"Little Red from the hood" lives in Fishtown and goes to Hackett. One day, while taking a walk through the neighborhood, she encounters a cast of wacky characters fit for a fairy tale - a "fractured" one, that is.

If "Red" sounds vaguely like another little girl with a similar name who liked to take long walks and bring snacks to her grandmother, then you're getting the hang of this.

You might just want to check out B. Someday's production of "Fractured Fairy Tales," at the Walking Fish Theatre. The show is part of the upcoming Philadelphia Fringe Festival, the 11-year old festival that runs for two weeks and turns the city into a vibrant hub of theater, dance, music and everything in between.

"Fractured Fairy Tales is an interactive family-friendly show that turns traditional fairy tales on their head," said director Michelle Pauls. "The audience gets the chance to actually participate in the show, or if they want to just stay in the audience they can do that, too."

But before "Fractured Fairy Tales" officially opens on Saturday, Sept. 5, there will be a chance for members of the community to enjoy a bit of a preview on Thursday, Sept. 3 from 7 to 9 p.m. when the Walking Fish holds an ice cream fundraiser at the new Music Fountain Cafe on Girard Avenue. Money raised will help to support the production.

Attendees are asked to make a small donation. In return they get to enjoy some ice cream and meet some of the characters like Red, Harry Beast, Mister Wolf, and Snow White.

"We thought it was something fun to do for families," added Pauls. "They can have some ice cream, get to meet the characters and even have pictures taken with them."

Sure beats that photo of your kid's frightened stare while sitting on the Easter Bunny's lap. And it's for a good cause. Walking Fish is the community's only professional theater company. "Fractured Fairy Tales" will open their 2009-2010 season.

The venue for the Sept. 3 fundraiser should suit the whimsical nature of show as well as compliment its incorporation of some the local color.

The Music Fountain Cafe, yet another contribution from real estate developer Bob Murphy (who added Fishtown Airways gallery to local culture), is an ice cream parlor and coffee shop right in that hub of restaurants, arts and music venues near the Frankford-Girard intersection. It also happens to be a shrine of sorts to the rich legacy created by Philly musicians and recording artists. It's a long list that includes names such as Eugene Ormandy, Patti LaBelle and Ken Kweder.

The cafe features a Seeburg stereo jukebox along with photos and memorabilia celebrating Philly music notables like Jerry Blavat and Sister Sledge. There also is a collection of radios from different eras. The cafe has a retro ice cream parlor look and feel, which marries well with the rock 'n' roll roots it celebrates.

So just what is a "fractured fairy tale?" You'll have to come and see the show to truly find out, but Pauls gave an example.

"We have a lot of familiar fairy tale characters. There's the princess who must be saved, but, maybe, in this case, she saves herself and decides her own fate."

This madcap production that re-invents the stories of our childhood also employs Philly settings and takes a few good-natured shots at our local celebs. There are inventive costumes and staging. Audience participation is encouraged. Moreover, as Michelle Pauls pointed out, it's a budget-friendly family night out, with tickets set at just $5.

That goes for the ice cream fundraiser, too. Most kids (and those of us who are kids at heart) will tell you that ice cream and fairy tales make a winning combination.

The ice cream fundraiser for "Fractured Fairy Tales," will be held Thursday Sept. 3 from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Music Fountain Cafe, 308 E. Girard Ave., Philadelphia, PA. For more information about the event and about Fractured Fairy Tales, visit www.WalkingFishTheatre.com or call 215- 427-WALK.

"Fractured Fairy Tales" runs Sept. 5, 6, 12, 13, and 19 at the Walking Fish Theatre, 2509 Frankford Ave. Tickets can be purchased at the door or through the Philly Fringe Web site, www.livearts-fringe.org. **