at Cinderella's Grand Gala at Abode Venue. The event is being hosted by Princess Pros Entertainment, a local company started in 2015 by Joy Smith, a veteran professional actress and graduate of Emporia State's music theater program.

“When I was little, it was a dream of mine to go to a ball and see my favorite princess,” Smith said.

Over the past two years, Smith has been building up her cast of princesses available to entertain at private parties and community events. Smith, who is part of the Wichita Children's Theatre company, and other local actresses portray 11 fairy tale princesses, including Cinderella, Rapunzel, Sleeping Beauty, Ariel the Little Mermaid, Tiana and more.

“It's taken some time to build up the characters,” Smith said. And now that she has, she feels the time is right to make her childhood dream – and perhaps those of other little girls – come true by throwing a ball in Cinderella's name.

“When I was a kid, I loved the princesses, so it's easy to put myself in the little girls’ shoes and to come up with what would put them over the moon,” she said.

Smith said she's “pulling out all the stops” to put on a grand ball and provide what she's calling “a magical experience” for the guests.

There will be meet-and-greets with the princesses, live singing by the princesses, professional face painters, photo shoots, crafts, popcorn, candy, chocolate, etiquette lessons and even dance lessons with Cinderella, “of course, since she's the belle of the ball,” said Smith. VIP ticket holders will enjoy some additional perks, including a makeover and extra one-on-one time with the princesses.

The young guests are encouraged to dress as if they were going to a ball or in their favorite princess costumes, and the adults have a dress code, too, Smith said. No jeans or sweats and no princess costumes for the grown-ups. That's to ensure the guests don't get confused about who are the real princesses at party.

The actresses, who range in ages 18 to 26, “all have amazing voices,” said Smith, whose first professional acting gig was with the former Crown Uptown dinner theater. She's been involved with Wichita Children's Theater since she was about 9, she said, and still goes on tour with WCT.

Playing a princess “is definitely a job for experienced actors since they have to think on their feet,” she said.

The costumes are made professionally by a seamstress whose name Smith won't divulge. “That's like my secret recipe.”

So who's Smith's favorite princess? “My favorite princess changes a lot since I often step in as a performer. I think Sleeping Beauty is my favorite now since she's a new one for me.”

Smith is planning future galas with the princesses, as well, including an Oct. 29 Halloween masquerade ball at Abode Venue.

This story was originally published August 2, 2017 at 4:37 PM with the headline "Cinderella and her royal friends invite Wichita girls to a grand gala."