BY ANDREW SOBOEIRO

Staff Writer

The PlayHouse, the theater division of Taylor Dance, will be performing a series of plays this weekend on the life of King Arthur.

The plays are "Camelot," a musical about war and politics in medieval England, "The Sword in the Stone," which explores the relationship between Arthur and Merlin, and "Little King Arthur," which introduces Arthur as a child and looks forward to his career uniting England.

"Each year we try to select a season that will challenge our actors," says Rita Taylor, executive director of Taylor Dance and of The PlayHouse. "We want to provide them with a wide range of theatrical elements that will help them grow in their craft. The shows are a dynamic expose that provide challenging acting material."

The cast of "Camelot" is made up of middle and high school students, that of "The Sword in the Stone" consists of elementary school students, and that of "Little King Arthur" enlists children ages 4 to 7.

"Many of the actors in our shows have been with us for a long time," says Taylor. "They return show after show and continue to hone their craft. We are so fortunate to get to work with dedicated and talented young people who strive to create a product we can all be proud of."

The performances will be staggered against each other. "Little King Arthur" will be performed on Saturday, May 19, at 4 p.m. "The Sword in the Stone" will be performed on the same date at 10 a.m. and again at 1 p.m. Tickets for both shows are $5 for seniors and $8 for general admission.

"Camelot" will be performed on Friday, May 18, at 7 p.m., Saturday, May 19, at 7 p.m., and Sunday, May 20, at 3 p.m. Tickets are $7 for seniors and $10 for general admission.

For more information, contact Taylor Dance at (910) 695-1320 or visit the website www.taylordance theplayhouse.org.