`LITTLE WOMEN' GETS NEW LIFE ON THE STAGE; ADAPTATION RUNNING IN T.O.

Byline: Victoria Giraud Special to the Daily News

When Toni Frisk, actor/director/writer and head of Xanadu Theatre Company was reviewing plays based on the classic 19th century book, ``Little Women,'' she couldn't find one she liked.

``I didn't think anyone stuck to the meaning of the story,'' Frisk said. ``I've read a lot on (Louisa May) Alcott, who was a visionary of her time, an individualist.''

So Frisk sat down and wrote her own adaptation of the story in a week. ``Little Women,'' which Frisk is also directing, opened this past weekend at the Arts Council Center in Thousand Oaks and will continue Friday through Sunday.

``I had been wanting to do this production. It's such a great switch from the regular Christmas shows,'' Frisk said. ``It begins at Christmas and goes through six Christmases.''

A Simi Valley resident, Frisk's been involved in local theater since the early 1980s when she moved from her home state of Idaho. ``I jumped into theater and started with Xanadu.''

At that time the theater company was known for its children's touring theater presented in Ventura County schools. Frisk, who not only acts, but writes for the touring group, has kept the children's program alive since she took over the company in 1992, and has added Classics in the Park, an outdoor summer theater co-produced with Gothic Productions. They also perform plays at the Arts Council Center.

She recently wrote ``Shakespeare and Seuss,'' a humorous intermingling of the Bard of Avon with tales of children's author, Dr. Seuss, and plans to use it for the children's touring group at the first of the year.

``It's a good way to introduce kids to Shakespeare. It's easier to understand,'' she said. ``Some of the story lines are similar.''

As examples, Frisk pointed out that ``Romeo and Juliet'' with its warring families is similar to Seuss' ``Star-bellied Sneetches,'' and that ``Richard III'' has the same themes as ``The Grinch Who Stole Christmas.''

Making learning more enticing is an aim of the group's current children's program, ``Recycled Fairy Tales,'' which Frisk co-wrote. ``We took seven fairy tales and twisted them to have environmental themes. It's a little whacky.''

The ``Frog Prince,'' for instance, has to be taught not to pollute his pond. In ``Cinderella'' the stepsisters waste valuable energy, while Cinderella is busy developing a solar-powered vacuum. ``The Three Little Pigs'' build their dwellings out of recycled newspaper, soda cans and plastic containers; when the wolf destroys them, they can just sell them as recycled goods.

Frisk's love of theater goes back to childhood. ``I was the kind of kid that got neighborhood kids together.'' She'd tell them, ``Let's put on a play.''

Her theatrical activities keep her busy. Recently she played Carol, the only female comedy writer in Neil Simon's ``Laughter on the Twenty-third Floor'' at the Simi Valley Arts Cultural Center, and she just closed a farce, playing Lucette in ``Cat Among the Pigeons,'' at the Arts Council Center.

In February, Frisk will be directing a show for the Courtyard Theatre at the Arts Council Center that she's also writing - ``Twelve Dwarfs'' - a prequel to ``Snow White.'' She's working with 10- 14-year-olds who are part of the Young Artists Ensemble.

A passion for theater also infects Frisk's fiance, Charlie Jourdan. The couple are planning a wedding for January. During the day Charlie is the superintendent for a construction company. At night and on weekends he pursues theater. He was in ``Laughter'' with Frisk, not long ago played Judd in Cabrillo Theatre's ``Oklahoma'' at the Civic Arts Plaza and will play Mr. March in ``Little Women.''

Frisk hopes to co-produce a Xanadu show, possibly with the Tour de Force company, at least once a year at the Forum Theatre of the Civic Arts Plaza.

She has a couple of roles in mind ``before I get too old to play them,'' namely Traci Lord in ``Philadelphia Story,'' and Lady Macbeth in ``Macbeth.''

Even though her theatrical activities keep her busy, she tries to see local as well as other Los Angeles theater productions. ``I like theater a lot and see as much as I can.''

Frisk compares local theater quite favorably with larger productions. ``I'm really surprised with the talent pool that we have,'' she said. ``I'll always want to do something here.''