Mark your calendars, folks. Sophie has been cast in the Snow Queen, December 3 and 4 (matinees only) at the Herberger Theater in Phoenix.

She will be appearing in the role of Sprite.

This is big. And scary. Not scary for Sophie — she’s thrilled. Scary for her mother, and probably (though they aren’t saying) for the people behind the Snow Queen, which is the holiday performance put on by Center Dance Ensemble, a modern dance company in town.

Think of Snow Queen as the non-Christmasy, less-uptight version of The Nutcracker. But less uptight does not mean less professional. This is quite a show, and the junior cast members (there are many children in each performance) are expected to behave and perform.

Ditto for Sophie.

This will be Annabelle’s fourth year in Snow Queen. Sophie’s been asking for years for a chance to audition. That chance came last Sunday. My mother (who — full disclosure — runs a dance studio with the woman who runs Center Dance Ensemble) suggested I put Sophie’s hair in a bun, to set a professional tone. So I did; I believe it’s the smallest ballet bun ever made. Sophie promised to try not to suck her thumb during the audition, and as soon as it was over, motioned to me through the studio window — sticking her thumb in the air and shaking her head — to indicate her success. She looked so proud.

So did I. I think I held my breath for a whole hour, as the instructors (including my mom) put 40 or so kids through the paces. At first, I wasn’t so sure it would work. Sophie insisted on ballet slippers when I had left them at home, so she did the entire audition in shoes several sizes too big (I dug them out of a box in the back of the studio; this was after I had to forcibly remove my mother’s shoes from Sophie’s feet — she’d grabbed them out of her bag — and warn her this all could end before it had begun).

Just before the audition, Sophie wandered out for one last hug and our dear friend Maria wished her luck.

“Break a leg, Sophie!” Maria said.

Sophie looked very serious.

“I can’t,” she told Maria.

Sophie was not able to do the heel-toe required for the Villagers, and she will most likely never be able to do the steps required to be a Rosebud, but she definitely has the moves to be a Sprite — and she demonstrated that at the audition. So that’s what she will be. We got the email last night.

I am keenly aware of the special favor here (I am pretty sure there’s never been a special needs child in the Snow Queen cast) and prepared to gently remove Sophie if rehearsals don’t go well. But she tends to be a  kid who rises to the occasion when then occasion is a fancy party — and this is one fancy party. She’s going to go nuts when she sees how cool it is backstage, not to mention what it’s like on stage. All the kids do.

One more reason I really need to get going on that arts charter school that welcomes kids with special needs.