Inside the darkened J.A. Pickard Auditorium on Wednesday, students from the Dallas County and Selma City School Systems laughed with delight as they watched actors from the Birmingham Children’s Theater present a play based on a Russian folktale.

A total of 1,500 pre-K through sixth-grade students attended the two performances of “The Snow Girl,” a tale of a married couple named Ivan and Maroosha Ivanovitch who wanted to have children and one night magically created a daughter out of snow.

The play, sponsored by the Selma Arts Council, was part comedy and part ballet.

In a flowing white dress, the title character of the play twirled, leaped and glided across the stage throughout her performance.

In fact, it seems the character of “The Snow Girl” was the most popular among the students who attended.

Terron Deyampert, a first-grader from Edgewood Elementary School, said watching the dancer was his favorite part of the show.

“I loved the snow girl,” he said. “They made her out of the snow.”

Terron’s classmate Adrian Smith said she thought the dancer was pretty and did a good job on the stage.

Another Edgewood student, Kaylin Dudley, seemed with agree.

“My favorite part was when the man turned the snow into a girl,” she said.

Sandy Greene, executive director of the Selma Arts Council, said the non-profit organization tries to bring at least one Birmingham Children’s Theater show to Selma each year.

“We invited all the public and private schools in Selma and Dallas County,” Greene said. “It is open to all.”

Greene added that the Selma Arts Council also plans to have two more events from local school children before the end of the school year.

In February, the organization will host a performance of African storytelling and songs.

On March 10, a Canadian multicultural dance troupe known as Vinok Worldance will do shows for local students and the public.

Though the Selma Arts Council managed to find the funds to continue bringing the arts to Dallas County, Greene says the organization may not be so lucky next year.

“The city council cut us out of the budget again this year,” she said. “So, who knows if we will still be around next year.”

If anyone would like to become a member of the Selma Arts Council, they can attend the annual member meeting at Brownstone Manor on Nov. 9 at 7p.m.

Membership fees are $35 for a family, $20 for a single and $100 for a patron.