Performers create Princess magic for balls and birthdays

A group of girls donning their fanciest finery gathers near a stage in an elegant ballroom. The well-behaved bunch watches wide-eyed as a group of performers twirl and glide through a graceful dance.

Another performer emerges from behind a curtain, her pale-blue gown cascading to the floor. The crowd cheers, and the regal woman begins to wave her arms as the music swells. Then, with one grand motion, a small snow flurry forms over her head.

Grace goes out the window. The girls pop up and rush to the princess, shrieking with glee and jumping to catch the flakes. She greets them with a wide smile and bends down to say hello.

This magic moment happened at the Frosted Fairy Garden Party hosted by Fairytale Princess Visits, a group that also lends its talent to local birthday parties. The group is among several Pittsburgh-area princess businesses, which have become popular with little ones and parents, particularly since the release of a certain animated film featuring a sister with special icy powers.

“I thought no one would ever be bigger than Cinderella,” says Courtney Czarniak, founder of Fairytale Princess Visits, with a laugh.

To avoid irking a certain corporate mouse, characters are generic and go by altered names, such as Ice Princess or Ice Queen. Some names, such as Snow White or Cinderella, pre-date any animated version and use of them does not violate trademark. The companies also use modified costumes to avoid duplicating the original look.

Czarniak of South Fayette first got into the business as a face-painter. She saw a demand for performers at parties and realized her network of musical-theater professionals would make perfect princesses. Czarniak, who performed as a singer and dancer at theme parks around the country for more than a decade, and husband Jeremy, who taught musical theater at Point Park, recruited a wide group of people for the job.

“We have an RN, a lawyer, a teacher, a mother of three, and they're all amazing,” Czarniak says.

Czarniak held her business's first ball as a fundraiser in February. Part of the proceeds from the event benefited organizations that fight human trafficking. From there, requests for parties started pouring in. Now, her company books up to six parties a week.

“We want to be that friend that everyone wants,” Czarniak says. “We do it for the love of the character. Some might say Cinderella was just saved by a man, but she showed grace under fire. She was still kind to the people who were terrible to her. I love an underdog, and the villain always undoes himself in the end. That's very true-to-life.”

The performers use their backgrounds, flawless makeup, perfectly placed wigs and elaborate costumes to embody the characters.

“You have to know how they stand, how they eat, their voice, their hand gestures, their favorite joke, if they have siblings,” says Katie Oxman, of Oakland, who portrayed the Celtic Princess at the ball. “You have to know all the details. It's always a lot of work, but it's a job worth doing. You are this star to them. You can see it in their face. Where else can you get that?”

One particular ball guest received a personal invitation from the princesses. Molly McGovern, daughter of Jerilyn and Jim of Pine, wanted the Frosted sisters to attend her fifth birthday party that same day, so they mailed her a letter requesting her presence at the event.

Molly was amazed when the Ice Queen filled the ballroom with her snow flurry.

“She used her magic,” said the bright-eyed birthday girl.

Beginning in August, part of the proceeds from every Fairytale Princess Visit will benefit Beverly's Birthdays, an organization that makes sure children living in group homes and shelters receive birthday celebrations. On July 27, performers will participate in Princesses for a Purpose, a day of beauty benefiting Beverly's Birthdays from noon to 3 p.m. at Bella Capelli Beauty Academy in Monroeville (www.eventbrite.com).

The charitable aspect is particularly important to Corrie Thearle, of Overbook, a child-advocacy lawyer and part-time princess whose flowing red locks made her an unmistakable Little Mermaid.

“She's so effervescent and engaged in everything around her,” Thearle says of her signature character.

Thearle remembers one party where the birthday girl asked the mermaid to sign her shirt. Soon, an entire group of girls had the same request.

“They're so excited that you actually came,” she says. “You feel like a rock star.”

Erin Ritchey of Upper St. Clair was recruited to play Rapunzel after she brought her daughter, Evelyn, 4, to the ball in February. The job comes with a lengthy wig that attaches to her head and hip to distribute the weight. But the heavy lifting is worth it, she says.

“When I came to the ball with Evelyn, as an adult, I knew it was people in costume, but they're larger-than-life,” Ritchey says. “The kids are in awe of them. And they teach them it's about more than being pretty. It's about brains, courage and kindness. They are role models.”

Heather Rodebaugh of Belle Vernon, and daughter Hailey, 5, attended the first ball and loved it, so she booked them for Hailey's birthday party in June.

“It was absolutely amazing,” Rodebaugh says. “They did a story time, face-painting, sang ‘Happy Birthday,' had cake and ice cream, danced, played freeze tag. Fifteen 5- and 6-year-olds didn't stop smiling.”

Melissa Viator of Point Breeze also booked the Ice Queen and princess for her daughter Francesca's sixth birthday party in April. But she kept it a secret, so when the princess arrived, the girls were shocked to see her coming up the driveway.

“I've never seen a group of 6-year-olds so quiet,” Viator says with a laugh. “It was a moment I'll never forget.”

There are several other groups who practice princessing around the Pittsburgh region. Melissa Gorr of Mt. Lebanon and Melissa Tyler of Swissvale run Princesses in Pittsburgh. Both have backgrounds in the arts — Gorr in singing and Tyler in ballet. Gorr says she loves tapping into children's creativity.

“Their imagination is still real,” she says.

Like their peers, the women have fielded some tricky questions from inquiring minds.

“They always ask if I actually have ice powers,” says Gorr, of her time spent portraying the Ice Queen. “I tell them I don't use them often because I want to protect everyone, but the only reason we have air conditioning is because of my powers.”

Sarah Haag of Irwin, who runs JS Princess Parties, says, while kids today can't seem to let go of their love for a pair of cold-climate sisters, Cinderella and Rapunzel were most popular before “Frozen” iced out the competition. Haag offers more than 20 characters, her favorite to play being the Beast-befriending princess, Beauty.

“I love doing her story,” Haag says. “She's a mix of the old-world and newer princesses.”

Butler County's Wendy Hoffman Raviotta, of All Princess Parties, also has a performance background and even won a contest for her portrayal of the Little Mermaid, after which some friends asked her to come to perform at parties. All Princess Parties' website went live in March 2011.

“All our princesses are chosen for their internal characteristics, not just physical resemblance,” says Raviotta. “Our ultimate goal is not just a successful, fun event, but to have an impact that speaks to children and families about their ability to achieve the aspirations they have for their lives.”

Rachel Weaver is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. She can be reached at 412-320-7948 or rweaver@tribweb.com.