For the 17th annual Denver Children’s Theatre production, the 2014 choice is “Rumpelstiltskin,” as adapted by Mike Kenny from the Brothers Grimm fairy tale.

Performances are at the Mizel Arts and Culture Center at the Jewish Community Center. Billie McBride is director — as she has been for a number of years — of this spring treat, cast with fine professional actors who will really show children what theater can be.

McBride is joined for this play by local choreographer/dancer Terrell Davis, due to the extraordinary movement requirements in Kenny’s version.

Performances are at 10 a.m. on selected weekdays for school groups 5 years through grade 6, and at 1 p.m. on Sundays for the public.

Readers will remember the story about the miller (Brian Landis Folkins) who tells the king that his pampered daughter (Adrian Egolf) knows how to spin gold from straw. When the king finds his treasury is pretty much depleted, he takes the miller up on his boast and leads the daughter to a room filled with piles of straw, which makes her frantic.

The elfish little man Rumpelstiltskin (Rachel Graham) appears and offers to spin the straw into gold in exchange for her firstborn child after she becomes the princess who marries the prince.

Also in the cast: Lindsey Pierce as the queen and Missy Moore as Mess.

A curriculum guide is distributed to all participating teachers, keyed to academic standards for reading, writing and communication; social studies; dance; music; drama; and theater arts. Optional “Encore!” programs ($10) are offered following the 70-minute performance. Workshops are led by arts educators (often actors from the production) with discussion and specially designed theater activities.

If you go:

“Rumpelstiltskin” plays through May 2 at the Mizel Arts and Culture Center at the Jewish Community Center, 350 S. Dahlia St., Denver. Performances for school groups are at 10 a.m. on specific weekdays, plus 1 p.m. Sundays for the public (except April 20). Tickets $8/$9/$10, 303-316-6360, maccjcc.org/Denver-childrens-theatre-rumpelstiltskin